Works of Literature You Should Read

Well during the long cold months of Winter, I thought I would share with you some of my favorite works of literature that inspired and influenced my writing and my life. I also thought that these selections would be a great list of books you should read. These are in no particular order, and being that I am a bibliophile the list is NEVER complete.

1. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. Dr. Seuss gave me my nickname of SamIam, simply by using his creative genius in creating a furry green character that I still love to this day. This is also my favorite Dr. Seuss book. It out does The Cat in the Hat by far.

2.TheBlythedale Romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This was the book that began my love affair with Nathaniel Hawthorne.

3. The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This is my favorite book by Nathaniel Hawthorne, full of mystery, suspense, the paranormal and intrigue.

4. The Masque of The Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe. This short story is about the plague in Medieval Times and it deals with classism (I think I made that word up), history, and lots of symbolism.

5. The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe. Another short story by Poe that deals with the Inquisition. I enjoy historical fiction.

6. Eureka by Edgar Allan Poe. See a trend here? This beautiful yet scientific piece deals with how the universe was formed and the mathematics of the universe.

7. Holder of the World by Bharati Mukherjee. I read this in grad school in a Modern World Literature course I was taking. This is the one of the best historical novels I have ever read dealing with Indians (Native Americans) vs. Indians (that come from India). I learned a lot about King Phillips War and other historical aspects.

8. The Confidence Man by Herman Melville. This is still my favorite Melville book. Just read it and you'll see why. I can't tell you too much or I'll give it all away and you will kill me!

9. The Angry Hills by Leon Uris. This is a recent love of mine--reading Leon Uris books. This book takes place during World War II in Greece. It is a great "spy" story of sorts. Again, you just have to read it.

10. Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman. Need I say more?

11. Merlin by Norma Lorre Goodrich. This is not an historical novel. This is the biography and history of Merlin. I believe in Merlin so this book was an eye-opener and I learned a lot.

12. Beowulf. I love Medieval literature. Of course this is the quintessential Medieval work of literature.

13. Mysteries of the Middle Ages by Thomas Cahill. Again, a history book. I do read a lot of non-fiction :)

14. The Last Templar by Michael Jecks. This is the only book I've read by him so far. It is a medieval mystery. I recommend it highly. I recently bought another book of his and plan on diving into it!

15. The Dancing Men by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I think this is my favorite Sherlock Holmes story. Those of you who know me well know I am in love with Sherlock Holmes. Doyle introduces the reader to how great a crime solver Holmes really is, by introducing cryptography. I could list ALL the Sherlock Holmes stories here. I recommend them ALL highly.

16. The Complete Works of John Keats. Just read him. Trust me.

17. The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac.

18. Sense and Sensability by Jane Austen. Undergrad, I took a class dedicated to the works of Jane Austen. I didn't think I'd like the class, but I wound up loving the class.

19. Zofloya by Charlotte Dacre. Charlotte Dacre (aka Rosa Matilda) has become one of my favorite poets in the last few years. Again, just read her work, and you'll understand why.

20. The Poems of Anne Bradstreet. Anne Bradstreet lived in early America. She was the wife of the Governor of Massachusetts. She recorded nearly everything in her life in the form of a poem. Her work is quite moving.

These are only 20 of the works of literature I love. I usually read books before 1920 or on subjects that interest me from before 1920. There is, of course, the rare exception. My list goes on and on and on and on. I have more books that I want to read, than those that I have read. If you are really interested in that, then look me up on Goodreads.com.