By Nanette Wiser
What’s on your summer reading list? Congressman Charlie Crist is reading “A Promised Land” by Barack Obama.
I’m in the middle of Joan Silber’s “Secrets of Happiness” and “Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie” by Lisa Napoli about the NPR female journalists who broke through the broadcasting ceiling, creating opportunities for women reporters.
Also on my nightstand is a provocative book by my Cornell colleague Steve Leveen, owner of www.Levenger.com Tools for Readers, a book publisher and well-known journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times and Los Angeles Times.
His new book is a must-read: “American Bilingual Century: How Americans Are Giving The Gift of Bilingualism to Themselves, Their Loved Ones and Their Country.” Leveen chronicles the enlightened new ways of teaching a language and delves into America’s language history. “English is what unites us,” he writes. “Our other languages are what define and strengthen us.”
If you love to travel, you’ve read my former San Diego colleague and famous wanderlust journalist Mark Orwoll’s award-winning travel missives. His new book, “John Wayne Speaks: The Ultimate John Wayne Quote Book,” is filled with more than 1,000 quotes, with footnoted movie references for each quotation, as well as film reviews, production notes, and little-known facts about the iconic American actor, due out Nov. 9 and available for pre-order from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Alsace Walentine, owner of Tombolo Books, is an indie bookstore enthusiast who promotes reading culture, with book clubs and author talks at her downtown St. Pete literary haven. Her favorite genre is literary fiction and The Little Engine That Could is the book that initiated her love affair with reading. Check out their website for her recommended reads and staff picks, including Julia Phillips’ “Disappearing Earth.” On June 28, Sterling Watson will interview Les Sandifer about his new book “Battle for the Big Top”.
Want a great escapist novel? Beloved novelist and cookbook author Mary Kay Andrews’ newest book, “The Newcomer,” is set on Treasure Island, and even mentions 3 Daughters Brewing. Tombolo hosted her for a live book talk in May.
Book + Bottle’s non-fiction book club meets the last Wednesday of the month and the fiction book club the last Thursday of the month. There’s a champagne tasting June 11 4-8pm; tickets required. I’m signing up for their Readers + Drinkers Club, a wine/booklover’s dream come true. Each month, as a member of the Readers + Drinkers Club, you will receive a curated book + bottle pairing for only $40/month; you can subscribe for any period of time, three months or more.