"What they’re reading” appears as an occasional series in MinnPost’s Book Club Club section. We’re asking well-known and not-so-well-known Minnesotans to tell us about the books they’re reading and recommending to others -- and why. In today’s installment, we hear from three MinnPost staffers who have time to read. Maybe we'll hear from a few more after the holiday weekend.

Don Effenberger, MinnPost news editor

Actually, of late, I’ve been reading old movie scripts online from a great website, Drew’s Script-O-Rama.  I just finished reading the witty script from my favorite romantic comedy, the 1953 Spencer Tracy-Katharine Hepburn film “Desk Set.”

In terms of books, I find the only concerted reading time I can muster is on plane trips, and I find myself starting more books than I can ever finish, particularly on our travel budget.

I’m about halfway through two books dealing with significant pop-culture milestones:

• Michael Davis’ engaging, behind-the-scenes “Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street.”

• And Jan Stuart’s insightful “Nashville Chronicles: The Making of Robert Altman’s Masterpiece.” Stuart tells the inside story of Altman’s 1975 film, a complex panorama of American politics, music and culture that interweaves the lives of 24 characters, who eventually come together at one spot for the controversial conclusion. I’ve always been fascinated by the intricacies of “Nashville,” my fifth-favorite film, and how Altman managed to trim his original roughly six-hour story in half. I’d love someday to see the three hours that ended up on the cutting-room floor!

Corey Anderson, MinnPost web editor

What are you reading? Why?

“Elmer Gantry” by Sinclair Lewis. I chose it as this month’s selection in my book group as some of the book’s themes seem relevant once more.

What book do you find yourself recommending to others? Why?

"Nine Lives: Death and Life in New Orleans" by Dan Baum. Baum follows the lives of nine New Orleans residents from Hurricane Betsy in the 1960s over forty years to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Remarkable stories from a wonderful city.

Sally Waterman, MinnPost ad director

• “The Soong Dynasty” by Sterling Seagrave. My personal follow-up to “Mao: The Unknown Story” by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday.

• “Saving Seeds: The Gardener's Guide to Growing and Storing Vegetable and Flower Seeds” by Marc Rogers. My interest is permaculture and preserving and sustaining heirlooom seed.

• “When You Are Engulfed in Flames” by David Sedaris. Something light to contrast “The Soong Dynasty,” and it's always a good day for David Sedaris.

• Constant gardening book recommendation: “The Garden Primer” by Barbara Damrosch. If you could only have one book on organic gardening, this is the one you want.