He was buried alive. He remained in a block of ice for more than two days. He stood on a 100-foot high pillar without a harness for more than a day. And this summer he’s … reading. Famed magician David Blaine dared to share his favorite books with us.

Adults

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Candide by Voltaire

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

Kids 

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss

Does the name Josephina Victoria Occhiuto ring a bell? If not, maybe Joy Behar sounds a little more familiar. Behar, whose work spans beyond The View and includes stand-up comedy, is well-known for comedic input on all things pop culture and politics. And telling jokes isn’t all this Williamsburgh native likes to do. When she’s not tickling our funny bones with comedy, Joy loves to take in a good book.

Here are some of her favorite childhood reads:

Favorite Children’s Books

1. Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans

2. The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein

3. Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll

4. Horton Hears a Who, by Dr. Seuss

Tell us your favorite books and while you’re at it, take a little time to enjoy the view!

I always look forward to summer film events around Brooklyn, many of which are free and outdoors. This summer’s selections are plentiful, and with the adoption of June 30 as Spike Lee Day, in honor of the twentieth anniversary of Do the Right Thing, moviegoers have the spot light. 

Many neighborhood libraries offer free movie nights for all ages, and of course you can always check out a DVD for home viewing, but free screenings in Brooklyn abound.

Brooklyn Bridge Park’s free outdoor film series, Movies with a View, kicks off on July 9, with a Stolen Summer theme. Summer Screen opens July 8 at McCarren Park, offering classic Gen X fare such as Reality Bites, for free. Brooklyn Film Works, free at Washington Park, offers classic and family-friendly selections in July. At Habana Outpost’s free, outdoor movie series you’ll find NYC-themed flicks—Do the Right Thing screens on June 28, just in time for Spike Lee Day! And Coney Island’s Summer of Horror series offers the main scary feature plus quirky shorts and trailers, and free popcorn, all for just $5!

Think it’s not possible to run a profitable business and help the environment at the same time? Think again! Find out how it’s done this Thursday at a Con Edison Power Breakfast at the Business Library.

At this program, called Green Solutions for Small Businesses, you’ll hear from a panel of environmental experts in architecture, product design, water conservation and recycling. They’ll discuss innovative and affordable practices that your small business can use to make some green and save some trees at the same time.

Speaking of trees, if Father’s Day got you thinking about your family tree, stop by the African American Heritage Center at Macon Library and log on to Ancestry.com from any of our public computers. Trace your family history, and then check out our special collections of African American, Caribbean and African history. All you need is your library card!

Green Solutions for Small Businesses
Thursday, June 25, 8:30 AM
Business Library
280 Cadman Plaza West
Register here, or all 718.623.7000 (select option 4)

African American Heritage Center at Macon Library
361 Lewis Avenue
718.573.5606 

Can we talk? Of course we can! Especially when it’s with comedienne, actor, author, talk show host, jewelry designer, red carpet fashion laureate and Brownsville native Joan Rivers. It wasn’t easy, but we got the busiest woman in show business to slow down long enough to share some of her favorite books with us. 

For Adults 

The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge
by David McCullough

War and Peace
by Leo Tolstoy

A History of the Plantagenets
by Thomas Costain

Murder at the Academy Awards by Joan Rivers (find all of Joan's books here)

This summer, catch up with Joan on twitter, on television in the IFC comedy Z Rock and on her upcoming show on TV Land, How’d You Get So Rich?

Have any thoughts on Joan’s list or any of our celebrity booklists? Let us know!