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COLORWORKS STUDIO OF INTERIOR DESIGN

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c

ial specs. They talk about everything,
lose to me," he says. "When I was a
kid, I used to study philosophy with a not just books, and Del Valle plays the
retired Jesuit. He asked, 'What does it part of yenta well.
"Carter Brown mysteries from the
take to know what it is to be a
`60s almost make my mouth water,"
Catholic?' And he said, 'You'll never
he says during a discussion of mystery
know what it is to be a Catholic until
novels. One woman in the group,
you know what it is to be a Jew.' I
was 14 at the time. I bought a copy of Loretta Jacobs, calls Del Valle "bril-
liant."
the Talmud."
Next, the group launches into a dis-
Del Valle reads "incessantly," lean-
cussion of the secular nature of the
ing toward nonfiction and old radio
State of Israel, and Del Valle's tone
shows on tape. "I think it's more
suggests a bit of contempt. "Israel
important to read a book than listen
should be a Jewish holy land," he says.
to a book, but we don't have the skills
A product of Cranbrook and
[to read as quickly as we listen]. I'd
Oakland University, Del Valle is a
like to [be able to] polish off three
freelance writer for the
books a night and four maga-
Metro Times and Orbit.
zines," he says.
He's also a closet poet.
A Detroit native who cur- Robert D el Valle
leads the Jewish book What he likes best about
;ently lives in Royal Oak,
club at B orders in
working at Borders are
Del Valle sort of fell into the Farmingt
on Hills.
the books and the cus-
position of leading the store's
tomers ... and the Jewish
Jewish book club, which
book
club.
meets the last Tuesday of the month.
"It's just another way for me to
Borders offers several themed book
exercise my interest and at the same
discussion groups, including general
time expand my horizons," he says.
fiction, gay literature, women's stud-
Sometimes, it's a small group and
ies, spirituality and an ever-popular
sometimes it's immense — like the
X-Files forum. Del Valle, who leads
time 58 people turned out to discuss
he X-Files group, was asked to mod-
Hitler's Willing Executioners."
erate the Jewish group after its leader
Authors have joined the Borders
left on maternity leave.
group, including Chaim Potok and
Del Valle is the first to admit that
Rabbi Harold Kushner.
he is not an authority on Judaism: "I
"It is not a lecture," says Del Valle.
wouldn't dare. I'm like a person who's
"I try to draw things out of [the par-
read about every country in the world
ticipants]. Once, we talked about
and never left my armchair. I listen
grandchildren for 15 minutes."
more than I speak."
When he's not consumed by a
\ Still, he's read a lot about Judaism,
book, Del Valle occupies himself with
/including the Kabbalah.
chess ("I'm trying to be a grand mas-
"It's astonishing that we pride our-
ter"), bridge, Tai Chi and origami.
selves on being a melting pot nation,
"I'm someone who wants to make
and we are surprisingly ignorant," Del
every second of every day count for
Valle says.
He leads the book club in jeans and something," he says. "It can't be done
with a Franklin Planner, it can't be done
a sweatshirt, stroking the dark goatee
with anything outside yourself." ❑
on his chin and peering at his audi-
ence of five women through professor-

Robert Stewart Photography

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