A poet doesn’t simply write; he listens and watches and observes the world around him. He finds inspiration in what he reads, what he hears, what he sees. Here are a few of my favorite books and songs:
Great Reads
- The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. My favorite novel, Gatsby is the shimmering tour-de-force of the Jazz Age (a term Fitzgerald coined). For my complete review, click here.
- Babbitt, by Sinclair Lewis. Penned when the twentieth century was still in its youth (1922), Lewis’ somber portrait of the American businessman remains fresh today. George F. Babbitt is a man whose dissatisfaction with conformity is checked only by his total need for it: his eyes are briefly opened to the vacuity of the middle-class life, yet his misadventures in rejecting that life result in such total dispossession that he is only too happy to return to its secure embrace.
- Sister Carrie, by Theodore Dreiser. Decade by decade, century to century, life is surprisingly the same; people face the same age-old challenges. Never is this clearer than in Dreiser’s masterful tale of a young waif, Carrie, and her startling adventures in 1900 Chicago. From kept woman to theater starlet, Carrie rises through the ranks of society, unscathed by those who attempt to take advantage of her. Although written a century ago, Sister Carrie could well be described as a model for the woman’s movement.
Groovy Tunes
- Frank Sinatra. Arguably the finest entertainer of the twentieth century, Francis Albert Sinatra recorded from 1940 to 1998, hitting his best stride in the late 1950s and early 1960s (the “Reprise” era). Although he “retired” in 1970, his triumphant return a few years later produced several seminal recordings, including “New York,” and “My Way.” I cannot possibly pick a favorite Sinatra tune nor album, but a great place to start is 2008′s Nothing But the Best, which boasts digitally-remastered recordings of the quintessential Sinatra songs.
- Nina Simone. Although my listening habits change with the seasons, they tend to coalesce around the pop and jazz standards of the twentieth century. A prime example is Miss Simone, jazz temptress who kept the houses packed for half a century. My favorite is her very first album, Jazz as Played in an Exclusive Side Street Club, recorded in 1958. Be sure to give a listen to “My Baby Just Cares For Me,” which features a classic piano melody (played by the artist) and Simone’s unmistakable, earthy voice.
- Christmas Favs. Here’s my list of favorite Christmas songs, in no particular order: (1) “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” Judy Garland, 1944 (as recorded for the film Meet Me in St. Louis). (2) ”No Place Like Home (For the Holidays),” Perry Como, 1958 (his second recording of the song). (3) “O Tannenbaum,” the Vince Guaraldi Trio, 1965, from A Charlie Brown Christmas.
