"I don’t think any book describes New York in the ‘80s as accurately and as well as “Bright Lights.” When I arrived in 1991, I instantly felt that energy from the book in the city."

"I was just moving to Pennsylvania and leaving Harlem at that time, so I was pretty homesick. DMX kept that New York feeling for me. I could vibe out to that and relate to that"

"“Another masterpiece by a master. Singer’s story about a Polish Holocaust survivor living in New York manages to be extremely funny, heartbreaking, and insightful. Any reader who hasn’t read this has a real treat in store.”"

"I read it on a plane from London to New York and I laughed out loud and cried so much I think the whole of my cabin, airline staff included, thought I was losing my mind."

"In LA, we had the gang culture. In New York, they didn’t really at the time because they had already finished with that in the seventies. Motherfuckers in New York was smarter than everyone else, because they had books on the streets. You would pick up the books and that’s where the Five Percent Nation came in, giving the street kids and the thugs knowledge. When they wouldn’t listen in the schools, they would listen in the streets. The Brand Nubians came from that place."

"This film was my introduction to New York-based films and actually New York City at all. Once I saw this, I knew that I, too, would be destined for a penthouse Manhattan apartment with trampolines, pinball machines and bunk beds. The romance with Elizabeth Perkins is believable despite its high concept and just adorable and laugh-out-loud funny. It’s also heartbreaking, and makes me cry every time I’ve seen it. I’ve seen it 15 times. Actually, I cry quite a bit in general."