Introduction and Discovery

As a 21 year old inquisative albeit lazy student, I am discovering the joys and delights of literature. As an aspiring author one day, one of my favourite quotes is 'Nobody can sit down to write before they have stood up to live.'

By the same token, there is value in learning brilliance from the brilliant. Creativity is not just about originality, it is also about interpretation, developing, connecting and inspiring. Original thoughts need inspiration from somewhere. I have discovered that many of my favourite popular films, music, books and television programs have taken inspiration from earlier forms of literature. Upon this discovery I am endeavouring to start reading classical novels that have been the source of inspiration for subsequent pieces of literature and art to discover for myself what makes them 'classic'.

Not only this, I am very curious indeed to know which authors of our time will have an impact on the minds of those in future generations. Who are the influential authors of our time and how valuable are their contributinos to literature?

All missions need a starting point; mine is the list of books referenced and mentioned by the writers of the television progam LOST. Many of these are considered modern classics, and authors on the list include Lewis Carrol, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens and many, many more. Old and new, famous and obscure. Personally, I will be focusing mainly on the famous as these are the most easily accessible, and I will reserve the right to not read a book at my own discretion - some books I have read recently have more than disapointed me. The reason I am starting with the LOST list is because I enjoyed the show for it's writing, and these books are reported to have inspired the writers to incorporate similarities in the show. It should follow that if I like the show, I should like most of these books.

It seems this blog beginning has been blessed by a discovery - in the book exchange at the caravan park I am currently at (we are also travelling around Australia as I do this) I came accross not one, but two books from this LOST list. Carrie, by Steven King, referenced in Ep 03.1 of LOST as the book Juliet Burke chooses for her book club meeting, and again later on in the season when mentioned by Benjamin Linus. Ironically, this particular episodes title A Tale of Two Cities is also the other title found, written by Charles Dickens. As good a place to start as any.