“'Jackie After Jack,' by Christopher Andersen. It's a tell-all biography of her life after Jack (Kennedy).”

— Jean Miller, accountant, Overland Park

“'Slaughterhouse-Five,' by Kurt Vonnegut. It's about the fire bombing of Dresden. I decided to read it because I'm a fan of his work.”

— Sam Neal, Kansas State University junior, Manhattan

“'Fifth Quadrant,' by C.J. Ryan. It's about a female character who created a separate force within a bureaucracy, and it deals with how groups within bureaucracies can change them to address needs and answer questions.”

— Zane Swanson,, professor, Emporia

“'Widow of the South,' by Robert Hicks. It tells the story of the Civil War from various points of view. It's historical fiction, but it's interesting to learn more about different perspectives in such an important period of American history.”

— Maia Leen, museum marketing coordinator, Philadelphia

“'Skipping Christmas,' by John Grisham. It's about a couple whose child goes off to the Peace Corps and they decide to skip Christmas to go on a cruise, but their neighbors put a lot of pressure on them to participate anyway.”

— Linda Hoopes, social worker, Lawrence