The state Supreme Court

The poems examine the celebration and sorrow behind that concept with intelligence and verve. In “How Are They Picking the Next Halloween Director?” Eskilson draws parallels between a horror movie antagonist and an unassuming queer person upon whom society projects fear; who, regardless of how small and non-threatening they try to make themselves, is seen as a menace.But it’s not all scary monsters and creepy crawlies; one entry about “When Meryl Streep Sings ‘Dancing Queen’ in ‘Mamma Mia!‘” imagines the women in Eskilson’s family getting to experience that synth-crescendo, movie-climax level of happiness.

The collection is introspective and highly vulnerable, showcasing revealing poems about chronic illness and failed relationships. Eskilson writes in conversation with contemporaries, family history and current events, weaving in interviews, pop culture references and other poets’ work for a solid collection that respects the art while pushing boundaries.“Scream/Queen” is a breezy 80-ish pages, but definitely not a book to breeze through.When Lytton Strachey set out to write “Eminent Victorians” in 1918, he sought to enliven the stuffy Victorian conventions of biographical writing by portraying his subjects with warts and all. In his new book “Eminent Jews,” David Denby pays tribute to that iconic work by choosing a similar-sounding title.

This sly homage simultaneously serves as a kind of callback to Denby’s own 1996 bestseller, “Great Books,” about reading the literary canon of the Western world at Columbia University. But unlike his predecessor, Denby, a staff writer at the New Yorker and former film critic there and at New York magazine, seeks to celebrate, not denigrate, his subjects. And what a celebration it is!For his project Denby chose four of the most brilliant and consequential American Jews in the arts and letters after the Second World War — Mel Brooks, Betty Friedan, Norman Mailer and Leonard Bernstein — and analyzed their monumental, zeitgeist-changing achievements from the intimate perspective of a younger American Jew who came of age in a world that they in large part created.

Readers might reasonably ask why these four and not so many others whose lives burned brightly in the second half of the 20th century? Denby states his reasons clearly: Brooks transformed popular comedy, turning it into “a celebration of the body and an assault on death.” Friedan kicked off second-wave feminism, teaching women “to dismiss humiliation (and) confront anger.” Mailer created new forms of American prose and virtually invented “the bad Jewish boy.” And Bernstein wrote Broadway shows, popularized classical music and became one of the great conductors of the 20th century.

Though his overall tone is triumphal, Denby does not shy away from portraying their dark sides: Brooks’ need to dominate any room of writers; Bernstein’s sexual dalliances and later in life, his crude public behavior; Mailer’s promiscuity and the stabbing of his second wife; and Frieden’s mutually abusive marriage and difficulty sharing the spotlight with other feminist leaders.“It was amazing building a world with her,” Agudong, 24, said. “It’s a lot of CGI and we’re working with aliens and such and she was full of imagination and creativity.”

Sydney Agudong, as Nani, in a scene from “Lilo & Stitch.” (Disney via AP)Sydney Agudong, as Nani, in a scene from “Lilo & Stitch.” (Disney via AP)

Hailing from Kaua’i, Agudong also came to the role from an open casting call. Being part of the film has been a special experience as a lifelong fan of the animated version and a proud Hawaii resident.“Hawaii’s very much like tough love and soft heart,” Agudong said. “We truly created a family and hopefully people can see that.”