I love to read and when I find myself in a creative rut, I usually reach for one of these books to help get me out of it.

A Moveable Feast

You get to enjoy Hemingway’s legendary sparse writing as he looks back to his days as a young, happy man in Paris. He goes to cafés, he writes, he talks about writing and about the city. It’s part biography, part writing clinic, part ode to Paris. And I was lucky enough to first read it as a young man in Paris myself. So every time I go back and read it I feel like I’m back walking the banks of the Seine thinking about everything that’s possible.

A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this was the book that got me turned on to writing. After I read it I felt like any topic of any kind could be made to sound interesting and exciting—that’s how good David Foster Wallace was. He writes about the most disconnected subjects you can imagine (tennis, TV, going on a cruise) and manages to make them all funny, interesting, and entertaining. No small feat.

The People of Paper

Talk about an experiment in storytelling. This novel is about a writer writing about a town that is trying to rebel against the writer. If the story itself sucked, than the experiment would be just that: an experiment. But the story is entertaining, the writing is solid, and the way he puts it all on paper is pretty awesome. Especially when one of his characters breaks through the page and into the writer’s room. Talk about a meta moment! Oh and the hardcover book is the most beautiful book I own (courtesy of the folks over at McSweeny’s).

On Writing

Whenever I feel like giving up the whole writing bit, I go back to this book. I remember reading it for the first time (also in Paris) and being shocked at how motivated it got me. I was never a huge Stephen King fan but this book is a must for anyone interested in writing. You absolutely have to own this book. It’s part biography and part writing advice, but it’s all good stuff. Even if you hate sci-fi and think his books are odd, this one isn’t. This one is worth several reads.

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men

My favorite book from my favorite writer (DFW again). You’d think it would be hard to pick a favorite from DFW, but this book of short stories is actually a pretty easy call for me. He does a lot of experimental stuff in this, and it all just absolutely kills. The one problem is that, after you finish, you’ll wonder what else there is to innovate on and if anyone will ever come along to match him. Makes his death even more depressing. He has the ability to find that bit of dialogue or voice that everyone can recognize and identify with.

Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

One of my favorite novels of all time. Diaz has managed to tell an epic story and to weave a whole bunch of background on his country, his people, and his culture. I’d love to do the same one day. Middlesex used to be at the top of my list, but this book came storming along and kicked its ass. Diaz takes no prisoners, makes no apologies, and tells his story the way he wants to tell it. I salute him.

What books have inspired you?

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