"Of all the great memoirs to come out of the Black Power Movement (Angela Davis, Bobby Seales, Amiri Baraka, Nina Simone) Assata is my favorite. I draw a lot of inspiration from the Black Power Movement, and the way that she describes her activism is overflowing with passion and heart."

"A lot of what I love about Fish Tank as a film applies to this as well, though Blue Is the Warmest Color stands uniquely on its own. Again, it’s that magic of making you feel like you’re not even watching a movie but instead really seeing someone’s life happen."

"Godfather II, specifically number two. It was just what a gangster film should be. It was smart, it had great performances, and you travel through a lot of different worlds with these characters. You know, most people try to avoid family drama. [laughs] I just love the filmmaking in Godfather II."

"The best novel, surely, of a writer we love because he makes us question our favorite beliefs. His Aziz, Fielding, Adela, and the Anglo-Indian lot are the superb metaphors in the moral drama as well as people I seem to remember as if I had known and interacted with them."

"While researching an upcoming book, I read a lot of nonfiction about the wine life. This was the juiciest. (Pun intended.) Victoria James shares the inspiring story of how she overcame the obstacles of her childhood and misogyny to become a 21-year-old sommelier at a Michelin-starred restaurant."