Book: "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
Based on the author's own experiences in post-Partition India, this devastating narrative of the caste system wins readers' hearts with its unwavering veracity. Roy not only opens readers' eyes to injustice in the third world, but also teaches readers that many themes, like discrimination, transcend cultural boundaries. -- Lily Ringler
MUSIC: "Hissing Fauna, Are you the Destroyer" by Of Montreal (2007)
The juxtaposition of seemingly uncanny words with strategically crafted synthesizers characterizes Kevin Barnes' style. The lyrics paired with oscillating melodies reminiscent of The Flaming Lips got me hooked. Two songs in particular to explore: "The Past is a Grotesque Animal" and "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse." -- Dylan Leavitt
Movie: "Hotel Rwanda" (2004)
Hotel Rwanda is a historical drama based on true events that took place during the the Rwandan genocide in 1994, when the Hutu military killed roughly one million Tutsi groups in three months. The film features the impressive heroism and sacrifice of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who saves hundreds of the refugees from the massacre. -- Ji Ha
TV: "Dawson's Creek," TBS Wednesdays 9 a.m.
Relive the glory days of Katie Holmes -- before her abduction by aliens -- with those angst-ridden kids from Capeside, Mass. Though the plotlines tend to air on the side of melodramatic, the writing is the wittiest of any teen soap, even with the verbose Freudian analogies and Spielberg references. It is particularly necessary to tune in for the repeats of the third season, in which Pacey Witter becomes the romantic standard that every man shall hereafter be measured against. Sigh. -- Emily Hirshey
