Reader Profile – Cynthia Dana

Cynthia is the Patron Services Manager at the Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County, where she began working at age 16. She loves her job and can’t think of a better place to work and grow up. Libraries have always been an important part of her life. She got her first card at a young age and read everything she could get her hands on. In her off time, she enjoys, yeah you guessed it—reading, but also enjoys traveling, watching stupid reality shows, attending local theatre, playing word games on her Kindle and being outside, soaking up the sun. Her latest passion – thanks to a class at the library—is making monster dolls!

What are you reading now?
All the Ever Afters: The Untold Story of Cinderella’s Stepmother by Danielle Teller

Are you a fiction or non-fiction reader?
I read both; my reading list has way more fiction on it though. I like memoirs and library related or current topic non-fiction books.

Share a favorite quote from a book you’ve read. Why is it meaningful to you?

“Sometimes life is just what it is, and the best you can hope for is ice cream.”
― Abbi Waxman, Other People’s Houses

This quote is meaningful because of its simplicity; also because it’s so true, life may not always be fair and sometimes what you see is what you get. I often say “it is what it is” for things I cannot change. And, ice cream DOES make everything better, right?

What book would you love to see made into a movie? Who would play the lead role?
I rarely enjoy the movies as much as the books; however the Harry Potter ones I knew from the get go would be made into movies and I LOVED them. Also, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. One of my favorite books is Widower’s Tale by Julia Glass. I would like to see Andy Garcia play the part of the widower. Or Richard Gere, who doesn’t like to look at Richard Gere?

What book are you recommending that everyone read right now?
My all-time favorite recommendation is Merle’s Door by Ted Kerasote. For a more current recommendation, everyone should read The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

Is there a book you feel is highly overrated?
Fifty Shades of Gray, all of them. Enough said.

What book changed your life, or changed how you view the world? In what way?
I’m not certain that any book changed my life, but I will say that I felt a deep sadness when I read The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. I cannot fathom this type of treatment of ones’ fellow humans still going on today, albeit not to the same extreme but still upsetting.

Are there any other books that marked milestones in your life?
No particular title; however my mom took us to the library A LOT when we were growing up. I will never forget when the librarian said I was ready to go around the corner into the chapter books section! My mom had this little look she would give me when she knew I was excited about something; she raised her eyebrows and had this little grin on her face as I followed Lois Hoffman (librarian) to the chapter books. You’d think I would remember what I picked out, but I don’t!

What book challenged you the most when you read it?
Moby Dick; I was so determined to get through it even though I found it boring at times My friends all gave up. I have since read it twice more.

Do you read with your children? What are some of their favorite books?
I do not have children; however I LOVE children’s books; often read to my cat. He prefers picture books. We like the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie series, more recently we enjoyed Pete the Cat series and Julian is a Mermaid. So glad there are more LBGTQ books geared towards young readers.

Are you a “finisher” or do stop reading a book if you’re not connecting with it?
I was always a “finisher” until maybe 5 years ago when I finally decided life is too short to suffer through books that you are not enjoying.

Why do you read?
For knowledge, for pleasure, to escape, because I love it! I have a friend who said he has never finished a book in his life. I was horrified!