Mayor Bill Haslam “CRASH COURSE by Chris Whittle. It is an interesting look at public education in America from a unique perspective.”

-Bill Haslam
Mayor
Knoxville, TN
John Sibley “ADAM WHERE ARE YOU? by Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu. Dr. Kunjufu takes a hard look at why most black men do not attend church. This is especially important with the great need for black men in ministries that focus on youth mentoring and tutoring.”

-John Sibley
President and CEO
The Literacy Imperative
Ina Hughes “POSTSECRET: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives compiled by Frank Warren. Plunking down 24 bucks for my own copy was worth every penny. What started out for Frank Warren as a community art project in decorative post cards has turned into a national phenomenon: People tell and illustrate their deep, dark secrets on a post card, then either send or go online to PostSecret with it, anonymously of course. This illustrated compilation is everything from ’shrink’ art to holy writ.”

-Ina Hughs
Columnist
Knoxville News Sentinel
Sheila Navarro “THE HUMAN STAIN by Philip Roth. This is a book on so many levels that there’s bound to be a level that will catch you. I’m also reading The Shapeshifter by Tony Hillerman. Listing to his books on cd as I drive through the areas he writes about is amazing. The Shapeshifter is good solid reading and anyone who likes Hillerman will like it.

-Shiela Wood-Navarro
Co-owner and Bookseller
Carpe Librum Booksellers
Catherine Morai “STRANGE PIECE OF PARADISE by Terri Jentz, a true-life story about a crime that made national headlines in 1977. The book is an account of the life-long effects of this mayhem for the victims. I’m fascinated by Jentz’s descriptions of the ways people try to cope with the knowledge of violence, to ignore, contain, or deny the reality of it.”

-Catherine Morai
Reference Librarian
Knox County Library