Guest Post: 10 Books that Inspired Rachel Caine’s Ink and Bone

But from the earliest handwritten, illuminated manuscripts, to today’s incredible technology that puts words on a sleek screen and a library at our fingertips, people who love books have always really loved them. How else can you explain the survival of the most ancient written words, against all odds, still time-traveling to us through the ages? Someone loved those works. Someone preserved them during fires, floods, and wars—choosing books over other things, equally valuable to them. To quote Desiderius Erasmus: “When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes.” Book lovers are committed.
In Ink and Bone, the legendary Great Library of Alexandria never burned, and triggered the preservation of millions of now-lost works…which in this reality has led to complications, and a dangerous kind of utopia. So what kind of books influenced me to create that strange new, yet also ancient, world?

Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
At its core, this towering classic of science fiction is a tale of the very basic need of people to tell stories—to preserve knowledge and pass it on, and how difficult it is to truly destroy that impulse. Bradbury’s famously said the book wasn’t about censorship, but it definitely is about books: the love of them, the loss of them, and the lengths people will go to save them or destroy them.

The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank
The writings of a little girl lost in the chaos of war and horror reaches out to us over the years, not just because of the drama of her situation, or the pathos of her terrible fate, but because in reading Anne’s words, we see ourselves in the familiar emotions and concerns of her days. Anne’s journal is a surviving miracle in paper and ink, and it symbolizes how powerful a book can be—so powerful it carries its own kind of immortality.

Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke
A fantasy story that talks about the power of the written word, and the necessity of dreams? YES PLEASE! A book craftsman dad? Even better! I loved reading this book, and it had exhilarating things to say about stories and storytellers. Just wonderful, and utterly engrossing.

Books: A Memoir, by Larry McMurtry
Lots of reasons to read this autobiography, in which Pulitzer Prize winner McMurtry talks about how books shaped and defined his life…plus, his passion project, All Booked Up (now called Booked Up), a multi-store bookstore that took over and revitalized the main street of his hometown of Archer City, Texas, is just about 100 miles from my front door, and one of my favorite places to visit. It’s a book-lovers’ paradise! Check it out.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J.K. Rowling
Who can forget Tom Riddle’s diary, a book in which he hid a part of himself, as a way to survive his own destruction? Seeing the young Tom Riddle as a child through the eyes of the diary is a little haunting, and of course, Harry Potter is full of wonderful book-related imagery that I love (Marauder’s Map, anyone?). Who am I kidding? Read the whole series. Of course.

Lost Libraries: The Destruction of Great Book Collections Since Antiquity, edited by James Raven
A collection of essays on the history of the many, many great collections and books we’ve lost through the ages, and continue to lose in modern days. A must-read for anyone who wants to learn about the erosion of human knowledge.

The History of the Book in 100 Books: The Complete Story, from Egypt to e-book, by Roderick Cave and Sara Ayad
This extremely interesting volume shows us the history of the written word through the journey of 100 of the surviving books that have influenced and informed culture around the world. A brilliant and insightful way to look not only at the evolution and spread of knowledge, but the development of technology to distribute it at the same time.

This Book is Overdue! by Marilyn Johnson
A delightful read about the role of librarians in modern life—not just inside the buildings, but outside, as a force to protect information and encourage the continuous involvement of communities. If you want to see librarians as crusaders for truth and justice, here’s your book!

The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, and a boy charged with rescuing one of those long-forgotten books, protecting it, and making sure it’s never forgotten again. Pure, heartbreaking magic. Recently rereleased, it’s worth every minute of the read.

The Complete Book of Bookbinding, by Josep Cambras
A book about making books? SOLD. This text will show you in amazing detail how books are constructed, and have been constructed for centuries. Written by a professor of bookbinding at Escola d’Arts i Oficis in Barcelona (a school I’d love to attend!), it takes you through the beautiful work that goes into every book on your shelf today.
I could go on and on. Clearly, the magical world of books has many great tourist destinations. I hope you’ll share your own picks, because if there’s one thing that book people love more than books themselves, it’s discussing them, and sharing with friends.
What else can you do? Visit your libraries—regardless of what “common wisdom” tells you, they’re still vital, alive, and buzzing with energy in your community. Support bookstores. And if you’re someone who loves ebooks, I love those too. There’s a special joy in keeping the modern equivalent of the Great Library in your pocket. No matter how you like to get your reading fix, remember the most important thing of all… Read on!
Rachel Caine is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 45 novels to date, and many short stories, including fantasy, urban fantasy, science fiction, young adult fiction, mystery, thriller, and horror.