Celebs celebrate books at reading marathon

Rosie Perez, John Lithgow among stars to read from childhood favorites

Jennifer Graylock / AP	Rosie Perez read an excerpt from "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn." But the writing that changed her adult life was "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman, where a grandfather reads to his granddaughter while skipping from fairy tale to reality and back.

updated 5:37 p.m. ET Oct. 23, 2005

NEW YORK - This book changed my life. That oft-mouthed phrase was the title of a 12-hour reading marathon on Saturday featuring actor John Lithgow, actress Rosie Perez and dozens of others — all celebrating 70 years of The New York Times best-seller list.

Lithgow's life-changing book was "Winnie the Pooh."

"The characters are not hesitant to use wonderful words like 'pathetic' and 'bracken' — reeds along the river. He uses those words, knowing kids will ask 'What does that mean?'" said Lithgow, star of the Broadway musical "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels."

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Rosie Perez read an excerpt from "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn." But the writing that changed her adult life was "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman, where a grandfather reads to his granddaughter while skipping from fairy tale to reality and back.

"Oh, the humor! It's hysterical," said Perez. "And it's smart and goofy at the same time, kind of like a Neil Simon play or a Mel Brooks movie. I read it over and over again, and it changed me in the way of storytelling, seeing things differently."