Literary Influences
Perhaps literary influences are the best place to start, because these are just great pieces of writing, presented as is. They are interesting and enjoyable to read. They make you think. Here’s the list right up front so you know where I’m coming from:
Inspirational literary sources:
- Hermann Hesse
- Jonathan Kozol
- Adrian Plass
- Isabel Allende
- Fyodor Dostoyevsky
- Chaim Potok
- Gilead
(Marilyn Robinson)
- Catch-22
(Joseph Heller)
- This American Life
Herman Hesse is probably my favorite author, particularly in his inquisitive, existential approach and the scope of his writing to cover a lot of physical and mental geography. That is, his books feel like they take you along an interesting journey beyond what you are used to, but which is in so many ways very familiar. My three favorites of his are Siddhartha
“Every age, every culture, every custom and tradition has its own character, its own weakness and its own strength, its beauties and ugliness; accepts certain sufferings as matters of course, puts up patiently with certain evils. Human life is reduced to real suffering, to hell, only when two ages, two cultures and religions overlap. …Now there are times when a whole generation is caught in this way between two ages, two modes of life, with the consequence that it loses all power to understand itself and has no standard, no security, no simple acquiescence.” (Steppenwolf
)
“One never reaches home…. But where paths that have an affinity for each other intersect, the whole world looks like home, for a time.” (Demian
Jonathan Kozol is a non-fiction writer who tells stories of the lives of children in the South Bronx. His writing is challenging, disturbing, hopeful, tender, and very impacting. Made me think I made a mistake in traveling outside the U.S. to address issues of injustice.
That is the great luxury of long-existing and accepted segregation in New York and almost every other major city of our nation nowadays. Nothing needs to be imposed on anyone. The evil is already set in stone. We just move in.
Prisons, schools, and churches, many religious leaders have observed, are probably the three most segregated institutions in our nation, although the schools in New York City are quite frequently more segregated even than the prisons.
Adrian Plass is a less popular author, but his writing addresses Christianity somewhat casually, tenderly, irreverently, and very comically. I cannot help but snicker and laugh out loud at his descriptions of bumbling attempts at following Jesus, such as trying to move a paper clip on his desk with sheer faith.
“Silly, sweaty quiet-time. Started by asking God for a sign that it would go alright this evening. Then remembered that bit about ‘… it’s a wicked generation that seeks a sign’ and felt guilty. Then remembered John the Baptist losing his confidence in prison, and felt alright again, then remembered about Doubting Thomas and felt guilty again, then remembered Gideon’s fleece, and felt alright again.
“Might have gone on like this forever, but Anne called out that it was time for work.”
Other great authors who have been very inspiring to me are Isabel Allende, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and Chaim Potok. I’ve read as much as I can of what they’ve written – and they’ve written a lot of good stuff. Paulo Coelho has some interesting writings as well, but I like his collection of short stories most of all. I also really enjoyed Gilead, by Marilyn Robinson (see some quotes), and Catch-22