“I had, in college, a professor called Walter Jackson Bate, and he taught a course called The Age of Johnson. It's about Samuel Johnson and his period, 18th-century British writing. So we all got to endure Samuel Johnson, and Boswell's 'Life of Johnson' is now my favorite book. I read it all the time I can; it's great for going to sleep.”

American writer-director

Whit Stillman is an American writer-director known for his films from the late 20th and early 21st centuries. He was born John Whitney Stillman and became widely recognized for Metropolitan, released in 1990, which brought him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He also made Barcelona, The Last Days of Disco, Damsels in Distress, and Love & Friendship. His work is best known for its sharp dialogue and its attention to manners, class, and social life.