A columnist for The Nation and a professor of political science at Tulane University, Melissa Harris-Perry is particularly astute about gender, race and politics, which she explores in her recent book, Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America. In addition to writing, teaching, and raising her daughter, in her copious free time she is the host of MSNBC’s deftly titled “Melissa Harris-Perry,” which, incidentally, was the working title of this show, but it was taken.

• PERSON: The anonymous scholar who peer reviewed (and utterly trashed) her first book manuscript.
• PLACE: City Park in New Orleans
• THING: A stuffed worm named Pierre, a bright yellow toy of her daughter’s. (not actually Pierre)