Here are my top ten books at this point in my life. Here were the rules I made for myself:
- Just name the series name if it was in a series.
- These have to be the most influential books to my creativity that I have ever read.
1. The Lord of the Rings – Tolkien
- Hobbits are everything that humans should be.
- Rich world building obviously written by an avid nature lover.
- The fact that the languages in this book function not only as real languages, but reflect the lore behind all of the races as well, reinforce the realism of Tolkien’s world.
2. The Kingkiller Chronicles – Patrick Rothfuss
- Open mic night meets Harry Potter for adults.
- Realistic magic system and descriptions of open mic vibes.
- Pat Rothfuss is a returning player in the Acquisitions Incorporated campaign.
- Lin-Manuel Miranda is a fan.
3. Harry Potter – You Know Who
- Obvious.
- The books are still great and we all wish we lived in that world (admit it).
4. A Brief History of Nearly Everything – Bill Bryson
- A history of scientific discoveries and the characters behind them.
- This book is so similar to Carl Sagan’s Cosmos that they can be considered synonymous.
- Read this during geology field camp so I have a sentimental attachment to it.
5. Myth of Freedom and the Way of Meditation – Chögyam Trungpa
- Hard to pick a favorite Buddhism book but this one was my introduction.
- I re-read it every now and again to get me pumped about meditation.
- Always open for recommendations for Buddhism books.
6. Dharma Bums – Jack Kerouac
- Sincere quest for enlightenment.
- The mountain hiking scene sticks with me.
7. Electric Koolaid Acid Test – Tom Wolfe
- Captures the excitement and discovery of being on the edge of human knowledge, both pleasant and unpleasant.
- A dayglow time capsule of the beginning of the hippie subculture.
8. Wizard of Oz Series – Frank L. Baum
- Super underrated kids series of books.
- Not a complex read but a creative discovery around every corner.
- Beautiful artwork that I am obsessed with.
9. The Colour Out of Space – H. P. Lovecraft
- Spoooooooky crisp.
- Colors are great. Colours are even greaterer.
10. The Hidden Life of Trees – Peter Wohlleben
- Makes a case for old growth forests and our interdependence on trees.
- Describes scientific facts about trees in a poetic style.
- Translated well from German but you can read it in a German accent if you want.
- Lab Girl, another great book, is how I found out about Hidden Life of Trees.
8 Bit Cardboard Wizard 