How To Write A Story

 I'd give a pretty penny to be able to write a good story!  When I try to do so the effort is inevitably a disaster. I just don't have the tools. My vocabulary is no more than average, my literateracy in the  English language isn't good, and my ability to concentrate is exceptionally poor. These are definitely not the attributes of a good writer.

Years ago, when I first noticed my shortcomings, I became a reader. This was over sixty years ago and that's when I discovered good books. Since then I suppose I've forgotten hundreds of them, but I do remember a few that I thought were outstanding. The titles support my eclectic range far and wide as my curiosity did not focus well. It's a slow day and I have the time to reflect on a few titles that I thought were something special:

Good Novels The Last Angry Man. Gerald Green. 
Seven Pillars of Wisdom. T.E. Lawrence
The Troubled Man. Henning Mankell Ian Rankin

Any stories by 
Louis L'Amour / Douglas Reeman / Alexander Kent / Alistar McClean / C.S. Forester

The Man That Would Be King. Kipling. Masonic.

History
The Downing Street Years. Margaret Thatcher
Surrender Is Not An Option. John Bolton
Slouching Toward Gomorrah. Robert Bork

Travel
Lin and Larry Pardee. Any book they have written.
The Mosquito Coast. The Iron Rooster. Paul Theroux
Tankers Full of Trouble. Eric Nakell

more when I have time...