What are you reading?

A couple of really good (young adult) series, one called "Ranger's Apprentice" and one called "Percy Jackson." ... I'm also reading that Coconut Island book "Moku O Lo'e." ... And what's really a riot is I'm re-reading a couple of old Agatha Christie novels from the '30s that I just happened to run across. Nothing brings technology home to you more than reading old Agatha Christie, and the sense of ancient history you get from it is so amazing. ... What's good, too, is "The World Without Us" (by Alan Weisman, about what would happen to Earth if humans disappeared) ... It's just fascinating and makes you feel better about the planet.

How do you choose what you read?

I always read the new quality fiction just because you need to know what not to recommend. I also try to keep up with the new thriller writers to see if they are up to par. ... And I particularly like good children's writing. We're scared about the death of the book and no one's reading anymore, but if you get kids reading and get them hooked into good plots, then they'll read when they're grown up as well.

How does your personal reading influence BookEnds' service to a growing and changing community like Kailua?

I don't know if the clientele influences me or I influence what I buy for the store. People recommend things to me, and I try to read them. But my interests do affect the stuff that we have here. I try and be omnivorous, just try a lot of different things, and fortunately I'm interested in a lot of different things. The subjects I'm not strong on I suspect we're not strong on, but I try to be open to it all. ...