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The following literary works, references or authors have been mentioned or shown in the series to date. Please see their main articles for details; this page is primarily for listing.

Books and literature[]

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
By: Mark Twain
Lost References:

Tom Sawyer


After All These Years

After All These Years
See main article: After All These Years
By: Susan Isaacs
Lost References:
  • This book can be seen in the Swan station by Sawyer's bed as he is recovering from the injuries caused as a result of the raft incident (shown very briefly). ("What Kate Did")

See Also:
The Swan Bookshelf

Afterall


Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
See main article: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
By: Lewis Carroll
Lost References:

Alice


Animal Farm

Animal Farm
By: George Orwell
Lost References:
  • Leslie Arzt shouts "The pigs are walking! The pigs are walking!" a line from the book referring to what he sees as Kate and Jack being out of control and power hungry. ("Exposé")

AnimalFarm


Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret

Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret
See main article: Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret
By: Judy Blume
Lost References:
  • When Sun is approaching Sawyer, he is seen reading this book. He tells her the book is "Predictable. Not nearly enough sex." ("The Whole Truth")

See Also:
Sawyer's Books


Areyoutheregod


Bad Twin

Bad Twin
See main article: Bad Twin
By: Laurence Shames (Ghostwriting for metafictional character, Gary Troup)
Lost References:

See Also:
Sawyer's Books

Badtwin


Bluebeard

Bluebeard
By: Charles Perrault
Lost References:

Complete Fairy Tales


Book of Laws

Book of Laws
See main article: Richard's objects
By: Manu
Lost References:

See also:
Religion and ideologies

Book of Laws


Holy Bible, The

Holy Bible, The
See main article: Bible
By: Various
Lost References:

See also:
Books on Jack's shelf
Religion and ideologies


Bible


A Brief History of Time

Brief History of Time, A
See main article: A Brief History of Time
By: Stephen Hawking
Lost References:

See also:
Books on Ben's shelf


BriefHistoryTime


The Brothers Karamazov

Brothers Karamazov, The
See main article: The Brothers Karamazov
By: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Lost References:

See Also:
The Swan Bookshelf


The Brother Karamazov


Caravan of Dreams

Caravan of Dreams
By: Idries Shah
Lost References:

See also:
Books on Ben's shelf

Caravan of dreams


Carrie

Carrie
See main article: Carrie
By: Stephen King
Lost References:
  • The book that Juliet and the other members of the book club are reading. Juliet says it is her favorite book. ("A Tale of Two Cities")
  • A different edition of the book (not the same cover) is seen in Juliet's flashback, on Rachel's nightstand. ("Not in Portland") See the image here.
  • Ben reads Carrie in his library for the forthcoming book club discussion, and complains that he finds it depressing. ("One of Us") This is again a different edition, the paperback edition.
  • Emilie de Ravin played the character Chris Hargensen in the 2002 television remake of Carrie.
  • Minor characters include Principal Henry Grayle (possible connection to Henry Gale)and Restaurant Owner Hubert Kelly, who "Complained constantly that his electronic pacemaker was on the verge of electrocuting him."

Carriebook


Catch-22

Catch-22
See main article: Catch-22 (book)
By: Joseph Heller
Lost References:

Catch-22-cover


A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol
By: Charles Dickens
Lost References:

A Christmas Carol


The Chosen

The Chosen
By: Chaim Potok
Lost References:

See also:
Sawyer's Books


The Chosen


The Chronicles of Narnia

The Chronicles of Narnia
See main article: The Chronicles of Narnia
By: C.S. Lewis
Lost References:
  • Charlotte Staples Lewis is a reference to Clive Staples Lewis.
  • The DHARMA Initiative station, the Lamp Post, is a reference to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe where a lamp post marks the passage between Narnia and the real world.
  • Narnia is a hidden world where time passes faster than on Earth and where magic is common. The guardian of Narnia is Aslan, a lion who appears after death. Only certain people chosen can enter Narnia. The Island, Jacob, visions of dead people and the Losties are references to the books.

Narnia books


The Coalwood Way

The Coalwood Way
By: Homer Hickam
Lost References:
Coalwood


Dark Horse

Dark Horse
By: Tami Hoag
Lost References:

See also:
Books on Jack's shelf


Dark Horse


The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger

The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger
By: Stephen King
Lost References:
  • The first book of The Dark Tower series, The Gunslinger, has been said to be found on Ben's bedside desk while he is recovering from spinal surgery in his house ("The Man from Tallahassee")

The Gunslinger


The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three

The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
By: Stephen King
Lost References:
  • Charlie has strong similarities to character Eddie Dean. Both are addicted to heroin when introduced and are nearly caught while attempting to smuggle the drug on board an airplane. ("Pilot, Part 1")
  • Charlie and Eddie both have complicated and detrimental relationships with their respective older brothers. These relationships are direct influences to the development of their addictions. ("The Moth")
  • Both characters are forced to endure withdrawals in very similar beach settings and emerge as improved individuals who ultimately perish and reemerge in somewhat altered form. ("Through the Looking Glass, Part 1")

200px-The Drawing of the Three


The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands

The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands
By: Stephen King
Lost References:
  • The key used in this book is very similar to The Constant - an anchor existing in both realities that can cure madness caused by time travel ("The Constant")

The waste lands


The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah

The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
By: Stephen King
Lost References:
  • In this book, some of the characters are randomly sent to 1977 to meet Stephen King, the writer that created their quest in the first place and started them on their journey. This is similar to how the survivors find themselves in 1977 to witness and play a role in The Incident that brought them to the island originally. ("316")
  • Also in this book, the characters in 1977 consider investing in Microsoft in order to amass a large fortune, just like Sawyer did when he was about to leave the island. ("Follow the Leader")

Song of Susannah


Dirty Work

Dirty Work
See main article: Dirty Work
By: Stuart Woods
Lost References:

See also:
Books on Jack's shelf

The Swan Bookshelf

DirtyWork


The Epic of Gilgamesh

Epic of Gilgamesh, The
See main article: The Epic of Gilgamesh
By: Gilgamesh
Lost References:

GilgameshTablet


Everything That Rises Must Converge

Everything That Rises Must Converge
See main article: Everything That Rises Must Converge
By: Flannery O'Connor
Lost References:

ETRMC book cover


Evil Under the Sun

Evil Under the Sun
See main article: Evil Under the Sun
By: Agatha Christie
Lost References:
  • This is one of the novels that Sawyer reads on the Island. He is seen reading it when he is approached by Nikki in "Exposé."
  • Also a member of the mercenary team, Redfern shares a name with a central character from the novel Patrick Redfern.

See Also:
Sawyer's Books


Evil Under the sun


Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451
By: Ray Bradbury
Lost References:

See also:
Books on Ben's shelf


Farneheit 451


Fear and Trembling

Fear and Trembling
See main article: Fear and Trembling
By: Søren Kierkegaard
Lost References:

FearAndTrembling


Flowers For Algernon

Flowers For Algernon
By: Daniel Keyes
Lost References:

See also:
Books on Ben's shelf


FlowersForAlgernon


The Fountainhead

Fountainhead, The
By: Ayn Rand
Lost References:
  • Sawyer is seen reading this 1943 novel while noticeably missing Kate. The title is a reference to Rand's statement that "man's ego is the fountainhead of human progress". A character in the book is a con-man who is in love with a woman called "Katie." ("Par Avion")
    • As mentioned by Damon Lindelof in the Season 3 DVD, Special Feature "LOST Book Club", Sawyer is very similar to the novel's main character, Howard Roark. Both are rebels against the general culture of their society and prefer to be by themselves.

See Also:
Sawyer's Books


TheFountainhead


Grimm's Fairy Tales

Grimm's Fairy Tales
By: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Lost References:

See Also:
Sawyer's Books


Grimm's Fiary Tales


Harry Potter

Harry Potter
By: J.K. Rowling
Lost References:

See also:
Books on Jack's shelf


HarryPotter


Haroun and the Sea of Stories

Haroun and the Sea of Stories
By: Salmon Rushdie
Lost References:
Haroun


Heart of Darkness

Heart of Darkness
By: Joseph Conrad
Lost References:
  • Jack asks Kate "Tell me something, how come every time there's a hike into the 'heart of darkness' you sign up?" when Kate volunteers to go on the boar hunt with Locke. ("Walkabout")
  • Charlie tells Hurley, "One minute you're happy-go-lucky, good-time Hurley, and the next you're Colonel bloody Kurtz!" ("Numbers")
  • Sawyer also, refers to John as "Colonel Kurtz" ("Confirmed Dead")
    • Colonel Kurtz is a character in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now, which is loosely based on Heart of Darkness.
  • In the non-canonical Lost: Via Domus, a copy of Heart of Darkness can be found in a set of caves inhabited by polar bears. (Via Domus)

HeartofDarkness


High Hand

High Hand
By: Gary Phillips.
Lost References:

See Also:
The Swan Bookshelf

N73637


Holy Qur'an, The

Holy Qur'an, The
Lost References:
  • A copy of the Holy Qur'an is on the bookshelf in front of Ben's hidden room ("The Economist").

See also:
Books on Ben's shelf
Religion and ideologies


Quran


Hotel

Hotel
By: Arthur Hailey
Lost References:
  • A copy of Hotel is found on Ben's bookshelf. ("Through the Looking Glass, Part 1").
  • This story depicts a group of people who's lives are intertwined with a hotel. Each of these characters has a shady past and each person is currently dealing with these pasts and trying to redeem themselves in the present.

See also:
Books on Ben's shelf


HotelBook


I Ching

I Ching
By: written during the Han Dynasty
Lost References:

IChing


The Invention of Morel

The Invention of Morel
By: Adolfo Bioy Casares
Lost References:

See Also:
Sawyer's Books


The Invention of Morel


Ishmael

Ishmael
By: Daniel Quinn
Lost References:
  • Mikhail Bakunin said, he "saw an add in the paper to see if he wanted to save the world". ("Enter 77")
  • The Ishmael story begins with a newspaper ad: "Teacher seeks pupil, must have an earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person."

DanielQuinn Ishmael


Island

Island
By: Aldous Huxley
Lost References:
  • The Pala Ferry alludes to Pala, the fictional island of this novel's title. ("?")
  • In the beginning of the book, the main character is "lying there like a corpse in the dead leaves, his hair mattered, his face grotesquely smudged and bruised, his clothes in rags and muddy, Will Farnaby awoke with a start.", appearing to be the inspiration for the very beginning of LOST ("Pilot, Part 1").

IslandHuxley


Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar
By: William Shakespeare
Lost References:
  • Sawyer says to Locke, "You too, Brutus?" ("Two for the Road")
    • This is a reference to the famous quote, "Et tu, Brute?", which are Caesar's last words in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.
  • The character Caesar

See Also:
Sawyer's Books


JCaesar


Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park
By: Michael Crichton
Lost References:
  • The Monster's similarities with a dinosaur in relation to Jurassic Park is directly referenced by Nikki when she debunks Paulo's theory on the Monster by telling him "it's not Jurassic Park, Paulo." ("Exposé")

Jurassic Park


Kings of Love

Kings of Love: The Poetry and History of the Ni'Matullahi Sufi Order
See main article: Kings of Love
By: Nasrolla Pourjavady and P.L. Wilson (translators)
Lost References:

See also:
Books on Ben's shelf

Bookshelf


Lancelot

Lancelot
See main article: Lancelot
By: Walker Percy
Lost References:

See Also:
Sawyer's Books


Lancelot


Langoliers

Langoliers
By: Stephen King
Lost References:
  • Damon Lindelof has referenced this book as a source of influence in LOST.
  • The Langoliers depicts a group of strangers who are on a flight that travels into a time rip, into a new dimension.

The Langoliers


Laughter in the Dark

Laughter in the Dark
See main article: Laughter in the Dark
By: Vladimir Nabokov
Lost References:

Laughter


Left Behind

Left Behind
By: Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins
Lost References:

Leftbehindbook


The Little Prince

The Little Prince
See main article: The Little Prince (book)
By: Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Lost References:

Littleprince


Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies
See main article: Lord of the Flies
By: William Golding
Lost References:
  • This novel is mentioned by Sawyer. "Folks down on the beach might have been doctors and accountants a month ago, but it's 'Lord of the Flies' time, now." ("...In Translation")
  • Charlie mentions how the Tailies went "all 'Lord of the Flies'." ("What Kate Did")
  • Hurley encounters a fly-infested boar hanging from a tree whilst trekking through the jungle ("Numbers")
  • Wild Boar were present both in the book, and on the Island
  • The younger boys complained of a mysterious monster that traveled through the forest with ease.

See Also:
Sawyer's Books


LordOfTheFliesBookCover


Memoirs of a Geisha

Memoirs of a Geisha
See main article: Memoirs of a Geisha
By: Arthur Golden
Lost References:
  • Sun and Jin are in the airport having lunch when Sun spills coffee on Jin's lap. Sun tries to clean it up but Jin asks her not to and leaves to clean up in the bathroom. After he leaves, a couple is overheard commenting on Sun's actions comparing her to the main character of this book while assuming that she does not understand any English. ("Exodus, Part 1")
  • "Ji Yeon's" pronunciation similar to "Gion", the geisha district in the book. ("Ji Yeon")

Memoirs Of A Geisha


Moby Dick

Moby Dick
By: Herman Melville
Lost References:
  • On the raft, Michael suspects that Sawyer is on the raft because he has no reason to live, a form of honorable suicide. In Melville's Moby Dick Ishmael comments on how whaling is his substitute for the "pistol and ball," his suicide.
  • Sawyer chases a boar like Captain Ahab chases Moby Dick, both blaming the animals for the disgraces of their lives. ("Outlaws")

MobyDick


The Moon Pool

Moon Pool, The
By: A. Merritt
Lost References:
  • The Moon Pool of the Looking Glass DHARMA Initiative Station is a possible reference to this classic, pulp-scifi/fantasy novel concerning the strange adventures of the botanist Dr. Walter Goodwin on mysterious, otherworldly islands in the South Pacific (this character shares his name with the Other known as Goodwin, who was sent by Ben to join the tail section of survivors). ("Greatest Hits")
  • The characters of The Moon Pool cross through a portal to an underground city called Muria, a name which was obviously derived by the author from that of the fabled lost continent of Mu / Lemuria.
  • Features of this book include strange disappearances, an uncharted island in the Pacific, the remnants of a lost civilization, and a mysterious monster.

Themoonpoolcover


Mysteries of the Ancient Americas: The New World before Columbus

Mysteries of the Ancient Americas: The New World before Columbus
By: Robert Dolezal
Lost References:
Moaa


The Mysterious Island

Mysterious Island, The
See main article: The Mysterious Island
By: Jules Verne
Lost References:

Themysteriousisland


Notes from Underground

Notes from Underground
By: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Lost References:
  • Hurley finds a Cyrillic edition (Russian: Записки из подполья, Zapiski iz podpol'ya) in Ilana's stash after her death. ("Everybody Loves Hugo")

Notes From Underground


Oath, The

Oath, The
By: John Lescroart
Lost References:
  • Seen in Ben's tent in The Brig, when talking to Locke about how he's isn't ready to see all of the mysteries of the island until he kills his father.
Oath2


Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, An
See main article: Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
By: Ambrose Bierce
Lost References:
  • Locke is shown holding this book upside down, in the Swan, flipping through the pages as if he's trying to find loose papers between them. ("The Long Con")

See Also:
The Swan Bookshelf


An occurrence


The Odyssey

Odyssey, The
See main article: The Odyssey
By: Homer
Lost References:

Odyssey


Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men
See main article: Of Mice and Men
By: John Steinbeck
Lost References:

See Also:
Sawyer's Books


OMAM


On the Road

On the Road
By: Jack Kerouac
Lost References:
  • When Ben checks into the hotel in The Shape of Things to Come, he uses Dean Moriarty as a pseudonym. Moriarty is a principal character in Kerouac's famous work.

On the Road


On Writing

On Writing
By: Stephen King
Lost References:
  • The bunny theme in lost is an obvious reference to On Writing. In the nonfiction book, a writing exercise asks the reader to analyze an albino rabbit in a cage with the number 8 written on its back. A bunny with a number 8 on its back is seen in many episodes of Lost, along with other bunnies with either different or no numbers.

OnWriting


Our Mutual Friend

Our Mutual Friend
See main article: Our Mutual Friend
By: Charles Dickens
Lost References:

See Also:
The Swan Bookshelf


BOOK


O Pioneers!

O Pioneers!
By: Willa Cather
Lost References:
  • The two main characters in this novel are Alexandra, a strong, independent, and resourceful girl, and her eventual husband Karl, spelled "Carl" in the book.

Pioneers


The Outsiders

Outsiders, The
By: Susan E. Hinton
Lost References:
  • In the flashback scene in the van, Hurley's friend Johnny says to him, "Stay gold, Ponyboy." This is a quote from the Outsiders, which is itself a reference to the Robert Frost poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay". In the novel, Johnny Cade's last words are "Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold." ("Everybody Hates Hugo")

Theoutsiders


Pearl, The

Pearl, The
By: John Steinbeck
Lost References:

Thepearlbook


Rainbow Six

Rainbow Six
See main article: Rainbow Six
By: Tom Clancy
Lost References:

See Also:
The Swan Bookshelf


RainbowSix


Rick Romer's Vision Of Astrology

Rick Romer's Vision Of Astrology
See main article: Rick Romer's Vision Of Astrology
By: Rick Romer
Lost References:
RRVOA


Roots

Roots
By: Alex Haley
Lost References:
  • Seen on a bookshelf in Benjamin Linus' house. ("Dead Is Dead")

See also:
Books on Ben's shelf


Haley roots


A Separate Reality

A Separate Reality
See main article: A Separate Reality
By: Carlos Castaneda
Lost References:

A separate reality


The Shape of Things to Come

Shape of Things to Come, The
See main article: The Shape of Things to Come (novel)
By: H.G. Wells
Lost References:

Shapethingscomenovel


The Sheltering Sky

The Sheltering Sky
By: Paul Bowles
Lost References:

See also:
Books on Ben's shelf


TheShelteringSky


The Shining

The Shining
By: Stephen King
Lost References:
  • Minkowski mentions to Michael who was bouncing a tennis ball against a wall, about the scene in the film where the main charcter Jack bounced the balls against a wall before attempting to murder his family. The film was based on Stephen King's novel of the same title.

200px-Shiningnovel


Slaughterhouse-Five

Slaughterhouse-Five
See main article: Slaughterhouse-Five
By: Kurt Vonnegut
Lost References:
  • Desmond's experiences of becoming "unstuck in time" are similar to those experienced throughout the book by the protagonist Billy Pilgrim.
  • Both Desmond and Billy Pilgrim experience these in a military setting, and become shunned by their squadmates. One of Desmond's squadmates is called Billy in reference to the novel's protagonist.
  • During a gameshow heard in the background in Meet Kevin Johnson, the novel and its author are named in one of the questions.

Slaughterhouse


Stand, The

The Stand
See main article: The Stand
By: Stephen King
Lost References:
  • Producers say this is an influential book in Lost.

The Stand Cover gve


Stone Leopard, The

The Stone Leopard
By: Colin Forbes
Lost References:
Leopard


Stranger in a Strange Land

Stranger in a Strange Land
By: Robert Heinlein
Lost References:
  • This is the title of the ninth episode of Season Three, "Stranger in a Strange Land".
  • The title of the book is taken in turn from the Bible passage Exodus 2:22: "And she [Zippo'rah] bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land."
  • The science fiction novel tells the story of a human, Valentine Michael Smith, who is raised by Martians on Mars until his young adulthood, at which time he returns back to Earth. The plot revolves around Valentine's interaction with Earth culture.

SIASL


The Survivors of the Chancellor

The Survivors of the Chancellor
See main article: The Survivors of the Chancellor
By: Jules Verne
Lost References:
  • The book that Regina read, (upside down) before committing suicide.
  • Much like the freighter, crewman on the Chancellor die and commit suicide; there is also a threat of the boat exploding.

Title page of Le Chancellor


A Tale of Two Cities

Tale of Two Cities, A
See main article: A Tale of Two Cities (book)
By: Charles Dickens
Lost References:

Tale


The Third Policeman

Third Policeman, The
See main article: The Third Policeman
By: Flann O'Brien
Lost References:

See Also:
The Swan Bookshelf


Thethirdpoliceman


Through the Looking-Glass

Through the Looking-Glass
See main article: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
By: Lewis Carroll
Lost References:

Through the looking glass


To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird
See main article: To Kill a Mockingbird
By: Harper Lee
Lost References:

Mockingbirdfirst


The Turn of the Screw

Turn of the Screw, The
See main article: The Turn of the Screw
By: Henry James
Lost References:

See Also:
The Swan Bookshelf


Theturnofthescrew


Ulysses

Ulysses
By: James Joyce
Lost References:
  • Ben was seen reading this, while talking to Jack aboard Ajira Airways Flight 316. Ben sarcastically answered Jack's question of his ability to read by noting that it beats what Jack is doing, i.e. waiting for something to happen.("316")
  • The 18th (and last) episode of the book is named Penelope, who's Desmond's wife in the show.
  • "... or Julius Caesar not been knifed to death? They are not to be thought away. Time has branded {and} lodged (them) in the room of the infinite possibilities they have ousted. But can those have been possible seeing that they never were? Or was that only possible which came to pass? Weave, weaver of the wind" p. 25 {This passage speaks of the idea of what might have been (how minor events could have drastically altered history). Also, is Jacob this 'weaver' Joyce speaks of, as we see him weaving in the base of the statue.} "The Incident, Parts 1 and 2"

Ulysses


Uncle Tom's Cabin

Uncle Tom's Cabin
By: Harriet Beecher Stowe
Lost References:
  • Seen on a bookshelf in Benjamin Linus' house. ("Dead Is Dead")

See also:
Books on Ben's shelf


UncleTomsCabin


Valhalla Rising

Valhalla Rising
See main article: Valhalla Rising
By: Clive Cussler
Lost References:

See also:
Books on Jack's shelf

Books on Ben's shelf


180px-Valhalla Rising


VALIS

VALIS
See main article: VALIS
By: Philip K. Dick
Lost References:
  • Locke gives Ben this book to read while he is held captive in the Barracks. Ben claims that he has already read it, and Locke replies that he might have missed something the first time. ("Eggtown")
  • Ben is actually seen reading it in Barracks ("The Other Woman")

See also:
Books on Ben's shelf

The Swan Bookshelf


Valiscover


Watership Down

Watership Down
See main article: Watership Down
By: Richard Adams
Lost References:
  • Kate finds Sawyer sitting on the beach reading this book. Boone said that he was reading it while on vacation in Australia. According to Sawyer, the book had just washed ashore. ("Confidence Man")
  • Sawyer is again seen with the book while sitting on the beach. ("Left Behind")

See Also:
Sawyer's Books


Watershipdown


What Katy Did

What Katy Did
By: Susan Coolidge
Lost References:
  • A Victorian tale of a headstrong girl who has to raise her brothers and sisters and dreams of doing great things, including "leading a crusade on a white horse" (sequels are What Katy Did at School and What Katy Did Next). Referenced in the title of Season 2, episode 9, "What Kate Did," in which the reason for Kate's arrest is finally revealed and she sees a black horse on the island. Also referenced in in the title of Season 6, episode 3, "What Kate Does."

What Katy Did


The Wizard of Oz

Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The
See main article: The Wizard of Oz
By: L. Frank Baum
Lost References:
  • Dorothy Gale's Uncle Henry is assumed by many to be named Henry Gale, although his and Aunt Em's surname was never established in Baum's books. The Lost character Henry Gale came to the Island in a balloon (and Ben claimed he had done so when he was calling himself "Henry Gale"); the Wizard arrived in Oz in a balloon.
  • In "Flashes Before Your Eyes", Mrs. Hawking and Desmond observe someone in red shoes being crushed by falling debris, just as the Wicked Witch of the East met her demise when Dorothy arrived in Oz in the 1939 movie adaptation of Baum's book. In the book, the house fell on the witch, but the shoes she was wearing were made of silver.
  • The episode title "The Man Behind the Curtain" is a reference to a scene in the 1939 movie adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, in which the Wizard, manipulating the illusion of "the great and powerful Oz" from behind a red curtain, exclaims "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!" This episode features flashbacks of Ben, whom Locke accuses of being "the man behind the curtain" before their trek to Jacob's cabin in the jungle. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
  • In one episode, Sawyer calls Charlie "Munchkin". ("Tricia Tanaka Is Dead")
  • In the 1939 movie adaptation, one of the farmhands on the Gale farm is named Zeke. Sawyer calls Tom "Zeke" in one episode.
  • The title of the Season 4 finale, "There's No Place Like Home", is an iconic quote from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 1")

Wizardofoz


A Wrinkle in Time

Wrinkle in Time, A
See main article: A Wrinkle in Time
By: Madeleine L'Engle
Lost References:
  • This is one of the novels that Sawyer reads on the Island. He read the 1976 commemorative edition by Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers (cover art by Cliff Nielsen). ("Numbers")
  • Later, in Sawyer's flash sideways, this book is seen on his dresser in a pile with two other books. ("Recon")
  • Number 108 on the lighthouse wheel is Wallace, the one that Jacob hints as coming to the island.

See Also:
Sawyer's Books


Wrinkle1


Referenced authors[]

42[]

Hemingway, Ernest vs. Dostoevsky, Fyodor[]

  • Locke and Ben both mention him in comparison to Dostoevsky (who wrote The Brothers Karamazov, see above).
  • There are no real life references to Hemingway being jealous of Dostoevsky's work or feeling in his shadow. This may have been made up for the show for dramatic effect.

King, Stephen[]

  • Ben sarcastically tells Locke that he prefers King when given a copy of The Brothers Karamazov to read while in confinement.
  • Damon Lindelof has said that his novels (especially the Stand) have been a major influence on Lost. Numerous other ties exist, such as a mutual admiration between the writers.
  • The Others' book club is reading and discussing Carrie, which he wrote (see above). ("A Tale of Two Cities")
  • Damon Lindelof has also cited The Langoliers as a source of influence on the show. The Langoliers depicts a group of strangers who are on a flight that travel into a time rip, into a new dimension.
    • Much more detailed references between LOST and Stephen King can be found on the Stephen King page.

Li Bai[]

  • An early Tang Dynasty (618-907) poem by Chinese poet Li Bai, "Mt.Tianmu Ascended in Dreams" is seen as calligraphy in flashbacks of Jin and Sun's home.
  • See link for a complete English translation.
  • The content itself is surreal, being about a man who journeys far in a dream as though in a vivid parallel dimension, only to be abruptly awoken to the mundaneness and bitterness of reality. This is a paradox uncovering that dreams can be better at revealing the truth than reality.

Musset, Alfred de[]

  • Locke attempts to recreate his brief sighting of the blast door map on a page from a 1939 book of poems by Alfred de Musset, called Sur les Débuts de Mlles Rachel et Pauline (On the Beginnings of Miss Rachel and Miss Pauline).

Freud, Sigmund[]

  • In Chapter I of his book, Civilization and Its Discontents, Sigmund Freud discusses a letter he recieved from his friend, the French novelist and mystic Romain Rolland. In this letter, Rolland describes what he calls the "Oceanic" feeling - that is, a feeling of eternity, a deep and innate connection with all things, a "oneness" with the world. Rolland, a "man of faith," sees this "Oceanic" feeling as being the primal source of all religion, but itself independent of any particular religion. Freud, an atheist and avowed "man of science" disagrees. While he admits that many people may experience this "Oceanic" feeling, he locates its source not in some mystical feeling of connection, but in an infantile helplessness experienced when confronted with a hostile world and the subsequent longing for the protection and guidance of the father. For Freud, this "Oceanic" feeling is "sustained by fear of the superior power of Fate."

Roman Authors Quoted on the Blast Door Map[]

Similar Stories Not Specifically Mentioned in Lost[]

The Keep

The Keep
By: F. Paul Wilson
Lost References:
  • The Keep describes an ancient evil entity called Molasar. Molasar is trapped in a castle keep in the Transylvanian alps- but it is oddly built "backwards", as if to keep something in, not to keep invaders out.
  • Molasar turns out to be a powerful ancient sorcerer from the "First Age" of humans and has been trapped there for centuries.
  • Molasar is awakened, or loosened, by Nazi soldiers looting some magical silver cross-like seals that are embedded in the stone walls, which keep him trapped inside. But he can't completely escape yet without some help, and can only run around the keep as a black smoky mist (!) killing Nazi soldiers. The SS comes in to investigate, finds some ancient language written in blood on a wall, and calls in a linguistics professor "Cuza" to help figure it out. Molasar manipulates Professor Cuza- by restoring his crippled legs - into being his agent to facilitate his escape.
  • Molasar has an adversary from ancient times, Glaeken, whose job is to keep Molasar in this eternal(?) prison.
  • There is a reward of mortality involved, which may or may not end up being in Lost.
  • Incidentally, "The Keep" is the first novel in a series, and in book 4, "Reborn", Molasar returns with the use of a loophole, reincarnating himself by entering the body of a clone fetus in a US super-soldier fetal experimental program.
  • Then in book 6, "Nightworld", the results of him escaping are the release of all sort of flesh-eating demon-like monsters on the Earth, and ever-lengthening nighttime. All hell breaks loose, HP Lovecraft-style. Glaeken has to recruit a candidate/hero/champion for battle against Molasar.

Keep


Character Books[]

Books on Ben's shelf[]

Bookshelf

Familiar books on Ben's bookshelf.

The following books have been identified on Ben's bookshelf. ("Not in Portland")  ("The Man from Tallahassee")  ("The Economist") ("Eggtown")  ("The Other Woman")  ("Dead Is Dead")

The Holy Quran Kings of Love Valis The Sheltering Sky Caravan of Dreams
Farenheit 451 A Brief History in Time Roots Uncle Tom's Cabin Flowers For Algernon

  • The Holy Qur'ān: Text, Translation & Commentary
    by Abdullah Yusaf Ali
    ISBN of 1987 ed: 0940368323
    This fully indexed edition contains the full Arabic text of the Qur'ān, with an English translation and commentary by Abdullah Yusuf Ali (1872-1953). Ali's English translation of the Qur'ān is one of the two most widely read ones.
  • Fahrenheit 451
    by Ray Bradbury
    published by: HarperVoyager, August 2, 2004 (192 pages)
    ISBN: 0007181701
    (originally published 1953)

Books on Jack's shelf[]

Lost S3x01 12

Jack's Book Shelves.

These are the books seen on Jack's book shelves. ("A Tale of Two Cities")

Dark Horse Valhalla Rising Harry Potter The Holy Bible Dirty Work

  • West’s Business Law
  • Compton's Encyclopedia Vol. 23
  • Glencoe Clinical Procedures for Medical Assisting
  • Harrison's Platinum Edition
  • Information Systems Management in Practice--Barbara C. McNurlin, Ralph H. Sprague
  • Fire in the Mind: Faith and the Search for Order--George Johnson
  • Dark Horse--Tami Hoag
  • Parker's Astrology--Julia and Derek Parker
  • Pale Horse Coming--Stephen Hunter
  • Nighttime is My Time--Mary Higgins Clark
  • The Greatest Generation--Tom Brokaw
  • Coping with Job Loss: How Individuals, Organizations, and Communities Respond to Layoffs (Issues in Organization and Management Series)--Carrie R. Leana and Daniel C. Feldman
  • Skinny Dip--Carl Hiaasen
  • Redemption--Leon Uris
  • Two Dollar Bill--Stuart Woods
  • Domes of Fire--David Eddings
  • The Power of Beauty--Nancy Friday
  • Valhalla Rising--Clive Cussler
  • No Place Like Home--Mary Higgins Clark
  • Hearts in Atlantis--Stephen King
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban--J.K. Rowling
  • Fraser and Pare's Diagnosis of Diseases of the Chest (Vol.I, II, III, IV)
  • Eleventh Hour--Catherine Coulter
  • Easy Prey -- John Sandford
  • The Spirit of Christmas
  • The 12-Minute Total Body Workout--Joyce L. Vedral
  • McNally's Folly--Vincent Lardo
  • Astrological Patterns
  • Reader's Digest Condensed Book (titles illegible)
  • Holy Bible
  • Dirty Work--Stuart Woods
  • Chains of Command--William J. Caunitz (?)
  • Pulmonary Diseases and Disorders--Alfred P. Fishman
  • The Scottish Bride--Catherine Coulter
  • Scientific Genius--Dean Kenneth Simonton
  • A History of World Societies--John P. McKay, John Buckler, Bennett D. Hill, Patricia Buckley Ebrey
  • Encyclopedia Americana (Vol. ? I, II, 12, 13)
  • America: Land of Beauty and Splendor
  • The Bailey Chronicles--Catherine Cookson
  • Last Rights: Rescuing the End of Life from the Medical Establishment--Stephen Kiernan
  • Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia Vol. 1, 2, 14, 15,


NOTE: Many of the books on Jack's shelves are not LOST related. Bolded books are on Literary works list.

Sawyer's books[]

Lancelot Sawyer

Lancelot one of Sawyer's many books.

Despite his "redneck" personality, Sawyer is an avid reader. His books are read, referenced or seen in several episodes:

Watership Down Lord of The Flies Wrinkle in Time Lancelot Are You There God? Julius Caesar
Bad Twin Of Mice and Men The Fountainhead Evil Under the Sun The Invention of Morel The Chosen

The Swan Bookshelf[]

Valis

The Swan Bookshelf

The Swan's bookshelves contained a number of titles, including:

After All These Years Dirty Work High Hand An Occurance at Owl Creek Bridge Our Mutual Friend
Rainbow Six The Brothers Karamazov The Third Policeman Turn of the Screw Valis

See also[]


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