My dad suggested I pick up a book called Spoon River Anthology when I started geeking to him about LOST.
The “small world” mindset that LOST occaisionally portrays (think six degrees of separation, but maybe only two) is one of the aspects of the show I like the most.
What’s so special about Spoon River Anthology? Aside from being in a completely unique form (each character consists of a roughly one page free form poem) it was written in 1915.
From Wikipedia:
Each poem is an epitaph of a dead citizen, delivered by the dead themselves. They speak about the sorts of things one might expect. Some recite their histories and turning points, others make observations of life from the outside, and petty ones complain of the treatment of their graves, while few tell how they really died. Speaking without reason to lie or fear of the consequences, they construct a picture of life in their town that’s shorn of all facades. The interplay of various villagers — e.g. a bright and successful man crediting his parents for all he’s accomplished, and an old woman weeping because he is secretly her illegitimate child — forms a gripping, if not pretty, whole.
Very awesome book, and an obvious inspiration for LOST.
even though I can’t even hope to grasp any LOST references (as much as you might wish otherwise) I think the book sounds fascinating. There is something gripping and raw about what’s revealed in epitaphs… and though it may seem morose… I would definitely read it. And who knows, if I ever watch Lost (cue dramatic music) I might actually see some connection