Reading Recommendations

According to Stephen King, to be a good writer, one must be a good reader. According to Lydia Blythe, this is absolutely true. Listed below are ten recommendations of books, short stories, and poetry that have affected me in my life and inspired my writing.

1. The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan

This book holds a special place in my heart, because a copy was given to me by a local library when I was a runner-up in their writing contest. The author was a guest speaker at the awards ceremony, and I had the privilege of meeting her and having the book signed.

The Dreamer is based on the life of the poet Pablo Neruda. It explores his childhood and the challenges he faced growing up of wanting to write poetry in a home where his dreams were not accepted. He came across many obstacles, but history speaks for itself - Neruda grew up to be a famous and successful poet. The book is about following one's dreams and staying true to oneself even when others do not accept what that self is. Beautifully written and containing a wonderful message, The Dreamer is a book I would recommend to writers, artists, and anyone who has ever had doubts about accomplishing their goals.

2. Beyond Mulberry Glen by Millie Florence

This book was previously published under the name of Lydia Green of Mulberry Glen, but I DON'T just like it because the main character has my first name. There are a few reasons why this book is important to me. The first is that I'm a sucker for Lord-of-the-Rings/Chronicles-of-Narnia-esque fantasy. Second, it contains a beautiful message about overcoming darkness in one's life. And third, the author is a huge inspiration to me. She self-published her first novel at the age of thirteen, and Beyond Mulberry Glen was published only a few years later. Florence has a dedication to her craft that is rare and splendid to see.

The book itself is about a young girl named Lydia Green who battles the forces of darkness to save her family. She finds others along her journey who help her, and she learns that what she is up against is not what she had first expected. The book is light middle-grade fiction, but contains themes that apply no matter how young or old one may be.

3. Persuasion by Jane Austen

While Persuasion is certainly not obscure, it is somewhat off the beaten path of Austen-era classics. In this short but elegantly sweet classic, Austen writes of a woman named Anne Elliot in her late twenties who is single and struggling to find a man to marry. Her father has frittered away the family's once plentiful wealth, and has left no sons to inherit his estate. Anne was once engaged to Captain Wentworth, a naval officer, but ended her relationship with him when advised by those close to her that his status was too low. Shortly after, Captain Wentworth made a fortune, substantially elevating his rank in society. Nearly a decade since Anne broke off their engagement, circumstances suddenly throw the captain back into her life.

The book presents a beautiful story of silent internal struggle and learning to find one's own voice. Most are familiar with the strong-willed Elizabeth Bennet, but Anne Elliot makes for a relatable character for those who find themselves wrestling with passivity.

4. Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn

While on the surface, it seems lighthearted enough, this story explores deeply relevant topics such as totalitarian governments and the importance of language to society's functioning. It is a novel composed of letters between citizens of the island of Nollop, whose society is built on the popular pangram, "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." When one of the letters falls off of the statue dedicated to the phrase, a decision is made to outlaw the use of that letter and all words that contain it. The islanders are inconvenienced at first, but things begin to spiral out of control when more and more letters fall off of the statue.

This book is close to my heart, and I believe that it is more relevant now than it has ever been. While we have not come to the point of outlawing words, social ostracism is perfectly acceptable for those who choose to say certain words that our culture has deemed wrong to say. Ella Minnow Pea is satirical and somewhat fantastical, but it displays the consequences of limiting language.

5. "The Waste Land" by T. S. Eliot

To be honest, this poem was not one I instantly knew I would love. On my first read of it, I was dreadfully confused and left wondering why it is so highly regarded among students of literature. However, upon slowing down and taking the time to analyze what it was I was actually reading, I found that it is one of the most beautiful poems I have ever read.

The beauty of this poem lies in the fact that it is very difficult to understand. I approached the poem searching for a correct answer to what it means, but it is completely up to interpretation. When I read it, I see themes of Christianity and the dichotomy of life and death. Others I have spoken to notice the themes of war that were personal to Eliot. Still others focus on references to Eliot's failing marriage. Different people take the symbols and allusions to paint different pictures of what they believe the poem means - and that's beautiful. That is what art is. Something that speaks to each individual person in a unique way that no on else will quite be able to understand.

6. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

When I read this novella, it was the first story in a long time that left me wondering what to do with the rest of my life after I had finished it. I was completely and utterly taken with it upon the first read, but I had no idea that there was still more amazement to come.

The story follows a young woman who has just been hired as a governess for two small children at Bly Manor. It seems like the perfect job at first - a lovely house, two well-behaved children, and good pay. But soon, the governess begins to see frightening apparitions of the children's former caretakers, both allegedly dead. The governess's simple job turns into a battle against supernatural forces, or, perhaps, a battle against her own mental state.

I take things very literally. It is simply my nature. I believed every word that the narrator tells the reader. However, this book had been assigned in a class at college, so it wasn't long until I was in a room full of other people sharing their opinions about it. Our professor told us about the two different interpretations of narrative, and the class was split down the middle. I am still convinced that my original impression is correct, but as with "The Waste Land," I'm fascinated by the different interpretations readers have come up with.

7. On Writing by Stephen King

This book is the. Holy. Grail. Of writing. No other book about writing compares to King's. He gives wonderful advice, and my favorite advice he gives is that you don't have to listen to a word he says. I've encountered other writers who at some point insist that their way of doing something is the only way - King, however, displays immense humility and respect for writers, knowing that each of us have our own process and that there is no one-size-fits-all advice in existence. Not only is On Writing a goldmine for tips on how to improve your writing game, it's also entertaining enough to binge-read.

I must take the time to mention one small disclaimer: not to be a total puritan, but I feel compelled to say that this book is quite rated R for language and some sexual references. I don't take issue with reading books like this myself, but I see it as my responsibility to give a warning in case that's a turn-off for any of my own readers.

8. "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

If you don't have some semblance of an idea of what "The Yellow Wallpaper" is about, you've probably been living under a rock and therefore have no access to the internet, and therefore are not reading this post right now. I can't remember the first time I heard of this story, but boy, do I remember the first time I read it. I was in Comp II at a community college in my senior year of high school, and "The Yellow Wallpaper" was assigned. I was stunned, not only at the contents of the story itself, but at the relatability of it. I would highly recommend to anyone and everyone no matter their background or reading preferences.

9. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

I have always, always loved this book. Most will be somewhat familiar with the plot due to the multiple film adaptations, but I'll give a brief overview: Mary Lennox is quite contrary, and after losing her parents to cholera, she is sent from her home in India to live with her uncle in a mansion on the English moors. At first resistant to everything she finds and everyone she meets, she soon discovers that there is more to the house than meets the eye. Her explorations of the gardens lead her to an enclosed area that has not been tended for years, and as she attempts to bring the garden back to life, contrary little Mary Lennox begins to come to life herself.

The Secret Garden is a tale of healing, loving, and existing in nature, the way we were meant to. It's something I pick up if I need something cozy and refreshing that makes me feel like I myself am in an enclosed garden where no one can find me.

10. "Not Real and Never Will Be" by Dacia Lene' Cunningham, illustrated by Klayton Wilkinson

"Not Real and Never Will Be" is a children's picture book that is very special to me. It was gifted to me by the woman who wrote it. I normally don't particularly like modern children's books, but this one is an instant classic. Like "The Dark" by Lemony Snicket, it explores the fears of young children. The book centers around Zax, who is terribly afraid of the monsters he believes will come into his room after he goes to bed. His mother assures that they are "not real and never will be."

I think the reason I like this book more than other modern picture books is that it has heart - it's a fun story for children, but as one grows older, they will have a unique kind of fondness for it that one only has for something they loved as a child.


From classic to modern, from children's books to thrillers, these are ten of some of my favorite things to read. Stay tuned for the next blog post, in which I'll talk about a few movies with excellent portrayals of writers to watch if you're feeling discouraged or needing inspiration.



"We become nighttime dreamers, street walkers, small talkers, when we should be daydreamers, moon walkers, and dream talkers."

~ Aurora