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My all-time favorite books
10
items Books to spark both the heart and mind. I'm a pianist and composer and I've actually written music inspired by some of these books. Imaginary soundtracks if you will :)
This memoir blew me away when I first read it. The writing is so beautiful and empathetic.
Crux: A Daughter's Quest for Her Border-Crossing Father by Jean Guerrero ...
Once this book gets its claws in you you won't be able to stop thinking about it. This is a mysterious and deeply beautiful story and one of the best things I've read in the past 10 years.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
A wonderful short story collection from Brenda Peynado that is in turns surreal, haunting and unforgettable. I've written multiple pieces of music inspired by the titular story!
The Rock Eaters
This debut short story collection by Anjali Sachdeva blew me out of the water. Her writing is captivating and held me attention from the very first sentence to the last.
All the Names They Used for God by Anjali Sachdeva
This was a very sobering read and one I actually find myself wanting to return to again (but maybe I haven't worked up the fortitude yet).
New Dark Age: Technology and the End of the Future
Maybe I was looking for anything Greek-related after loving Piranesi, but I also fell in love with this one (even though is it quite different in almost every way from Piranesi)
Circe by Madeline Miller
This memoir about a young boy's experience with a brain tumor that eventually leads to his death is strikingly uplifting and life-affirming.
Death Be Not Proud (P.S.) by Gunther
If you like the Southern Reach Trilogy you will probably enjoy Borne a lot. You might even like it more than the trilogy! It stands on its own perfectly as a story and Vandermeer's imagination is on glorious full-color display.
Borne - Jeff VanderMeer
This one is a classic for a reason. I've just started reading all the books in this series and the writing is simple, but beautiful and often poetic.
A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea Cycle, #1) by Ursula K. Le Guin
I used to write imaginary soundtracks to books when I was younger and this one got a full “soundtrack” so you know it's good! It always astonishes me how a choice sentence from Dostoevsky can sound so modern and of-our-times (happened to me more in the Brothers Karamazov than this, but still…). It speaks to his timelessness and his focus on enduring themes.
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky