With some regularity, Seattle City Council members like to chat in council meetings or briefings about the books they're currently reading. In our hyper-literate city, it just seems fitting that public officials talk about books. And as a former bookseller turned city hall reporter, those moments always make me smile. (Now, if they would ever walk in to council chambers to the dulcet tones of Salt-N-Pepa, I could die and go to heaven.)

In this morning's briefing, two council members had reading recommendations for their colleagues and the public, and I thought I'd share:

First, Council Member Kshama Sawant (staying true to form) suggests that everyone read Glenn Greenwald's book about government surveillance, Edward Snowden, and the Guardian's coverage of all of Snowden's surveillance revelations, No Place to Hide. Greenwald himself is making an appearance at Town Hall Seattle tomorrow night at 7 p.m. Sawant says everyone should go check it out. (The advance tickets to that event have already sold out, but Town Hall says there may still be standby tickets available at the door.)

Meanwhile, Council Member Sally Clark talked up another Town Hall Seattle event and author, this time a reading and discussion that she participated in this past Friday, with MIT professor Zeynep Ton. Ton is the author of The Good Jobs Strategy, which makes a case for paying your employees decently for the good of your business. (Locally based superstore Costco is one of the big examples she relies on.) In the $15 era, this may be a good read for concerned business people.

You can buy both titles, of course, at your friendly neighborhood independent bookstore.