Hundred Greatest Love Songs?is a genre-bending memoir of a young artist and poet willing to risk his life for his craft. Told in a hundred short chapters and arranged like a playlist, the story chronicles a journey of transformation?spiritual, sexual and intellectual?as the protagonist, a waiter, carves his path from a greasy diner in small-town Iowa to a prestigious arts college in upstate New York. But first, he must navigate the hostile climate of post-9/11 America as an immigrant. Along the way, he makes many new friends: misfits and outcasts who become his chosen family, and renowned American poets and artists who show him that it is possible to lead a remarkable life, no matter the circumstances. At its core, the book is an ode to these friendships. Hundred Greatest Love Songs?is as much about an artist trying to find his place in the world as it is about the people he meets along the way, who become a permanent part of his life. Ultimately, the book serves as a testament to the healing power of poetry and proves that literature, art and music can save lives.