What makes a city so unique that it makes such an impact that triggers the imagination of a writer? Is it the people who live there, breathtaking architecture that defies centuries, or the cultural mixture that shows all the colors of the world pinned at one geographic point?
Let’s take a look at how some of the most renowned literature authors shared their impressions about places they lived in or visited during the course of their lives.
Dublin – Ireland
Irish writer James Joyce went above and beyond to narrate a day in Dublin through a series of spontaneous encounters and appointments of Leopold Bloom. The writer is deeply and intimately connected with the Irish capital, walking us through different parts of the city and their influence on average Irishman’s thoughts, emotions, and reactions.
Although the novel itself is rather difficult to absorb, it’s one of the best ways to get a firsthand view of the Dublin town, its history, and how common citizens experience it.
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Tiverton – England
The classic coming-of-age novel by J.D. Salinger, although set in New York, was inspired by a small town of Tiverton in England, where the young writer spent several months during his service in the US army. Salinger was deeply impressed by the landscape and even more by the people who lived there.
The ease of living and the sincerity of Tiverton’s inhabitants changed the way Salinger perceived the characters of the novel that college students are still gladly reaching for in their literary essays. If you want to know more about this novel you can find what to read about it at Eduzaurus. There are tons of inspirational topics there regarding “The catcher in the Rye” that you might use.
Visegrad – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Serbian literature Nobel prize winner, Ivo Andric, made an exemplary testimony about a small place in nowadays Bosnia where people of different religious creeds live their lives together, share the same history, and same troubles. “The Bridge on the Drina” tells a story about people of Visegrad through a unique narrative that displays the everyday life in a multicultural area under Ottoman rule.
The Town of Visegrad lies on the bank of Drina river, and still holds the same charm that captivates the ones who come to visit as well as those who call it their home.
Paris – France
Ernest Hemingway spent several years in Paris working as a foreign correspondent for “Toronto Star”, which gave him enough time to learn as much as he could about the life in Paris during the early days of the 1920s sexual revolution. Through his novel “The Sun also rises” Hemingway used a love triangle as an allegory for social differences between Parisians and the rest of the world of that time. If you wish to know why, even today, Paris keeps a special place in the hearts and minds of people looking for enlightenment and liberation, take some time to read this literary masterpiece.
Walden Pond – USA
Henry David Thoreau was an American writer who did his best to bring Walden Pond lake close to everyone in the world. Through his novel, “Walden” Thoreau beautifully depicted what life is really about and, at the same time, showed us all the wonders of this mesmerizing work of nature.
The author spent 2 years, 2 months, and 2 days at a little hunting lodge in his search for spiritual illumination, living of the bountiful nature of this Massachusetts reservation. The simplicity of life described in “Walden” is sure to make you pack your bags and visit the Walden Pond first chance you get.
Rome – Italy
Dan Brown’s novel “Angels and Demons” is one of the best mystery-thrillers published in the last 20 years, and one of the best literary illustrations of Rome. Through the adventures of Professor Robert Langdon, we get the chance to learn about the history and architecture of the eternal city in such depth and detail that once you visit Rome after reading this book you get a feeling you’ve already been there.
Rome has been an inspiration for countless novelists and poets, however, it’s only through Brown’s authentic description that we can truly embrace the wonders of Italy’s capital city in all their glory.
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London – England
“A novel of London” is one of the masterpieces of European modernism, created by Serbian illustrious writer, Milos Crnjanski. He was a Serbian writer and diplomat who spent time in London as an emissary of his country and that’s when he was inspired to write a novel about a couple of Russian immigrants searching for their piece of heaven under the London sky.
The author impeccably describes England’s capital city, its architecture, subways, as well as suburbs and the life of common people, far from the splendor of London’s main tourist attractions. It also shows all the differences between life in post-revolution Soviet Russia and the liberal ways of early 20th century England.
Conclusion
History, architecture, and people are what makes a geographic location inspiration for the artists. Throughout the world and time, writers, musicians, painters, and other artisans sought and found inspiration in cities, mountains, and lakes. We hope you liked our list and that it inspired you to read and travel.
Author Bio:
Judy Nelson is a freelance content writer engaged with several online publishers and content writing services. Her work is based on deep research and authentic information. As a writer, Judy tends to bring inspirational stories that raise interest and inform the readers.