READING L.A.

Perry Simpson, entrepreneur:

“Sometimes a Great Notion” by Ken Kesey (Viking).

“A master of illustration, Kesey builds a vivid story about an Oregon logging family and its stand against the local union. The first chapter is chaotic and difficult to get through. But sticking with Kesey’s style has its rewards: He hammers out a kaleidoscopic world.”

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Natalie Sanders, medical doctor:

“In the Garden of Our Dreams” by Shirlee and Harold Haizlip (Kodansha International).

“This Ivy League-educated couple have written a lyrical memoir that chronicles the 40-year course of their relationship. They offer insights into the life of an African American couple as they experienced life’s many challenges.”

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Russell Kamalski, fitness company president:

“Street Trends” by Janine Lopiano-Misdom and Joanne De Luca (HarperBusiness).

“The authors look at urban street cultures and how they offer amazing clues about the shape and direction of future consumer trends. From a marketing perspective, it’s an enlightening and helpful book.”

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Douglas Mcgowan, screenwriter:

“Cash: An Autobiography” by Johnny Cash (Harper San Francisco).

“This is a manual on how to mess up the first half of your life and then get it together and be a saint. It’s the only star autobiography I have read that sounds as if it was written by the star himself, and its lesson of humility is pretty pertinent to these times.”