"There was a PBS special on Sondheim, and I got steeped in “Company,” and “Barcelona” really stuck out. It was like the third character in that scene was Bobby’s emerging soul. Beneath this lilting back-and- forth, push-and-pull of the song was the strong current of what was pulling Bobby to “Being Alive.” It was as rich as any Paul Simon or Neil Young song that I was starting to fall in love with."

"This is the only book on the list you don’t actually have to read. PBS and Masterpiece Theatre are already filming the umpteenth version of it. Unlike Gatsby, Pride and Prejudice is always ready for its close-up. Austen’s characters have a charisma that make actors want to play them. But her prose is pretty terrific, too, and the sheer fun of reading Jane Austin is a good reason to curl up with one of her books, especially this one. You’ll fall in love with Mr. Darcy, too. And then you can dream cast him in the next re-make."

"I grew up mostly not having cable. Consequently, I watched a lot of reruns of British comedies that ended up on our local PBS station in Iowa: Are You Being Served, Red Dwarf, and Doctor Who, to name but a few. This educated me on the intricacies of British humor. [Holy Grail] is the funniest film I’ve ever seen, hands down. Irreverent, absolutely silly, witty, and smart. Plus, it’s set in Medieval times, which, as you can see from my first pick is also a sweet spot for me. If you don’t like this movie, we may not be able to be the best of friends."

"Once, visiting friends in San Francisco, a bookcase came loose from the wall and fell on me. Three people came running in from another room when they heard the crash and saw me sprawled on the floor beneath a mountain of books. Did they say, “Are you all right?” No. In unison, they all said, “Howards End!” That memory, and a recent PBS re-doing (even better than the excellent Merchant Ivory film) of Forster’s novel, have renewed my passion for this book. Its searing depiction of class differences, the wit of its dialogue, and the description of that vine-covered house—no wonder they fought over it!—go together to make this one of my favorites."

"Amy Richards has created the book I searched for growing up, diverse role models all together. It’s called We Are MAKERS: Real Women and Girls Shaping Our World. Based on the PBS series and the online platform MAKERS, this book would have inspired me with ideas of who I might grow up to share the world with, yet it also would have included me as the girl I was. It includes biographies and quotes from a wide variety of women, from Misty Copeland, who broke the color line as a ballerina, to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who broke the sex barrier on the Supreme Court. There are also athletes and tech experts, writers and builders of skyscrapers, plus some encouraging dads. This is a book to help any girl realize her dreams."