Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family.
Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.
--Jane Howard
There are only two things in life: love and work. If we are lucky, we love our work. If we are smart, we are willing to work at love. --Noah Ben Shea
If your revolution doesn't include dancing, I'm not interested. --Emma Goldberg
"On with the dance! Let the joy be unconfined!" is my motto, whether or not there is any dance to dance or joy to unconfine. --Mark Twain.
One must never, for any reason, turn one's back on life. --Eleanor Roosevelt
Anything by Chris Crutcher
(Whale Talk, Chinese Handcuffs, and Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes for starters.)
The poetry of Marge Piercy... two samples here to illustrate why:
To Have Without Holding
Kaddish
Other poets, including Sandra Cisneros (Loose Woman),
H.L. Hix, (Perfect Hell & Rational Numbers),
Wallace Stevens, and a long list of others.
Writing Towards Home, by Georgia Heard
Great for any poets, writers or artists who want spurs to their ideas.
The Stephanie Plum books, by Janet Evanovich. Pure mind candy.
Surprisingly, several notables from the Oprah's list...or by authors who've made the list:
Pearl Cleage---both What Looks Like Crazy On An Ordinary Day and I Wish I Had a Red Dress
Barabara Kingsolver--The Poisonwood Bible and Prodigal Summer in particular.
The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.
Don't ask me why... I'm just addicted to the characters.