Book: "What is the What" by Dave Eggers
Dave Eggers of "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" fame, recounts the story of Valentino Achak Deng one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. Part biography, part fiction the novel spans two continents as the protagonist partakes in a modern day search for home and self. The book is a must-read for all students, not just the Progressives. - Nova Robinson
Music: "Until Death Comes" by Frida Hyvonen (2006)
It is popularly thought that there are two types of iconic female singer-songwriters: the socially-conscious folk songstress (think early Joni Mitchell) and the experimental artiste (think Bjork). Every once in a while, though, a woman will come along that not only combines the best of both, but also defies popular ideas of how, and about what women ought to sing. With her debut album, Swedish sensation Frida Hyvonen is able to make music that is at once dynamic, fresh and addictive. - Latif Nasser
Movie: "Strictly Ballroom" (1992)
Anticipating America's "Dancing With the Stars"-fueled craze for competitive dance by more than a decade, Baz Luhrmann's story of passion on and off the dance floor is a tour de force. In the film, Luhrmann's first, the bright colors, fast-paced camera and quirky cast of characters that typify his directorial style are already in place to support one of his strongest stories. In my opinion, it deserves as many or more fans than "Romeo + Juliet" or "Moulin Rouge." - Caitiln Kelly
TV: "The Agency," VH1 Tuesdays 10 pm.
VH1's sharp new reality series about the modeling industry follows agents of New York City's prestigious Wilhelmina modeling agency as they scout for fresh talent, keep their models skinny and bicker with each other all along the way. With a profit-oriented business mind and brutal honesty (no lack of beep words in this show), The Agency is a bitchier representation of the industry, not another tame "America's Next Top Model." - Erin Choo
