25 Writers Who Have Influenced Me...

© lloyd pollard 2005

I've been tagged by Signifyin' Guyana. The goal is to share a list of 25 writers who have influenced and inspired me (I've added their key works that I personally enjoy). Read and share! These authors are in no particular order:

1. Paulo Coelho, Warrior of the Light. Inspirational insight into what it takes to be great and a warrior. Excerpt: "He knows that his words are stored in the memory of the Universe, like a testimony of what he thinks."
2. Osho, Creativity. Credible and incredible insight into living and being divine. Great wisdom in everyday words and thoughts.
3. Frank Herbert, Dune Trilogy. A visionary with the ability to articulate our future now with philosophy and practicality.
4. Friedrich Nietzsche, Man Alone with Himself. The amazing ability to bring large thoughts into insight that are way ahead of their time. A willingness to be outside of the status quo.
5. Alice Walker, Temple of my Familiar. Grace and articulation of an intuitive connections to the all things human and cultural.
6. Toni Morrison, Beloved. A complex and always surprising perspective in the way the human and cultural stories of spirit are told.
7. Bill Russell, Second Wind. A brilliant mind and observer of life's consistent themes as demonstrated even in the arena of sports.
8. Audrie Lorde, Sister Outsider. Intelligent observations of difference and how to navigate them and survive.
9. J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings. The ability to create a parallel world that is complex, nuanced and epic, while teaching us about our most hidden nature.
10. August Wilson, Fences. Human stories about real people that showed the everday life as being meaningful and poetic.
11. Terry McMillan, Disappearing Acts. Simple language and stories that people could relate to. Unliterature but literate stories.
12. John Edgar Wideman, Homewood. Serious and intelligent rendering of everyday life and its stories.
13. Ntozake Shange, Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo. Daring and fearless storytelling with colour and intuition.
14. Bell Hooks, Sisters of the Yam. A thinkers view of the spirit and meaning of the black experience. Credible observation and academic articulation.
15. Cornel West, Race Matters. Difficult, challenging and complex look at race and the black experience. I found out that I can think hard and long.
16. Maya Angelou, Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now. Composed and daring mix of language and imagery that inspired the expression of dignity.
17. Henry David Thoreau, Walden. Speak of what you see, sense and live. Observe and share what your living.
18. J. Krishnamurti, Think On These Things. A open, insistent and clear philosophical articulation.
19. Gwendolyn Brooks, Selected Poems. An unexpected voice that is original and grounded in real life.
20. Walter Mosley, Devil in a Blue Dress. A new perspective on a familiar genre. Made reading fun again.
21. Alex Haley, Autobiography of Malcolm X. Important subjects covered in a simple, natural and undramatic storytelling style.
    
22. Fritjof Capra, The Tao of Physics. A scientific and philosophical voice that speaks in layman's terms about the truths inherent in both fields.
23. Neale Donald Walsh, Conversations with God. God's voice never sounded more human and authentic. A story can be all about the perspective.
24. Lao Tzu, The Tao Te Ching. Wisdom and observation served with purity and simplicity. A s deep as you see it and feel it, you must write it.
    
25. Don Miguel Ruiz, The Voice of Knowledge. Exploration of the self in a liquid voice of clarity and knowing.
    
    

Tagged: Delphy, I Love Art, Authentic Art Visions, Art of Living Out Loud, Zemotion, Toporek, Artdeb,

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