Closer
          Directed by Mike Nichols
          Sony Pictures
          An intense, sexy talk-a-thon.

          Ray
          Directed by Taylor Hackford
          Universal Pictures
          The triumphant, soul-drenched biopic of Ray Charles.

          Maria Full of Grace
          Directed by Joshua Marston
          Fine Line Features
          The riveting, shocking little movie of the Colombian
          woman who became a drug mule.

          Pompeii: A Novel
          by Robert Harris
          Random House
          A suspense novel that climaxes in the 79 AD eruption
          of Mt. Vesuvius.

          Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA,
          Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion
          to September 10, 2001
          by Steve Coll
          Penguin Books
          The compelling non-fiction backstory to 9/11.

          Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became
          Shakespeare
          by Stephen Greenblatt
          W.W. Norton & Co.
          Un-put-down-able scholarship about the Bard,
          that reads like a memoir.

          Garden State Soundtrack
          Sony Records
          A great compilation of underappreciated indie bands.

          How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
          by U2
          Interscope Records
          Proof that the old guys can still rock out.

          College Dropout
          by Kanye West
          Roc-A-Fella Records
          The successful producer takes over the mic for a
          punchy, thoughtful debut.