Aaron Whitebread, cook at Free State Brewery, Lawrence

“‘Cold Mountain’ by Charles Frazier.”

Mike Soderling, swim coach for Lawrence Aquahawks, Lawrence

“‘Championship Swim Training’ by Bill Sweetenham. He’s an Australian swim coach and is really cutting edge.”

Emily Bender, financial services representative, Lawrence

“I just finished ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.’ It wasn’t as good as the others, but it helped wrap up a lot of loose ends.”

Melanie Guse, Kansas University junior, Sioux Falls, S.D.

“‘Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs’ by Chuck Klosterman. It’s a sociological book about today’s pop culture.”

Vanessa Hukle, senior at Washington University in St. Louis, Lawrence

“‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ by Margaret Atwood.”