To anyone familiar with the soul-ripping poetics of experimental indie rock band Xiu Xiu, it should come as no surprise that Jamie Stewart is just as bookish as he is intense. Here, we take him to Moe’s Books in Berkeley, California, where he discusses the novel that influenced Xiu Xiu’s most recent album, Women as Lovers. He also rounds up a collection of books that represent his range of interests–from darkly political to just plain cute.