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Message started by Webbie on Aug 24th, 2010, 8:25am

Title: Writers bookshelf
Post by Webbie on Aug 24th, 2010, 8:25am

I have been doing some research on of all things the Bible and science fiction, UFO's, that sort of thing. I am amazed at all the sci-fi references and names I am finding with just a causal reading.

Some of the most known names in sci-fi are straight out of the Bible. Of course in the books and movies they can be good or bad guys. But even so, some of the plot lines, character names even alien traits are straight from the Bible.

Ok, so that must mean that the writers of the sci-fi have read the Bible and used some of the same material in their work.

With that said I have to say that the Bible should be a reference book for all writers of the genre.

So besides the obvious, dictionary, thesaurus and the like, what other non sci-fi books should the successful writer have on their own bookshelf?.

Title: Re: Writers bookshelf
Post by ente per ente on Aug 24th, 2010, 11:19pm

For Webbie:


Quote:
So besides the obvious, dictionary, thesaurus and the like, what other non sci-fi books should the successful writer have on their own bookshelf?.


The Mahabharata , anyway,from ancient India  could be useful  as  reference  for  Sci- Fi/Fantasy  and Horror writers...eh,eh...many  ancient  hidden  truths     :o :o :o    in there, all the same in the  Book  of Enoch...but  who  really knows...eh,eh :)  ?

Title: Re: Writers bookshelf
Post by Webbie on Aug 26th, 2010, 5:35am

Good call.

Of course some kind of history book or books.

Title: Re: Writers bookshelf
Post by Gary A. Markette on Aug 26th, 2010, 8:15am

Good suggestions all. Here are some writing tomes to consider:

Elements of Style--Strunk and White. (A very old edition--pre E.B. White, I think--is available online).

Writing Prose: Techniques and Purposes--Thomas S. Kane and Leonard J. Peters

The Chicago Style Manual

The Government Printing Office (GPO) Style Guide (available online)

Others later . . .

Title: Re: Writers bookshelf
Post by Adrienne_Ray on Sep 3rd, 2010, 4:22pm

"The Golden Bough" by Sir James George Frazer.
Also there are many nonfiction books on myths and legends. I've been reading "Real Vampires, Night Stalkers, and Creatures from the Darkside" by Brad Steiger. "Celtic Myths and Legends" by Charles Squire is good. I prefer the older books written before Anne Rice. Accounts written by people who still believe in monsters are much more interesting to me.

Title: Re: Writers bookshelf
Post by Webbie on Sep 5th, 2010, 8:01am

I've also got a book on American folk lore. Some really odd creepies and crawlies.


Title: Re: Writers bookshelf
Post by Adrienne_Ray on Sep 6th, 2010, 4:00pm

Oh! And I don't know how I forgot about this one: anything by Michio Kaku. The one I'm reading now (I began reading it awhile ago and lent it to somebody who has returned it so I am rereading it now.) is "Physics of the Impossible" by Dr. Kaku. If you can't come up with an idea for a science fiction story after reading a little bit of this book, you aren't really trying.

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