Influential 15 (For Me)

I kind of stole this from a facebook note.

15 Books/Plays/Short Stories


1. North and South – Elizabeth Gaskell

• Who would have thought that a Unitarian Minister’s Wife could have created such fabulous sexual tension? Oh, and the social commentary was excellent as well. :D

2. Persuasion – Jane Austen

3. Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen

• Yes, my second Austen on the list. The writing and pacing are not her best, but, the love story between the sisters is particularly moving. I always thought the heroes were more of an afterthought to the story rather than the main event. I think Elinor and Marianne would have been fine without them; although perhaps a little depressed. ;)

4. The Yellow Wallpaper – Charlotte Perkins Gilman

• Creepy and impossible to forget.

5. Tartuffe - Moliere

6. Love in a Cold Climate/The Pursuit of Love – Nancy Mitford

7. Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White

• The book that started it all (my reading that is..)

8. Sleeping Murder – Agatha Christie

9. Hamlet – Shakespeare

10. Mila 18 – Leon Uris

11. The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald

12. The Crucible – Arthur Miller

13. Trifles/A Jury of Her Peers – Susan Glaspell

14. Hills Like White Elephants – Ernest Hemingway

15. Decline and Fall – Evelyn Waugh


15 Albums


1. Sticky Fingers – The Rolling Stones

2. Irish Heartbeat – Van Morrison and The Chieftains

3. Before the Flood – Bob Dylan and the Band

4. Blonde on Blonde – Bob Dylan

5. Moondance – Van Morrison

6. Little Earthquakes – Tori Amos

7. The White Album – The Beatles

8. Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras

9. Live in Japan – George Harrison

10. Along for the Ride – Matraca Berg

11. Tambourine – Tift Merritt

12. Led Zeppelin IV

13. Soul of the Tango – Yo-Yo Ma

14. At Folsom Prison – Johnny Cash

15. Graceland - Paul Simon



15 Films


1. Rear Window

• If I could only choose one film of influence, this would be it!

2. The English Patient

• Beautiful. The cinematography, acting, script, characterization and music are astonishingly compelling.

3. Cold Comfort Farm

4. Bringing Up Baby

5. Schindler’s List

6. Indiana Jones (the first three collectively)

• Fun with a capital “F”! Harrison Ford is almost yummy enough (here) to block the fourth installment completely from my mind.

7. Gladiator

8. 12 Angry Men

9. On the Waterfront

• We all know he could have been a contender, but my favorite part of this film is when Brando picks up Eve Marie Saint’s glove and puts it on. Classic.

10. A&E Pride and Prejudice – The one with Colin Firth.

• No, I’m NOT one of those girls! You know…the “Janeites”: women who’ve never read Austen and have Regency themed weddings. Alas, I look terrible in empire waisted dresses and have never found britches all that sexy. Although I have never really cared for this story (note: this is the only Jane Austen I haven’t read), the satirical pop culture references alone make it list worthy.

11. Withnail and I

12. The Last Waltz

• The music!! The commentary!! The fashion?? Bob Dylan wears a pimp hat: enough said.

13. The Blues Brothers

14. Vertigo

• My first Hitchcock.

15. Pineapple Express

• This might be the funniest (and strangest) film I have ever seen in my whole life. Also, I saw it with Whitney a few months before her mission (right after Amy cautioned her about watching R rated films, hehe).

I am sure this list is incomplete. I know as soon as I post this, I'll remember another book/album/movie that I wanted to include.