"An author's mission is to transform good coffee into great literature."
  - Norman diPenna
About Norman diPenna

Hi I'm Norman diPenna, a writer currently living in Central Texas.

My interests include physics, metaphysics, existentialism, philosophy, history, spirituality, and the dynamics of personal relations. I seek to write fiction which is based on these themes. I also seek to write fiction which might have a greater inherent value beyond its plot line and its characters. ( Whether I actually succeed in this goal is a matter of judgement ! )

My writing has been influenced from numerous sources, some traditional some not. Perhaps the best way to gauge those influences is to list the works from my bookshelf which I find myself returning to again and again. So, in no particular order, my favorite reads are :

Fiction

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Probably the most well written novel in the modern 
English
 language. Written in seemingly effortless, soaring prose.

Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow
A novel which captures the flavor of a unique time in American history, a historic turning point as reflected by the interweaving story lines of its various characters.

The Thorn Birds by Collen McCoullogh
A sweeping saga of dreams and vanity set in the Australian outback.

Jean de Florette and Manon of the Springs by Marcel Pugnol
Pugnot's magnificent tragedy, set in the unassuming countryside of Provence.

Papillon by Henri Charriere
A great story of determination. Turns out it's actually an autobiography !

Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King
See, it is possible for Stephen King to write a good book that does not include haunted cars, or pets rising from the grave !

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
A modern day Don Quixote, but more lush and bittersweet.

Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak
For me the greatest product of Russian literature. Great story and theme, unforgettable characters, and rich poetic prose. Wow !

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Yes, I'm a sucker for it. It's a great story. 

The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
Everyone knows LOTR, but I think that Tolkien is still under appreciated as a writer. It took tremendous imagination to envision such a place as Middle Earth !

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Wow, what a gut-level story. Keep the Kleenex handy !


Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
To Tralfamadore !   Poo-tee-weet !

Dis-honorable mention:    Ulysses by James Joyce
What is this non-sense?  I've tried. Seriously, I've tried.  But anyone who claims that this is decent literature should be shot !



Non-Fiction

The Book of Cities by Philip Dodd and Ben Donald
One page descriptions of the world's major cities, done in a way which captures the essence of each one. A miniature vacation on each page.

Caesar and Christ by Will Durant
Of all Durant's works this one captures the history of perhaps the greatest inflection point in human civilization. Spectacular reading.

Soldiers and Ghosts by J.E. Lendon
An analysis of warfare up to the Middle Ages, covering those centuries when warfare was a very personal matter indeed.

With Arrow, Sword and Spear by A.S. Bradford
Similar to Soldiers and Ghosts, but focusing more on Greco-Roman warfare techniques.

Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis
A hilarious account of the Eighties on good ol' Wall Street.

The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work by Alain de Botton
Exceptional writing, which turns the mundane into the magnificent.

The Origin of Consciousness and the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes
Interesting theory about the birth of the modern human brain. Heady stuff !   :-)

The First Three Minutes by Dr. Steven Weinberg
Ever wonder what happened right after the Big Bang? This book will tell you.

The Dancing Wu Li Masters by Gary Zukav
Long before there was Brian Greene or Neil DeGrasse Tyson, there was Gary Zukav. Still a good read even though physics has moved on to strings, and parallel universes, and what ever else will come.

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