Lifestyle

In my library: Alva Chinn

She was one of the top models of the 1980s — a “Halstonette” and a favorite of Oscar de la Renta’s — but Alva Chinn says she and her sister runway stars never called themselves “supermodels.” “It wasn’t fancy-shmancy,” she says.

“We were just called working girls — actually, ‘call her, get her’ girls!” One of the highlights of a brilliant career was going to Japan with de la Renta and his other favorite models and experiencing what Chinn calls “a whole other culture.” Since then, the hazel-eyed, 5-foot-10 stunner moved into acting (“Regarding Henry,” “Torch Song Trilogy”).

She’s now playing an Oprah-like talk-show host in “Deepest Man,” at 3LD Art & Technology Center, 80 Greenwich St., through June 14.

Here are four of her favorite books.

A Mayor’s Life
by David N. Dinkins

I’ve met him many times and admire him so much! He’s so down to earth, there’s nothing pretentious about him and he treats his wife as if she’s the blessing of his life — he still calls her his bride. I liked reading about his growing up in a divorced family in New Jersey and how, when he was in the Marines, he had to fight against racism.

The Tao of Pooh
by Benjamin Hoff

Piglet, Kanga, Roo, Pooh — they’re all here, and they have all the wisdom of Buddhists. You could call it a children’s book but it’s not really. It talks about believing in yourself and gives you examples of how failures aren’t failures — they’re stepping stones to finding yourself. We’re all so busy but we’re just spinning our wheels.

The Tale of Genji
by Murasaki Shikibu

When we went to Japan together, Carla Araque, one of the Halstonettes, had a fit — she thought the geishas were too accommodating to men. But Japan’s take is so different. This book was called “‘the first novel,” but it’s really about the structure of the society and how poor women can be raised up. In Japan, everything is an art, even serving tea.

Their Eyes Were Watching God
by Zora Neale Hurston

I love that Zora was an independent young woman who moved up from the South to Harlem and became part of the Harlem Renaissance. This [novel] resonated with me because it’s about a woman who finally understood that she had to honor herself before she could find love. And when she found it, she took it!