This is a list of books, poems, and music that have influenced me as a writer and sometimes even the way I look at things. All of these are HIGHLY recommended and are some of the reasons why I write poetry, ridiculous or not. Give them a try! I'll post a new one every two to three days.
Wednesday, July 27th
Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley
This song was first written and recorded by Leonard Cohen, but I prefer Buckley's version. I find it much more emotional and moving than any other I have found. In fact, in my opinion, this song may be the greatest song ever written hands down, and Buckley's version the greatest recording of any song ever. There is something in the lyrics that makes everyone who listens to it, from all walks of life, feel something. And the way Buckley supplements his incredible voice with a fingerpicked electric guitar is perfect. There is no other way I can describe it. This is my favorite song by far and I know anyone who reads this will enjoy it as well.
Saturday, July 23rd
Nightmare by Avenged Sevenfold
*The entire album, not just the song.* Avenged Sevenfold is a metal band. However, this is not a metal album. The first half of the album is. However, the second half is a touching and moving tribute to their fallen drummer, Jimmy Sullivan, or "The Rev." Interesting for any hard rock fan who wants to see how effectively a heavy band can play emotional songs. Highlights, for me, at least, include Nightmare, Welcome to the Family, Buried Alive, So Far Away, and Fiction. For anyone looking to get into Avenged Sevenfold who isn't a huge metal fan, this is an excellent place to start. For metal fans, an album that elevates itself above simple hard rock to an emotional farewell to a fallen brother.
Thursday, July 21st
The Hobbit by J.R. Tolkein
THIS BOOK IS NOTHING LIKE THE THREE LORD OF THE RINGS BOOKS. I actually read this book as a third grader and loved it. Not nearly as boring as The Fellowship of the Ring, this is the tale of Bilbo Baggins, Frodo's uncle, and his adventures. It is a prequel to the Lord of the Rings books and movies. Fantastic descriptions, a killer plot, and memorable characters make this a must read for any fantasy fan.
Monday, July 18th
Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock is a 60's and 70's jazz pianist and songwriter who also dabbles in funk and world music. His music, particularly songs like Maiden Voyage and Watermelon Man, feature amazing musicianship and communication between the rhythm section and the soloists. He has a very large library that is rewarding to look more deeply into. This is a great place to start for modern pop or rock fans to start exploring jazz.
Thursday, July 14th
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Don't be scared away by this novel's large size and miserable movie adaptation. It is a long book, but you will be so enraptured by it that it will take about as much time to read as any average novel. A fantasticly crafted fantasy somewhat like Lord of the Rings, but at least several times more interesting to read. A teenage farm boy, Eragon, discovers a strange stone in the forest that later hatches into a dragon. He leaves his home one day only to return and find his farm in ruins and flames, his uncle fallen with it. The dragon takes him far away, and Eragon finds himself launched into a leader role in a massive rebellion against the evil wizard king Galbatorix. This book does not disappoint in the least. Ridiculously vivid descriptions, stunning action scenes and an epic plot drive this book into the ranks of classic fantasies. And the sequels, Eldest and Brisingr, are just as amazing.
Tuesday, July 12th
Atlanta by Stone Temple Pilots
I posted the lyrics to this song today as well as this recommendation, but the lyrics alone aren't enough to understand how poetic this song is. While the lyrics do have a hypnotic rhythm to them, to me it's the rest of the band that really stands out on this track. The acoustic guitar builds seamlessly into an absolutely chilling final chorus while integrating instruments that you won't notice the first time you listen to this song, then fades into a beautiful minor marimba solo to end the song. The difference in keys between the verse, chorus, and bridge are ingenious and integrate perfectly to the point where the everyday music listener probably won't be able to tell anything unusual has taken place. A phenomenal song that is highly underappreciated.
Sunday, July 10th
"The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe
A very popular poem that still haunts modern culture. Beautiful, heart-wrenching, suspensful verses. Anything by Poe is absolutely phenomenal, but of all his work this is my personal favorite. Many songs, books, and poems allude to this piece, and for good reason. Somehow, Poe manages to blend tragedy, hope, irony, and defeat smoothly into a story that spans only a short period of time, yet will feels as though the story spans decades when read. A small read with big implications to our everyday lives.
Thursday, July 7th
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
If you haven't heard this song, stop whatever you are doing and go look it up. An absolute masterpiece, musically, lyically, and emotionally. I can't say enough about this song, so I won't. But this is the song for every mood, the song that will make you sad, happy, pumped up, or even ridiculous. I won't try to explain more. Check it out. You won't regret it.
Tuesday, July 5th
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
This series is made up of seven books. Three of them have already been made into movies. But the books are, as always, far better. I don't like these books so much for the author's technique or style, but the story. The plotline to these books is unique in that it can be followed in each individual book, but they books also seamlessly merge into one another. It's just a fun, creative, fantastic storyline about Narnia, a magical alternate universe not so different from ours. While these books may be aimed towards younger readers, there are a ton of Biblical references and allusions that more advanced readers can enjoy. If you ever have an afternoon, pick up one of these books and just read. None of them are very long.
Note: I recommend starting with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. If you want to be accurate and follow the history of Narnia, start with The Magician's Nephew, but I found it difficult to get into at first.
Sunday, July 3rd
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
I had to read this book for my Language Arts class, so I didn't enjoy it as much as I know I could have. However, looking back, this is a really excellent work. This book is a series of vignettes. A vignette is a short story or poem that is highly descriptive about a short period of time, maybe 30 seconds to an hour. The vignettes in this book all combine to tell the story of a Hispanic girl growing up on the rough side of town. The way Cisneros embodies the desires and envies of Esperenza, the girl featured in the story, enthrals the reader and invokes sympathy, compassion, and sometimes even agreeance. The characters are also very memorable, from Sarah, the young beauty let wild, to Esperenza's mother, who never seems to have enough time in the day. This is a great book, and Cisnero's style is worth checking out to any short story writer or poet.
Friday, July 1st
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
This is a pretty old book, but very intriguing and worth your time. If you can force your way through the first 50 pages or so, it gets moving VERY quickly. Don’t let the Old English and the “Classic” aura around this book intimidate you. I also believe this book may have one of the most symbolic and ironic endings in all of literature. I thoroughly enjoyed Dickens’ tasteful use of irony and personification throughout the story. All in all, a thought provoking plot line with a powerful conclusion.
Since it's the first day, I'll give you two...
The Wall by Pink Floyd
You have probably heard the "hits" from this album. Comfortably Numb, Run Like Hell, Hey You, and Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 get pretty consistent radio airplay. However, none of these songs were ever meant to stand alone. The Wall is a concept album. The music and lyrics tell the story of Pink, a self alienated rock star whose life experiences and challenges (like an overprotective mother and a harsh and unkind schoolteacher) become "bricks in the wall" until he is completely isolated from humanity and becomes something not human. While not usually this dramatic, everyone eventually experiences a time in their life similar to this, and it really does capture the mental warfare people go through due to fear of emotional pain. This is far and away the most amazing album I have ever heard. Listening to the entire album all the way through in one sitting is necessary to fully appreciate this album. The lyrics and music parallel themselves throughout the album as they weave a web and captivate the reader and will stick in your head for days. The guitar solos and moving lyrics are haunting and surprisingly human all at once. I'm not even sure how to explain it. You just have to take my word for it. It should be a law that any fan of music or literature must listen to this album at some time in their life.
