"This was the first cookbook I ever saw, let alone read, that strayed from the usual format. Ms. Gray followed her husband, a twentieth century sculptor, on the hunt for marble in often remote locations throughout the Mediterranean. Written with humor, elegance and grace, it’s a culinary catalog of a journey and a kind of cooking that’s the “result of a balance struck between frugality and liberality.” This is a cookbook to read in bed."

"Perfect for a deserted island, since it is basically the history of the Hawaiian islands and its people. Sarah Vowell's morbid humor and tone make even the darkest and the saddest moments in Hawaiian history, dare I say, enjoyable. From its glorious days with Princess Ka'iulani to her culture-shattering dethroning under Western colonization, Vowell seems to know how to rip your heart wide open while suturing it back up at the same time."

"I have always liked Tracy Morgan, and when I saw him in that movie teaching this kid how to hit on women in a mall, and his head pops up and he says, “Peekaboo, I’m gonna hump you” — that is the funniest thing I’d ever heard in my life. Really, that alone made me want to pick this movie. Sometimes stupid humor is great, and that movie just puts me in a great mood."

"I like to see this film once every few years. I love it for its balance of humor, drama, and its deep affection for our noble and flawed natures. When I remember the film I smile and enjoy very much the breadth of the characters, all the beautiful courageous, broken and romantic samurai. I too want to be one of those samurai, and I want to make such a strong and kind film."

"I would die to work with the Coen Brothers. I love their sense of humor. This film is hysterical on so many levels, but I guess it’s the diverse group of characters that really gets to me. Jeff Bridges is perfection as “the dude” and Julianne Moore kills it as Maude, but my favorite may be John Turturro as “Jesus.” To me, this is a perfect comedy. Oh yeah and the soundtrack is SICK!!!"

"For me, personally, I am not sure there is a great Cassavetes film. But the body of work is profound and inspiring. And it endures, which is the ultimate achievement. He allowed actors to create a spontaneity and sometimes an inarticulate dialogue that added to the heartbreak and humor of his characters. He’s a man who had the courage to tell stories in his own way. And that is his great legacy."

"For me, personally, I am not sure there is a great Cassavetes film. But the body of work is profound and inspiring. And it endures, which is the ultimate achievement. He allowed actors to create a spontaneity and sometimes an inarticulate dialogue that added to the heartbreak and humor of his characters. He’s a man who had the courage to tell stories in his own way. And that is his great legacy."

"For me, personally, I am not sure there is a great Cassavetes film. But the body of work is profound and inspiring. And it endures, which is the ultimate achievement. He allowed actors to create a spontaneity and sometimes an inarticulate dialogue that added to the heartbreak and humor of his characters. He’s a man who had the courage to tell stories in his own way. And that is his great legacy."

"For me, personally, I am not sure there is a great Cassavetes film. But the body of work is profound and inspiring. And it endures, which is the ultimate achievement. He allowed actors to create a spontaneity and sometimes an inarticulate dialogue that added to the heartbreak and humor of his characters. He’s a man who had the courage to tell stories in his own way. And that is his great legacy."

"For me, personally, I am not sure there is a great Cassavetes film. But the body of work is profound and inspiring. And it endures, which is the ultimate achievement. He allowed actors to create a spontaneity and sometimes an inarticulate dialogue that added to the heartbreak and humor of his characters. He’s a man who had the courage to tell stories in his own way. And that is his great legacy."