Boz o {,[elebrltV hook ef,nlhWhat they're reading and why EY XITICHAI'L GILTZ sk lr star rvhat thev'r'c rcading, and the ans\l,er you won't . get is l)anielle Steel.</p><p> No. they're either immersed in Tol- stov or brovusing Stcphetr Halvhing.</p><p> Are our celebrities tetling the tr-uth? \bu be the judge lthough rhey do seem to know'what the1"r'e tall<ing about). < JASON LEE Current proiect: Alvin and the Clripmunks featurc; "lvly Name ls Ear," on NBC Thursdays at 6 p.rn.</p><p> He's reding: 'Hungcr" by Knut Hamsun.</p><p> The plot: In this 1890 classic by thc Nobel Prize- winning author, a penniJess author wanders a port town, slowly starving to death but convinccd of his artistic grcatness and t0o proud to accept r rotp.</p><p> What L* sys: "l talk about this book a lot. lt makes il seem like the only book I cver read.</p><p> It's'Hunger'; I'm on my sccond pass.</p><p> I ve nc,r'er been so riveted by sorncthinq that has nothing going on. lt's just absolliely so woll-writtcn.</p><p> Unbelievable. *)u find yourself going,'What's gorng to happcn? What's going to happcn? Whal s going to happen?' Oh, rny cod.</p><p> And you really teel the pain of the guy. lt absolutely makes me look at lhomclessl people I se('in dolvntcwn L-A. in a differerrt iiEhl.' Whatl to be lsred?: Sometimes, kar(la needs you to show a iittle humility in order to do its work- VSHIA LABEOUF Curent prorst: Translorm('15 aild "Disturbia' on DVD: shooting thc fourth "lndiana Jones" film.</p><p> Het r6ding: "The Dennitive Book of Body Language" by Alan and Barbara Pease The plot: An international best seller thal "reveals tne secrets ot nonverDal communtcatton" c I -o b.rlter actoL" Whatb to be lemed: Thc sytr)bolism of Indiana lonesACASSANDRA WILSON Cunent proist: Finishing a nc'w album of standards, due out eariy next yeal She's rsding: Manuals on PHP, a computer programming language used to build Web pagcs.</p><p> The plot: Tcchnical books fiiled with dense lanquagc only Bill cates could lovc.</p><p> What Wilson says: "l'm kind of a geck.</p><p> I love to play on n1y computef, That's like qoing to the oppositc side rrf the brain.</p><p> I do that when I qet off a grg.</p><p> I take Iny tinre with it.</p><p> For some reason. it s vcry soothing to master a languagc. lt helps me get away compictely trom the musjc." What's to be lRmed?: Foil lo sJ"c thc music rnijustry from alI those illcgal dolvnloadcrs.</p><p> CASEY AFFLECK Cumnt proisls: Tlr, ilm\ -G, ^c BJhy Gr r'c' and "The Assassiilation of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.' He's rmding: Short stories, including "lncidcnt at Owl Creek aka An Occurrcnce at OwI Crcek Bridge" by Amhrose Biercc.</p><p> The plot A Confcdcrate sympathizer is beinq hangcd iu sabotage during the Civil War An acclaimed 19th ccntufy tale, complete with a twist ending, it was fikncd as a virtually siluntfrlm in Francc, won the Academy Award and was later shown as an episodc of "The Twilight Zoile." What Afffeck sys: "l've been reading a collcction of great short stories.</p><p> Mostly, I gct half an hour to mysclf; that's all I can manage in the last lcw months.</p><p> Maybe I can squeeze in a haiku I eally quick.' What's to be leamed?: Not to celebrate until \ou rc absolutely ccrtain your victory isn't jusl an illusion, KENNY MELMAN, HERB OF CABARET DUO KIKI AND HERB Cumnt prei*t: A show about sinqcr l\,4illie Jf,clson anrl h, r u,rderapprcctatcd h l. "Scxercise." at joc s Pub next year He's Hditrg: "Tecnage: Thc Crcation of Youth Culturc" by lon Savagc.</p><p> The plol: A sweeping study of adolcscence and the vague years betwcerl childhcod and adulthood, covcring everythirg lrom Riffrbaud aird the !nailiafor Rudulph Valentnto to tirc rebellious "swing kids" in cerntany and the "zoot suit" kids in L.A. during Wffld War ll.</p><p> What Melman sys:' Arnazing.</p><p> Allsolutely amaziDg. lt's great." What's to be lemed?: What those crazy kid5 arc thinking. o50 reaoers can gain aovantage In Job interviews, know when somconc rs flirting with them, etc.</p><p> What LaBsuf sys: "lt's about how to cross your legs when you rc lying.</p><p> How toi...:l\i w*w.,"96BUz ! c: t -xl= >3 ,nascralch your facc when y(lu |c scared.</p><p> I want to be a alwavs holdin0 that whip in every poster for his movies, unless. of course, .r cigar is JUst a crganT:i! .f lFn* ilir' l$il :i ,,1
