when i think of inspiration, i think of poetry and music. julien baker, noah, medium build, andrea gibson, buddy wakefield, mary oliver, ee cummings. people who know the pain of the world and still fight to believe in its goodness. the goodness of each other. thanks for this post and for starting the conversation
You mentioned some great names! And that’s a beautiful point about understanding pain and yet fighting to see goodness in the midst of it. Thanks for sharing Ryan.
So much common ground... I found my daughter curled up on our sofa this week reading my dog-eared copy of “Blue Like Jazz” - the one with the yellowed pages and split spine...I wonder what she’ll make of it? She’s just finished her first year at the University of Edinburgh studying theology and we have the best conversations these days...
One of my closest friend’s wives used to work for the UK publishing house that distributed a book by some, then largely unheard of over this side of the pond, author who released a book back in 2005 called “Velvet Elvis”. That book had a massive impact on me and, as a new Dad at the time, I loved the idea of a belief system being like the springs of a trampoline rather than handing down some inherited version of faith made of bricks that could crumble if certain building blocks were removed through persuasive discourse in later life. I wondered how to gift that, how to impart that, how to live that... I don’t particularly follow the cult of Christian celebrity and all the cancel culture wars. I am, however, grateful for Rob Bell’s voice in amidst a broad range of thinkers, creatives, communicators and idea generators.
Bono’s “Surrender” was a bit of a homecoming for me in many ways last year. The urgency of the early U2 records I bought from age 11 onwards has never left me. Bono shaped my thinking in adolescence and ever since. He seemed unashamed of his faith, but it seemed more living and active and real than a lot of other expressions I saw in those formative teenage years (and regularly since then too). Reading and listening to him in his memoir rekindled something of that too - almost like a version of truth I could chime with and want to engage fully with. It can be so easy to want to distance myself from some versions of what people perceive by the word “Christian”. (Brian McClaren’s “Should I Stay Christian?” was a helpful read about a lot of that last year as was “Woven” by Joel McKerrow in recent years). “Surrender” is a theme I hadn’t really noticed woven so fully through U2’s catalogue and it is a word I came to really ponder in many areas of my own life.
Nick Cave’s “Faith, Hope, Carnage” was a stand-out read too. Such brutal honesty, vulnerability and fresh ideas and expression.
Thank you for all of this! I loved every word. That’s so cool about your daughter reading Blue Like Jazz. I still need to read the Nick Cave book. Promise I will. And I’ll see you in Vegas!
You are the first person that I have heard say they like East of Eden. I like it too. I am about to start The Midnight Library and U2 is just the best. Joshua Tree was played on repeat while I was in college.
I am the only person in the world who hasn’t read The Midnight Library. I promise to fix that soon. And I may have to read East of Eden again at some point.
I read “Reasons to Stay Alive” after you first recommended it. It’s so good. I reread it along with “If You Feel Too Much” at least once a year. Both are so good.
What a great, thoughtful question from Casse and answer from you! I thoroughly enjoyed this, and thank you for sharing! We share many of the same inspirations in music, books, and people!
As cheesy as this may sound, you’ve inspired me since I first heard about TWLOHA in 2007 while I was at Warped Tour. I wrote so many reports and school newspaper articles when I was younger on TWLOHA because the work you started, and the organization continues to do, saved my life. It was the first time I had heard about mental health and that the struggles I was facing not only had a name to it, but other people felt it too -- I wasn’t alone. It led me to do a few years of volunteer work for Crisis Text Line. I’ve wanted to say thank you for a long time, and the subject of inspiration seems like a fitting moment. Your book “If You Feel Too Much” is a yearly reread for me, and revisiting those amazing words you’ve put to paper always brings light and inspiration to my life.
I love The Road too! One of my favorite books of all time. So many people think it’s super bleak and depressing. I mean, it kind of is, but it’s also all about keeping hope. Thanks for sharing all your “inspo” 😉
I heard Noah's "Swim" last night for the first time and had it on repeat for a long time, and multiple listens today as well. It hit me at just the right time. Thanks for sharing this list, I definitely see a few things I need to check out.
when i think of inspiration, i think of poetry and music. julien baker, noah, medium build, andrea gibson, buddy wakefield, mary oliver, ee cummings. people who know the pain of the world and still fight to believe in its goodness. the goodness of each other. thanks for this post and for starting the conversation
You mentioned some great names! And that’s a beautiful point about understanding pain and yet fighting to see goodness in the midst of it. Thanks for sharing Ryan.
So much common ground... I found my daughter curled up on our sofa this week reading my dog-eared copy of “Blue Like Jazz” - the one with the yellowed pages and split spine...I wonder what she’ll make of it? She’s just finished her first year at the University of Edinburgh studying theology and we have the best conversations these days...
One of my closest friend’s wives used to work for the UK publishing house that distributed a book by some, then largely unheard of over this side of the pond, author who released a book back in 2005 called “Velvet Elvis”. That book had a massive impact on me and, as a new Dad at the time, I loved the idea of a belief system being like the springs of a trampoline rather than handing down some inherited version of faith made of bricks that could crumble if certain building blocks were removed through persuasive discourse in later life. I wondered how to gift that, how to impart that, how to live that... I don’t particularly follow the cult of Christian celebrity and all the cancel culture wars. I am, however, grateful for Rob Bell’s voice in amidst a broad range of thinkers, creatives, communicators and idea generators.
Bono’s “Surrender” was a bit of a homecoming for me in many ways last year. The urgency of the early U2 records I bought from age 11 onwards has never left me. Bono shaped my thinking in adolescence and ever since. He seemed unashamed of his faith, but it seemed more living and active and real than a lot of other expressions I saw in those formative teenage years (and regularly since then too). Reading and listening to him in his memoir rekindled something of that too - almost like a version of truth I could chime with and want to engage fully with. It can be so easy to want to distance myself from some versions of what people perceive by the word “Christian”. (Brian McClaren’s “Should I Stay Christian?” was a helpful read about a lot of that last year as was “Woven” by Joel McKerrow in recent years). “Surrender” is a theme I hadn’t really noticed woven so fully through U2’s catalogue and it is a word I came to really ponder in many areas of my own life.
Nick Cave’s “Faith, Hope, Carnage” was a stand-out read too. Such brutal honesty, vulnerability and fresh ideas and expression.
B. 🏴
Thank you for all of this! I loved every word. That’s so cool about your daughter reading Blue Like Jazz. I still need to read the Nick Cave book. Promise I will. And I’ll see you in Vegas!
You are the first person that I have heard say they like East of Eden. I like it too. I am about to start The Midnight Library and U2 is just the best. Joshua Tree was played on repeat while I was in college.
I am the only person in the world who hasn’t read The Midnight Library. I promise to fix that soon. And I may have to read East of Eden again at some point.
I read “Reasons to Stay Alive” after you first recommended it. It’s so good. I reread it along with “If You Feel Too Much” at least once a year. Both are so good.
Thanks Samantha! I’m honored to be in that company.
What a great, thoughtful question from Casse and answer from you! I thoroughly enjoyed this, and thank you for sharing! We share many of the same inspirations in music, books, and people!
As cheesy as this may sound, you’ve inspired me since I first heard about TWLOHA in 2007 while I was at Warped Tour. I wrote so many reports and school newspaper articles when I was younger on TWLOHA because the work you started, and the organization continues to do, saved my life. It was the first time I had heard about mental health and that the struggles I was facing not only had a name to it, but other people felt it too -- I wasn’t alone. It led me to do a few years of volunteer work for Crisis Text Line. I’ve wanted to say thank you for a long time, and the subject of inspiration seems like a fitting moment. Your book “If You Feel Too Much” is a yearly reread for me, and revisiting those amazing words you’ve put to paper always brings light and inspiration to my life.
Not cheesy at all. Means a lot. Thanks Breanna, for years of support and for being here today.
I love The Road too! One of my favorite books of all time. So many people think it’s super bleak and depressing. I mean, it kind of is, but it’s also all about keeping hope. Thanks for sharing all your “inspo” 😉
Carry the fire!
I heard Noah's "Swim" last night for the first time and had it on repeat for a long time, and multiple listens today as well. It hit me at just the right time. Thanks for sharing this list, I definitely see a few things I need to check out.
You’re so welcome. Thanks for reading and thanks for being here!