She discusses anything from the flatuses of two copper pigs to the after-life and what is in store for us. If you read her Deverry series carefully, you will be able to recognize some excellent symbolism and topical references to political and religious hot-spots of our modern society...
The writings of Christi Golden...
Ms. Golden's characters are all very well-developed. When one reads her books, one becomes emotionally involved with every characters' situations. Her writings are truly facinating...
No Exit" by Jean-Paul Sartre...
Sartre is an existential author. "No Exit" is a play about human nature, and the lies humans tell themselves. It is a marvelous psychological analysis of all humans. Sartre is criticized for taking the humanity out of his writings, but I find them fascinating. I highly recommend "No Exit."
The Tao Te Ching...
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This book offers a very insightful approach to life. Its wisdom is ancient. The philosophies contained in this book are an approach to every day life. Some people might take it on as their religion, but others can use it as a way to live their lives. The Tao is flexible...
Watership Down by Richard Adams:
My friend Brad made me put this book on here. I'll be reading it soon and will write more after that!
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| I have only read "Inferno," but Dante's conception of what happens to man when he succumbs to his baser side is amazing.
Voltaire's Candide....
For anyone who has ever grown frustrated with organized society and its cruelty to the individual...
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales...
One of the original short story collections, his Prologue is a beautiful masterpiece of words.
The King James Bible...
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This book contains a plethora of fascinating lessons. Knowledge of not only God, but also realizations about humanity and its treatment of Christianity.
The New International Dictionary of Quotations
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Not many people will mention dictionaries of quotations, but I love this little book. I have used it as a reference more than any ordinary dictionary.
The Short Stories of Gogol....
Gogol's writing is eery and surrealistic. It will make you wonder if the world really is as it appears to your eyes. His best, I think, is "Diary of a Madman." I might be wrong, but I believe Gogol went insane in his later life and was comitted. Do all of the really good writers go nuts? Hmmm...
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| Keats is my favorite poet. I lean towards Romantic poets when browsing the poetry isle at the bookstore, but I love John Keats. He was very ill in youth and knew that death would come quickly. His poetry reflects this knowledge in a heart-achingly sweet way.
Solzhenitsyn's A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich...
This is a book about the evils of the Soviet Socialist hold over society and the crimes which the government committed against humanity. It is a novel without hope. It is a novel without emotion. It tells the Truth. That is all.
The Writings of Guy Gavriel Kay
I highly suggest TIGANA, A SONG FOR ARBONNE, and the LIONS OF ALRASSAN. They are all wondeful books. His stories are a bit surrealistic with romance, war, internal conflicts. They are set in fantasy worlds, but many of the plotlines and ideas are applicable to our world of both past and present.
The Palace series, by Mark Kreighbaum
This set of books is co-authored with Katharine Kerr. Both books contain a great deal of wisdom for such a small series. The greatest strength of this set is the thematic development.
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Charles DeLint has replaced Katharine Kerr as my favourite author. Although Ms. Kerr is still on the top of the proverbial list, Mr. DeLint's writing contains a specific element of beauty and mystery that I have never seen any other author capture. I truly think that this beauty will record Mr. DeLint's writings as classics. The Little Country is interwoven with magic, concerns the conflict between magic and logic.
William Blake, "Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience"
William Blake's poetry is very vivid and illustrates an aspect of truth that few people consider. Perhaps this is because Blake smoked opium, or perhaps it is just because Blake was an exceedingly brilliant man and was a bit ahead of his time. Either way, a read through his poetry is definitely worthwhile.
Walking on Alligators by Susan Shaughnessy
This is a book of meditations for writers. I started reading it and when next I looked, I was on page fifty. If you're a prospective writer, you should read this.
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