‘Goodnight Moon,’ ‘The Velveteen Rabbit.’ What are mayoral candidates’ favorite books?
One likes best-sellers about leadership and business, the other likes poetry, history and literature. When it comes to children’s books, one is a “Velveteen Rabbit” fan, while the other is partial to “Goodnight Moon.”
As you consider whether to vote for Ronnie Bastin or Linda Gorton to be Lexington’s next mayor, here’s another bit of insight. The Lexington Public Library staff asked them for lists of their favorite books in preparation for an Oct. 2 candidate forum at Central Library.
Bastin listed these books as his favorites:
- “The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything,”by Stephen M.R. Covey, eldest son of the late best-selling motivational author Stephen R. Covey.
- “Goodnight Moon,” the children’s classic by Margaret Wise Brown.
- “Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times,” by Donald T. Phillips.
- “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t,” by Jim Collins.
- “The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations,” by James Kouzes and Barry Posner.
Gorton listed these favorites:
- “Terrapin & Other Poems” by Kentucky writer Wendell Berry.
- “John Adams,” a biography of the nation’s second president by David McCullough.
- “The Velveteen Rabbit,” the children’s classic by Margery Williams.
- “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” a classic memoir by Maya Angelou.
- “The Prophet,” by the Lebanese-American writer and poet Kahlil Gibran.
The library staff plans to incorporate the candidates’ favorite books in library displays. If you want to check any of them out —literally — there are lists on the Library’s website, Lexpublib.org.
Library branches also have put out boxes where patrons can submit questions for the forum, which is also being sponsored by the Fayette Alliance, AARP of Kentucky, Fayette County Farm Bureau, Fayette County Neighborhood Council and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and WKYT-TV. The forum begins at 6 p.m. Oct. 2 in the Farish Theatre of Central Library, 140 E. Main St.
This story was originally published September 20, 2018 at 12:12 PM.