John Cusack

Of course you've seen a John Cusack film. His diverse film career includes 80's staples like Say Anything and The Sure Thing, award winning movies like High Fidelity and Being John Malkovich, and mainstream movies like Con Air, Igor, and Hot Tub Time Machine. The list goes on and on.

Last week I asked John what he is currently reading.

Cusack tweeted, "reading a bio on george sand who's quotes I know but not much else-- saw it in a bookshop."

I knew John would have an interesting read. Here's a link to some of George Sand's quotes.

Look for Cusack in The Raven out in spring 2012.

You can follow John on Twitter.

Photo from @johncusack.

Matt Brady

Matt Brady is the bassist of rock band New Medicine. If you listen to rock, you've probably heard their songs "Laid" or "Race You to the Bottom" on the radio. New Medicine has toured with Avenged Sevenfold, Disturbed, Hollywood Undead and more. I've seen them live a few times, and they are crazy awesome. New Medicine begins their new tour in March with Shinedown. Click here for tour dates. Check them out!

Brady is also a philanthropist and spends time in Ghana to support the non-profit organization, Joy 2 the World, which generates micro-credit loans for the women of Ghana to encourage independence and empowerment.

Yes, this beauty of a man plays a mean bass guitar, helps others, and he's an avid reader.
Matt was kind enough to tell me about his reading habits. I asked him if he reads on tour, if he reads on an e-reader, and about his favorite books. This is what the man said.

"Avg tour -- My favorite time to read a novel is when we're traveling on the road. I probably go through one every week or two, so for longer tours my suitcase begins to look like a bookshelf.

I read paper books. I'm anti-e-reader. I love buying used books because they all have a life of their own. I love the process of scouring a bookstore for rare finds. I love using bookmarks and I love the smell of the pages.

Favorite books... wow. Atlas Shrugged, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, The World According to Garp, The Autobio of Malcolm X, East of Eden, The Story of B, The Brothers Karamazov...

Recently I discovered an author named Larry Brown, from Oxford Mississippi i think. He writes in the grand tradition of Faulkner-- multiple narrators, sparse language, only giving away little pieces at a time. I recommend Father & Son and Dirty Work."

Thanks, Brady! Wow is right. You can find out more about New Medicine at www.newmedicinerock.com and follow Brady on Twitter (@MatthewHBrady)!

Check out New Medicine's "Laid" video!

Eliza Dushku

You've seen the lovely Eliza Dushku in many shows: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Tru Calling, Dollhouse on TV and at the movies -True Lies, Bring It On, and more! And if you are a guy, I'm sure you've heard her voice on a video game. So you want to know what she likes to read, right?!

Good, because I recently asked Eliza about her favorite and current reads.

She tweeted me some great picks,

"just read Shooting to Kill by Christine Vachon & Worst Laid Plans by Alexandra Lydon & Laura Kindred. Also Just Kids P. Smith."

"in love w "Spirit Junkie" by @GabbyBernstein and her "Add More ~ing to your Life" also "Aboke Girls" by Els De Temmerman."

"and my coffee table favorite "The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy."

Thanks, Eliza!

You can follow Eliza on Twitter here and on Facebook.

Photo from David Shankbone.

C. Thomas Howell

C. Thomas Howell has been one of my favorite actors since I was ten years old. He, of course, won me over as Ponyboy in The Outsiders. I loved the movie and the book by S.E. Hinton. Ponyboy holds the honor of my favorite literary and movie character of all time.

Tommy is also known for his early roles in Red Dawn and The Hitcher. He's guest starred in over 100 movies and television shows since then. You may have watched his stirring portrayals on ER or on Criminal Minds as the Reaper. Howell currently guest stars on TNT's show Southland on Tuesday nights as hilariously inappropriate Officer Dewey. I started watching this season, and I'm hooked! He can also be seen in the upcoming The Amazing Spiderman movie.

I recently asked Tommy about his favorite books.

Tommy answered, "One of my fav books is The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. It's based on the battle of Gettysburg, and it's a wonderful read!"

Howell starred in Gettysburg and Gods and Generals, both Civil War era movies.

"The other I'd recommend for kids is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein! A beautiful story that I've loved for years!"

One of my faves, too! Thanks, Tommy!

You can follow C. Thomas Howell on Twitter here. He's quickwitted and friendly to his fans. He also banters with S.E. Hinton on Twitter too. Fun stuff.
Photo from @cthomashowell.

Tim Daly

Tim Daly has been on some darn good shows. We loved him on Wings, cringed at him on The Sopranos, and currently sigh at him on Private Practice. You may have even heard his voice as Superman on Superman: The Animated Series. If you haven't yet, check out Tim's hilarious The Daly Show on Youtube (next episode is January 29). Private Practice airs on Thursday nights on ABC.

I recently asked Daly what his favorite read was.

Tim tweeted, "Cloud Atlas. Freekin brilliant." He also said it was his current and fave read.

Overview of David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas from barnesandnoble.com.

"A reluctant voyager crossing the Pacific in 1850; a disinherited composer blagging a precarious livelihood in between-the-wars Belgium; a high-minded journalist in Governor Reagan’s California; a vanity publisher fleeing his gangland creditors; a genetically modified “dinery server” on death-row; and Zachry, a young Pacific Islander witnessing the nightfall of science and civilisation -- the narrators of Cloud Atlas hear each other’s echoes down the corridor of history, and their destinies are changed in ways great and small."
You can follow Tim on Twitter here . Help out the man, and follow him to get him to 30K followers!

Photo by David Shankbone.

Gavin Rossdale

Yes, I already posted Gavin's current read in October here, but he's reading something else now. As you probably are, too. I think it makes him even more appealing that he's a reader!

Gavin Rossdale is the lead singer of rock band Bush. He's a swoon-worthy frontman, and last week I asked him about reading again.

Gavin recently finished Just Kids by Patti Smith. He tweeted that it is a"gorgeous memoir of love and art."

I also asked Gavin if he reads traditional paper books or with an ereader.

He tweeted, "Happy with both. It's the words that count...nice to sit with a good book though."

I have to agree!

You can follow Rossdale on Twitter.
You can find out more about Bush at www.bushofficial.com. They are touring worldwide in February with Evanescence, and the U.S. tour with Nickelback starts in April.
Photo by me.

Patrick Sharp

I thought I'd mix it up a bit, and put a sports figure up at the ole book rec site today.
So hockey fans, I give you the amazing Patrick Sharp today!

Patrick Sharp plays right wing for the Chicago Blackhawks who, of course, won the Stanley Cup in 2010. He's one of the leading scorers for the Blackhawks, and unfortunately a recent hand injury will sideline him for 3-4 weeks.

Sharp is handsome, athletic, and yes, he reads.

What's one of Patrick Sharp's favorite books?

According to this week's Chicago Tribune magazine, Patrick lists Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell as a favorite read.

From barnesandnoble.com
Lone Survivor is the story of the only survivor of Operation Redwing, fire team leader Marcus Luttrell, and the extraordinary firefight that led to the largest loss of life in American Navy SEAL history.

You can find out more about the Chicago Blackhawks at www.blackhawks.nhl.com.
Go Blackhawks!