Joanne Bogart, librarian at Boston Public Library, won our contest to be featured as a Book Brahmin by having the most friends, family, coworkers (and possibly strangers) cite her as the reason why they signed up for our new publication, Shelf Awareness for Readers. She used e-mail to good effect. Thanks for helping us spread the word, Joanne! (If you have friends and family who would like to get reviews of the best books coming out each week delivered to their inbox, click here to invite them to sign up.)
Joanne graduated from the University of Michigan, then worked at some horrid office jobs for about five years before deciding to go to library school. She worked in a hospital library while working on her degree and for many years now she has worked at Boston Public Library in a variety of reference/Readers Advisory departments; she is now working in collection development which suits her to a T at this point in her career--after 22 years of working with the public and working odd hours, she was ready for a change.
On your nightstand now:
Netherland by Joseph O'Neill; the new Tom Perrotta, The Leftovers; and Faith by Jennifer Haigh.
Favorite book when you were a child:
So many but I guess most of all Charlotte's Web. I know it's not original but it's a great book and had such a profound influence on me. I never killed another spider and try not to kill any living being.
Your top five authors:
I read everything that comes out by these authors, or want to anyway, some are just too prolific: P.D. James, Ruth Rendell, Sue Grafton, Anne Tyler and Margaret Atwood. I guess I gravitate to women authors.
Book you've faked reading:
I have never faked reading anything but I am embarrassed to say that I have never read Shakespeare, though I have tried.
Book you're an evangelist for:
The Grapes of Wrath. Out of all the so called classics I had to read this is the one that brings me to tears each time I read it.
Book that changed your life:
I am not sure that any book changed my life or maybe so many have that it's all a blur. As I said, Charlotte's Web changed my ideas about killing insects so it definitely changed their lives for the better.
Book you most want to read again for the first time:
The Grapes of Wrath and Sophie's Choice. Both are so beautifully written and show the best and worst in humanity.