Book: "Book of Sketches" by Jack Kerouac
Many know Kerouac only as the author of "On the Road," but this book of story sketches in prose poem form reflects the man's brilliance still more clearly. Kerouac's "spontaneous prose" drifts from exquisitely imagined character sketches to gorgeous, melancholic descriptions of the towns he visited to angry despair at American consumerism. It's a life-affirming journey into the writer's mind. - Liz Ellison
Music: "AWOO," The Hidden Cameras
There's a band from my town called The Hidden Cameras. They make flamboyantly explicit orchestral pop music; they describe it as "gay church folk music." The Guardian described the lead singer, Joel Gibb, as a "sugar-coated pervert." Their latest album may be jauntier and more accessible than their others, but it's just as charged and wry. Think of The Beach Boys singing the most clever and subtle high school bathroom graffiti you've ever seen. - Latif Nasser
Movie: "Igby Goes Down," directed by Burr Steers (2002)
With an ensemble cast including Susan Sarandon and Jeff Goldblum, Igby Goes Down follows the coming-of-age of Igby Slocumb Jr. (Kieran Culkin) as he hides out in New York City, trying to escape the mess of his wealthy but dysfunctional family. A sort of Catcher in the Rye with more sex and drugs, the movie is a sharp observation of the city's glamour and allowance for self-destruction, and the script's dark humor makes you laugh out of both discomfort and outrage. Even the overplayed angsty-rich-kid scenario is made fresh with smart dialogue and subtly sympathetic portrayal of its bratty characters. - Erin Choo
TV: "Man vs. Wild," The Discovery Channel, Fridays at 9 p.m.
The Discovery Channel delivers the essence of epic adventure on "Man vs. Wild," where each episode features survival challenges grizzlier than the last. Host Bear Grylls, an adventure junkie and former soldier for the British army's special forces, is airdropped with only a knife and his wits into a wilderness destination where he is forced to deal with harsh climates and local dangers. As we follow him along his struggle back to civilization, we pick up handy survival tips. A must watch "Man vs. Wild" lest you be stranded without the knowledge of how to extract drinking water from camel feces. - Jean Luo
