ah! books in my collection
In the Introduction to Mr God, This is Anna the editor introduces the notion of an Ah! Book, i.e. a book that stimulates and inspires you and forever changes your perspective on certain important issues. An Ah! Book points the way and provides the necessary motivation and tools for your own journey of discovery. They are books you dip into again and again for new ideas and fresh inspiration.
I believe that, to be a responsible human being, we should seek out such books and make them a part of our lives. The greatest Ah! Book of all time has to be The Bible. But I have benefited greatly from other books too.
Some of the books that serve (or have served) as Ah! Book in my creative development are:
- The Bible - the main source of inspiration for my songs
- Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Philip Yancey and Dr Paul Brand - The human body is a miraculous creation. The intricate web of bones and skin and delicate fabric of cells is as awesome and mysterious as the galaxies of space. This book looks at the subtle hints of the eternal that can be found in the very structures of our bodies and captures the excitement of discovering the the Creator continues to dwell in and among His people. Award-winning writer Philip Yancey and renowned surgeon Paul Brand identify how our inner physical attributes are reflected in the individual's role as a member of the Body of Christ. And remind us that "we are what Jesus left on earth ... a visible community to embody Him and represent Him to the world".
- Open Windows by Philip Yancey - a collection of inspiring essays divided into three sections: The Arts, The Message and Our Bent World
- To Taste and See: Exploring Incarnation and the Ambiguities of Faith by Thomas W. Mann - teaches us how to uncover the spirituality in the familiar, to disclose the sacred in the ordinary - i.e. to taste and see. The author beams a revelatory light on the ordinary things - bathing the baby or visiting an elderly day-care centre - and makes them glow with significance.
- Willie and Dwike by William Zinsser - the inspiring story of Willie Ruff and Dwike Mitchell, two American jazz icons, who brought jazz to the attention of millions of people around the world.
- Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande - a classic from the 1930s that takes an elemental approach to writing, focussing on the whys and wherefores rather than on the tools of the trade.
- Mr God This is Anna by Fynn
Other books that helped me along the way:
- Arranging Techniques for Synthesists by Eric Turkel - with chapters on Understanding Form, Melody, Rhythm, Harmony, Strings, Acoustic Brass, Woodwinds, Small Horn Sections, Writing for the Rhythm Section, Vocal Arranging, Transcription Techniques. A book that serves both as a technical resource and an inspiration.
- Music in Sequence (and others in the same series) by William Lloyd and Paul Terry - a workbook featuring detailed projects, as well as general guidelines on how to interpret music using technology in a creative manner.
- Songwriting. A complete guide to the craft by Stephen Citron - particularly the sections on Melody, Harmony and Rhythm. The manuals for my keyboard and music software programmes - as I seek to make the best use of the resources available to me.
irene bom ~ songwriter © 2022