To help young writers learn not only what makes good literature, but also how they can create it, here's a list of ten books a budding writer should read in high school. These are outstanding examples of certain writing principles that can shape young writers. (Whether or not they'll like these books, however, is another issue.)

For the purposes of this list, poetry and plays (sorry, Shakes) have been excluded. And watch out, a few minor spoilers ahead. If you need to know more about a work or its author, click on it for more info.

And now, in no particular order:

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Illustrated Principle: Plot is good. (So are characters with delightfully-odd names.)

One of the most important things in a thrilling, emotional, splendiferous piece of literature is how attractive the title font is. Another is plot. This and other Dickens novels are great examples. Sure, sometimes he goes on too much about facial features or eccentric office decor, but you have to admit, this guy's got pretty awesome storylines.

In huge, soap-operatic strokes of genius, Dickens throws twists in one right after another-"Pip is in love! Pip is unloved! Pip is rich! Pip is still unloved! Wait, what? That guy was Estella's dad! Holy General Hospital!" No one will tie things (characters, mostly) together more neatly than Dickens. Also, this book can help you decide how much detail you like writing-just enough? Or so much that people wonder if you were paid by the word?

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Illustrated Principle: Universal Values = Bestseller and lots of prizes!!1!

Obviously, this is not the only book that features universal values. It is, however, one of the few widely-studied books in America that help the non-Asian majority understand Asians by putting readers smack dab in the head of a Chinese farmer.

Keep in mind that this book was published in 1931 when Americans were not exactly the most China-savvy people on earth. This novel connected with Americans and many others, featuring relatable issues like survival, poverty (see: Great Depression), self-esteem, generational differences, etc. To top it all off, this book showed Chinese life without racism, mockery, or bias.

Any book can have topics all cultures can relate to, but few books can teach one culture to begin to understand another.

The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane
Illustrated Principle: You can't use metaphors as life preservers, even if you inflate ‘em.

For a good laugh, read some of Crane's metaphors and similes. Like "The regiment, involved like a cart involved in mud and muddle, started unevenly with many jolts and jerks." Or this one about a general in the middle of battle: "He looked to be much harassed. He had the appearance of a business man whose market is swinging up and down."

Okay, RBoC has its merits, and some of the metaphors are lovely ("The red sun was pasted in the sky like a wafer" is pretty charming). After reading this, however, young readers are bound to want to control their urge to compare everything to something as a way of adding description and "color."

(P.S.: Try some of Crane's other stuff; they're better. Like his poem "In The Desert.")

Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell
Illustrated Principle: The nitty-gritty of humanity is a doubleplusgood topic.

Well, that isn't a very good description of this book's greatest quality, but this book is just inconceivably awesome, and not just because it gave us Newspeak, 2+2 = 5, and "rebel from the waist down." Its message is enduring; its internal and external dialogue expose the inner workings of man's mind; and its characters are sympathetic, but real and flawed. 1984 gives young writers a level of meaning and influence to aspire to and encourages them to find a chord of humanity to strike.

Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte
Illustrated Principle: She told me that he told her that structure is important.

E. Bronte's only novel is a wonder of literary construction. Not only is it separated into two halves (Heathcliff's arrival - Cathy Linton's birth and from then - Heathcliff's death), but the narration itself is often likened to a Matryoshka doll (see: Russian nesting doll). At its most complex, it's a guy telling us what several characters said according to a letter from Isabella Linton that was sent to the woman who told him the story. If you haven't read it, don't worry, it makes sense when you read it, but you might need to pause and regroup every once in a while.

WH shows young writers how important planning and structure is and how they can add to a story's irony, meaning and poetic justice. It's also amazing in other aspects (use of doubles, emotion, etc.) and gave us an awesome declaration of love ("I am Heathcliff!")

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, by Ken Kesey
Illustrated Principle: Narration can make or break a story.

Not only is One Flew a crazy story about crazy people, it's also shown to us through the eyes of a crazy person, Chief Bromden. Since he is a paranoid schizophrenic, Bromden can be an unreliable narrator, feeding us his hallucinations and actual hospital events with the same spoon. This novel could have been a surreal disaster, but Kesey balances the storyline and Bromden's perception perfectly, showing that selecting a "different" narrator to be original or avant garde doesn't work unless you back it up.

Kesey was enabled by the depth of his characters. Almost each character's voice, motives, background, etc. are so strongly defined that they shine through any fog Bromden's mind creates.

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Illustrated Principle: Some green lights are more special than others.

Anyone who has studied this book for class will tell you, Gatsby's rich symbolism is mad important. Symbols are optional rungs that can make a story's ladder more complete and help it reach higher. They can add another level of meaning to a story.

Fitzgerald is particularly proficient at using symbolism. Other writers tend to use artificial, detached metaphors that seem contrived, but Fitzgerald's are natural to their setting and situation-two locations with different lifestyles; a light on the end of a dock; a billboard. Characters connect better with organic symbols, which makes stories flow nicely.

Black Boy, by Richard Wright
Illustrated Principle: Sometimes the best characters aren't from your imagination.

This is one of the best autobiographies found in high school curricula. Wright makes readers feel his pain and joy as he goes through hardships and occasional good fortune without being whiny, overdramatic, or unbelievable.

Any writers can use their own life story and emotions to make better stories. Even lives that are too "normal" or "boring" to be main plot material can be borrowed from to amplify certain emotions or add detail to stories. Look into your own life and actively find ways you can relate to your characters and their situations.

The Elements of Style, by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
Illustrated Principle: Omit needless words! (And others.)

Okay, so this isn't exactly a novel like the other books on this list, but it is a must-have for any writer-young, old, or uncomfortable-with-disclosing-their-age. Strunk and White encourage correct usage, consistent style, and strong sentences. This book helps writers become aware of their bad habits and fix them. It's a great reference to keep around the pen and pad, typewriter, or computadora. No writer should be without it!

If you haven't read all these books, now would be a great moment to update your "To Read" list. Of course, these are just some of the great curriculum books young writers can study. Pride and Prejudice, Candide, Fahrenheit 451, A Tale of Two Cities and others come to mind.

Just remember that reading all these books won't necessarily transform you magically into MegaWriter X or anything like that. After you finish a novel, there is still much work to do. If you read, find what you like about each book and figure out how to apply what you've learned to your writing, you just might come up with something great.

Good luck!

So what, you say: I can read the Bible without commentaries. Sure you can, and the Holy Spirit is pretty good at getting his message across. But a good commentary can help enormously, especially when the Holy Spirit seems reluctant to enlighten us on a particularly awkward passage.

I mention Davis' commentaries with good reason. Firstly, they're very readable and not in the least bit heavy-going. Secondly, (without being at all contradictory) they're not lightweight; they really tell you something about the Bible text, its background and the way the stories are put together.

Thirdly, Davis is no slouch. He's a pastor, a preacher and a writer. And he's a Bible scholar. I love the way he'll comment on a text and then give in the footnotes his views on other commentators who disagree with him. He's never unpleasant towards these other writers, but it's plain that he's done his homework, and his reasons for saying what he does are valid.

Fourthly, he tells great stories. Time and again, he'll back up his discussion of a piece of Scripture with a story from the American Civil War, or the Second World War (remember there are a lot of battles from Judges through to 2 Kings), or from his own experience. And he often tells these stories with humour. In fact, that's a fifth reason I like him: he has a great sense of humour, and his wit shines out on page after page.

Sixthly, he treats the text with great respect. If something is there, it's there for a good reason. If it's obscure he'll do his best to elucidate it, but he won't speculate just so he can give an answer. Sometimes, the answers aren't easy for modern readers.

And a seventh reason is that he remembers the Bible is literature. Time and again he clarifies the layout of a section or chapter by looking to see how the writer has planned the story. This is one of Davis' great skills: to be able to see the structure when at firstthere doesn't appear to be any.

You don't have to read all six commentaries (although you'd enjoy them, I'm sure). In 2006 Davis produced a book called The Word Became Fresh: How to Preach from Old Testament Narrative Texts. While this book focuses on preaching the OT, it also gives a clear outline of Davis' approach to studying the OT, and I believe you'd be hard pressed to find a better overview of OT Bible study anywhere. The book is only 154 pages long, it's easy to read, but it doesn't lack depth. Check it out. It's published by Christian Focus Publications, as are the six commentaries.

I am referring to a collection of shorts that goes back to before the last war and was put in paperback in the mid-fifties. One story touches on the relationship between a producer and an actress that he helped financially. She leaves after telling him he can always call her for the few bucks he gave her, in order to get it back. One does get a sense of the fact that the producer comes on as a complainer at the beginning and one sees a hint of the fact that he looking for an excuse to hook up with the actress. One gets a hint of her awareness over the issue and critics would say that this is what O'Hara was heralded for; the fact that he would not open up on what lay behind the scenes between people in his stories.

I do not see though how that would content the reading public today who would be looking for more meat on the bones of the story like what were the underlying circumstances between the producer and the actress. All we know was that had a business relationship and one can suppose that he fantasizes about her but there are too many questions left unanswered that would not make this a good short story by today's standards.

I would compare this to shorts by the science fiction writers like A.C. Clarke, Asimov and others who were also quite capable of developing a complete tale without leaving the reader too much in the dark, without being too sketchy. There is a very big difference regarding the quality of those stories.

"Although I was raised in the Dominican Republic by Dominican parents in an extended Dominica family, mine was an American childhood." Alvarez quipped while she was interviews in American Scholar. Her fondness for Dominican Republic still shows though.

The stories she relate in her autobiography and in her various works of fiction offer glimpses of immigrant life which anyone who had to immigrate and immerse to a different culture with new sets of social demands and, on top of that, acquires a bicultural/biracial identity could easily identify with. These are but a few of the adjustments living in America for immigrants had to cope with.

Culture shock is one aspect of immigrants' lives that need some closer inspection. The acclimatization to a new culture, new language and new way of life for some immigrants could be a nerve-wracking even traumatic experience for some. The emotional rollercoaster characterized by uncertainties, fears and insecurities that plague the immigrant during the initial phase of immigration could be an overwhelming experience.

The Alvarez family's experience of fleeing Dominican Republic to seek political asylum in the United States is not an isolated case. There are a number of people who were forced to flee their country due to social and political unrest and settled in America indefinitely. Perhaps the stigma of being driven out of the country by force must have compounded the misery and the pain the Alvarez's felt in settling in the new country they were in. Fortunately, the majority of those who immigrate to America were not due to political reasons but as part of their personal decision to attain a better and more prosperous life for themselves and their families.

Alvarez starts her life story by recalling that her father belonged to a wealthy family who supported the losing political party during the revolution in Dominican Republic. Due to that, they felt the brunt of the winning party's anger. Since her mother's parents supported the winning political group they transferred to mother's family compound. Alvarez experienced growing up with extended families consisting of cousins, aunts, uncle, grandparents and maids. Alvarez's father is a doctor who became poor due to the revolution.

Their way of life in Dominican Republic was highly influenced by the American culture. They dressed in American clothing, ate American food and studied in American schools. All the families in the compound where Alvarez grew up were obsessed with America. To them, it was a picture of idealism and perfection.

Things took a dramatic turn in young Julia's life when her father decided to join the resistance movement. Police began to spy on them. Just as the police was about to arrest him, an American agent passed the information to the doctor a few hours prior to the planned arrest. To evade arrest, the family immediately got on board an airplane out of the country and headed to America.

When the plane landed on American soil, Julia thought she was finally home at last. America had been the ideal country she wanted for the longest time. Now her dreams were about to become real. All her American training back in Dominican Republic would finally have its deserving ending - to call America home.

But not so. Life was not a bed of roses for young Julia as she found herself feeling homesick most of the time. She longed to be with her cousins and relatives in Dominican Republic. She also wanted to go back to her way of life, complete with the luxuries accorded to their family. Her experiences with the new country America were not exactly a nightmare but they were not as ideal as her dreams either. She also felt alienated and discriminated due to her race. She missed her home and relatives. They lived in a small apartment. She found solace in reading books. The books diverted her from the painful reality she felt then. She later pursued degrees in literature and writing and gained respectable degree of success.

Julia Alvarez's book critically acclaimed book “How the Garcia Girls lost their Accents" was published in 1991. This fictional book as the author admits is derived from her immigration experiences.

The book is about four sisters who came to America and the hardships and conflicts they faced in the middle of two cultures - their country's and America's. Fifteen stories comprise the novel and depict various interesting characters as well as offer deep insights. Hispanic women specifically find the book a true depiction of their lives.

The book features four girls: Carla, Sandra, Yolanda and Sofia. Carla is the oldest of the four girls. She is responsible one and acts as the analysts of the family. She later became a child psychologist so that she can fathom her own loss of identity as a child. Carla is seen as the strongest and more independent among the four and she does not demand much attention just like her younger sisters. Sandra is the second oldest. She is the beauty of the family due to her lighter skin but has an eating disorder. She becomes obsessed with her weight in a society that equates thinness with beauty. The third daughter is Yolanda. Her story dominates the book. She's a writer, school teacher and poet. Sofia is the youngest. She is seen as the wild one. She fell in love with Auto while studying abroad. They had a son. And Sofia had to quit schooling

The stories do not only delve on their different personalities but also show how young immigrants journey through life as they make necessary adjustments to adapt to the new surroundings and culture. The girls lived in the United States but are brought up under the strict almost overbearing rule their conservative of Dominican Republic parents. They were expected to abide by Old world rules reminiscent of their previous country and set by their parents. The girls rebelled in the process.

The book mostly revolves around the problems encountered by the four daughters when they first set foot in the United States. Later, these same problems beset them as they returned to Dominican Republic on summer vacations as visitors. The girls have an extremely difficult time adjusting particularly in making friends: "Here they were trying to fit in America among Americans; they needed help figuring out who they were, why the Irish kids whose grandparents had been micks were calling the spics." (p.138)

Julia Alvarez's books and her very own life story reflect the triumphs and travails of immigrants in the United States. The conflict of the immigrants revolves primarily on their need and struggles to assimilate to the American culture at the same time retaining their inherent identity. Once the inner conflict is resolved, acceptance and acclimatization begin.

In science fiction however, particularly films, there often is an element of romance within it. (Think boy gets the girl at the end and they fly off into the abyss to colonize a planet in peace.) And I'm all for that. I think it's cool. However it is usually an after thought in the film or book in question. However that's not quite what we're discussing here.

Then what is Science Fiction Romance? Is there a sure fire definition? Not yet in my opinion. But you'll definitely know it when you read it. In lieu of a definition here are some hints that will help narrow your focus.

In this kind of story the basics of science fiction do apply be it technological, behavioral, social or otherwise i.e. futuristic world, time or place-- not necessarily visitors from a futuristic world time or place. Because that could be considered Time Travel. Think space ships, genetically altered babies, aliens, intergalactic wars, space pirates you get the picture. And there always has to be a romantic element that is central to the plot and development of the character i.e. not only is she is a space pirate but her husband is a Captain in the Intergalactic Police Force charged with capturing her.

Sounds easy enough? Well we're not quite finished. Because they have to have a believable relationship (we're not talking about real. After all why would a space pirate fall for a stuffy old captain anyways? But the real -er the better.) And more importantly, there has to be a happy ending. What's the point if they both die in a tragic explosion killing themselves and never having the chance for that baby (who has to choose which side of the law he/she is on in the sequel) to come about? Sounds formulaic? I think not.

There are plenty of writers who write works of tragedy (and you know the ending will be let's just say “heartbreaking”) and their work is considered sound, valid even praised as excellent pieces of literature. Why then books with the expectation of a happy ending be less valid or even praised as a type of literature? In this world of good news and bad. Wouldn't you rather have more good news? I would. Bad news will come any way, I don't always have to read about it. But back to my point.

So does Science Fiction Romance fall under the heading of Science Fiction-- where it is more often scoffed at or does it belong under the heading of Romance where there is a loyal following but keeps a low profile under the categories of Futuristic or Paranormal depending on who categorized the directory. If we as an audience were to seriously review our favorite scifi books, movies and tv shows and give the work a closer look, would we recategorize?

What if Star Wars was more about Han and Leia? Would it be Sci fi/Space Opera or would it be considered Scifi Romance? Read the Courtship of Princess Leia and let me know.

Haunted by his past, DeKellia guides his companions across the icy wastes of his homeland to complete a mission that will spark war across the continent. Legions will march and nations fall as DeKellia's journey leads him into pitched battles, guerrilla skirmishes, horrific sieges and desperate lone missions. There will be sex and romance. With DeKellia ' s return, the reign of the world ' s sorcerer-kings will come to an end …

Encompassing snowbound steppes, primeval forest, deserts of rust and strange fantasy landscapes, The Star of Silveneir is an epic adventure told at break-neck pace, every page soaked in blood, sweat and sorcery. Dripping with feuds, duels, intrigue and romance, the prose leaps from one rising crescendo to the next in a fantasy tour de force of majestic imagination.

The first part in an on-going saga, The Star of Silveneir is a self-contained epic that sets the stage for the adventures of Montesinos DeKellia in a fully realized fantasy world of incredible depth and powerful imagery.

The most popular fairy tale is that of Cinderella. We know how the story ends; she finds her prince, he falls madly in love with her, and they get married. The Disney-like version ends with just that, but the Brothers Grimm's version ends in a more different way. Their's includes limbs being cut off and eyes being gouged out. Image that being in your child's head just before bed.

Did you know that Rumpelstiltskin grew so mad that he split in two? Or that the princess threw the frog prince against the wall before her kiss transformed him? How about that Rapunzel's prince got his eyes poked out by thorns? One of their biggest themes is people losing their eyesight in one way or another.

These are the kind of stories told to children since the beginning of time. Parents would tell their kids these stories and they enjoyed them. If I had heard them, I would have had nightmares instead of pleasant dreams. Over the centuries the stories have been re-told and made more pleasant for children to accept. The stories we remember from childhood aren't the originals. The stories of the Grimm brothers are the originals. There are also several lesser known stories in their collection such as "Strong Hans" and "The Beam" among many others.

Some of the stories couldn't be retold in a happy manner like Hansel and Gretel. In the story we all remember the kids push the old witch into the stove and that's what they do in Grimm's fairy tales. In the story that was the only way of getting free. Some of their stories include riddles that make the story fun to read to find out the answer at the end of the story.

Jacob and Wilhelm's stories are not all gruesome and slightly disturbing. They also have stories that do end happily ever after or sad, but not where someone dies a horrible death. All together their collections include 211 stories ranging from half a page to 7 pages. If you're interested in the Brother's Grimm fairy tales check out amazon.com for the collection published by Doubleday press.