Great Reads

I swing both ways - the best stories are either those spun from redundancy or extreme normalcy, or those so surreal, they leave me aware of this finite world. Chuck Klosterman’s Downtown Owl is nothing but the ordinary tale of a few residents in a small town. It’s his last minute climax and ability to slip in slight detail that creates a great novel. The following is a list of short shorts and novels that may or may not inspire.

“A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
For his poignant descriptions and vast knowledge of culture. This is a great, very short read for those who are open to Spanish nuances and folk tales. The best of magical realism.

“The Black Cat” - Edgar Allan Poe
Classic. A real dive into self discovery and a great inspiration for those artist who delve into deeper, darker subjects.

“Total Eclipse” - Annie Dillard
This is a gradual but extreme journey about a woman and her experience with an eclipse that juxtaposes extreme imagery with universal realizations and facts.

“Red” - Carol Guess
Not your typical coming of age story. Most might say this is a great woman’s read, but I am going to go out on a limb and suggest that it is a better read for males. It comes complete with antithesis between male and female, and a hatred for both, matter, and the fact that Guess relays her story with a purposed detachment. Caution: May lead to more profound subject matter regarding women when used as inspiration.

The Things They Carried - Tim O’Brien
This is the book that changed my writing life. It is a loosely non-fictional recant of Vietnam that makes your emotions vomit into your mouth. It is a tougher read that combines statistics and measurements with horrifying reality. Should be mandatory reading for my generation, who unfortunately only get Vietnam POVs from text books.

Ironweed - William Kennedy
Don’t even bother watching the movie, because I guarantee you can’t get near raw porn like you can in the pages of this novel. All kidding aside, this is the untold story of the homeless. You know, the guys sitting at every Durham intersection with the signs, “Destitute Wife”.

Post by laura on 11/12
Artwork • Writing • (0) Comments •