READING L.A.

Rich Pittman, investment consultant:

“A Tour of the Calculus” by David Berlinski (Vintage).

“Forget--if you haven’t already--what you learned about calculus in school. This is the greatest accomplishment of the millennium, and Berlinski brings it to life. His book reads like a screenplay of the history of modern math.”

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Kimberly Stansell, author-entrepreneur:

“The Wedding” by Dorothy West (Doubleday).

“Brace yourself to become enveloped by this fascinating tale. West eloquently escorts you through five generations of a family’s rise from slavery to prosperity. Give your pal a copy: You’ll be anxious to share your thoughts after sitting at the feet of this masterful storyteller.”

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Michael Chow, designer-restaurateur:

“The Complete Letters of Vincent van Gogh” by Vincent van Gogh (Little, Brown).

“Like his paintings, van Gogh’s writing is infused with poetry, truth and love. He saw the world in such a unique way. ‘What is seen is temporal,’ he wrote; ‘what’s unseen is eternal.’ Such a gentle man with such violent passions.”

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Beverly Tate, college professor:

“Restoring Hope” by Cornel West (Beacon).

“I think West is the most enlightened African American scholar living today. I love this book of interviews conducted with an eclectic group of African Americans--from Maya Angelou to Wynton Marsalis to Charlayne Hunter-Gault.”