Who’s Reading What

Blenda J. Wilson, president of Cal State Northridge: “Schindler’s List” by Thomas Keneally

“The book is written as a novel but is based on interviews with people who knew Schindler. This is an interesting approach. As I read it, I am reminded that people do courageous and good things, not so much out of structured morality, but out of a basic, intuitive sense of humanity.”

Rep. Anthony Beilenson, (D-Woodland Hills): “The Maine Woods” by Henry David Thoreau

“It’s a compilation of Thoreau’s journals from three journeys he took by canoe in the area of Mount Katahdin (in Maine). It’s an area that I’ve known since I was quite young and therefore it brings back a lot of memories. Also, Thoreau is a favorite author of mine.”

Daniel Acuna, mayor of San Fernando: “Rain of Gold” by Victor Villasenor

“It’s a Mexican-American ‘Roots.’ It follows three generations of the author’s family and how they started out in Mexico and all the challenges of raising a family and surviving the revolution and then coming to California. You’re drawn into the story and can visualize what it was like.”

“Rain of Gold,” an excerpt

It was noon. The shooting had ceased and the people were coming out of hiding. Victoriano and Old Man Benito were skinning out the dead mother goat.

“Lupe,” said Dona Guadalupe, “I think it’s safe now for you to go get fresh water.”

“Yes,” said Lupe.

Cautiously, she made her way down the steep hillside through the still-smoldering huts to get water at the creek at the bottom of the canyon. Getting to the tall foliage alongside the bubbling brook, Lupe glanced all around before bending over to fill her clay pot. She felt nervous, tense, exhausted.

The main part of the village lay burning behind her and across the creek, up the slope a few hundred feet, she could see the piles of yellow chalk-like waste from the mine and she could hear some of the soldiers further up the slope at the American enfencement laughing and joking, truly enjoying themselves.

Senor Jones, who ran the American mine, had prepared a feast for them. This was how the Americans always dealt with the soldiers who came shooting into the canyon. They fed the soldiers, made them welcome, and then calmed them down by promising them weapons from the United States.

Lupe was bent over between two huge ferns, concentrating on filling her pot, when suddenly she felt a dark shadow fall over her.

Instantly, Lupe knew it was a soldier and he was going to grab her.