Read Across America Day: La Mesa Librarian Offers Adult Picks

While Read Across America Day (March 2) celebrates Dr. Seuss by encouraging children to read, grown-ups are also in need of motivation to pick up a book.  According to a 2010 Rasmussen Reports national survey, only 58 percent of American adults said they had recently read a book for pleasure, down from 69 percent in 2006. 

The easiest way to get back into the reading habit?  Visiting your local library, where knowledgeable librarians—like Wynn Weiss of the La Mesa branch—point you to adult gems such as these:

• “Cleopatra: A Life” by Stacy Shiff

In anticipation of the upcoming Hollywood production starring Angelina Jolie, dive into Shiff’s interpretation of one of history’s most intriguing women, whose power, wealth and intelligence—rather than her beauty—are her lasting legacies.

• “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot

Science buffs and true-life mystery aficionados alike will be amazed at the incredible story of Henrietta Lacks, whose involuntary contribution of the cancer cells that took her life became a “Holy Grail” of disease research.

• “A Widow’s Story: A Memoir” by Joyce Carol Oates

Renowned novelist Oates details the devastation of losing her husband unexpectedly, and the struggle to move beyond tragedy—a must-read for anyone who has lost a loved one.

• “And Furthermore” by Judi Dench

The famous British star of stage and screen invites readers into the inner workings of the performing arts with a breezy, witty writing style chock full of intriguing anecdotes about her fellow actors.

• “Poser: My Life in Twenty-three Yoga Poses” by Claire Dederer

Dederer takes readers through the ups and downs of marriage and motherhood within the frame of yoga, an activity she started with judgmental reservation, until her attitude slowly morphed into something approaching enlightenment.