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Donna Distel

Posted on | July 15, 2009 | 1,771 views |

Donna Distel is the ReadAloud program coordinator for the Ohio State University libraries. She also is the outreach assistant for collections, instruction and public services.

What are your five favorite books and why?

Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappe
This book completely changed the way that I look at the world and how our choices shape that world.

The Forest Lover by Diane Vreeland
This is a fictional biography of Canadian artist Emily Carr, and beyond being a beautiful depiction of this talented and courageous painter, the story provides a window into the rapidly disappearing culture of northwestern native tribal life.

The Antelope Wife by Louise Erdrich
All of her work weaves themes of family and history, with a skillful blend of mysticism and reality. This book in particular uses the imagery of beading to amplify the connections between the characters, both past and present.

The Temple of My Familiar by Alice Walker
I love her writing and the spirit she infuses in her characters. I have read most all of her work, but this is the one I reread every few years because there is a beautiful love story that threads its way through the novel.

Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins
His books take me places I have never imagined, and this one in particular has a great mix of history, philosophy and laugh-out-loud humor.

Who is your favorite character in literature?

Miss Lissie from The Temple of My Familiar: She is perhaps more of an archetype, but speaks in a voice of timeless wisdom and matriarchal perspective.

What is the last book you’ve bought?

Photographing Eden: Poems  by Jason Gray
I discovered the beauty of Jason’s writing when he came to read a couple years ago for my weekly ReadAloud program. This latest book is a wonderful collection and a great introduction to his work (Jason is a local author and an editor at OSU Press).

What’s your “guilty pleasure” — a book you love but don’t often talk about because it’s not “serious” literature?

Mutant Message from Down Under by Marlo Morgan
This book has been labeled as “new age” but to me it is still a great journey through the Australian Outback that contrasts western notions of reality with the Aboriginal point of view.

What magazines do you subscribe to and why?

Audobon because I am a birder, New Mexico Magazine to keep in touch with things in between visits and Yoga Journal for inspiration.

What are some of your favorite Web sites?

I regularly check the Restaurant Widow’s Web site (restaurantwidow.com) for local food news and reviews and things to do around town.  Wild Goose creative (wildgoosecreative.com) is a great source for grass roots arts happenings around town. I also enjoy Jared Gardner’s guttergeek site (guttergeek.com)for reviews and news of graphic novels, which is one of my current avenues of exploration.

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