Questlove is a drummer, DJ, producer, culinary entrepreneur, designer, New York Times bestselling and James Beard Award–nominated author, and cofounder of Philadelphia’s most influential hip-hop group, the Roots. He is the musical director for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where the Roots serve as the house band, and a four-time Grammy Award–winning musician. In Creative Quest, Questlove synthesizes all the creative philosophies, lessons, and stories he’s heard from the many creators and collaborators in his life, and reflects on his own experience, to advise readers and fans on how to consider creativity and where to find it.

Richard Powers is the author of twelve novels, most recently Orfeo. He is the recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” grant and the National Book Award, and he has been a Pulitzer Prize and four-time National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. The Overstory is a book for all readers who despair of humanity’s self-imposed separation from the rest of creation and who hope for the transformative, regenerating possibility of a homecoming. If the trees of this earth could speak, what would they tell us? “Listen. There’s something you need to hear.”

Mike Epps is a stand-up comedian playing clubs, theaters, and arenas worldwide.  He is also an actor, film producer, writer, and rapper. He has appeared in the cult hits Next Friday, Friday After Next and All About the Benjamins.  He has also starred as the title character in the ABC series Uncle Buck and appeared on the Starz series Survivors Remorse.  Before starring in Def Comedy Jam and Showtime at the Apollo—before the sold-out comedy shows, Uncle Buck, and becoming his hero Richard Pryor in a biopic—there was Indianapolis. And not the good part. Mike Epps is one of America’s favorite and funniest people, but the path to fame was paved with Continue reading…

He makes the case that one percenters like him should pay their fortune forward in a radically simple way: a guaranteed income for working people. Chris Hughes is the co-founder of the Economic Security Project, a network of policymakers, academics, and technologists working to end poverty and rebuild the middle class through a guaranteed income. He co-founded Facebook as a student at Harvard and later led Barack Obama’s digital organizing campaign for President. Hughes was the owner and publisher of The New Republic magazine from 2012 to 2016.  He makes the case that one percenters like him should pay their fortune forward Continue reading…

At a moment when we are facing an epidemic of incivility and hate—with divisive political speech, online trolling, and hate crimes escalating—popular CNN commentator Sally Kohn sets out to discover why we hate and how can stop it.   Sally Kohn is one of the leading progressive voices in America. She is currently a CNN political commentator and a columnist for The Daily Beast. Kohn was previously a Fox News contributor, and she has been a frequent guest on MSNBC. She writes regularly for media outlets including the Washington Post, the New York Times, New York Magazine, Refinery29, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Yahoo, Salon, Time and many more.

Shepard Fairey is an American contemporary street artist, graphic designer activist and illustrator who emerged from the skateboarding scene.  He is best known for his Barack Obama “Hope” poster, which he created in support of the 2008 presidential campaign. His work has been included in the collections of several museums, including the Smithsonian, LACMA the Museum of Modern Art, New York; and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Henry Rollins, former fronter of legendary punk band Black Flag, is a multi-talented musician, writer, journalist, activist, and actor.   

Marcia Gay Harden, one of America’s most revered actresses discusses her memoir at Live Talks Los Angeles. In 1993, she originated for Broadway the now-iconic role of Harper Pitt in Tony Kushner’s Angels in America, a performance that earned her a Tony Award nomination. In 2001, she won an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of the painter Lee Krasner in Pollock and in 2009, she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her portrayal of Veronica in Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage. Her films include Miller’s Crossing, The First Wives Club, Mystic River (for which she received a Continue reading…

Ehud Barak, former Prime Minister of Israel discusses his memoir, My Country, My Life: Fighting for Israel, Searching for Peace. Ehud Barak served as Israel’s Prime Minister from 1999 to 2001. He was the leader of the Labor Party from 2007 until 2011, and Minister of Defense, first in Olmert’s and then in Netanyahu’s government from 2007 to 2013. Before entering politics, he was a key member of the Israeli military, occupying the position of Chief-of-Staff. His memoir tells the unvarnished story of his―and his country’s―first seven decades; of its major successes, but also its setbacks and misjudgments. He offers candid assessments of his Continue reading…

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ​is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, a six-time NBA champion and the league’s only six-time MVP. He is has a national platform as a regular contributing columnist for newspapers and magazines around the world, such as The Guardian and The Hollywood Reporter. A New York Times best-selling author, he has written 14 books, including two recent memoirs: Becoming Kareem for young readers, and Coach Wooden and Me about his lifelong friendship with famed UCLA coach John Wooden.