Harry Schwartz, chef:”Pierre Franey Cooks With His...

Harry Schwartz, chef:

“Pierre Franey Cooks With His Friends,” by Pierre Franey with Claudia Franey Jensen (Artisan/Workman Publishing).

“Franey adopted America as his home and significantly affected the American food scene. With his death last October, we lost a giant figure in the world of cooking.”

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Naomi Despres, film producer:

“Love Thy Neighbor: A Story of War,” by Peter Maas (Alfred A. Knopf).

“This chilling account of the war in Bosnia makes you feel like you’re walking the roads, looking into houses and hearing conversations. Maas humanizes the conflict and at the same time shows you the boundaries of evil and what happens when they burst.”

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Lynn Alvarez, program officer:

“Christ Stopped At Eboli” by Carlo Levi (Farrar, Straus & Giroux).

“This is a timeless and moving description of classism and poverty. This book doesn’t have a fast-moving plot, but it’s fascinating nonetheless.”

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Vaughn Hart, talent agent:

“Canyon” by Michael P. Ghiglieri (University of Arizona).

“I recently rafted the Grand Canyon. This book puts me back on the river with all the excitement and beauty without the fear of flipping in the monster rapids.”