Five Books That Inspired Me

(H/T to The Anchoress and to Julie D. at Happy Catholic)

I started to answer this in Julie's Comments section, then realized how big my comments would be! So here's my answers:

1.) Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass: I read these when I was seven and identified immediately with Alice. I share her curiosity and her tendency to "give herself very good advice, but very seldom follow it." This book also introduced me to the fun of words, even (or especially) the made up ones.

2.) Peter Pan: My mother had a picture book from her childhood. This book, from the 1920's, had beautiful, full page, full color plates that looked like Maxfield Parrish paintings. This book was not only a delight to the ear, but a delight to the eye. Mom read it to us, I read it to myself and my siblings, and we literally wore the book out. Mom is still upset, but I told her what could be a better fate for a book than to be read to death? I need to really do a very serious search to find a copy of this book for my mom's 80th birthday this year.

3.) Cherry Ames: Don't laugh. This is a serial book, much like Nancy Drew, about a nurse, taking her from her student days through adulthood. I wanted to be a nurse, so this series was right up my alley. Cherry Ames also was the first female character I knew who decided that following her dream was more important than being married to a doctor. She was intelligent, independent, open to new experiences and challenges, and dedicated to helping others. What more could a girl want from a heroine?

4.) On Writing, by Stephen King: A friend gave that to me. Mr. King writes about writing and it's one of the best I've read about the process of writing. He doesn't make excuses for himself and his difficulties with drugs and alcohol, either.

5.) Earth Abides, by George R. Stewart: A classic novel, usually classified as science fiction, but oh, so much more than that. A pandemic causes civilization to collapse and Professor Stewart uses this to book to examine what happens to the survivors.

There are many others. The Poetry of Dylan Thomas really got me interested in writing poetry. Same with Leaves of Grass. Raising Demons and Life Among the Savages, both by Shirley Jackson, who wrote of the trials and tribulations of raising four children and made me want to be part of this family that was so much funny. Both Ms. Jackson and Erma Bombeck influenced my writing style, my "voice," and my subject matter--everyday family life. Mr. Blue and The Little Prince kept my mind thinking about God and my relationship to him. I can't remember the exact title, but The Life of St. Therese of the Child Jesus inspired me so much I chose her as my Confirmation saint. Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine, especially his chapter about why he needed new tennis shoes for summer, also influenced my writing--he made the ordinary events of one summer in Ohio (or was it Indiana?) magical. I read that book in high school and knew I wanted to write just like that.

I'm sure there are many I haven't thought of. But maybe they're not as important as the ones that spring immediately to mind!