personal canon

inspired by this piece on substack, a collection of works that have influenced my art and perspective. last updated july 3, 2025.

writing

• Speak (1999) by Laurie Halse Anderson
• In the Dream House (2019) by Carmen Maria Machado
• "The Death of the Author" (1968) by Roland Barthes, translated by Stephen Heath for Image, Music, Text (1977)
• "What Is an Author?" (1969) by Michel Foucault, translated by Donald F. Bouchard & Sherry Simon for Language, Counter-memory, Practice (1977)
• Emergent Strategy : Shaping Change, Changing Worlds (2017) by adrienne maree brown
• Parable of the Sower (1993) by Octavia E. Butler
• Mrs. Dalloway (1925) by Virginia Woolf
• The Great Gatsby (1925) by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Macbeth (1623) by William Shakespeare
• The Chaos Walking trilogy (2008-2010) by Patrick Ness
• The Chasing Vermeer series (2004-2008) by Blue Balliett
• The Secret Series (2007-2011) by Psuedonymous Bosch
• From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1967) by E. L. Konigsburg
• The Amelia's Notebook series (1995-2015) by Marissa Moss

movies

• NOPE (2022), directed by Jordan Peele
• The Saw series (2004-2023)
• The Thing (1982), directed by John Carpenter
• Alien (1979), directed by Ridley Scott
• The Matrix (1999), directed by the Wachowski Sisters
• Quest for Camelot (1998), directed by Frederik Du Chau

tv shows

• Twin Peaks, including the original series (1990-1991), Fire Walk With Me (1992), and The Return (2017)
• Breaking Bad (2008-2013) and Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
• Riverdale (2017-2023)
• Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2011) and Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion (2013)
• New Girl (2011-2018)

music

• The complete works of Taylor Swift (2006-current)
• Badlands (2015) and If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power (2021) by Halsey
• Pure Heroine (2013) and Melodrama (2017) by Lorde
• Dance Fever (2022) by Florence & the Machine
• Guts (2024) by Olivia Rodrigo
• The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023) by Chappell Roan
• Dirty Computer (2018) by Janelle Monáe
• Electra Heart (2012) by Marina & the Diamonds
• Hot Fuss (2004), Sam's Town (2006), Day & Age (2008), and Battle Born (2012) by The Killers
• Everything in Transit (2005), The Glass Passenger (2008), and People and Things (2011) by Jack's Mannequin
• Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness (2014), Zombies on Broadway (2017), and Upside Down Flowers (2018) by Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness

video games

• Undertale (2015)
• Deltarune (2018-current)
• Disco Elysium (2019)
• Stardew Valley (2016)