I know what you mean about literature. I was an English Lit. major who learned to write (somewhat) in school. Some authors are incredibly evocative.
I said that I cut my teeth on Plato and he changed my life. Well, he did. Now that I remember back to when I was a freshman, it was Prof. Johnston and our readings of Aldous Huxley essays that really got me interested in fine writing. I think most of those essays are out of print. I should look them up on ebay.