In the Stacks
In the Stacks is our column highlighting staff and patron book choices and interests.
Inspired by the New York Times feature, By the Book.
Inspired by the New York Times feature, By the Book.
Current Participants
Beth Davidson, Rockland County Legislator
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
BD: I'm a mom, a former, two-term school board member and Rockland County Legislator for District 10 which includes Nyack Library!
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
BD: The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett. I'm also listening to Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos in my car and loving both.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
BD: Amber Ruffin and her sister, Lacey! And I hear Amber lives locally! I have listened to both their books on Audible.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
BD: Anne Shirley, from the "Anne" series by L.M. Montgomery
NL: What books are on your night stand?
BD: Within Arm's Reach by Ann Napolitano; Kingmaker (bio of Pamela Harriman) by Sonia Purnell, The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict, The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Ta.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
BD: Catcher in the Rye, Moby Dick, Wolf Hall (sorry!)
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
BD: Nancy Drew books! I loved reading about their outfits and cars. I also love anything by Philippa Gregory
NL: Are you a re-reader?
BD: Yes.
NL: How do you get out of a reading rut?
BD: At 52, if I'm not into a book by chapter 3, I bail and switch genres, like to a memoir.
NL: Thoughts on prologues? Epilogues?
BD: The Epilogue to the Willoughbys by Lois Lowry is...epic. Especially on audiobook.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
BD: Grapes of Wrath
NL: If you were to own a bookstore, what would it be like? How would you arrange the books? Would you serve coffee and food? Play music? Where would it be?
BD: I would arrange the book by mood. "Just Broke Up With Someone." "Want to Feel Smarter for a Day" "Need to Escape Life." I would serve cheese and purple-frosted cupcakes and dandelion wine.
NL: Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader? Or do you like reading multiple books at the same time?
BD: I can read one fiction and listen to a memoir in the car (and usually do).
NL: Do you DNF (do not finish) books or always read until the end?
BD: See Question 8 above.
BD: I'm a mom, a former, two-term school board member and Rockland County Legislator for District 10 which includes Nyack Library!
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
BD: The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett. I'm also listening to Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos in my car and loving both.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
BD: Amber Ruffin and her sister, Lacey! And I hear Amber lives locally! I have listened to both their books on Audible.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
BD: Anne Shirley, from the "Anne" series by L.M. Montgomery
NL: What books are on your night stand?
BD: Within Arm's Reach by Ann Napolitano; Kingmaker (bio of Pamela Harriman) by Sonia Purnell, The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict, The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Ta.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
BD: Catcher in the Rye, Moby Dick, Wolf Hall (sorry!)
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
BD: Nancy Drew books! I loved reading about their outfits and cars. I also love anything by Philippa Gregory
NL: Are you a re-reader?
BD: Yes.
NL: How do you get out of a reading rut?
BD: At 52, if I'm not into a book by chapter 3, I bail and switch genres, like to a memoir.
NL: Thoughts on prologues? Epilogues?
BD: The Epilogue to the Willoughbys by Lois Lowry is...epic. Especially on audiobook.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
BD: Grapes of Wrath
NL: If you were to own a bookstore, what would it be like? How would you arrange the books? Would you serve coffee and food? Play music? Where would it be?
BD: I would arrange the book by mood. "Just Broke Up With Someone." "Want to Feel Smarter for a Day" "Need to Escape Life." I would serve cheese and purple-frosted cupcakes and dandelion wine.
NL: Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader? Or do you like reading multiple books at the same time?
BD: I can read one fiction and listen to a memoir in the car (and usually do).
NL: Do you DNF (do not finish) books or always read until the end?
BD: See Question 8 above.
Up next!
Conrad lOCHNER, Nyack Library Board of Trustee
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
CL: I am a special digital collections librarian at Teachers College, Columbia University and sometimes a first thought best thought sort of person. I am also a poet and regularly collaborate and work with All Ways Writing Collective here in Nyack. Our family moved here almost 5 years ago from Brooklyn and can be found frequently enjoying the trails on foot and bike, and of course, visiting the library!
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
CL: Every winter I pick up a big, thick classic from Big Red Books that I somehow missed reading along the way. This winter it is Anna Karenina. I think Tolstoy clearly knew what he was doing and I love the book! I am also reading a book of poetry called Standoff by David Rivard which I highly recommend.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
CL: Whew. That's like simultaneously the easiest and most difficult of questions. I am going to go with perhaps the poet Alice Notley or a very old mentor of mine from my days in Las Vegas, and also a poet, Joshua Kryah.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
CL: Hands down Eumaeus the Swineherd from The Odyssey.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
CL: I have a stack of books from the publisher Song Cave. They publish poetry and have a great yearly subscription. Also: Do Something: Coming of Age Amid the Glitter and Doom of ‘70s New York by Guy Trebay, as well as Black Mountain: An Exploration in Community by Martin Duberman
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
CL: Sure, but we are each the center of our own universe. One person's poison is another's elixir i suppose
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
CL: Walt Whitman? Just joking. I do happen to get caught up reading books that patrons check out from the library I work at. It is like catching the smallest glimpse into someone else’s temporary life
NL: Are you a re-reader?
CL: I have grown with books over time, and in turn, they have grown with me. I revisit many from time to time, not always in their entirety, but often passages, long or short. Dog-eared pages and annotations are like old friends.
NL: How do you get out of a reading rut?
CL: Poetry. Poetry is always the answer for me. I also think it is perfectly reasonable to go take a long walk instead or reading, however long that walk might end up being.
NL: Thoughts on prologues? Epilogues?
CL: Read em.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
CL: Anything Ayn Rand or similar, harmful drivel. Of anything on my bookshelf, i would have to say Fanged Noumena by Nick Land.
NL: If you were to own a bookstore, what would it be like? How would you arrange the books? Would you serve coffee and food? Play music? Where would it be?
CL: I have always been attracted to informal community spaces (shout out to Sunview Luncheonette). If i had a bookstore, it might try to replicate Mellow Pages Library (RIP) which had a loose membership and really open drop-in vibe for the people. I also love Byron Coley’s YOD, which is basically his insane satellite collection which exists in a functioning storage space up in Massachusetts that is sometimes open. Another space I was always drawn to was Jon Beacham’s (Brother in Elysium) space that was on South 3rd and Havemeyer st. in Williamsburg about a million years ago. He had is old printing press there and you could kind of drop by if he was in, play a few records, have a green tea, and walk away with a pile of books.
NL: Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader? Or do you like reading multiple books at the same time?
CL: Usually I am reading one book of poetry and one non/fiction.
NL: Do you DNF (do not finish) books or always read until the end?
CL: It took me a long time to learn that it’s okay to put it down and walk away.
CL: I am a special digital collections librarian at Teachers College, Columbia University and sometimes a first thought best thought sort of person. I am also a poet and regularly collaborate and work with All Ways Writing Collective here in Nyack. Our family moved here almost 5 years ago from Brooklyn and can be found frequently enjoying the trails on foot and bike, and of course, visiting the library!
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
CL: Every winter I pick up a big, thick classic from Big Red Books that I somehow missed reading along the way. This winter it is Anna Karenina. I think Tolstoy clearly knew what he was doing and I love the book! I am also reading a book of poetry called Standoff by David Rivard which I highly recommend.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
CL: Whew. That's like simultaneously the easiest and most difficult of questions. I am going to go with perhaps the poet Alice Notley or a very old mentor of mine from my days in Las Vegas, and also a poet, Joshua Kryah.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
CL: Hands down Eumaeus the Swineherd from The Odyssey.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
CL: I have a stack of books from the publisher Song Cave. They publish poetry and have a great yearly subscription. Also: Do Something: Coming of Age Amid the Glitter and Doom of ‘70s New York by Guy Trebay, as well as Black Mountain: An Exploration in Community by Martin Duberman
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
CL: Sure, but we are each the center of our own universe. One person's poison is another's elixir i suppose
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
CL: Walt Whitman? Just joking. I do happen to get caught up reading books that patrons check out from the library I work at. It is like catching the smallest glimpse into someone else’s temporary life
NL: Are you a re-reader?
CL: I have grown with books over time, and in turn, they have grown with me. I revisit many from time to time, not always in their entirety, but often passages, long or short. Dog-eared pages and annotations are like old friends.
NL: How do you get out of a reading rut?
CL: Poetry. Poetry is always the answer for me. I also think it is perfectly reasonable to go take a long walk instead or reading, however long that walk might end up being.
NL: Thoughts on prologues? Epilogues?
CL: Read em.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
CL: Anything Ayn Rand or similar, harmful drivel. Of anything on my bookshelf, i would have to say Fanged Noumena by Nick Land.
NL: If you were to own a bookstore, what would it be like? How would you arrange the books? Would you serve coffee and food? Play music? Where would it be?
CL: I have always been attracted to informal community spaces (shout out to Sunview Luncheonette). If i had a bookstore, it might try to replicate Mellow Pages Library (RIP) which had a loose membership and really open drop-in vibe for the people. I also love Byron Coley’s YOD, which is basically his insane satellite collection which exists in a functioning storage space up in Massachusetts that is sometimes open. Another space I was always drawn to was Jon Beacham’s (Brother in Elysium) space that was on South 3rd and Havemeyer st. in Williamsburg about a million years ago. He had is old printing press there and you could kind of drop by if he was in, play a few records, have a green tea, and walk away with a pile of books.
NL: Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader? Or do you like reading multiple books at the same time?
CL: Usually I am reading one book of poetry and one non/fiction.
NL: Do you DNF (do not finish) books or always read until the end?
CL: It took me a long time to learn that it’s okay to put it down and walk away.
Bushra Rehman
Past Participants
RICHARD FULCO, BIG RED BOOKS
Richard Fulco, Big Red Books
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
RF: I'm a writer and teacher who recently opened Big Red Books on Main Street.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
RF: The Netanyahus. Protagonist Ruben Blum's voice is mesmerizing.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
RF: Haruki Murakami, Kazuo Ishiguro, Elizabeth Strout.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
RF: So many: Sal Paradise, Sisyphus, Yossarian (Catch 22), Alex (A Clockwork Orange), McMurphy, Hamlet, Holden Caulfield, and Milkman Dead. I can keep going!
NL: What books are on your night stand?
RF: What Does It All Mean, How to See, Different Hours.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
RF: A book that I think is overrated might have changed someone else's life.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
RF: Pleasure is so fleeting that I don't feel guilty by something, anything that's pleasurable.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
RF: No, no, no, no, no! :)
NL: What do you plan to read next?
RF: Celeste Ng's Our Missing Hearts.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
RF: I think it was Where the Wild Things Are.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
RF: Whenever I have been asked this question, I routinely say Jane Eyre, though the Madwoman in the Attic trope is quite poignant.
RF: I'm a writer and teacher who recently opened Big Red Books on Main Street.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
RF: The Netanyahus. Protagonist Ruben Blum's voice is mesmerizing.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
RF: Haruki Murakami, Kazuo Ishiguro, Elizabeth Strout.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
RF: So many: Sal Paradise, Sisyphus, Yossarian (Catch 22), Alex (A Clockwork Orange), McMurphy, Hamlet, Holden Caulfield, and Milkman Dead. I can keep going!
NL: What books are on your night stand?
RF: What Does It All Mean, How to See, Different Hours.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
RF: A book that I think is overrated might have changed someone else's life.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
RF: Pleasure is so fleeting that I don't feel guilty by something, anything that's pleasurable.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
RF: No, no, no, no, no! :)
NL: What do you plan to read next?
RF: Celeste Ng's Our Missing Hearts.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
RF: I think it was Where the Wild Things Are.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
RF: Whenever I have been asked this question, I routinely say Jane Eyre, though the Madwoman in the Attic trope is quite poignant.
Nanor Pogosian, Nyack Library Librarian, Programs & Community Outreach
Nanor Pogosian, Nyack Library Librarian, Programs & Community Outreach
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
NN: Hi, I’m Nanor and I recently moved to Rockland County from Queens, NY where I lived for 20 years. I was born and raised in California, I’m married and we have two daughters, I enjoy cooking, star gazing, karaoke, dancing, watching movies, reading and spending time with my family and friends. I previously worked at Queens Public Library and New York Public Library.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
NN: Going Zero by Anthony McCarten. Yes, it is an entertaining tech-thriller that would make an intriguing movie.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
NN: Chris Bohjalian, because he is Armenian-American like me, so I’ve always wanted to meet him. Also, I’m a fan of his novels and he is a fan of libraries, so I think he would be a fantastic guest.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
NN: Virginia Woolf in A Room of One’s Own.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
NN: Zero Days by Ruth Ware, Meant to Be by Emily Giffin, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
NN: We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
Regency Romance paperbacks.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
NN: Nay!
NL: What do you plan to read next?
NN: The Only One Left by Riley Sager
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
NN: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
NL: What's your least favorite book?
NN: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
NN: Hi, I’m Nanor and I recently moved to Rockland County from Queens, NY where I lived for 20 years. I was born and raised in California, I’m married and we have two daughters, I enjoy cooking, star gazing, karaoke, dancing, watching movies, reading and spending time with my family and friends. I previously worked at Queens Public Library and New York Public Library.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
NN: Going Zero by Anthony McCarten. Yes, it is an entertaining tech-thriller that would make an intriguing movie.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
NN: Chris Bohjalian, because he is Armenian-American like me, so I’ve always wanted to meet him. Also, I’m a fan of his novels and he is a fan of libraries, so I think he would be a fantastic guest.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
NN: Virginia Woolf in A Room of One’s Own.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
NN: Zero Days by Ruth Ware, Meant to Be by Emily Giffin, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
NN: We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
Regency Romance paperbacks.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
NN: Nay!
NL: What do you plan to read next?
NN: The Only One Left by Riley Sager
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
NN: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
NL: What's your least favorite book?
NN: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Sydnie Ampofo, Nyack Library Children's Room Page
Sydnie Ampofo, Nyack Library Children's Room Page
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
SA: My name is Sydnie, I'm a rising senior at Nyack High School and a page in the Children's Room. I started working at the library about 2 years ago, and I initially applied simply because I love to read. In addition to reading, my other interests are baking, true crime, and pottery.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
SA: I'm currently in the middle of two books: one is the Death of Vivek Oji and the other is How it Feels to Float. I'm really enjoying both books. They both discuss themes of mental illness and difficult family relationships.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
SA: Though she's no longer alive, I would love to have Toni Morrison speak at the Nyack Library. For one, she was an amazing author and poet, whose works have been globally celebrated, and two, she was a Nyack local, and lived in the area for many years.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
SA: I feel that I can identify with Winston from 1984. I think that both of us feel somewhat stifled by our environments, and yearn for greater independence and control over our lives.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
SA: Two books on my nightstand are the Bluest Eye and the Fault in Our Stars.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
SA: I honestly feel that most book series are very overrated (The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, etc.). They feel too drawn out, and it can be hard to keep many of the details straight when there are so many books.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
SA: A book that I've read and a movie I've watched several times is the Fault in Our Stars. While some people I know find the story cheesy, I really love the characters.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
SA: Organizing books by color is definitely visually appealing, but probably not the most practical, especially if you have a big book collection. So I say nay.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
SA: Next, I plan to re-read 1984. I read it for the first time a few months ago for my English class, but was in a rush to finish it, so I couldn't fully enjoy it. This time, I'm reading it for leisure, so I hope to absorb more of the book's "lessons".
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
SA: The first book I remember being read was Goodnight Moon. It was my favorite bedtime story and I can remember being fascinated by the books color scheme and the simplicity of the story. By the time I was three I'd basically memorized the whole book.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
SA: The book My Sister's Keeper is my least favorite. The entire story was very frustrating, but the ending was especially unsatisfying. I'm used to most stories ending with a happy ending (which I know does not reflect reality), but this book's ending was far from happy.
SA: My name is Sydnie, I'm a rising senior at Nyack High School and a page in the Children's Room. I started working at the library about 2 years ago, and I initially applied simply because I love to read. In addition to reading, my other interests are baking, true crime, and pottery.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
SA: I'm currently in the middle of two books: one is the Death of Vivek Oji and the other is How it Feels to Float. I'm really enjoying both books. They both discuss themes of mental illness and difficult family relationships.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
SA: Though she's no longer alive, I would love to have Toni Morrison speak at the Nyack Library. For one, she was an amazing author and poet, whose works have been globally celebrated, and two, she was a Nyack local, and lived in the area for many years.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
SA: I feel that I can identify with Winston from 1984. I think that both of us feel somewhat stifled by our environments, and yearn for greater independence and control over our lives.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
SA: Two books on my nightstand are the Bluest Eye and the Fault in Our Stars.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
SA: I honestly feel that most book series are very overrated (The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, etc.). They feel too drawn out, and it can be hard to keep many of the details straight when there are so many books.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
SA: A book that I've read and a movie I've watched several times is the Fault in Our Stars. While some people I know find the story cheesy, I really love the characters.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
SA: Organizing books by color is definitely visually appealing, but probably not the most practical, especially if you have a big book collection. So I say nay.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
SA: Next, I plan to re-read 1984. I read it for the first time a few months ago for my English class, but was in a rush to finish it, so I couldn't fully enjoy it. This time, I'm reading it for leisure, so I hope to absorb more of the book's "lessons".
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
SA: The first book I remember being read was Goodnight Moon. It was my favorite bedtime story and I can remember being fascinated by the books color scheme and the simplicity of the story. By the time I was three I'd basically memorized the whole book.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
SA: The book My Sister's Keeper is my least favorite. The entire story was very frustrating, but the ending was especially unsatisfying. I'm used to most stories ending with a happy ending (which I know does not reflect reality), but this book's ending was far from happy.
mARGOT mIFFLIN
Margot Mifflin
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
MM: I’m an author and professor of English and Journalism at Lehman College/CUNY and CUNY’s Newmark Graduate School of Journalism.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
MM: Sojourner Truth’s America by Margaret Washington. What a brilliant, funny, formidable, savvy, superhuman powerhouse she was. The book positions her in the political context of her day, and along with all historic reasons she’s iconic, it’s fascinating to read about her early days in the Hudson Valley, where Dutch was her native language.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
MM: It already happened: Toni Morrison! But I’d also love to hear Marcia Chatelain, author of Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America, which won the Pulitzer Prize in History this year.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
MM: Not that I have anything in common with her, but I love and am endlessly fascinated by Hester Prynne.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
MM: Not Now, Not Ever: Ten Years on From the Misogyny Speech by Julia Gillard, The Taking of Jemima Boone by Matthew Pearl, and Whipscars and Tattoos: The Last of the Mohicans, Moby-Dick, and the Maori by Geoffrey Sanborn.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
MM: I never understood the appeal of A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
MM: Not really. I had to read a lot of memoirs by former Miss Americas in researching my last book, a cultural history of the pageant, and most are pretty low content, but I can’t resist mining new ones for narrative nuggets even though the book came out three years ago.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
MM: Never!
NL: What do you plan to read next?
MM: Susanna Moore, The Lost Wife.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
The Nutshell Library by Maurice Sendak. I still have it. It was so brilliantly designed as a set of little books for small hands, and each one contains a whole world.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
MM: It’s a tossup between Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and The Dying Animal by Philip Roth. But Roth probably wins because his book is not only myopically self-indulgent but also just astoundingly sexist.
MM: I’m an author and professor of English and Journalism at Lehman College/CUNY and CUNY’s Newmark Graduate School of Journalism.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
MM: Sojourner Truth’s America by Margaret Washington. What a brilliant, funny, formidable, savvy, superhuman powerhouse she was. The book positions her in the political context of her day, and along with all historic reasons she’s iconic, it’s fascinating to read about her early days in the Hudson Valley, where Dutch was her native language.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
MM: It already happened: Toni Morrison! But I’d also love to hear Marcia Chatelain, author of Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America, which won the Pulitzer Prize in History this year.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
MM: Not that I have anything in common with her, but I love and am endlessly fascinated by Hester Prynne.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
MM: Not Now, Not Ever: Ten Years on From the Misogyny Speech by Julia Gillard, The Taking of Jemima Boone by Matthew Pearl, and Whipscars and Tattoos: The Last of the Mohicans, Moby-Dick, and the Maori by Geoffrey Sanborn.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
MM: I never understood the appeal of A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
MM: Not really. I had to read a lot of memoirs by former Miss Americas in researching my last book, a cultural history of the pageant, and most are pretty low content, but I can’t resist mining new ones for narrative nuggets even though the book came out three years ago.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
MM: Never!
NL: What do you plan to read next?
MM: Susanna Moore, The Lost Wife.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
The Nutshell Library by Maurice Sendak. I still have it. It was so brilliantly designed as a set of little books for small hands, and each one contains a whole world.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
MM: It’s a tossup between Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and The Dying Animal by Philip Roth. But Roth probably wins because his book is not only myopically self-indulgent but also just astoundingly sexist.
mARK dERY
Mark Dery
NL: Can you give us a short bio?
MD: I’m a cultural critic, essayist, and the author of four books, most recently the biography Born To Be Posthumous: The Eccentric Life and Mysterious Genius of Edward Gorey. I’ve taught journalism at NYU and aesthetics at the Yale School of Art; been a Chancellor’s Distinguished Fellow at UC Irvine and a Visiting Scholar at the American Academy in Rome. In my 1993 essay, “Black to the Future,” I coined the term “Afrofuturism.”
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
MD: A pre-publication copy of Mark Polizzotti's Why Surrealism Matters, which I’m blurbing for Yale Press. I’m enthralled. I’m an atheist, but if I had a religion, it would be Surrealism. I’ve spent my whole life wishing I could move to the Republic of Dreams.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
MD: Living or dead? If we’re talking immortals, Oscar Wilde, the wittiest man who ever lived, and whose table talk was, by all accounts, even more effervescently brilliant than his writing. If we’re talking living authors, Robert Macfarlane, the English nature writer, whose The Wild Places I just finished. He not only writes heart-stoppingly beautiful prose but is eloquent, erudite, and funny (in the usual drily self-deprecating English way).
NL: What character in a book do you most identify with?
MD: Fifty-percent Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye, 50% Tom Ripley in The Talented Mister Ripley.
NL: What books are on your nightstand?
MD: A Heritage of Horror: The English Gothic Cinema by David Pirie; Lafcadio Hearn, Japanese Ghost Stories; Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life (On-Order), by the philosopher John Gray; Polizzoti’s little biography of Lautréamont, the patron saint of literary grotesquerie (“little” because we know next to nothing about the man, which gives Polizzoti’s attempt to biographize him a Quixotic charm).
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
MD: Anything by Malcolm Gladwell, a Deepak Chopra for tech-bro “disruptors.”
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
MD: Every now and then, when I’m feeling insomniac, I like to listen to Charlton Heston reading Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea. The book is embarrassing enough—Hemingway at his most mawkish—but hearing it delivered by Moses really takes the cake.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
MD: Nay. I have enough obsessions and enough compulsions.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
MD: Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees by the British nature writer Roger Deakin, Macfarlane’s mentor. I’m thinking about trees these days for something I’m writing, a sort of gothic-naturalist essay on uncanny forests.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
MD: Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. Either that, or Fox in Socks.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
MD: The Bible, that user’s manual for misogynists, homophobes, and self-appointed morality squads. Thin-skinned, petulant, and given to genocidal tantrums, the Yahweh of the Old Testament is a malignant narcissist with the morals of Pol Pot. He thinks nothing of drowning the human anthill when its inhabitants are insufficiently servile. If only the Gideons had placed a copy of Tom Paine’s Common Sense in every hotel room…
MD: I’m a cultural critic, essayist, and the author of four books, most recently the biography Born To Be Posthumous: The Eccentric Life and Mysterious Genius of Edward Gorey. I’ve taught journalism at NYU and aesthetics at the Yale School of Art; been a Chancellor’s Distinguished Fellow at UC Irvine and a Visiting Scholar at the American Academy in Rome. In my 1993 essay, “Black to the Future,” I coined the term “Afrofuturism.”
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
MD: A pre-publication copy of Mark Polizzotti's Why Surrealism Matters, which I’m blurbing for Yale Press. I’m enthralled. I’m an atheist, but if I had a religion, it would be Surrealism. I’ve spent my whole life wishing I could move to the Republic of Dreams.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
MD: Living or dead? If we’re talking immortals, Oscar Wilde, the wittiest man who ever lived, and whose table talk was, by all accounts, even more effervescently brilliant than his writing. If we’re talking living authors, Robert Macfarlane, the English nature writer, whose The Wild Places I just finished. He not only writes heart-stoppingly beautiful prose but is eloquent, erudite, and funny (in the usual drily self-deprecating English way).
NL: What character in a book do you most identify with?
MD: Fifty-percent Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye, 50% Tom Ripley in The Talented Mister Ripley.
NL: What books are on your nightstand?
MD: A Heritage of Horror: The English Gothic Cinema by David Pirie; Lafcadio Hearn, Japanese Ghost Stories; Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life (On-Order), by the philosopher John Gray; Polizzoti’s little biography of Lautréamont, the patron saint of literary grotesquerie (“little” because we know next to nothing about the man, which gives Polizzoti’s attempt to biographize him a Quixotic charm).
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
MD: Anything by Malcolm Gladwell, a Deepak Chopra for tech-bro “disruptors.”
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
MD: Every now and then, when I’m feeling insomniac, I like to listen to Charlton Heston reading Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea. The book is embarrassing enough—Hemingway at his most mawkish—but hearing it delivered by Moses really takes the cake.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
MD: Nay. I have enough obsessions and enough compulsions.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
MD: Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees by the British nature writer Roger Deakin, Macfarlane’s mentor. I’m thinking about trees these days for something I’m writing, a sort of gothic-naturalist essay on uncanny forests.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
MD: Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. Either that, or Fox in Socks.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
MD: The Bible, that user’s manual for misogynists, homophobes, and self-appointed morality squads. Thin-skinned, petulant, and given to genocidal tantrums, the Yahweh of the Old Testament is a malignant narcissist with the morals of Pol Pot. He thinks nothing of drowning the human anthill when its inhabitants are insufficiently servile. If only the Gideons had placed a copy of Tom Paine’s Common Sense in every hotel room…
pHYLLIS b. frank pride center of rockland county
Phyllis B. Frank Pride Center of Rockland County
Kris Hillen, Operations Coordinator
NL: Can you give us a short bio?
KH:Old white lady with two rotten children, two rotten-er cats, and a pretty swell job.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
KH: Recently finished Riding Fury Home and When We Were Sisters, reading Roses, In A Lion’s Mouth
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
KH: Living, Roxane Gay…ridiculously smart/funny; Dead, James Baldwin or Leslie Feinberg…icons
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
KH: Hasn’t been written yet
NL: What books are on your night stand?
KH: Well, there’s a couple on my nightstand, but there’s about 40 on the floor next to my nightstand. I’ll just give three. You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson , For the Hard Ones by Tatiana de la Tierra, and Snowflakes in Photographs by W. A. Bentley… he was the first guy to figure out how to take photographs of actual snowflakes. Fascinating.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
KH: Books can often reflect a time and place that can’t be understood once that time has passed. But even at the moment, I never understood Bridges of Madison County.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
KH: Sure…Hoarding books that I will never have the time to read.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
KH: What is this word “or-gan-ize”?
NL: You’re organizing a literary dinner party. Which three writers, dead or alive, do you invite?
KH: See above. Roxane Gay, James Baldwin, Leslie Feinberg…I’d probably faint or hide in a closet (pun intended)
NL: What do you plan to read next?
KH: Endpapers by Jennifer Savran Kelly… a couple of books I’ve mentioned here have been recommended to me by librarians… People should listen to librarians more.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
KH: I don’t remember the name of it… but there was a woman on the cover with the most luscious apple you could imagine. And isn’t that really all books? An invitation to something delicious?
NL: What's your least favorite book?
KH: Anything written by anyone who thinks they have all the answers.
NL: Can you give us a short bio?
KH:Old white lady with two rotten children, two rotten-er cats, and a pretty swell job.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
KH: Recently finished Riding Fury Home and When We Were Sisters, reading Roses, In A Lion’s Mouth
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
KH: Living, Roxane Gay…ridiculously smart/funny; Dead, James Baldwin or Leslie Feinberg…icons
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
KH: Hasn’t been written yet
NL: What books are on your night stand?
KH: Well, there’s a couple on my nightstand, but there’s about 40 on the floor next to my nightstand. I’ll just give three. You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson , For the Hard Ones by Tatiana de la Tierra, and Snowflakes in Photographs by W. A. Bentley… he was the first guy to figure out how to take photographs of actual snowflakes. Fascinating.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
KH: Books can often reflect a time and place that can’t be understood once that time has passed. But even at the moment, I never understood Bridges of Madison County.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
KH: Sure…Hoarding books that I will never have the time to read.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
KH: What is this word “or-gan-ize”?
NL: You’re organizing a literary dinner party. Which three writers, dead or alive, do you invite?
KH: See above. Roxane Gay, James Baldwin, Leslie Feinberg…I’d probably faint or hide in a closet (pun intended)
NL: What do you plan to read next?
KH: Endpapers by Jennifer Savran Kelly… a couple of books I’ve mentioned here have been recommended to me by librarians… People should listen to librarians more.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
KH: I don’t remember the name of it… but there was a woman on the cover with the most luscious apple you could imagine. And isn’t that really all books? An invitation to something delicious?
NL: What's your least favorite book?
KH: Anything written by anyone who thinks they have all the answers.
Steve Cea, nyack library board president
Steve Cea, Nyack Library Board President
NL: What are you reading? Please elaborate on what you like about it.
SC: I just started the Personal Librarian, by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. This book has all the things I like in a book. It’s historical fiction, so you learn a little something as you enjoy the story. There’s a compelling main character. It’s well written with a good story line that moves quickly. Most importantly, it’s about libraries.
NL: What's on your to-read pile?
SC: I’m currently juggling a mix of a few other books including: Remarkably Bright Creatures, Amusing Ourselves to Death, and The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up. I read a limited number of fiction books each year so they need to be good. Shout out to my wife Julie who is a veracious reader and provides spot on recommendations.
NL: If you could have an author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
SC: Ezra Klein is an author, NY Times columnist, and podcaster. His theories and options are well reasoned and data based.
NL: Which character in a book would you most like to spend a day with?
SC: My favorite non-fiction character is Abraham Lincoln. As for fictional characters, there are almost too many options, but I’d select Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. His quiet confidence and embrace of the present moment is something I’d like to experience firsthand.
NL: What was the first book you read that was really meaningful to you?
SC: I can’t think of a first or any one book that is especially meaningful. Every book can impart some meaning, even if only to help shape your preferences. However, a general theme to many of the books that I find meaningful involves insights into the human condition with which I have no direct contact. It’s a way to foster empathy without a shared lived experience.
SC: I just started the Personal Librarian, by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. This book has all the things I like in a book. It’s historical fiction, so you learn a little something as you enjoy the story. There’s a compelling main character. It’s well written with a good story line that moves quickly. Most importantly, it’s about libraries.
NL: What's on your to-read pile?
SC: I’m currently juggling a mix of a few other books including: Remarkably Bright Creatures, Amusing Ourselves to Death, and The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up. I read a limited number of fiction books each year so they need to be good. Shout out to my wife Julie who is a veracious reader and provides spot on recommendations.
NL: If you could have an author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
SC: Ezra Klein is an author, NY Times columnist, and podcaster. His theories and options are well reasoned and data based.
NL: Which character in a book would you most like to spend a day with?
SC: My favorite non-fiction character is Abraham Lincoln. As for fictional characters, there are almost too many options, but I’d select Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. His quiet confidence and embrace of the present moment is something I’d like to experience firsthand.
NL: What was the first book you read that was really meaningful to you?
SC: I can’t think of a first or any one book that is especially meaningful. Every book can impart some meaning, even if only to help shape your preferences. However, a general theme to many of the books that I find meaningful involves insights into the human condition with which I have no direct contact. It’s a way to foster empathy without a shared lived experience.
Keryn Waltzer, Nyack Library, Former Business Manager
Keryn Waltzer, Nyack Library, Business Manager
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
KW: I was born in Nyack, and resided in San Diego and NYC until returning to Rockland as a mom. My background is in business operations, event production and marketing. And I’m passionate about music, writing, and knowledge.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
KW: The Tenth Insight, by James Redfield. We do like it. I'm reading it with my son who really liked the Celestine Prophecy. Also wrapping up a book someone sent me by Louise Hay.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
KW: Rhonda Byrne because she does a great job of explaining the power of thought and attraction. I'd love to see the youth learn about this more. Also Sophia Stewart because I want to hear more and connect. I could keep going here...
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
KW: Lucy, from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
KW: Notebooks!
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
KW: Never really thought about it. There are a lot of underrated books though.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
KW: Not guilty, but while topics of interest and study vary across life seasons, I've always read autobiographies in Hip Hop culture and history.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
KW: Nay, to each their own.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
KW: Metu Neter and a book on property investment/management are next in my queue.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
KW: Probably Good Night Moon. I used to love one I called The Lion That Stole The Baby, but I think it's actually called Lion In The Night (on-order).
NL: What's your least favorite book?
KW: I don't have one... any school history book that isn't accurate I suppose.
KW: I was born in Nyack, and resided in San Diego and NYC until returning to Rockland as a mom. My background is in business operations, event production and marketing. And I’m passionate about music, writing, and knowledge.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
KW: The Tenth Insight, by James Redfield. We do like it. I'm reading it with my son who really liked the Celestine Prophecy. Also wrapping up a book someone sent me by Louise Hay.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
KW: Rhonda Byrne because she does a great job of explaining the power of thought and attraction. I'd love to see the youth learn about this more. Also Sophia Stewart because I want to hear more and connect. I could keep going here...
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
KW: Lucy, from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
KW: Notebooks!
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
KW: Never really thought about it. There are a lot of underrated books though.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
KW: Not guilty, but while topics of interest and study vary across life seasons, I've always read autobiographies in Hip Hop culture and history.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
KW: Nay, to each their own.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
KW: Metu Neter and a book on property investment/management are next in my queue.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
KW: Probably Good Night Moon. I used to love one I called The Lion That Stole The Baby, but I think it's actually called Lion In The Night (on-order).
NL: What's your least favorite book?
KW: I don't have one... any school history book that isn't accurate I suppose.
Ellyse Okin Berg, Nyack Library Board, fORMER 1st Vice President
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
EOB: I am a former middle school classroom teacher for whom libraries were always a home away from home.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
EOB: I am nearly finished with James McBride’s The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store.
It took a few chapters to get my full attention, but then I didn’t want to stop reading about the goings on of the Chicken Hill community and the characters who lived in it.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
EOB: My favorite genre is historical fiction and Michael Crummey wrote two books set in Newfoundland, Sweetland and The Innocents that are filled with abandonment, isolation, and desolation. I would love to hear him speak about the people who inspired him and the resourceful and courageous way they lived.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
EOB: I have made a concerted effort to read banned books this year and two of them, Night and Maus are currently on my nightstand. Neither of them is probably good to read before bed, but nighttime is when I do most of my reading.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
EOB: I know most people won’t agree with me, but I had to work to complete the Neapolitan series by Elena Ferrante. The relationships were too difficult to maintain and find happiness in, and I could not understand why they continued for three books. I could also not understand why I read all of them!
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
EOB: My guilty pleasure would be the numbered books of Janet Evanovich. The sophomoric humor in those books got me laughing aloud during a difficult time and for that, I will always be grateful and I will read them all.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
EOB: Oh, no!
NL: What do you plan to read next?
EOB: The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
EOB: I remember reading The Secret Garden when I was about eight. It remained a favorite book for several years.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
EOB: My least favorite book recently has been Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarsczuk.
EOB: I am a former middle school classroom teacher for whom libraries were always a home away from home.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
EOB: I am nearly finished with James McBride’s The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store.
It took a few chapters to get my full attention, but then I didn’t want to stop reading about the goings on of the Chicken Hill community and the characters who lived in it.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
EOB: My favorite genre is historical fiction and Michael Crummey wrote two books set in Newfoundland, Sweetland and The Innocents that are filled with abandonment, isolation, and desolation. I would love to hear him speak about the people who inspired him and the resourceful and courageous way they lived.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
EOB: I have made a concerted effort to read banned books this year and two of them, Night and Maus are currently on my nightstand. Neither of them is probably good to read before bed, but nighttime is when I do most of my reading.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
EOB: I know most people won’t agree with me, but I had to work to complete the Neapolitan series by Elena Ferrante. The relationships were too difficult to maintain and find happiness in, and I could not understand why they continued for three books. I could also not understand why I read all of them!
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
EOB: My guilty pleasure would be the numbered books of Janet Evanovich. The sophomoric humor in those books got me laughing aloud during a difficult time and for that, I will always be grateful and I will read them all.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
EOB: Oh, no!
NL: What do you plan to read next?
EOB: The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
EOB: I remember reading The Secret Garden when I was about eight. It remained a favorite book for several years.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
EOB: My least favorite book recently has been Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarsczuk.
Tracy Dressner, Nyack Library Board, 2nd Vice President
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
TD: I am a criminal defense appellate attorney. My work is all in California and most of my clients have been convicted of murder and several are sentenced to death. I am also a vice-president of the Nyack Library Board of Trustees. I am an avid reader.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
TD: I am currently reading The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin. It is the November book pick of my long time book club. I do like it. It is a memoir about drug addiction in the middle class with some excellent writing.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
TD: Hard choice. There are so many to pick from. I would say S.A. Cosby. I like his gritty characters who make bad choices and do bad things but have a soft heart. I saw him speak in CA and really enjoyed it.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
TD: I like a good homicide detective.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
TD: Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler; American Shtetl--the Making of Kiryas Joel by Nomi Stolzenberg (my former law professor); and Field Guide to Forgiveness (On-order) by Rebecca Watkins (a book of poems by a fellow workout enthusiast at Nyack Boot Camp!)
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
TD: I never understood the popularity of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
TD: Despite the overlap with my job, I like a good murder mystery.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
TD: No--unless I had a major work deadline and was trying to procrastinate
NL: What do you plan to read next?
TD: Probably Parable of the Sower. I borrowed it from my brother months ago and he might remember and ask for it back. (Do not share this interview with him!).
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
TD: I have always loved Go, Dog, Go! by P.D. Eastman. But the first book I read myself that stuck with me all these years is Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. I just found a copy this month at the Nyack Library book sale and bought it!
NL: What's your least favorite book?
TD: I can't really think of one. In the past few years I have finally granted myself permission to stop reading a book if I am not liking it. No more trudging through books I don't like. Time is too short and there are SO MANY good books.
TD: I am a criminal defense appellate attorney. My work is all in California and most of my clients have been convicted of murder and several are sentenced to death. I am also a vice-president of the Nyack Library Board of Trustees. I am an avid reader.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
TD: I am currently reading The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin. It is the November book pick of my long time book club. I do like it. It is a memoir about drug addiction in the middle class with some excellent writing.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
TD: Hard choice. There are so many to pick from. I would say S.A. Cosby. I like his gritty characters who make bad choices and do bad things but have a soft heart. I saw him speak in CA and really enjoyed it.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
TD: I like a good homicide detective.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
TD: Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler; American Shtetl--the Making of Kiryas Joel by Nomi Stolzenberg (my former law professor); and Field Guide to Forgiveness (On-order) by Rebecca Watkins (a book of poems by a fellow workout enthusiast at Nyack Boot Camp!)
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
TD: I never understood the popularity of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
TD: Despite the overlap with my job, I like a good murder mystery.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
TD: No--unless I had a major work deadline and was trying to procrastinate
NL: What do you plan to read next?
TD: Probably Parable of the Sower. I borrowed it from my brother months ago and he might remember and ask for it back. (Do not share this interview with him!).
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
TD: I have always loved Go, Dog, Go! by P.D. Eastman. But the first book I read myself that stuck with me all these years is Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. I just found a copy this month at the Nyack Library book sale and bought it!
NL: What's your least favorite book?
TD: I can't really think of one. In the past few years I have finally granted myself permission to stop reading a book if I am not liking it. No more trudging through books I don't like. Time is too short and there are SO MANY good books.
Barbara Williams
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
BW: I am the product of a mother who was an educator and a father who was an entrepreneur deep in the Jim Crow southern state of Alabama. I developed a strong sense of self empowerment of communities of color at a very early age. As an Employment Counselor for 20 years, I have worked with those who have been incarcerated, mandated to transition from Welfare to work, displaced by divorce or domestic difficulties or left behind because they lack the skills to participate in today’s workforce and those exploring entrepreneurship. The journey continues, as in 2009 I Co-Founded” 2 Think for Life” where I currently provide in person and virtual life, career and budget counseling and mentorship.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
BW: Exceptional edited by Thomas Trzyna. I am proud to have know Fletcher Johnson, this is a must read autobiography of Dr. Fletcher Johnson.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
BW: Elias Rodriques who is a Nyack resident. He has a BA from Stanford University and a MA and PhD from University of Pennsylvania. Rodriques has a special interest in African-American literature, critical prison studies, Black feminism, and Black Marxist thought. He has had essays published or anthologized in Best American Essays, The Guardian, The Nation, Bookforum, n+1, and other venues. His first novel is All the Water I’ve Seen Is Running. His current academic book project considers representations of police violence in the African-American novel after 1945.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
BW: The underdog.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
BW: Baptized in PCBs by Ellen Griffith Spears, My City Was Gone by Dennis Love (on-order), A Terrible Thing To Waste by Harriet A. Washington
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
BW: None, all books I have read, have left me with the gift of expanding my mind and it is hard for me to rate them.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
BW: A Life With Ghosts
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
BW: Nay
NL: What do you plan to read next?
BW: The Source of Self Regard by Toni Morrison
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
BW: The Soul of Black Folks by W.E.B. DuBois
NL: What's your least favorite book?
BW: Beliefs
BW: I am the product of a mother who was an educator and a father who was an entrepreneur deep in the Jim Crow southern state of Alabama. I developed a strong sense of self empowerment of communities of color at a very early age. As an Employment Counselor for 20 years, I have worked with those who have been incarcerated, mandated to transition from Welfare to work, displaced by divorce or domestic difficulties or left behind because they lack the skills to participate in today’s workforce and those exploring entrepreneurship. The journey continues, as in 2009 I Co-Founded” 2 Think for Life” where I currently provide in person and virtual life, career and budget counseling and mentorship.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
BW: Exceptional edited by Thomas Trzyna. I am proud to have know Fletcher Johnson, this is a must read autobiography of Dr. Fletcher Johnson.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
BW: Elias Rodriques who is a Nyack resident. He has a BA from Stanford University and a MA and PhD from University of Pennsylvania. Rodriques has a special interest in African-American literature, critical prison studies, Black feminism, and Black Marxist thought. He has had essays published or anthologized in Best American Essays, The Guardian, The Nation, Bookforum, n+1, and other venues. His first novel is All the Water I’ve Seen Is Running. His current academic book project considers representations of police violence in the African-American novel after 1945.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
BW: The underdog.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
BW: Baptized in PCBs by Ellen Griffith Spears, My City Was Gone by Dennis Love (on-order), A Terrible Thing To Waste by Harriet A. Washington
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
BW: None, all books I have read, have left me with the gift of expanding my mind and it is hard for me to rate them.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
BW: A Life With Ghosts
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
BW: Nay
NL: What do you plan to read next?
BW: The Source of Self Regard by Toni Morrison
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
BW: The Soul of Black Folks by W.E.B. DuBois
NL: What's your least favorite book?
BW: Beliefs
Joe Rand, Mayor, Village of Nyack
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
JR: I grew up in Rockland, went to college and law school at Georgetown University, got a masters at Stanford, and found my way back to Rockland (and Nyack) after about 15 years of living in Manhattan. Professionally, I currently have a couple of different roles I’m playing. I am currently the Mayor of the great Village of Nyack, the best public service job in the state. I’m also the Chief Creative Officer for my family’s real estate company, Howard Hanna | Rand Realty. And I’m also a consultant and educator on real estate and customer service issues, where I speak at conferences and private events, consult for individual companies, act as an expert witness in industry litigation, and a consultant/educator who regularly speaks at industry events and conferences and acts as an expert witness in industry litigation. Personally, I have a wonderful home in Nyack, where I live with my wife Linie, my two kids Jake and Relly, and my three dogs.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
JR: I’m always reading at least two books, one that usually involves my business life, and another that’s just for relaxing. My “business” read right now is Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara, a restauranteur in Manhattan. It’s a great book about how to create unforgettable experiences for the people you work with. The other is the newest book from Stephen King, one of my favorite “comfort food” authors – Holly, which features a character who has been a supporting player in some of his most recent books.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
JR: I’ll give you two. For the “comfort food” side, I’d invite Stephen King, not just because of his writing but also because he’s become a bit of a progressive icon and loudmouth on Twitter and I think that’s interesting. For the business side of me, I’d love to hear Seth Godin speak, and I mention him because I think he lives pretty close to Nyack so he actually might be gettable!
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
JR: I love the anti-hero types, characters with severe flaws who don’t always win and constantly struggle. Too many books, particularly popular fiction, consist of main characters who are basically “Mary Sues” – idealistic manifestations of how the author would want people to see them. I can remember reading a purported legal thriller written by an actual practicing attorney, which I thought might mean that the book would be a realistic portrayal of the judicial process, but 25 pages into the book the author had made clear that the main character was a strikingly handsome, brilliant attorney who could do no wrong, and that’s just boring.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
JR: The main book on my nightstand right now is Beatles A-Z, which gives an account of the recording process for every Beatles song ever recorded. I’m a huge Beatles fan, and I love listening to a song while reading all about how it was conceived, written, and then put into an album. It’s a lot of fun.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
JR: I think most self-help books are overrated. A lot of them depend on an idiosyncratic approach to productivity that particularly worked for the author because of their particular makeup, but is not necessarily replicable – especially by the kind of people who read self-help books. Other than that, I never really got Catcher in the Rye. I’m probably a philistine for not appreciating it enough, but it just seemed like a lot of whiny nonsense to me.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
JR: I have many, many guilty pleasures, probably more guilty than guiltless pleasures. I’ve got decidedly middlebrow tastes, which many people who know me will be unsurprised by. I’ve mentioned Stephen King, probably my favorite popular fiction author. I also read a lot of legal thrillers – John Grisham knockoffs. Sometimes, a book doesn’t have to be good, it just has to be diverting. My biggest guilty pleasure right now is that I read my son’s manga, comic books, and graphic novels. He buys me some Batman graphic novels every year for my birthday or the holidays, although nothing will ever match the Frank Miller’s Return of the Dark Knight.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
JR: Oh, man, don’t even suggest something like that or my dormant OCD will kick in and I’ll spend the weekend doing that.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
JR: I don’t know. I have like 30 books piled up in my bedroom, any one of which could be my next read depending on my mood. Or I might go to a conference and hear someone who’s written a book, and then pick that up for the flight home.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
JR: The first book would have to be Go Dog Go, which people often think was by Dr. Seuss but was written by someone named P.D. Eastman, whom I don’t know ever wrote anything else. My dad used to read that every night to my brother and me (I have three brothers, but only one was near my age). The first non-kids book that stuck with me was Alexandre Dumas’s The Three Musketeers. I read it when I was probably 8 or 9 years old, after I’d seen the 1970’s movie and loved it, and it was much too advanced for me at the time but I pushed through it and love it. I need to read it again. Another book that I read when I was young that had an impact on me was John Knowles’ A Separate Peace, which I don’t think was a “great” book like people regard Catcher in the Rye, but I read it at the right time and the character of Finny resonated with me.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
JR: I can’t really think of a “least favorite book” that I read, because if it was that bad I wouldn’t have read much of it and it wouldn’t stick with me. But having written a non-fiction book, and failed utterly at any attempt to write fiction, I think writing any book, even a terrible book, is a staggering achievement. So I wouldn’t want to slag someone who wrote something in good faith. So I’ll just say that my “least favorite” book would be something like Mein Kampf, or the Turner Diaries? I haven’t actually read them, but they’ve made the world a worse place.
JR: I grew up in Rockland, went to college and law school at Georgetown University, got a masters at Stanford, and found my way back to Rockland (and Nyack) after about 15 years of living in Manhattan. Professionally, I currently have a couple of different roles I’m playing. I am currently the Mayor of the great Village of Nyack, the best public service job in the state. I’m also the Chief Creative Officer for my family’s real estate company, Howard Hanna | Rand Realty. And I’m also a consultant and educator on real estate and customer service issues, where I speak at conferences and private events, consult for individual companies, act as an expert witness in industry litigation, and a consultant/educator who regularly speaks at industry events and conferences and acts as an expert witness in industry litigation. Personally, I have a wonderful home in Nyack, where I live with my wife Linie, my two kids Jake and Relly, and my three dogs.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
JR: I’m always reading at least two books, one that usually involves my business life, and another that’s just for relaxing. My “business” read right now is Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara, a restauranteur in Manhattan. It’s a great book about how to create unforgettable experiences for the people you work with. The other is the newest book from Stephen King, one of my favorite “comfort food” authors – Holly, which features a character who has been a supporting player in some of his most recent books.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
JR: I’ll give you two. For the “comfort food” side, I’d invite Stephen King, not just because of his writing but also because he’s become a bit of a progressive icon and loudmouth on Twitter and I think that’s interesting. For the business side of me, I’d love to hear Seth Godin speak, and I mention him because I think he lives pretty close to Nyack so he actually might be gettable!
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
JR: I love the anti-hero types, characters with severe flaws who don’t always win and constantly struggle. Too many books, particularly popular fiction, consist of main characters who are basically “Mary Sues” – idealistic manifestations of how the author would want people to see them. I can remember reading a purported legal thriller written by an actual practicing attorney, which I thought might mean that the book would be a realistic portrayal of the judicial process, but 25 pages into the book the author had made clear that the main character was a strikingly handsome, brilliant attorney who could do no wrong, and that’s just boring.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
JR: The main book on my nightstand right now is Beatles A-Z, which gives an account of the recording process for every Beatles song ever recorded. I’m a huge Beatles fan, and I love listening to a song while reading all about how it was conceived, written, and then put into an album. It’s a lot of fun.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
JR: I think most self-help books are overrated. A lot of them depend on an idiosyncratic approach to productivity that particularly worked for the author because of their particular makeup, but is not necessarily replicable – especially by the kind of people who read self-help books. Other than that, I never really got Catcher in the Rye. I’m probably a philistine for not appreciating it enough, but it just seemed like a lot of whiny nonsense to me.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
JR: I have many, many guilty pleasures, probably more guilty than guiltless pleasures. I’ve got decidedly middlebrow tastes, which many people who know me will be unsurprised by. I’ve mentioned Stephen King, probably my favorite popular fiction author. I also read a lot of legal thrillers – John Grisham knockoffs. Sometimes, a book doesn’t have to be good, it just has to be diverting. My biggest guilty pleasure right now is that I read my son’s manga, comic books, and graphic novels. He buys me some Batman graphic novels every year for my birthday or the holidays, although nothing will ever match the Frank Miller’s Return of the Dark Knight.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
JR: Oh, man, don’t even suggest something like that or my dormant OCD will kick in and I’ll spend the weekend doing that.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
JR: I don’t know. I have like 30 books piled up in my bedroom, any one of which could be my next read depending on my mood. Or I might go to a conference and hear someone who’s written a book, and then pick that up for the flight home.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
JR: The first book would have to be Go Dog Go, which people often think was by Dr. Seuss but was written by someone named P.D. Eastman, whom I don’t know ever wrote anything else. My dad used to read that every night to my brother and me (I have three brothers, but only one was near my age). The first non-kids book that stuck with me was Alexandre Dumas’s The Three Musketeers. I read it when I was probably 8 or 9 years old, after I’d seen the 1970’s movie and loved it, and it was much too advanced for me at the time but I pushed through it and love it. I need to read it again. Another book that I read when I was young that had an impact on me was John Knowles’ A Separate Peace, which I don’t think was a “great” book like people regard Catcher in the Rye, but I read it at the right time and the character of Finny resonated with me.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
JR: I can’t really think of a “least favorite book” that I read, because if it was that bad I wouldn’t have read much of it and it wouldn’t stick with me. But having written a non-fiction book, and failed utterly at any attempt to write fiction, I think writing any book, even a terrible book, is a staggering achievement. So I wouldn’t want to slag someone who wrote something in good faith. So I’ll just say that my “least favorite” book would be something like Mein Kampf, or the Turner Diaries? I haven’t actually read them, but they’ve made the world a worse place.
Kara Sheridan, Nyack Library Board of Trustee
Kara Sheridan, Nyack Library Board of Trustee
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
KS: I joined the Nyack Library Board of Trustees in February and I look forward to serving the library community. I am the Program Manager for the Early Childhood Programs at Teachers College. I was working as a stage manager but when my children came along I got back in touch with my love of children's literature. I was lucky enough to co-own Hopscotch Books with Claudia Uccellani, a children's bookstore here in Nyack. Those were magical years spent reading and sharing old and new favorites with young readers. When I left the store, I returned to school to get my master's degree in elementary education and literacy. My current work supports prospective new teachers.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
KS: I tend to like contemporary fiction. I usually have multiple books going at once. Even when they seem unrelated, I find ideas bounce back and forth. I'm currently reading The Berrypickers by Amanda Peters and Unmasking Autism: Discovering New Faces of Neurodiversity. I like them both. In their own way, they both explore the costs of being made to live inauthentically.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
KS: I'd love to hear Barbara Kingsolver. I've always liked her writing but I thought Demon Copperhead was the best book I've read in a while. Plus she seems like she lives a very interesting life on her farm.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
KS:I grew up with 4 sisters and felt such a kinship with the March girls in Little Women. Of course, I wanted to be Jo. I recently read Hello, Beautiful by Ann Napolitano and all those feelings of sisterhood connected with me again.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
KS: I just picked up Opinions by Roxane Gay after seeing her speak at the Nyack Center. Also, I dug out my copy of The Good Lord Bird by James McBride. I've had it for a long time and not read it but I really enjoyed his The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store so I'm going to try again. And The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby lives on my nightstand. I think he's very clever; I like to hear what he has to say about books; and he makes me feel better about the books I've bought but not read.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
KS: Lots, but if it works for someone else that's OK.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
KS: I read mysteries when I'm looking for something fast and entertaining. I like Laura Lippman a lot, maybe because I grew up in Maryland. The characters are fun and I like to predict the solution.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
KS: Not ever.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
KS: Kristin Hannah's The Women is next in my queue.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
KS: After the Dr. Seuss books, I really remember The Borrowers by Mary Norton. I was enchanted with the idea of this small mirror society living with us.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
KS: These days if I don't like a book I just put it aside.
KS: I joined the Nyack Library Board of Trustees in February and I look forward to serving the library community. I am the Program Manager for the Early Childhood Programs at Teachers College. I was working as a stage manager but when my children came along I got back in touch with my love of children's literature. I was lucky enough to co-own Hopscotch Books with Claudia Uccellani, a children's bookstore here in Nyack. Those were magical years spent reading and sharing old and new favorites with young readers. When I left the store, I returned to school to get my master's degree in elementary education and literacy. My current work supports prospective new teachers.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
KS: I tend to like contemporary fiction. I usually have multiple books going at once. Even when they seem unrelated, I find ideas bounce back and forth. I'm currently reading The Berrypickers by Amanda Peters and Unmasking Autism: Discovering New Faces of Neurodiversity. I like them both. In their own way, they both explore the costs of being made to live inauthentically.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
KS: I'd love to hear Barbara Kingsolver. I've always liked her writing but I thought Demon Copperhead was the best book I've read in a while. Plus she seems like she lives a very interesting life on her farm.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
KS:I grew up with 4 sisters and felt such a kinship with the March girls in Little Women. Of course, I wanted to be Jo. I recently read Hello, Beautiful by Ann Napolitano and all those feelings of sisterhood connected with me again.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
KS: I just picked up Opinions by Roxane Gay after seeing her speak at the Nyack Center. Also, I dug out my copy of The Good Lord Bird by James McBride. I've had it for a long time and not read it but I really enjoyed his The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store so I'm going to try again. And The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby lives on my nightstand. I think he's very clever; I like to hear what he has to say about books; and he makes me feel better about the books I've bought but not read.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
KS: Lots, but if it works for someone else that's OK.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
KS: I read mysteries when I'm looking for something fast and entertaining. I like Laura Lippman a lot, maybe because I grew up in Maryland. The characters are fun and I like to predict the solution.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
KS: Not ever.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
KS: Kristin Hannah's The Women is next in my queue.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
KS: After the Dr. Seuss books, I really remember The Borrowers by Mary Norton. I was enchanted with the idea of this small mirror society living with us.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
KS: These days if I don't like a book I just put it aside.
Melissa Sullivan, Nyack Library Board Trustee
Melissa Sullivan, Nyack Library Board Trustee
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
MS: I’m from Brooklyn, NY with a pretty long run in the Bronx. I have officially called Nyack home since June 2022, when I moved to live with my Rockland-native wife, Karissa, and our two dogs, Mila and Milo. As the Executive Director of PFLAG NYC, I work towards creating a more inclusive New York City for the LGBTQ+ community. I just joined the Nyack library board and am excited to get to work.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
MS: The two books I am in mid-read right now are Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward and Quietly Hostile: Essays by Samantha Irby. These are both repeat authors for me and I love their work.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
MS: If we could bring people back to life, I’d want Octavia Butler at Nyack library because she’s a genius and my favorite author, but since that’s not possible, Adrienne Maree Brown, whose work and life are deeply inspired by Octavia, would be my choice.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
MS: Pippi Longstocking and Bridget Jones.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
MS: I’ve been on a mission to read a bunch of the lesbian pulp novels of the 50s and 60s. I think they have an important place in queer history, and I think a lot about how these books were the only way some people were able to have their identity validated in a time when there was so much LGBTQ+ invisibility. I’ve started with the six books in The Beebo Brinker Chronicles by Ann Bannon and have made my way through half of them so far. They’re a lot of fun and a great nighttime read.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
MS: My initial thought was that I appreciate any book that gets people reading, but when I thought a little harder, I’m of the unpopular opinion that Brené Brown is overrated. I also wouldn’t hate it if I never heard people talk about The Five Love Languages ever again.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
MS: I’m a sucker for celebrity and political memoirs.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
MS: Hard nay.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
MS: I’m going to keep going on my lesbian pulp novel adventures, but other than those, Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo, Black Candle Women by Diane Marie Brown, and There Goes the Neighborhood by Jade Adia are all on my “to be read” pile.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
MS: The first children's book I vividly remember reading was a book called 'King Mitch Had an Itch' (it was a Little Golden Book). It's a strong memory because I got to read it aloud to my entire pre-k class at story time, and I remember feeling really proud of myself. Other books that had a really big impact on me were The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Babysitters Club books, and an adult book that I read when I was too young but really connected with was She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
MS: I don’t know that I have a least favorite book. This is probably more of a guilty pleasure, but I hate-read a bunch of right-wing political memoirs.
MS: I’m from Brooklyn, NY with a pretty long run in the Bronx. I have officially called Nyack home since June 2022, when I moved to live with my Rockland-native wife, Karissa, and our two dogs, Mila and Milo. As the Executive Director of PFLAG NYC, I work towards creating a more inclusive New York City for the LGBTQ+ community. I just joined the Nyack library board and am excited to get to work.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
MS: The two books I am in mid-read right now are Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward and Quietly Hostile: Essays by Samantha Irby. These are both repeat authors for me and I love their work.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
MS: If we could bring people back to life, I’d want Octavia Butler at Nyack library because she’s a genius and my favorite author, but since that’s not possible, Adrienne Maree Brown, whose work and life are deeply inspired by Octavia, would be my choice.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
MS: Pippi Longstocking and Bridget Jones.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
MS: I’ve been on a mission to read a bunch of the lesbian pulp novels of the 50s and 60s. I think they have an important place in queer history, and I think a lot about how these books were the only way some people were able to have their identity validated in a time when there was so much LGBTQ+ invisibility. I’ve started with the six books in The Beebo Brinker Chronicles by Ann Bannon and have made my way through half of them so far. They’re a lot of fun and a great nighttime read.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
MS: My initial thought was that I appreciate any book that gets people reading, but when I thought a little harder, I’m of the unpopular opinion that Brené Brown is overrated. I also wouldn’t hate it if I never heard people talk about The Five Love Languages ever again.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
MS: I’m a sucker for celebrity and political memoirs.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
MS: Hard nay.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
MS: I’m going to keep going on my lesbian pulp novel adventures, but other than those, Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo, Black Candle Women by Diane Marie Brown, and There Goes the Neighborhood by Jade Adia are all on my “to be read” pile.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
MS: The first children's book I vividly remember reading was a book called 'King Mitch Had an Itch' (it was a Little Golden Book). It's a strong memory because I got to read it aloud to my entire pre-k class at story time, and I remember feeling really proud of myself. Other books that had a really big impact on me were The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Babysitters Club books, and an adult book that I read when I was too young but really connected with was She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
MS: I don’t know that I have a least favorite book. This is probably more of a guilty pleasure, but I hate-read a bunch of right-wing political memoirs.
John
John
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
John: I'm currently on leave from working in California. I picked reading back up for my mental health.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
John: I'm reading Tom Clancy and yes I do enjoy reading it.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
John: I'm not entirely sure, to be honest.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
John: Frodo from The Lord of the Rings.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
John: Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter are my most liked series of books.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
John: Not entirely.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
John: Not really.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
John: Nay.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
John: I was thinking of starting Game of Thrones next.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
John: The Odyssey.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
John: I have honestly not read a book I didn't like.
John: I'm currently on leave from working in California. I picked reading back up for my mental health.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
John: I'm reading Tom Clancy and yes I do enjoy reading it.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
John: I'm not entirely sure, to be honest.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
John: Frodo from The Lord of the Rings.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
John: Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter are my most liked series of books.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
John: Not entirely.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
John: Not really.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
John: Nay.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
John: I was thinking of starting Game of Thrones next.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
John: The Odyssey.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
John: I have honestly not read a book I didn't like.
Kyra Skye, Nyack Library former Teen Information Specialist
Kyra Skye, Teen Information Specialist
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
KS: Hi there! My name is Kyra Skye and I'm a graduate student and Teen Room Information Specialist! I'm currently finishing up my Master's in Early Childhood Education and am excited to embark on a new journey of learning and growing. Working at the library has been so enjoyable and has rekindled my love of reading and writing. In my spare time, I love playing and writing music, rock climbing, and going on adventurous quests with my friends :)
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
KS: Currently, I'm reading All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. I really enjoy the POV switching and how different the two main protagonists are. It's fun experiencing their individual thoughts and feelings as they begin navigating life together.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
KS: Bree Barton of the Heart of Thorns trilogy! I met her while I was living in Ithaca, NY and was so inspired by how enthusiastic, kind, and thoughtful she is. Her storytelling is also so engaging and immersive! This series is one of the best I've ever read.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
KS: I identify a lot with Adelaide Buchwald from Again Again. So many of her thoughts and experiences could have been lifted right from my own diary entries.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
KS: Right now, it's Bride by Ali Hazelwood and the manga Vampire Knight by Matsuri Hino!
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
KS: I feel like this is a hot take... but I'd have to say the Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling. I've tried reading the books and watching the movies, but I couldn't get into them.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
KS: Ah, definitely the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer! I was in middle school when they first came out and I ate them up without hesitation, haha.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
KS: Nay. Even though color-coding would be aesthetically pleasing, I like to organize my books by topic and genre instead.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
KS: Elliott Smith's XO by Matthew LeMay! It's such an in-depth look into Elliott Smith's songwriting and music production process. Elliott Smith is one of my favorite songwriters, so I'm really looking forward to delving in and learning more about his creative process and writing experiences.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
KS: The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister!
NL: What's your least favorite book?
KS: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Had to read it in middle school and sincerely disliked it. Though, I'm looking forward to James by Percival Everett; I think it'll be an interesting conversation and follow-up to the original story.
KS: Hi there! My name is Kyra Skye and I'm a graduate student and Teen Room Information Specialist! I'm currently finishing up my Master's in Early Childhood Education and am excited to embark on a new journey of learning and growing. Working at the library has been so enjoyable and has rekindled my love of reading and writing. In my spare time, I love playing and writing music, rock climbing, and going on adventurous quests with my friends :)
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
KS: Currently, I'm reading All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. I really enjoy the POV switching and how different the two main protagonists are. It's fun experiencing their individual thoughts and feelings as they begin navigating life together.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
KS: Bree Barton of the Heart of Thorns trilogy! I met her while I was living in Ithaca, NY and was so inspired by how enthusiastic, kind, and thoughtful she is. Her storytelling is also so engaging and immersive! This series is one of the best I've ever read.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
KS: I identify a lot with Adelaide Buchwald from Again Again. So many of her thoughts and experiences could have been lifted right from my own diary entries.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
KS: Right now, it's Bride by Ali Hazelwood and the manga Vampire Knight by Matsuri Hino!
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
KS: I feel like this is a hot take... but I'd have to say the Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling. I've tried reading the books and watching the movies, but I couldn't get into them.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
KS: Ah, definitely the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer! I was in middle school when they first came out and I ate them up without hesitation, haha.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
KS: Nay. Even though color-coding would be aesthetically pleasing, I like to organize my books by topic and genre instead.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
KS: Elliott Smith's XO by Matthew LeMay! It's such an in-depth look into Elliott Smith's songwriting and music production process. Elliott Smith is one of my favorite songwriters, so I'm really looking forward to delving in and learning more about his creative process and writing experiences.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
KS: The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister!
NL: What's your least favorite book?
KS: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Had to read it in middle school and sincerely disliked it. Though, I'm looking forward to James by Percival Everett; I think it'll be an interesting conversation and follow-up to the original story.
Carlos Rosario, Nyack Library, Children's Librarian
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
CR: Hello all! I'm a Teen Information Specialist at Nyack Library as well as a grad student. I am currently wrapping up my Master's degree in Library and Information Science to be a full fledged Librarian! Being able to connect with the community within and outside of the library as inspired me on many different levels.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
CR: Right now I'm reading Percy Jackson: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan. This is my first time reading the Percy Jackson series! As a fan of Greek mythology I am enjoying every bit of it, as he incorporates many of the myths and characters into his stories.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
CR: If there was one author I could think of it would be Becky Chambers! She has written many sci-fi books but her Monk & Robot series has inspired me a lot. Her writing is thoughtful and very inspiring. I try to recommend it to everyone I can!
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
CR: Most likely Dex from the Monk & Robot series by Becky Chamber. A lot of the time they are so focused on the destination, they often forget to look around and enjoy where they are.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
CR: At the moment they are Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir and Final Fantasy VII: The Kids Are Alright: A Turks Side Story by Kazushige Nojima
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
CR: This might be controversial but I don't see the appeal in the A Court of Thrones and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas. I've looked into them and tried to read them but I just couldn't.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
CR: Probably anything by John Green. I sobbed hysterically at the end of The Fault in Our Stars and still think about it to this day.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
CR: Even though I have seen people do it and it looks very pretty I could never! I like to organize my books in size order (which may be strange) and series.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
CR: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir most likely! It is such an interesting take on science fiction with the inclusion of necromancers and fantasy elements. I already started it but then decided to just finish the Percy Jackson series first.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
CR: The first book I can remember reading on my own is A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
CR: Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. It was painfully slow and honestly could not get behind the story.
CR: Hello all! I'm a Teen Information Specialist at Nyack Library as well as a grad student. I am currently wrapping up my Master's degree in Library and Information Science to be a full fledged Librarian! Being able to connect with the community within and outside of the library as inspired me on many different levels.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
CR: Right now I'm reading Percy Jackson: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan. This is my first time reading the Percy Jackson series! As a fan of Greek mythology I am enjoying every bit of it, as he incorporates many of the myths and characters into his stories.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
CR: If there was one author I could think of it would be Becky Chambers! She has written many sci-fi books but her Monk & Robot series has inspired me a lot. Her writing is thoughtful and very inspiring. I try to recommend it to everyone I can!
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
CR: Most likely Dex from the Monk & Robot series by Becky Chamber. A lot of the time they are so focused on the destination, they often forget to look around and enjoy where they are.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
CR: At the moment they are Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir and Final Fantasy VII: The Kids Are Alright: A Turks Side Story by Kazushige Nojima
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
CR: This might be controversial but I don't see the appeal in the A Court of Thrones and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas. I've looked into them and tried to read them but I just couldn't.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
CR: Probably anything by John Green. I sobbed hysterically at the end of The Fault in Our Stars and still think about it to this day.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
CR: Even though I have seen people do it and it looks very pretty I could never! I like to organize my books in size order (which may be strange) and series.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
CR: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir most likely! It is such an interesting take on science fiction with the inclusion of necromancers and fantasy elements. I already started it but then decided to just finish the Percy Jackson series first.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
CR: The first book I can remember reading on my own is A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
CR: Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. It was painfully slow and honestly could not get behind the story.
Mady Taibi, Nyack Library, Operations Assistant
Mady Taibi, Nyack Library, Operations Assistant
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
MT: Hi! My name is Mady. I serve as the Operations Assistant and work with the Programs Department at Nyack Library. Before starting here in 2022, I was a teacher and early childhood education specialist. I grew up in Nyack and now get to live here with my fiance, who is a writer. In my spare time I love playing folk music, crafting, and visiting used book stores.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
MT: I’m flip-flopping between The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky and Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins. I love them both!
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
MT: Nicholson Baker. He’s such a tender, funny, weird writer, but I think it would be very cool to have him speak about his take on libraries and their responsibility to preserve physical media (in fact he wrote a whole book about it: Double Fold: Libraries and the Assault on Paper).
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
MT: Chance from Being There by Jerzy Kosinski.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
MT: Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung, In the Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, Finnegans Wake by Joyce, and a book of poems called Magdalene by Marie Howe.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
MT: Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I think all the potential was there, but it wasn’t successfully executed (I’ll be sure to let him know if I see him around).
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
MT: No guilt! To be cringe is to be free!
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
MT: Never.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
MT: The Ghost Writer by Philip Roth.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
MT: The Market Lady and the Mango Tree by Mary and Pete Watson (I still want to eat one of those mangoes).
NL: What's your least favorite book?
MT: Hopefully I don’t end up on a list somewhere, but Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard - it was required for a psych course when I was in college. It was basically used as an example of how to identify dishonest or faulty scientific methods. But I guess a positive would be….anyone really can be a writer?
MT: Hi! My name is Mady. I serve as the Operations Assistant and work with the Programs Department at Nyack Library. Before starting here in 2022, I was a teacher and early childhood education specialist. I grew up in Nyack and now get to live here with my fiance, who is a writer. In my spare time I love playing folk music, crafting, and visiting used book stores.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
MT: I’m flip-flopping between The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky and Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins. I love them both!
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
MT: Nicholson Baker. He’s such a tender, funny, weird writer, but I think it would be very cool to have him speak about his take on libraries and their responsibility to preserve physical media (in fact he wrote a whole book about it: Double Fold: Libraries and the Assault on Paper).
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
MT: Chance from Being There by Jerzy Kosinski.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
MT: Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung, In the Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, Finnegans Wake by Joyce, and a book of poems called Magdalene by Marie Howe.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
MT: Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I think all the potential was there, but it wasn’t successfully executed (I’ll be sure to let him know if I see him around).
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
MT: No guilt! To be cringe is to be free!
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
MT: Never.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
MT: The Ghost Writer by Philip Roth.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
MT: The Market Lady and the Mango Tree by Mary and Pete Watson (I still want to eat one of those mangoes).
NL: What's your least favorite book?
MT: Hopefully I don’t end up on a list somewhere, but Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard - it was required for a psych course when I was in college. It was basically used as an example of how to identify dishonest or faulty scientific methods. But I guess a positive would be….anyone really can be a writer?
Brian Kates
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
BK: I have been an Army officer, high school teacher, college professor and, primarily, a journalist. I retired after nearly 40 years at the New York Daily News, where I was, variously, an investigative reporter, columnist, editorial writer and senior editor. For my non-fiction book, The Murder of a Shopping Bag Lady, I hung out with homeless folks in city shelters and the streets off and on for three years. It was praised by the New York Times Book Review as “a book in the grand journalist tradition” and honored by Mystery Writers of America with a Special Edgar Allan Poe Award. My poetry has been published in many journals in the U.S. and abroad. I live with my wife in a house in the woods in Pomona.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
BK: I’m really liking The Work of Art by Adam Moss, in which various writers and artists show how they conceived a particular work and brought it to fruition. Especially interesting to me was the interview with poet Louise Glück in which she talks about her poem Song. Readers are treated to reproductions of her handwritten drafts. I’m also reading the Library of America’s collection of the speeches and writings of Frederick Douglass, as vital now as they were in the 1850s and ‘60s.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
BK: Ah, so many to choose from. I’d suggest Marie Howe, poet-in-residence at The Cathedral Church of St John the Divine and former New York State poet laureate. Her work is luminous, eloquent and intense.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
BK: Harold, the curious and indomitable 4-year-old of Crockett Johnson’s wondrous children’s book Harold and the Purple Crayon. Harold’s ability to draw himself out of impossible situations with well-placed lines from his magic crayon is a kind of metaphor for my life as an investigative journalist.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
BK: In addition to The Work of Art, Language City, by Ross Perlin (about the many endangered languages spoken and kept alive in New York City); Poetry Unbound by Pádraig Ó Tuama (ruminations on the work of 50 international poets) and Michael Kimmelman’s The Intimate City, an architectural walking tour though the five boroughs of New York. And, of course, Walt Whitman is always by my bedside.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
BK: Yes. (Enough said!)
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
BK: I never feel guilty about the pleasure of books.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
BK: Nay! Though when looking through my haphazard library for a particular volume, I often find it by remembering the color of its dust jacket.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
BK: Haven’t a clue.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
BK: Sad to say, the dreadful Dick and Jane readers of my 1950s first and second grades. But the first books that really gripped me as a young boy were Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn and Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
BK: I was forced to read Silas Marner in tenth grade and have never gotten over hating it. Ah! Perhaps that’s the clue I needed. Maybe I should put “Silas Marner” (ugh!) on my read-next list. Time to give up that ancient grudge.
BK: I have been an Army officer, high school teacher, college professor and, primarily, a journalist. I retired after nearly 40 years at the New York Daily News, where I was, variously, an investigative reporter, columnist, editorial writer and senior editor. For my non-fiction book, The Murder of a Shopping Bag Lady, I hung out with homeless folks in city shelters and the streets off and on for three years. It was praised by the New York Times Book Review as “a book in the grand journalist tradition” and honored by Mystery Writers of America with a Special Edgar Allan Poe Award. My poetry has been published in many journals in the U.S. and abroad. I live with my wife in a house in the woods in Pomona.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
BK: I’m really liking The Work of Art by Adam Moss, in which various writers and artists show how they conceived a particular work and brought it to fruition. Especially interesting to me was the interview with poet Louise Glück in which she talks about her poem Song. Readers are treated to reproductions of her handwritten drafts. I’m also reading the Library of America’s collection of the speeches and writings of Frederick Douglass, as vital now as they were in the 1850s and ‘60s.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
BK: Ah, so many to choose from. I’d suggest Marie Howe, poet-in-residence at The Cathedral Church of St John the Divine and former New York State poet laureate. Her work is luminous, eloquent and intense.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
BK: Harold, the curious and indomitable 4-year-old of Crockett Johnson’s wondrous children’s book Harold and the Purple Crayon. Harold’s ability to draw himself out of impossible situations with well-placed lines from his magic crayon is a kind of metaphor for my life as an investigative journalist.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
BK: In addition to The Work of Art, Language City, by Ross Perlin (about the many endangered languages spoken and kept alive in New York City); Poetry Unbound by Pádraig Ó Tuama (ruminations on the work of 50 international poets) and Michael Kimmelman’s The Intimate City, an architectural walking tour though the five boroughs of New York. And, of course, Walt Whitman is always by my bedside.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
BK: Yes. (Enough said!)
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
BK: I never feel guilty about the pleasure of books.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
BK: Nay! Though when looking through my haphazard library for a particular volume, I often find it by remembering the color of its dust jacket.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
BK: Haven’t a clue.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
BK: Sad to say, the dreadful Dick and Jane readers of my 1950s first and second grades. But the first books that really gripped me as a young boy were Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn and Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
BK: I was forced to read Silas Marner in tenth grade and have never gotten over hating it. Ah! Perhaps that’s the clue I needed. Maybe I should put “Silas Marner” (ugh!) on my read-next list. Time to give up that ancient grudge.
Gabbie Fostanes, Nyack Library, Access Services Clerk
Gabbie Fostanes, Nyack Library, Access Services Clerk
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
GF: Hello! I'm Gabbie and I've lived in Nyack since 2011, graduating both from Nyack Middle School and Nyack High School. I am what they like to call a "Jack of all Trades" meaning I have a plethora of hobbies and skills like singing, dancing and performing in general. If I'm not at the library, I usually spend my time watching movies, going to concerts or exploring new places.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
GF: I am currently re-reading the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S Lewis. I enjoy them a lot!
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
GF: Probably Margaret Atwood. I would love to just have a peek inside her mind when it comes to writing the books she writes. Also, my mom is a huge fan of The Handmaid's Tale, haha!
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
GF: I would say Tris Prior from the Divergent series by Veronica Roth. Mainly during the first two books. Tris was someone who had to come into her own, finding her own strength and adjust to the environment around her even when she faced unfortunate circumstances that seem almost helpless.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
GF: Not necessarily on my nightstand, but I read a lot of Webtoons on my phone, haha! Mainly Slice of Life or Thrillers.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
GF: In my opinion, there's no such thing as overrated. A good book is a good book.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
GF: Unconventional Love Stories like the Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston~
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
GF: Never. Always by series and in chronological order.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
GF: Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
GF: Go, Dogs, Go By Dr. Seuss haha! I have vivid memories of reading it with my older brother.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
GF: Probably Acceleration by Graham McNamee. I had to read it in Middle School and although it wasn't a bad book, I do remember reading it and thinking to myself "What did I just read...?"
GF: Hello! I'm Gabbie and I've lived in Nyack since 2011, graduating both from Nyack Middle School and Nyack High School. I am what they like to call a "Jack of all Trades" meaning I have a plethora of hobbies and skills like singing, dancing and performing in general. If I'm not at the library, I usually spend my time watching movies, going to concerts or exploring new places.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
GF: I am currently re-reading the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S Lewis. I enjoy them a lot!
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
GF: Probably Margaret Atwood. I would love to just have a peek inside her mind when it comes to writing the books she writes. Also, my mom is a huge fan of The Handmaid's Tale, haha!
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
GF: I would say Tris Prior from the Divergent series by Veronica Roth. Mainly during the first two books. Tris was someone who had to come into her own, finding her own strength and adjust to the environment around her even when she faced unfortunate circumstances that seem almost helpless.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
GF: Not necessarily on my nightstand, but I read a lot of Webtoons on my phone, haha! Mainly Slice of Life or Thrillers.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
GF: In my opinion, there's no such thing as overrated. A good book is a good book.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
GF: Unconventional Love Stories like the Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston~
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
GF: Never. Always by series and in chronological order.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
GF: Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
GF: Go, Dogs, Go By Dr. Seuss haha! I have vivid memories of reading it with my older brother.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
GF: Probably Acceleration by Graham McNamee. I had to read it in Middle School and although it wasn't a bad book, I do remember reading it and thinking to myself "What did I just read...?"
Rachel Harris, Nyack Library, Adult Services Librarian
Rachel Harris, Nyack Library, Adult Services Librarian
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
RH: Hello! I work part-time as an Adult Reference Librarian and a Special Education Teacher. I started at the Nyack Library in January and have loved it ever since. I enjoy helping patrons with their questions, creating book displays, and ordering books for the 700 section. I appreciate my coworkers and take pride in being a resource for the community.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
RH: I am currently reading Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. It's so thrilling and eerie as I delve into discovering the Wingap murderer. This year, I've also read Gone Girl and The Grownup by Gillian Flynn, and I really enjoy her writing.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
RH: Ottessa Moshfegh who wrote My Year of Rest and Relaxation, which is one of my top books of 2024. I love how this book combines comical aspects with the narrator's unfolding real-life struggles. The book was so fascinating that I would love to meet the author and her thought process behind writing this story.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
RH: One of my favorite books is Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. I felt a strong connection with Sadie, who works tirelessly to create something meaningful while navigating her own path.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
RH: I am looking to read Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe , Swan Song by Elin Hildebrand and Real Americans by Rachel Khong.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
RH: I enjoyed Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, and although it ended on a cliffhanger, I'm not particularly excited to read Iron Flame.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
RH: I love a good dark romantic comedy—books that are comforting and feature love, while also acknowledging mental health struggles. For example, I loved I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue and How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
RH: Sure, why not! I enjoy the sight of various brightly colored books.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
RH: I plan on reading The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
RH: The first book I remember reading was: The Crayon Box That Talked by Shane Derolf.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
RH: My least favorite book is Pack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins. It might be the saddest book I've ever read, leaving me feeling very down. The story's emotional intensity and heart-wrenching moments made it difficult to get through.
RH: Hello! I work part-time as an Adult Reference Librarian and a Special Education Teacher. I started at the Nyack Library in January and have loved it ever since. I enjoy helping patrons with their questions, creating book displays, and ordering books for the 700 section. I appreciate my coworkers and take pride in being a resource for the community.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
RH: I am currently reading Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. It's so thrilling and eerie as I delve into discovering the Wingap murderer. This year, I've also read Gone Girl and The Grownup by Gillian Flynn, and I really enjoy her writing.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
RH: Ottessa Moshfegh who wrote My Year of Rest and Relaxation, which is one of my top books of 2024. I love how this book combines comical aspects with the narrator's unfolding real-life struggles. The book was so fascinating that I would love to meet the author and her thought process behind writing this story.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
RH: One of my favorite books is Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. I felt a strong connection with Sadie, who works tirelessly to create something meaningful while navigating her own path.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
RH: I am looking to read Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe , Swan Song by Elin Hildebrand and Real Americans by Rachel Khong.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
RH: I enjoyed Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, and although it ended on a cliffhanger, I'm not particularly excited to read Iron Flame.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
RH: I love a good dark romantic comedy—books that are comforting and feature love, while also acknowledging mental health struggles. For example, I loved I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue and How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang.
NL: Would you ever organize your books by color? Yea or Nay?
RH: Sure, why not! I enjoy the sight of various brightly colored books.
NL: What do you plan to read next?
RH: I plan on reading The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
RH: The first book I remember reading was: The Crayon Box That Talked by Shane Derolf.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
RH: My least favorite book is Pack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins. It might be the saddest book I've ever read, leaving me feeling very down. The story's emotional intensity and heart-wrenching moments made it difficult to get through.
Tracy Dunstan, Assistant Director & Head of Adult Services
Tracy Dunstan, Assistant Director & Head of Adult Services
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
TD: Hi! I'm Tracy. I'm the Assistant Director & Head of Adult Services. I've worked at Nyack for 7 years. I previously worked as a Librarian in Clifton and Passaic, NJ. I enjoy traveling, writing, theatre, cats, and reading. Fun fact, I have an identical twin.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
TD: I'm currently reading One of Us Knows: A Thriller by Alyssa Cole for a book club I'm in with some friends. I'm also reading the Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley by David Waldstreicher. I'm not liking the thriller as much as I thought I would but the biography is interesting. I was a huge fan of Ann Rinaldi when I was growing up and her books got me into history. Her YA book Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons: The Story of Phillis Wheatley is worth checking out too.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
TD: I'd like to say someone cool like Hermione Granger but I'm probably a Mallory Pike or a Meg/Beth March.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
TD: Reign by Katharine McGee, The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs: A Novel by Katherine Howe, We Were the Lucky Ones: A Novel by Georgia Hunter, and The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas.
NL: Are you a re-reader?
TD: I used to re-read so many books! It was one of my favorite things to do. Unfortunately the older I get, the less time I have for reading so I haven't done it in awhile. I do co-host/ produce a Potter podcast so I do re-read those books for it though.
NL: Thoughts on prologues? Epilogues?
TD: I'm indifferent about prologues but I really like epilogues when done right.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
TD: My mother claims it was a Dr. Seuss book but the first book I remember loving was Kristy and the Mother's Day Surprise in 1st grade. I was obsessed with that series for a good while - check out the podcast Stuck in Stoneybrook. I also really loved Mine Eyes Have Seen by Ann Rinaldi, The Ear, The Eye and the Arm by Nancy Farmer and Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
TD: I didn't like the Divergent series at all. I have a lot of feelings on it so next time you're in the Library, ask me! I thought Unwind by Neal Shusterman was well written but probably the bleakest book I had ever read. It's stuck with me all these years later.
NL: If you were to own a bookstore, what would it be like? How would you arrange the books? Would you serve coffee and food? Play music? Where would it be?
TD: It would be modeled off bookstores from Colonial Williamsburg with that historic charm. I'd arrange the books like in a library and I would serve coffee and comfort food. It would be right here in Nyack, (though check out the two great bookstores we have here already - Big Red Books & Pickwick Books!)
NL: Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader? Or do you like reading multiple books at the same time?
TD: I have a long drive to the library so I'm usually listening to an audiobook and reading several other books at once.
TD: Hi! I'm Tracy. I'm the Assistant Director & Head of Adult Services. I've worked at Nyack for 7 years. I previously worked as a Librarian in Clifton and Passaic, NJ. I enjoy traveling, writing, theatre, cats, and reading. Fun fact, I have an identical twin.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
TD: I'm currently reading One of Us Knows: A Thriller by Alyssa Cole for a book club I'm in with some friends. I'm also reading the Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley by David Waldstreicher. I'm not liking the thriller as much as I thought I would but the biography is interesting. I was a huge fan of Ann Rinaldi when I was growing up and her books got me into history. Her YA book Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons: The Story of Phillis Wheatley is worth checking out too.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
TD: I'd like to say someone cool like Hermione Granger but I'm probably a Mallory Pike or a Meg/Beth March.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
TD: Reign by Katharine McGee, The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs: A Novel by Katherine Howe, We Were the Lucky Ones: A Novel by Georgia Hunter, and The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas.
NL: Are you a re-reader?
TD: I used to re-read so many books! It was one of my favorite things to do. Unfortunately the older I get, the less time I have for reading so I haven't done it in awhile. I do co-host/ produce a Potter podcast so I do re-read those books for it though.
NL: Thoughts on prologues? Epilogues?
TD: I'm indifferent about prologues but I really like epilogues when done right.
NL: What's the first book that you remember reading?
TD: My mother claims it was a Dr. Seuss book but the first book I remember loving was Kristy and the Mother's Day Surprise in 1st grade. I was obsessed with that series for a good while - check out the podcast Stuck in Stoneybrook. I also really loved Mine Eyes Have Seen by Ann Rinaldi, The Ear, The Eye and the Arm by Nancy Farmer and Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
TD: I didn't like the Divergent series at all. I have a lot of feelings on it so next time you're in the Library, ask me! I thought Unwind by Neal Shusterman was well written but probably the bleakest book I had ever read. It's stuck with me all these years later.
NL: If you were to own a bookstore, what would it be like? How would you arrange the books? Would you serve coffee and food? Play music? Where would it be?
TD: It would be modeled off bookstores from Colonial Williamsburg with that historic charm. I'd arrange the books like in a library and I would serve coffee and comfort food. It would be right here in Nyack, (though check out the two great bookstores we have here already - Big Red Books & Pickwick Books!)
NL: Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader? Or do you like reading multiple books at the same time?
TD: I have a long drive to the library so I'm usually listening to an audiobook and reading several other books at once.
Aldona Pilmanis, Head of Youth & Teen Services
Aldona Pilmanis, Head of Youth & Teen Services
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
AP: It has been an absolute privilege to work at the Nyack Library for the last 20 years! I love this library and the people in it! I have been married to my husband Erik for 32 years and we have one son, Aleks, who is a composer who lives in Queens. I am very proud of my Latvian and Lithuanian heritage and spent my childhood weekends and summers at Latvian school and camp. My husband is also Latvian and we met on a plane to Germany for a Latvian Song and Dance Festival.My interests and hobbies include ghost hunting, photography, singing and collecting and learning about tarot and oracle cards.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
AP: I am currently enjoying my friend Sam Baltrusis' book, The Ghosts of Sleepy Hollow. It's a great combination of local history and spooky lore.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
AP: This is my short tale of the author who got away! When her book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, was on the NY Times' bestseller list, I reached out to Susan Cain (who at the time lived in Nyack and was a frequent patron here) and pleaded with her to present her book at the library. She absolutely did not want to participate in any such thing. She said that public speaking gave her anxiety. I tried to present different ways she could do it, but her repeated answer was a polite, but firm no. Not surprising given the subject matter of her book! It would have been fascinating to learn how she was dealing with her sudden rise to fame, and to tell her how much I resonated with her book.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
AP: After years of piles of books crashing to the floor in the middle of the night, I finally broke down and bought a Kindle. While I still greatly prefer a physical book, I can't deny the convenience of the digital experience. My most recent fiction reads include: Spells for Forgetting by Adriene Young, The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman, and The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
AP: I find True Crime books fascinating! And I mean that in the least creepy way possible! :)
NL: Are you a re-reader?
AP: Normally no, but I do find comfort in the familiar during stressful times. I recently reread the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer and loved it just as much the second time around. I also reread The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry as an adult and found it deeply profound and moving. So much from it was lost on me as a child.
NL: How do you get out of a reading rut?
AP: I try not to worry too much about it if I find myself in this situation. It's never long-lived! Working in a library gives me the opportunity to be surrounded by beautiful books everyday! I can always find something interesting here.
NL: Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader? Or do you like reading multiple books at the same time?
AP: While I much prefer to dedicate myself to reading one book at a time, I often find myself jumping from one book to another. So many books, so little time!
NL: Do you DNF (do not finish) books or always read until the end?
AP: I guess it depends on the book. While I do like to give everything I read a chance, there are some titles that are very difficult to get through. I don't beat myself up about it though, I just move on to the next!
AP: It has been an absolute privilege to work at the Nyack Library for the last 20 years! I love this library and the people in it! I have been married to my husband Erik for 32 years and we have one son, Aleks, who is a composer who lives in Queens. I am very proud of my Latvian and Lithuanian heritage and spent my childhood weekends and summers at Latvian school and camp. My husband is also Latvian and we met on a plane to Germany for a Latvian Song and Dance Festival.My interests and hobbies include ghost hunting, photography, singing and collecting and learning about tarot and oracle cards.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
AP: I am currently enjoying my friend Sam Baltrusis' book, The Ghosts of Sleepy Hollow. It's a great combination of local history and spooky lore.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
AP: This is my short tale of the author who got away! When her book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, was on the NY Times' bestseller list, I reached out to Susan Cain (who at the time lived in Nyack and was a frequent patron here) and pleaded with her to present her book at the library. She absolutely did not want to participate in any such thing. She said that public speaking gave her anxiety. I tried to present different ways she could do it, but her repeated answer was a polite, but firm no. Not surprising given the subject matter of her book! It would have been fascinating to learn how she was dealing with her sudden rise to fame, and to tell her how much I resonated with her book.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
AP: After years of piles of books crashing to the floor in the middle of the night, I finally broke down and bought a Kindle. While I still greatly prefer a physical book, I can't deny the convenience of the digital experience. My most recent fiction reads include: Spells for Forgetting by Adriene Young, The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman, and The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
AP: I find True Crime books fascinating! And I mean that in the least creepy way possible! :)
NL: Are you a re-reader?
AP: Normally no, but I do find comfort in the familiar during stressful times. I recently reread the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer and loved it just as much the second time around. I also reread The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry as an adult and found it deeply profound and moving. So much from it was lost on me as a child.
NL: How do you get out of a reading rut?
AP: I try not to worry too much about it if I find myself in this situation. It's never long-lived! Working in a library gives me the opportunity to be surrounded by beautiful books everyday! I can always find something interesting here.
NL: Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader? Or do you like reading multiple books at the same time?
AP: While I much prefer to dedicate myself to reading one book at a time, I often find myself jumping from one book to another. So many books, so little time!
NL: Do you DNF (do not finish) books or always read until the end?
AP: I guess it depends on the book. While I do like to give everything I read a chance, there are some titles that are very difficult to get through. I don't beat myself up about it though, I just move on to the next!
Jeremiah Conway, Nyack Library Board 2ND vICE-pRESIDENT
NL: Can you share a bio with us?
JC: I'm an English teacher in New York City. My family and I have lived in Nyack for seven and a half years, but I have been coming here since the early 80s. I love to cook, run, and read.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
JC: I'm in between books for about the next twenty minutes. I just finished Ordeal by Innocence by Agatha Christie, and I enjoyed it very much. Agatha Christie is my comfort food.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
JC: My favorite working author is David Mitchell, but I don't think anyone is more important than Ta-Nahesi Coates.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
JC: Boxer, the horse from Animal Farm. "I will work harder," to my own detriment.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
JC: Box Office Poison, my all-time favorite graphic novel, because it's not appropriate for my 11-year old, and whatever I'm reading at the moment.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
JC: For sure. Get back to me at the DNF question.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
JC: I don't feel guilty about it, per se, but I do think people side-eye me when I praise the YA horror series Clown in a Cornfield volumes 1-3 by Adam Cesare. They're fantastic, but the title definitely gives people pause.
NL: Are you a re-reader?
JC: As an English teacher, I basically *have* to reread books. I think I've read Animal Farm, the Crucible, and A Streetcar Named Desire at least 30 times each. In civilian life, I only reread the Lord of the Rings and a few select Agatha Christies.
NL: How do you get out of a reading rut?
JC: I am Boxer. I will work harder.
NL: Thoughts on prologues? Epilogues?
JC: The only prologue I have ever disliked is the Custom House Prologue to The Scarlet Letter, which poisoned the entire book for me when I had to read it in high school. Skip those seventy pages and that book is fantastic.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
JC: I'm sure Bill O'Reilly has paid someone to put his name on something he's written lately.
NL:If you were to own a bookstore, what would it be like? How would you arrange the books? Would you serve coffee and food? Play music? Where would it be?
JC:My head is exploding with the options. I don't want to take anything away from either of our lovely bookshops in Nyack, so I will say simply that it would be in Nyack, there would be coffee and I would bake as often as I could, and I would helpfully solve local murders while making delightful quips. So, like, a bookstore, in Nyack, in the Gilmore Girls, with murder.
NL:Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader? Or do you like reading multiple books at the same time?
JC: I only read multiples if I'm teaching something I need to read or reread.
NL: Do you DNF (do not finish) books or always read until the end?
JC: I got about 200 pages into Atlas Shrugged and was like, "oh, she actually thinks businesspeople quail in the face of the government and its regulations? Ha! I can stop now."
JC: I'm an English teacher in New York City. My family and I have lived in Nyack for seven and a half years, but I have been coming here since the early 80s. I love to cook, run, and read.
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
JC: I'm in between books for about the next twenty minutes. I just finished Ordeal by Innocence by Agatha Christie, and I enjoyed it very much. Agatha Christie is my comfort food.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
JC: My favorite working author is David Mitchell, but I don't think anyone is more important than Ta-Nahesi Coates.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
JC: Boxer, the horse from Animal Farm. "I will work harder," to my own detriment.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
JC: Box Office Poison, my all-time favorite graphic novel, because it's not appropriate for my 11-year old, and whatever I'm reading at the moment.
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
JC: For sure. Get back to me at the DNF question.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
JC: I don't feel guilty about it, per se, but I do think people side-eye me when I praise the YA horror series Clown in a Cornfield volumes 1-3 by Adam Cesare. They're fantastic, but the title definitely gives people pause.
NL: Are you a re-reader?
JC: As an English teacher, I basically *have* to reread books. I think I've read Animal Farm, the Crucible, and A Streetcar Named Desire at least 30 times each. In civilian life, I only reread the Lord of the Rings and a few select Agatha Christies.
NL: How do you get out of a reading rut?
JC: I am Boxer. I will work harder.
NL: Thoughts on prologues? Epilogues?
JC: The only prologue I have ever disliked is the Custom House Prologue to The Scarlet Letter, which poisoned the entire book for me when I had to read it in high school. Skip those seventy pages and that book is fantastic.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
JC: I'm sure Bill O'Reilly has paid someone to put his name on something he's written lately.
NL:If you were to own a bookstore, what would it be like? How would you arrange the books? Would you serve coffee and food? Play music? Where would it be?
JC:My head is exploding with the options. I don't want to take anything away from either of our lovely bookshops in Nyack, so I will say simply that it would be in Nyack, there would be coffee and I would bake as often as I could, and I would helpfully solve local murders while making delightful quips. So, like, a bookstore, in Nyack, in the Gilmore Girls, with murder.
NL:Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader? Or do you like reading multiple books at the same time?
JC: I only read multiples if I'm teaching something I need to read or reread.
NL: Do you DNF (do not finish) books or always read until the end?
JC: I got about 200 pages into Atlas Shrugged and was like, "oh, she actually thinks businesspeople quail in the face of the government and its regulations? Ha! I can stop now."
Juan Pablo Mobili, Rockland County Poet Laureate
Peter Carr/The Journal News
NL: Favorite poets?
JM: So, so many. Here are “the teachers” for me... Robert Lax, William Stafford, Cesar Vallejo, Pablo Neruda, Anna Swir, Juan Gelman, Ruth Stone, Stanley Kunnitz, E. Etheridge Knight, Paul Eluard, Ernesto Cardenal, Lucille Clifton, Mario Benedetti. They taught me to observe, to be more curious than certain, and encourage me to sound like me, one poem at a time.
NL: Why I became a Poet Laureate?
JM: Because I deeply believe that language matters, and poetry is its most essential form. Given that, applying to become the Poet Laureate was a great opportunity to have poetry be a means to foster authentic dialogue in the community, and honor the words from our towns. Also, I was drawn to it because I did not know how to do it, there was something important to learn.
NL: What language do you write in and why?
JM: Being born in Argentina, I wrote in Spanish for a number of years, even a few years after moving to New York —still a young poet in love with the masters of my native language: Neruda, Vallejo, and Juan Gelman from Latin America, but also Antonio Machado, Miguel Hernandez and dear Federico Garcia Lorca, from Spain.
As I said, I was still writing in Spanish after arriving to New York, many moons ago, but I believe that by now, I’ve written in English much longer than I ever wrote in Spanish. Why? That was an epiphany of sorts, I began to write in English because “I lived in English”. Place, culture, and the way I continued to “grow more human”, happened in my adoptive language. Once I realize that this was not a betrayal of my origins but a freedom to speak more intimately and authentically, it was the most profound way I could express myself.
NL: How are you influenced by Jorge Luis Borges, the most famous Argentina poet and writer?
JM: It is impossible to be an Argentinian and a writer, particularly Porteño (born in Buenos Aires), and not owe a tremendous debt to Borges. Especially the magic and craft of his short stories, more than his poems, at least for me.
That said, and I regretted, the fact that Borges was a proponent of political views that justified the cruel work of military governments and our native oligarchy, had me renounced him. Something I felt quite righteous about as a young man wishing justice for my country, but I regret now for keeping away from the genius of his work for many years.
Now, perhaps because I am an older man and I understand that human beings are complicated creatures, I fully appreciate him again. Borges was —is!— stunning and unique and a “literary father”, even to those sons and daughters, like me, who would not acknowledge his influence. He is still “our father” and deserves our troubled love.
NL: As a writer who's written about the authoritarian regime in Argentina, do you think the current times in the U.S. require a poetic response?
JM: Any time in history, anywhere in the world, would be poorer without poets responding to what is in front of them. A poet, in my view, is a citizen as much as an artist, and if we choose to live under the illusion of “being above the circumstances” of the times you’re living in. The work may be exquisite in its craft, but lack a soul.
We may come into the world believing that we are “neutral”, but we are not, life will love and batter you, and you cannot afford not to speak about it. I also think that our immediate future would require poets, in particular, to say what they see, to celebrate and denounce what happens. The art of it is to right good work, and not indulge in merely “pamphlets”. For what is worth, I learned as a young poet that courage is not the absence of fear but an obligation, whether it’s a poem, a novel, an essay... or a birthday card (LOL).
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
JM: I've been reading mainly poets for a long while, most recently older poets. Right now, there are two books are I’m quite moved by: Joan Larkin’s Older Stranger and Alicia Ostriker’s The Holy & Broken Bliss. I'm interested in where they arrived poetically, so to speak, what they write about and how they write. I like how much they have to teach me.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
JM: Jennifer Martelli, Joan Larkin, Tina Cane, all of them poets.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
JM: The one who's a good guy, but really complicated.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
JM: My night stand can only hold a lamp, my glasses, and my iPad which has plenty of wonderful choices. These are my current choices: Peter Balakian’s June-tree: New and selected poems 1974-2000), The Road to Character by David Brooks, Ask Me: 100 Essential Poems of William Stafford, Kazim Ali’s Black Buffalo Woman (about Lucille Clifton), and Listen to This (a book about Miles Davis’ late 60’s music).
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
JM: I’d rather not “name names”, but there some authors whose earlier work I admired whose recent books I consider far from their best. I’d leave it at that.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
JM: Yes, although I don't feel that “guilty” about it. I love graphic novels, they are a distinct pleasure for me. I appreciate the kind of collaboration it takes to bring together the imagination and distinct talent of an artist and a writer. For instance, Batman’s The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale.
NL: Are you a re-reader?
JM: There is a number of books (fiction, essays and poetry) I read more than once, and will come back to again. Michael Cunningham, the author of The Hours, said that the great books must be read every ten years. You are not the same reader, or writer, every ten years... Hmmm
NL: How do you get out of a reading rut?
JM: I write.
NL: Thoughts on prologues? Epilogues?
JM: Prologues are like movie previews, integral part of the fun.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
JM: Fortunately, I forgot.
NL: If you were to own a bookstore, what would it be like? How would you arrange the books? Would you serve coffee and food? Play music? Where would it be?
JM: The bookstore would resemble Big Red Books, in Nyack, quite a bit!
NL: Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader? Or do you like reading multiple books at the same time?
JM: The more the merrier.
NL: Do you DNF (do not finish) books or always read until the end?
JM: I've come to peace with not finishing a book that is poorly written.
JM: So, so many. Here are “the teachers” for me... Robert Lax, William Stafford, Cesar Vallejo, Pablo Neruda, Anna Swir, Juan Gelman, Ruth Stone, Stanley Kunnitz, E. Etheridge Knight, Paul Eluard, Ernesto Cardenal, Lucille Clifton, Mario Benedetti. They taught me to observe, to be more curious than certain, and encourage me to sound like me, one poem at a time.
NL: Why I became a Poet Laureate?
JM: Because I deeply believe that language matters, and poetry is its most essential form. Given that, applying to become the Poet Laureate was a great opportunity to have poetry be a means to foster authentic dialogue in the community, and honor the words from our towns. Also, I was drawn to it because I did not know how to do it, there was something important to learn.
NL: What language do you write in and why?
JM: Being born in Argentina, I wrote in Spanish for a number of years, even a few years after moving to New York —still a young poet in love with the masters of my native language: Neruda, Vallejo, and Juan Gelman from Latin America, but also Antonio Machado, Miguel Hernandez and dear Federico Garcia Lorca, from Spain.
As I said, I was still writing in Spanish after arriving to New York, many moons ago, but I believe that by now, I’ve written in English much longer than I ever wrote in Spanish. Why? That was an epiphany of sorts, I began to write in English because “I lived in English”. Place, culture, and the way I continued to “grow more human”, happened in my adoptive language. Once I realize that this was not a betrayal of my origins but a freedom to speak more intimately and authentically, it was the most profound way I could express myself.
NL: How are you influenced by Jorge Luis Borges, the most famous Argentina poet and writer?
JM: It is impossible to be an Argentinian and a writer, particularly Porteño (born in Buenos Aires), and not owe a tremendous debt to Borges. Especially the magic and craft of his short stories, more than his poems, at least for me.
That said, and I regretted, the fact that Borges was a proponent of political views that justified the cruel work of military governments and our native oligarchy, had me renounced him. Something I felt quite righteous about as a young man wishing justice for my country, but I regret now for keeping away from the genius of his work for many years.
Now, perhaps because I am an older man and I understand that human beings are complicated creatures, I fully appreciate him again. Borges was —is!— stunning and unique and a “literary father”, even to those sons and daughters, like me, who would not acknowledge his influence. He is still “our father” and deserves our troubled love.
NL: As a writer who's written about the authoritarian regime in Argentina, do you think the current times in the U.S. require a poetic response?
JM: Any time in history, anywhere in the world, would be poorer without poets responding to what is in front of them. A poet, in my view, is a citizen as much as an artist, and if we choose to live under the illusion of “being above the circumstances” of the times you’re living in. The work may be exquisite in its craft, but lack a soul.
We may come into the world believing that we are “neutral”, but we are not, life will love and batter you, and you cannot afford not to speak about it. I also think that our immediate future would require poets, in particular, to say what they see, to celebrate and denounce what happens. The art of it is to right good work, and not indulge in merely “pamphlets”. For what is worth, I learned as a young poet that courage is not the absence of fear but an obligation, whether it’s a poem, a novel, an essay... or a birthday card (LOL).
NL: What are you currently reading? Do you like it?
JM: I've been reading mainly poets for a long while, most recently older poets. Right now, there are two books are I’m quite moved by: Joan Larkin’s Older Stranger and Alicia Ostriker’s The Holy & Broken Bliss. I'm interested in where they arrived poetically, so to speak, what they write about and how they write. I like how much they have to teach me.
NL: If you could have any author speak at Nyack Library, who would it be and why?
JM: Jennifer Martelli, Joan Larkin, Tina Cane, all of them poets.
NL: Which character in a book do you most identify with?
JM: The one who's a good guy, but really complicated.
NL: What books are on your night stand?
JM: My night stand can only hold a lamp, my glasses, and my iPad which has plenty of wonderful choices. These are my current choices: Peter Balakian’s June-tree: New and selected poems 1974-2000), The Road to Character by David Brooks, Ask Me: 100 Essential Poems of William Stafford, Kazim Ali’s Black Buffalo Woman (about Lucille Clifton), and Listen to This (a book about Miles Davis’ late 60’s music).
NL: Are there any books that you feel are overrated?
JM: I’d rather not “name names”, but there some authors whose earlier work I admired whose recent books I consider far from their best. I’d leave it at that.
NL: Do you have a literary "guilty pleasure"?
JM: Yes, although I don't feel that “guilty” about it. I love graphic novels, they are a distinct pleasure for me. I appreciate the kind of collaboration it takes to bring together the imagination and distinct talent of an artist and a writer. For instance, Batman’s The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale.
NL: Are you a re-reader?
JM: There is a number of books (fiction, essays and poetry) I read more than once, and will come back to again. Michael Cunningham, the author of The Hours, said that the great books must be read every ten years. You are not the same reader, or writer, every ten years... Hmmm
NL: How do you get out of a reading rut?
JM: I write.
NL: Thoughts on prologues? Epilogues?
JM: Prologues are like movie previews, integral part of the fun.
NL: What's your least favorite book?
JM: Fortunately, I forgot.
NL: If you were to own a bookstore, what would it be like? How would you arrange the books? Would you serve coffee and food? Play music? Where would it be?
JM: The bookstore would resemble Big Red Books, in Nyack, quite a bit!
NL: Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader? Or do you like reading multiple books at the same time?
JM: The more the merrier.
NL: Do you DNF (do not finish) books or always read until the end?
JM: I've come to peace with not finishing a book that is poorly written.