Not really a book per se, but Shakespeare's writings had a profound effect on me when I was younger. The idea that the English language could be used to such mi

Not really a book per se, but Shakespeare's writings had a profound effect on me when I was younger. The idea that the English language could be used to such mind-blowingly-brilliant effect is something I've never forgotten. In many ways, I still believe virtually everything we read and write in Western literature and entertainment is likely just stealing something Shakespeare wrote much more profoundly centuries ago.