• Christine Brunner, Artistic director, Rising Phoenix Theatre in Middletown:

        Leonard Bernstein, Notes from a Friendby Schuyler Chapin (Walker and Co.; $17.95.).

        “I love biographies. Since I am both an artist and a businesswoman, I deal with people who are driven by different motives. Some want to be famous, some want to be rich. I, like most, want to be both. Biographies tell me they didn't get there overnight.”

        Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh (Pantheon; $16).

        “I am also drawn to little volumes of self-reflection. This is my current favorite. Her words about women and complicated lives, patience and faith have hit home for me recently.”

        • Kendall Bruns, Artist:

        The Wind-Up Bird Chronicleby Haruki Murakami translated by Jay Rubin (Vintage; $14.).

        “I'm about halfway through and I'm still not sure what it's about, but in this case that's a positive. It involves a man who loses his cat and his wife. It's full of surreal (David) Lynchian imagery and the writing has a beautiful simplicity.”

        The Naked Ape: A Zoologist's Study of the Human Animal by Desmond Morris (Dell; $11.95.).

        “The book looks at humans as animals and analyzes our behavior in comparison to other animals. It was written in the late '60s but the basics still hold up. As an artist I find that a lot of my work deals with human behavior so a fresh perspective like this is helpful.”

        — Jackie Demaline

Playhouse hums with 'Beehive'
ICP does profanity, not profound
KNIPPENBERG: NYC gets good look at Naked Cowboy
Phoenix produces mixed 'Menagerie'
Get to it
Teacher's favorite shopping spot? Asia
Reading designer wins bridal award
'Too High' piles on weird, wacky and snakes
Tristate best sellers list
Local Lit: Latest titles
What Tristaters are reading
Arriving & happening in area bookstores
Black ties swapped for baggies
New material makes for classic Dylan