10 Books That Shape a Writer
In thinking about my 10 favorite reads, I realized how they shaped what I do. What books have shaped you?
Here's my take:
The Great Gatsby: My first introduction to required reading literature that I absolutely fell in love with. Fitzgerald's ability to write beautifully, lyric prose supported by honest emotion completely hooked me.
Heart of Darkness: I loved the story and the way it was framed within the context of the journey. More importantly, I was immediately attracted to the book because of the myth-building, and the way Conrad built this larger than life character before the reader is finally introduced to him.
On the Road: Despite having significant detractors as supporters, Kerouac's On the Road exposed me to the possibilities of writing and writing style. It was fun and addicting at the same time.
Women: Charles Bukowski will remain one of my favorite authors due to his simplicity, raw honesty, and self-deprecation. He understood the need to balance gravity with humor and did it with aplomb.
The Fountainhead: Not unlike Kerouac, there seem to be as many detractors as supporters of Ayn Rand. Suffice to say, I thought the depiction of Howard Roark in The Fountainhead was brilliantly composed and still serves as my inspiration for the role of the artist in society.
Cathedral: Raymond Carver is a solid inspiration. He showed how you can write about the every day with value and humility. Even his poetry is good.
The Maltese Falcon: Dashiell Hammett showed me how much fun the pulp genre could be and paved my way to some of the other greats like Chandler, Cain, and Thompson. Tough men, devious women, and greed - that's all you need to tell a good story.
Romeo and Juliet: Everyone goes with Hamlet or Lear, but this story was the one that didn't make me afraid to read more Shakespeare. The events depicted in the play hold as much relevancy today as back then.
To Kill a Mockingbird:Atticus Finch is one of the best characters in the modern era, and the story of morality in the book still resonates.
Rumble Fish: Reading any S.E. Hinton's books was paramount for my interest in reading. Her characters were real and the subject matter relate-able to teens. Rumble Fish was my personal favorite and one that I still read today.
Here's my take:
The Great Gatsby: My first introduction to required reading literature that I absolutely fell in love with. Fitzgerald's ability to write beautifully, lyric prose supported by honest emotion completely hooked me.
Heart of Darkness: I loved the story and the way it was framed within the context of the journey. More importantly, I was immediately attracted to the book because of the myth-building, and the way Conrad built this larger than life character before the reader is finally introduced to him.
On the Road: Despite having significant detractors as supporters, Kerouac's On the Road exposed me to the possibilities of writing and writing style. It was fun and addicting at the same time.
Women: Charles Bukowski will remain one of my favorite authors due to his simplicity, raw honesty, and self-deprecation. He understood the need to balance gravity with humor and did it with aplomb.
The Fountainhead: Not unlike Kerouac, there seem to be as many detractors as supporters of Ayn Rand. Suffice to say, I thought the depiction of Howard Roark in The Fountainhead was brilliantly composed and still serves as my inspiration for the role of the artist in society.
Cathedral: Raymond Carver is a solid inspiration. He showed how you can write about the every day with value and humility. Even his poetry is good.
The Maltese Falcon: Dashiell Hammett showed me how much fun the pulp genre could be and paved my way to some of the other greats like Chandler, Cain, and Thompson. Tough men, devious women, and greed - that's all you need to tell a good story.
Romeo and Juliet: Everyone goes with Hamlet or Lear, but this story was the one that didn't make me afraid to read more Shakespeare. The events depicted in the play hold as much relevancy today as back then.
To Kill a Mockingbird:Atticus Finch is one of the best characters in the modern era, and the story of morality in the book still resonates.
Rumble Fish: Reading any S.E. Hinton's books was paramount for my interest in reading. Her characters were real and the subject matter relate-able to teens. Rumble Fish was my personal favorite and one that I still read today.
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