The first inspirational credit in this section goes to Jon Winter, whose own inspiration page inspired me to produce a contrasting list of things that have helped me out.

Books:

As with Jon's list, none of these books are anything explicitly AD&D related. (I can hear large numbers of my readers cheering!) All however have proved useful and interesting.

Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels, and the accompanying Discworld Mappes and Discworld Companion written with Stephen Briggs, have made me laugh, think and occasionally stay up until 4 AM. Of particular interest to Planescape fans should be Small Gods and Hogfather which tackle the business about gods and faith, and Reaper Man which features the enigmatic Azrael, as well as Eric, in which Hell is visited.

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman is a fascinating and hilarious commentary on (nearly) the end of the world, in which it is discovered that not even the Omen Child is really evil, but that humans can be more good than angels and more evil than demons.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, a truly Planescapesque experience, set in what can best be described as a demi-plane. The TV series was awesome, and if you can get a video of it, do. More rat, Mr. Vandemar?

Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, by Douglas R. Hofstadter. This book discusses scientific and philosophical questions of considerable depth in a manner that is accessible and engaging. Although it was only published in 1980, it's hard to get hold of and I had to get it from my college library.

M. C. Escher: Works of Art is a delightful pocket-sized book of some of the better-known pieces by Maurits Cornelius Escher. If you're not familiar with them, why not?

An Encyclopedia of Myth and Legend comes in six instalments so far, of which I have collected five. They are excellent (Jon recommends one, although I forget which, on his page) and I was lucky enough to get mine very cheaply.

Of course, no list of Planescape inspirations would be complete without The Comedy of Dante Alighieri the Florentine, better known as the Divine Comedy. Canticle I, Hell, provides the plans for AD&D's Baator, and Canticles II and III, Purgatory and Paradise, inspired some of the content of Mt. Celestia.

Music:

I have always liked classical music, and this list reflects that.

Carmina Burana by Carl Orff. You probably all know O Fortuna, but the rest of this work is also well worth a listen too. For Planescapers, consider In Taberna Quando Sumus for the Children of the Vine, O Fortuna and Plango Vulnera Fortuna for any majestic event, Ecce Gratum, Estuans Interius and Veni, Veni, Venias for Arborea, and anything from the 'Court of Love' section for Elysium.

The Peer Gynt suite by Grieg is packed with Nordic flavour and contains a number of well-known tunes.

Modeste Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition is one of my favourite pieces of music, and includes a section about a gnome. The Great Gate of Kiev is thoroughly inspiring.

Faust By Gounod is a very great opera, and good if you like baatezu.

Handel's Semele involves a lot of Greek Mythos, and is deeply fascinating.

Try a good requiem for the Dustmen. Mozart's Requiem is especially beautiful and moving.

I'll be adding some more as soon as I think of it.