 | TuneSmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting by Jimmy Webb
Buy new: $10.85 / Used from: $7.99 The BEST book on songwriting -- PERIOD ... a must for understanding the whys and hows ... a manifesto for doing it well. Every writer I've ever met of any appreciable talent knows Webb and his gifts.
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 | The Soul of the Night: An Astronomical Pilgrimage (A Ruminator Find) by Chet Raymo
Buy new: $11.70 / Used from: $0.32 A book of poetic prose disguised as a book about astronomy (or is it the other way round?) ... wonderful!
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 | Wishful Thinking: A Seeker's ABC by Frederick Buechner
Buy new: $10.07 / Used from: $3.75 As fine an introduction to Buechner as one could want ... great to browse. A book of ABC's about the landscape of faith.
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 | The 1928 Book of Common Prayer
A fit traveling companion for any writer and, along with the Gideon Bible in almost any hotel room, is a first aid kit for the heart and soul. Form isn't the problem ... dead form is. Not here!
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 | XTC : Song Stories (The Exclusive Authorized Story Behind the Music) by XTC
Buy used from: $35.00 Ardently irreligious (if God was as Andy Partridge thinks, I suppose I'd hate Him and His followers too), yet these song stories give a fascinating glimpse of a great band writing great songs.
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 | Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott
Buy new: $10.20 / Used from: $0.27 My first fan letter in over 20 years ... each page has that wonderful "hey-let-me-read-this-to-you" quality. A songwriter trapped in an author's body, maybe?!? No punches pulled. No kindnesses undone.
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 | The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Buy new: $7.99 / Used from: $0.01 A cathedral built over hundreds "page-turner" pages ... before you know it, you're there!
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 | Time's Arrow by Martin Amis
Buy new: $10.08 / Used from: $2.50 After you've "oooo-ed" and "aaah-ed" over the plot structure of the movie "Memento" (loved it), read this to see how the big boys really do it when it comes to monkeying with time and sequence!!
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 | Chapters into Verse: Poetry in English Inspired by the Bible 2-Volume Set
Along with "Divine Inspiration: The Life of Jesus in World Poetry", my favorite books of poetry related to the Bible.
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 | Bamboozled (New Line Platinum Series)
Buy new: $23.49 / Used from: $2.70 I'm a pretty whitebread guy. Yet I can't stop thinking about this movie. The ending montage of racist clips is more upsetting than any sex or violence I've EVER seen onscreen. It broke my heart.
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