Reading has the power to inspire and uplift, much like the remarkable leaders in our community. In Long Beach Leaders Are Readers, we celebrate the individuals whose dedication and vision shape the city we call home.
This February, in honor of Library Lovers Month, we’re thrilled to feature Randy and Dale Kemner (pictured), two Long Beach locals whose passions for community, lifelong learning, and storytelling have left a lasting impact.
Randy Kemner, a Long Beach native and founder of The Wine Country in Signal Hill, built his 7,000-square-foot store into a local treasure. Known for its curated selection of wine, spirits, craft beer, and gourmet offerings, Randy’s passion for family-owned producers from California and beyond has made The Wine Country a beloved community staple.
Dale Kemner, a proud Jordan High School and Long Beach City College graduate, dedicated 32 years to a career in dentistry before joining Randy at The Wine Country full-time in 2007. Now “retired,” Dale spends her time immersed in her favorite hobbies—yoga, sewing, Mahjong, walking her Aussie pup Lily, and of course, reading.
As long-time supporters of the Long Beach Public Library Foundation and the Grape Expectations annual gala, Randy and Dale embody the spirit of library lovers everywhere. This month, they each share a book that inspires them, reminding us of the power of reading to connect, inspire, and enrich our lives. Scroll down to read their recommendations!
Randy’s Recommendation:
Dale’s Recommendation:
Bruno, Chief of Police
by Martin Walker
Table for Two: Fictions
by Amore Towles
What made you recommend the books Bruno, Chief of Police and Table for Two?
Randy: A wine store customer recommended the Bruno book series because of its local (Southwest France), colorful characters, engaging mysteries, breezy style and the Gallic obsession with good food and good wine, all of which piqued my interest. I recommend these books, starting with this original, published in 2006, for anyone who loves any or all of the subjects mentioned. It made me long for another trip to France…and eat well.
Dale: I read the author’s book, A Gentleman in Moscow, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I love the way he writes. So when this book came out, highly rated, I chose to read it also. I mostly read for entertainment and this book did not fail! The collection of short stories kept me entertained through each one, be it funny, quirky or sad.
Were there any stand-out scenes or particular passages from your recommended book that have impacted your life?
Randy: Whenever there is stress in the main character’s life, he is never to busy to get together with friends, cook up great meals, select favorite wines and share them. Talk around the table isn’t about politics or the crime he is trying to solve, but an appreciation of life’s pleasures among friends.
What do you hope other readers get from reading your book recommendation?
Randy: Smiles. Lots of smiles.
Did your recommended book challenge or change your perspective or opinion on something?
Randy: More than change my opinion, it reinforced my perspective on living the good life, all wrapped around some pretty crackling mysteries and some healthy romance in there, too.
How did your recommended book make you think or feel about a certain topic or issue?
Randy: It reinforced my love of French characters, particularly when it comes to food and wine. Everyone seems to have very developed senses of where the finest bread can be found, who makes the best jams, and which vendor offers the best meat. And nobody agrees on who they all are!
What did you learn from the book or what did it teach you about yourself or others?
Randy: Bruno Chief of Police and the subsequent volumes in the series reminds us the family table is civilization’s ground zero, and despite all that’s going on around us, it’s important to pause and savor our food and company at meal time.
How relevant or relatable are the themes or messages of the book to your own life, or to society today?
Randy: The book is set in another continent, mostly in a small town surrounded by rural landscapes, inhabited by people of a different culture and lifestyle. And yet I found myself wishing I was among them, that their lives and concerns weren’t all that different from mine.
Let’s learn more about the duo behind the Wine Country:
How old were you when you got your first library card?
Randy: Maybe 6 or 7. My mother took me to the Brewitt branch to get it and check out my first book there.
Dale: 50ish. I was always intimidated by the library.
Did someone read to you when you were a child?
Randy: I was read to by my mom, my dad, my grandparents and teachers. My first acquaintance with Huckleberry Finn was when Mrs. Riggs read the book to us 5th graders at Signal Hill Elementary. (She made is pledge to never use some of the controversial terms in the book, and as far as I knew, the 10 year olds never did.)
Dale: Not that I recall. We didn’t go to the library either.
Why do you think reading is important?
Randy: Reading is the key to knowledge, understanding and hopefully wisdom. That’s why book bans are repellent to me on a fundamental level. I hate not knowing what other people know, and the solution to that is reading.
Dale: It educates you, entertains you, helps keep your mind sharp.
Has a book ever changed your life?
Randy: I hit the wall with my 10th-grade math book. After that, I focused on the humanities.
Do you prefer paperbacks or e-books?
Randy: I get little satisfaction reading on a computer. I’m old school and love the feel of the book I’m reading. Besides, I can move around and carry my book with me, and I don’t need a charger.
Dale: Paperback
What are your favorite genres to read?
Randy: Despite my present book recommendation, I mostly read non-fiction, usually concerning business, motivation, health, food and wine, a little history and a little politics. I often turn to reference books for clarification; it seems they are more reliable sources that what I encounter on the internet.
Where is your favorite place to read?
Randy: Vacation, definitely. And in a cozy, soft chair with an ottoman.
Is there an author you’d like to meet? Can you share their name or work?
Randy: I’d like to see Jancis Robinson again. She is the author and editor of The Oxford Companion to Wine and many other books. I sat next to her at a dinner nearly 30 years ago and left amazed at the depth of her knowledge and wisdom on the subject. I think I would agree with her on a lot of things.
What’s the last book you read?
Randy: The Crowded Grave, another Bruno book, by Martin Walker.
What book will you read next?
Randy: Probably the next in the series. The Devil’s Cave is the title, I think.
Dale: Under the Feet of Jesus. (My book group pick)
If you wrote a memoir, what would the title be?
Randy: The Wine Store. I haven’t worked out the subtitle yet. But it will either be a page turner or make you yawn.
