Beloved waitress writes fiction
Everyone in Baltimore, it seems, knows Peachy. Leonora “Peachy” DePietro Dixon has waited tables at Sabatino’s restaurant in Little Italy since 1974. (She received her childhood nickname for her peaches-and-cream complexion.) With a wide circle of friends from all over Baltimore and celebrity acquaintances, she is well known for her warm-heartedness. Among the famous people... READ MORE
Historian makes history as Smithsonian secretary
A girlfriend convinced Lonnie G. Bunch III to jump out of an airplane when he was 17 years old. “I jump out, and I’m yelling, screaming, cursing,” Bunch — now the new head of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. — recalled in an interview with the Beacon. But he learned something important from the experience. “It taught me that I could do things that scare the... READ MORE
At harvest season, books by and for cooks
The Bibliophile For many of us, a printed recipe is handier than a mobile device in the kitchen, where food stains and splatters are ubiquitous. These cookbooks will help you prepare dishes to wow your guests this holiday season. Read the stories that accompany the recipes with relish. The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2019: Every Recipe from the Hit TV Show... READ MORE
Building bridges between generations
Want to live forever? Marc Freedman can help. No, he’s not one of the Silicon Valley “immortalists” seeking to prolong human life spans. He’s the chief executive officer of Encore.org, an organization that aims to help older Americans make meaningful social contributions and find purpose in later life. In his new book, How to Live Forever: The Enduring Power of... READ MORE
Books to enhance your D.C. sightseeing
The Bibliophile Fall is the time of year to enjoy the comparative solitude from the hordes of summer tourists. Take a respite from the crowds to do some sightseeing on your own home turf. 111 Places in Washington That You Must Not Miss, by Andrea Seiger, photographs by John Dean, 240 pages, Emons Publishers paperback, 2018 For those of us who have visited all the familiar tourist... READ MORE
Entrepreneurship gets better with age
You may not realize it, but if you are 50 years or older and thinking about starting a new business, you are in good company — and just might have a bright, wealthy future. “Studies have found that the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs are people older than 50 years — and especially women,” said Kerry Hannon, author and personal finance expert. Hannon will be the keynote... READ MORE
Books by local authors for summer reading
The Bibliophile As Shakespeare put it, “Summer’s lease hath all too short a date.” Before summer ends, these works by local authors can be invigorating companions during this sultry season. Trigger: A Novel, by David Swinson, 352 pages, Mulholland Books, 2019 Author David Swinson is a retired decorated D.C. Metropolitan Police detective. He lives with his family in Northern... READ MORE
Book tells story of Mt. Vernon’s slaves
In the preface of her new book, The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret, Virginia historian Mary Thompson describes herself as an “often obsessed, exhausted and frazzled historian.” In the book, Thompson details the lives of the people enslaved by George Washington on his 18th-century plantation, Mount Vernon. As Mount Vernon’s research historian for nearly four decades, Thompson ... READ MORE
New book helps women find true selves
When you were eight years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? A fireman, a baseball player, a zookeeper? Later in life, those unrealistic childhood ambitions can become valuable, according to Columbia career coach Janet Ruck, author of You Anew: A Guide for the Woman Who Is Ready to Create Her Best Life, published in May. “If you wanted to be a ballerina and you’re 70... READ MORE
A father’s harrowing memoir
Columbia resident Morey Kogul’s recently published book is about an immigrant who illegally makes a border crossing to escape almost-certain death, and who then, after incredible hardships and adventures, is able to settle in a free country and raise a loving family. But while the story seems pulled from today’s headlines, the protagonist of this hair-raising non-fiction story is... READ MORE
