What's inside FLORIDA TODAY | From the Editor
Confession: I usually write this column on Fridays, maybe Thursdays if I’m not fully procrastinating. But I’m typing this and it’s only Tuesday. I was so excited to write this column because I’m so excited for you to read reporter J.D. Gallop’s column on Sunday’s front page.
Jeff takes us through some of the books that have had the biggest impact on him, giving us a sort-of Black History Month reading list to guide us through the year.
Like Jeff, I believe strongly in the importance of reading. My family teases me about how much I read. Books cover most surfaces in my house. Reading is truly one of my favorite things to do.
And I read everything: If it has words and you put it in front of me, I’ll read it. For a few years, I counted up the number of books I read every year and proudly broadcast that on social media as an end-of-the-year message. It was usually a pretty big number. OK, I still do that but I give myself more grace if the number isn’t that big. I don’t read to collect titles. I read to learn, to get exposed to new ideas and perspectives, to sink into new environments, get lost in stories. I read fiction, nonfiction, biographies, memoirs, literature, mysteries, science fiction, poetry, etc., etc.
Our impact: How our journalism impacted Brevard in 2022
I tend to read thematically, as in I get interested in a topic or person or place (J. Robert Oppenheimer, our country’s Founding Fathers, Russia, mental llness) and I devour as much as I can find until I jump to the next interest. Simultaneously, I’m always reading plenty of fiction.
This year, I started off with a biography of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I followed that with a biography of Malcolm X, and then "The Autobiography of Malcolm X," which I’m reading now. At some point, I mentioned my current reading to Jeff Gallop, and that sparked a conversation and, out of that, his column. Selfishly, I wanted his recommendations on what else I should read. But I’m thrilled to share them with you — and not only the recommended book titles but the why behind them.
I know I will hear from some of you who object to the column or the books on his list, perhaps even our running it on the front page. But I hope that you’ll read his words and if you’re not familiar with the titles on his list, be open-minded enough to explore them. What do you have to lose?
Jeff ended his column in such a welcoming manner, with an invitation for all of us to share our stories through books as a way to piece together the puzzle of humanity. Take him up on that.
Now what else do we have for you in Sunday’s FLORIDA TODAY?
-Our Growth & Development Editor Dave Berman, who has attended a fair number of government meetings, decided to look more closely at the role of public comment and attempts to broaden and restrict it around the Space Coast. He also gives you a primer on how to speak at a Brevard County Commission Meeting.
-Education reporter Finch Walker brings you a story about a high school senior who is working on destigmatizing mental health and getting recognized for it.
-Don't miss Engagement Editor John Torres' take on what to do with Wickham Park in light of Melbourne's interest in taking it over from the county (an idea Brevard doesn't want to entertain).
And, as always, thank you for reading us.
Contact Executive Editor Mara Bellaby at mbellaby@floridatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Black History Month reading list, public comments | In FLORIDA TODAY
