From history to philosophy, a love of heroes

Chief John Harrington
St. Paul Chief John Harrington talks about the books that have had the most impact on his life.
MPR Photo/Marisa Helms

Morning Edition's Cathy Wurzer visited St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington at his office, where he had a stack of books piled up, including a book about Teddy Roosevelt called "T.R. The Last Romantic," Henry David Thoreau's "Walden," Lao Tsu's "The Tao Te Ching" and "Zorba the Greek" by Nikos Kazantzakis.

All of his books were weathered and well worn, especially a little 93-page used book the chief figures he bought from a bookstore at Dartmouth College where he majored in eastern philosophy.

That book was Richard Bach's "Jonathan Livingston Seagull."