JANUARY 2 0 2 0 I BOROMAG.COM 41
Astoria Library
14-01 ASTORIA BLVD., ASTORIA
40-20 BROADWAY., ASTORIA
One of the many benefits to reading
is getting lost in a different world or life.
Through a book, you can live many different
lives and learn about different
places, time periods and cultures. Jeremy
Zoref, community library manager
of the Astoria branch, believes reading
holds this special power.
“I love the transformative power of
reading, whether to a new place, world
or time. I love how reading hones empathy
and understanding, how it can find
humanity dwelling in places that are
only waiting to be discovered,” Zoref
said.
Zoref recommends discovering these
three novels:
• “Let the Great World Spin” by
Colum McCann: “It takes place in New
York during the 1970s, when Philippe
Petit tightrope-walked between the new
Twin Towers. It’s a kaleidoscopic book
about the people of New York, using
their voices to tell a story of loss and
grief, but also of life, strengthened by
its humanity and generous spirit,” Zoref
said.
• “The Golem and the Jinni” by Helene
Wecker: “Set during the end of the
19th century New York, a melting pot of
diversity, two mythological creatures,
a golem and a jinni, engage in a story
about what it means to be human,” Zoref
said. “They may be folklore, but they
have heart, a mind and soul, which, in
the end, renders them fully human.”
• “We Are Not Ourselves” by Matthew
Thomas: “Primarily set in Queens,
this book tracks the life of Eileen Leary,
from young girl to newlywed to being
a mother to the encroachment of advanced
years, showing how through the
choices we make, or when we have no
choice, we contribute to a life that needs
to be led, for that is where life is, in the
details,” Zoref said.
Photo by Patrick Merino
Photo by Allison Kridle
Photo courtesy of Astoria Library
Photo by Rifaat Hamou
Photos courtesy of Book Culture
/BOROMAG.COM
