On Her Nightstand

By Betty Stein

Linda Doerr, a native of Byron, Maine, has retired from teaching for Fort Wayne Community Schools and IPFW and is now working with her family at a property redevelopment company. She earned a political science degree at Gonzaga University, a bachelor’s degree at Eastern Washington and a master’s in education at IPFW, along with certification to teach theatre. “I love learning something new every day,” she explained. Reading is her favorite hobby.

Betty Stein is a Fort Wayne native who has been an educator and newspaper columnist for over 30 years. She received her undergraduate degree at Ohio State University in social administration and her master’s from the University of St. Francis in education and English. She received an honorary doctorate, also from the University of St. Francis.

Stein has been a very active volunteer in our community and is currently serving as chairman of the Allen County Public Library Building Corporation, among other activities. And she is very much looking forward to being associated with glo Oh, and did we mention she’s 102 years old!

On Her Nightstand highlights local women and discusses what they are currently reading.

Here’s what she has been reading:

I have just finished “My Own Words,” written by Ruth Bader Ginsberg. I really enjoyed it. She covers her life, beginning with writing about equality for a contest when she was a child - and winning that contest.

This is a very interesting read. Ginsberg wrote about other Supreme Court judges and international conferences she has attended. She also wrote about her friendship with Justice Scalia, who shared her deep affection for grand opera but differed in most other views - he being very conservative and she being a liberal. She cooperated with the other justices in writing opinions. The book has wit and humor, and I recommend it heartily.

Now I’m beginning “Renegades” by Marissa Meyer. It was given to me and I think fantasy is probably the genre to describe it. It’s about a crumbled society in which people have extraordinary abilities. She wants vengeance, he wants justice, and this is the first in a planned trilogy.

My favorite writer now is Louise Penny. She writes crime novels and Inspector Gamache is in each book. The stories take place in a small town in Quebec. The writing makes you want to meet the people and see the town. The murder is related to someone in this town. It’s easy to become lost in these stories; Louise Penny captures you.

I don’t have a favorite book. Sometimes it’s the one I’m immersed in. I do enjoy Betty Stein’s book. I’ve read it twice. I like the personal memories and reading about events in more depth. I’ve always been a reader and as a child, I was in my own world with our book mobile. My children have become real readers, too, and share in enjoying our main hobby. a