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)