Books on the Agenda

Do you know what your elected officials read for pleasure when they leave the paperwork blitz at City Hall? Checking on the reading habits of mayors in Ventura County turned up some intriguing titles.

Although the majority of Ventura Mayor Sandy Smith’s reading has to do with city issues, his favorite book is “The Snow Leopard” by Peter Matthiessen. Smith praised it as the best western book he has ever read about eastern religions. He also enjoyed “At Play in the Fields of the Lord,” also by Matthiessen, who is a cultural anthropologist.

“When I’m on vacation, for mind candy I read Robert Ludlum and John LeCarre, mostly Ludlum,” Smith said. “If I get into a good Ludlum book, I’m liable to read it solid through.”

Over in Ojai, Mayor David Bury occasionally will pick up a thriller by Tony Hillerman, but he generally goes for reading relating to his profession as an architect.

The last book he read was Donald Bahr’s “The Short Swift Time of Gods on Earth: The Hohokam Chronicles,” about a group of narrators who gathered myths of a mysterious tribe of Indians in the Southwest who vanished about AD 1100, he said. He is now into a book about Buddhist monasteries in the western Himalayas.

Moorpark Mayor Pat Hunt is a cyclist. He just finished reading cancer survivor Lance Armstrong’s autobiography, “It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life.”

Author John Grisham’s name popped up a few times in our survey. Santa Paula Mayor Don Johnson, whose reading preference runs to mysteries, had just read Grisham’s latest novel.

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Meanwhile, Simi Valley Mayor Bill Davis said he just doesn’t have the time to read books after going through all the material he gets from the city every day.

However, Mayor Pro Tem Barbara Williamson likes author Nicholas Sparks big-time. She is reading “The Rescue,”about a single mother of an autistic child. “It’s going to be a real tear-jerker,” she said.

She has also read the biographies of Sen. John McCain and former President Reagan recently.

Books about war and the past capture Port Hueneme Mayor Robert Turner’s interest. Turner said he likes a lot of W.E.B. Griffin’s books about World War II and the Marine Corps. Griffin also did a series on the police, “Men in Blue,” Turner said.

“He’s a very fast-moving, action-type writer,” Turner said. “I like that to keep my interest.” Other recent reads included Tom Brokaw’s “The Greatest Generation” for its historical background and Peter Jennings’ “The Century.”

Turner said he reads every night, anywhere from five minutes to 2 1/2 hours, depending on how long it takes him to fall asleep.

Fillmore Mayor Don Gunderson reads books by John W. Gardner, such as “Excellence” and “On Leadership.” If he is invited to read to elementary school kids, he opts for Shel Silverstein, author of “Where the Sidewalk Ends” and “Falling Up.”

“I’m saving all kinds of books, because in two years, I’m going to be done being a city councilman,” Gunderson said. “Then I’m going to take time to read in the afternoon again--and I’m going to be a grandpa.”

Mayor Pro Tem Linda Brewster just read “Daughter of Fortune” by Isabel Allende, and is another Grisham fan.

In Camarillo, Mayor Mike Morgan loves historical fiction and recently read a trilogy about early Greek history and “The Journeyers,” about Marco Polo.

As for the mayors who didn’t contribute to this survey--they were probably too busy reading.

HAPPENINGS

* Sunday: 10:30 a.m. The Meaningful Life Book Club will focus on “Chicken Soup for the Soul” by Jack Canfield. Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 160 S. Westlake Blvd., 446-2820.

* Tuesday: 9:30 a.m. Story time on “Clifford--The Big Red Dog’s Birthday” and other Norman Bridwell books. Ventura Barnes & Noble, 4360 E. Main St., 339-9170.

* Tuesday: 4:30 p.m. The American Girls Club focuses on Kirsten. Recommended for ages 7 and up. Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 446-2820.

* Tuesday: 7 p.m. The Short Stories Group focuses on “Distant Episode” by Paul Bowles. Borders, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 497-8159.

* Tuesday: 7 p.m. The Partners in Crime Mystery Group focuses on “Bleeding Heart” by Mary Freeman. Borders, 497-8159.

* Wednesday: 7 p.m. Michael Saunders of Paine Webber will share tips and insights. Borders, 497-8159.

* Wednesday: 7 p.m. Writer’s Workshop. Ventura Barnes & Noble, 339-9170.

* Friday: 7 p.m. Pajamarama story time on “Down in the Woods at Sleepytime” by Carole Schaefer. Ventura Barnes & Noble (339-9170).

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Information about booksignings, writers groups and publishing events can be emailed to anns40@aol.com or faxed to 647-5649).