“Music entered my life before I knew it,” says classical pianist Jeanne Stark. Stark grew up in Belgium during what she calls a “golden time” for classical music and was granted a scholarship by the queen herself, who recognized Stark’s enormous potential. This is her Brief But Spectacular take on playing, listening and what she learned from Ray Charles.

From a young age, Jacqueline Novogratz wanted to be a force for good in the world. Now she is combatting poverty by bringing business to communities that haven’t had access to banking. Instead of just giving away money or resources, Novogratz’s nonprofit invests in entrepreneurs with the goal of bettering people’s lives. This is Novogratz’s Brief But Spectacular take on the moral imagination.

Due to the proliferation of social media, getting people to read serious journalism is harder than ever, says New York University professor Jay Rosen. Anyone with a smartphone can produce content, and Facebook doesn’t have an editor in chief -- so it’s up to consumers to be selective about their news sources. This is Rosen’s Brief But Spectacular take on journalism in today's digital world.

On November 8, multiple states legalized marijuana for medical or recreational purposes -- so Joe Dolce’s new book on the substance's history in the U.S. is timely. Dolce argues marijuana's bad reputation is a result of political demonization, including an intentional name change and association with hippies and disorder. This is his Brief but Spectacular take on the past and future of cannabis.