1) What book was most important to you in high school? Why?

Tenderness and I Am the Cheese by Robert Cormier. I read them over and over again because each time I did, I was able to pick up on an unexpected detail that I hadn’t caught the time before. I remember there being a lot of twists and turns, lots of ups and downs.

2) What book was most important to you when you were an undergraduate English major? Why?

I feel like I read a little bit of everything during undergrad, but the ones that stick out the most are probably The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw and Gwendolyn Brooks’ Maud Martha. They were part of my decision to minor in Women’s Studies.

3) What book is most important to you now? Why?

Currently, I’m reading Hero Street USA: The Story of Little Mexico’s Fallen Soldiers by Marc Wilson, and The Ghosts of Hero Street by Carlos Harrison. These books are important because I’m trying to learn more about the blank spaces in my grandmother’s life, and she’s closely linked to the stories of these soldiers.

4) What book have you reread the most often in your life? Why?

Hands down, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I’ve read it once a year since junior high, and it’s still my favorite novel. After all, who doesn’t enjoy being an “obstinate, headstrong girl?”