The Shrine Shelf - Which books are on yours?

[Carlita]

I can't make up my mind on the music. It would have to be Bach's Violin Concertos - Itzhak Perlman or The Beatles: The Original Studio Recordings. Can't decide because they both make me so happy.

[John]

Caroline wrote: "I'd actually logged in earlier to post my choices and then I found you lot planning on pilfering each other's books and setting up an Am Dram society and now there seems to be a break-out group intent on setting off by raft."

It was beginning to feel a little Lord of the Flies there for a while, wasn't it? :)

Marvellous booklist, by the way. A Very Easy Death was on my shortlist; I just love Simone de Beauvoir. In every way the better half of Sartre. And Medicus!

[Karen]

I realized I can't do this. It's an intriguing concept, but when I really look at the books I've loved and love, almost all of them are a series (mysteries, m/m, paranormal, fantasy), often a flawed series. I guess my single Josh book would be CUTYS, but I'd really miss The Dickens With Love and several others. I would make myself crazy (crazier) trying to decide which book in each series to pick, even if I have a favorite. It would feel like Sophie's Choice (and I still hate that movie).

The only thing I could definitely say would be no Bible — I assume those who want one get a choice of their preferred version — and yes, Shakespeare, plays and sonnets.

Anyway it was interesting to contemplate, and inspired me to create a new GR bookshelf called "past-life bibles." I got to search for the yellowed paperback versions of my beloved and very questionable choices and try to find matching editions on GR. (Ah, the things I do when I'm procrastinating an evil professional development requirement!)

[Darkm]

Love this idea :)
My choice would be:

1. "The Little Prince" Antoine de Saint Exupery
2. "Master and Margarita" Bulgakov
3. "Ossi di seppia" Montale
4. "The last watch of the Night" Monette
5. "Orlando" Virginia Wolf
6. "1984" Orwell
7. "Hamlet" Shakespeare
8. "Dark Soul" Voinov
9. "The Prophet" Gibran
10. "De Profundis" Oscar Wilde
11."Truth in the dark" Amy Lane
12. "Static" L.A. Witt

My spiritual book is probably going to be The little Prince, but also, strange as it may sound, The Last Watch of the NIght.

John wrote: "I was thinking: given where we're having this discussion, we should be allowed to select one of Josh's books as granted right along with the Bible and the Complete Works of Shakespeare. This point..."

I agree.
Here I am at loss between The Dark Tide, Death of a Pirate King and Come unto these yellow sands.
I loved deeply all those three and re-read them many times.

[Emanuela ~plastic duck~]

I'm going to steal Orlando, Meg :)

[Calathea]

Okay, I'm going to cheat. I've never been good with pointing out favourites. Always makes me feel like I'm treating the other (books) unjustly.

In my beautiful carved wooden box you'll find my Kindle (loaded with books to the brim) and a solar battery charger.

[Caroline]

Susinok wrote: "Robert Scott's expedition part 1 is available on Manybooks.net in digital format.

http://manybooks.net/titles/scottrf11..."
So sweet Susinok - thank you although I kind of still want my Mum's copy for entirely sentimental reasons. This is why you can't move for books in my house.

[Caroline]

John wrote: It was beginning to feel a little Lord of the Flies there for a while, wasn't it? :)..."
Don't. So glad nobody's picked that one. Scared the living daylights out of me as a young teenager. Golding had taught at Bishop Wordsworth's School - the boys Grammar school in Salisbury. I was at the girls equivalent although decades after Golding had left.

[Darkm]

Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "I'm going to steal Orlando, Meg :)"

You're welcome to :)
It was a revelation for me that book.

[Caroline]

Calathea wrote: "In my beautiful carved wooden box you'll find my Kindle..."

But Calathea when he was giving out the wooden chests the captain did warn us about the force field inside which wipes the contents of any e-book reader.

You must remember the Captain - big, blonde rugged-looking 'take no prisoners' kind of guy. I wonder what happened to him? When I last saw him he was trying to strong arm Antonella and Karen into putting books into their boxes before the ship sank even though the deck was already awash. "C'mon ladies..."

[Susinok]

Aw man, I was hoping for Captain Jack, not some big blonde... either pirate or Torchwood Jack would do for me.

[Calathea]

Caroline wrote: "But Calathea when he was giving out the wooden chests the captain did warn us about the force field inside which wipes the contents of any e-book reader. "

Did he now? How is it I don't remember him, big, blonde and all...

It will take me a while to come up with 12 books + 1 JL-title, but I can tell you now that I'll take with me:

The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams (and before you're even ask, yes, all three volumes^^)
and
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas.

[John]

Susinok wrote: "Aw man, I was hoping for Captain Jack, not some big blonde... either pirate or Torchwood Jack would do for me."

Wait... Isn't that??? It is!! The captain is Ralph !

Pardon me while I prepare to go down with the ship. :)

Nice try, Calathea. I tried to sneak my iPad, too. All I got for my trouble is a lovely shiny useless shingle.

[Antonella]

Caroline wrote: "When I last saw him he was trying to strong arm Antonella and Karen into putting books into their boxes before the ship sank even though the deck was already awash. "C'mon ladies...""

No hope. It's getting worse.

Each time someone adds a list I think: ''Oh , yes. How could I forget ''Orlando'' or ''The Master and Margarita''? ''The Charioteer'' or ''1984''?''. None of which I had thought about for my list...

[Plainbrownwrapper]

I don't think there's any way I could come up with a good list of 12. But I think I can name the first 3 or 4 that would have to go on the list for my Desert Island books --

1. South -- to remind me just how much human beings really can endure -- EVERYONE SURVIVED!!

2. Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah -- to remind me that reality is what we make of it

3. Life of Pi -- Same reason as Illusions; I might end up taking just one or the other

4. The Secret Garden -- my first most favorite book as a kid, and still hits that deep spot in my heart when I think of it

For the rest....who knows?

[Lori S.]

Susinok wrote: "Aw man, I was hoping for Captain Jack, not some big blonde... either pirate or Torchwood Jack would do for me."

Oh, Ditto - though I think Capt. Jack probably has the better hygiene of the two ... ;O]

[Lori S.]

Juthi wrote: "I love your list Lori! You've included some of my favourite authors. The ones I don't recognize are 4,11 and 12 but I'm going to go check them out.
If I made a Shrine Shelf they'd all be children's books. I've been waiting to grow out of them but never have! It's more than just nostalgia for me. I used to want to be a children's book illustrator when I 'grew' up :P"

Thank you Juthi =O) One should never grow out of children's books. They're more often than not better written (and more fun to read) than a lot of the so called "adult" books!

4>Susan Cooper
She's had a busy career writing not just children's books but also for TV and other media. The Dark Is Rising is her best known work.

11>Kirby Crow
One of the first m/m authors I read along with Josh and Lynn Flewelling.

12>Walter B. Gibson
Wrote more than 300 stories for Street & Smith's The Shadow magazine from the mid-30s to the late-40s. He also wrote a number of the radio plays, wrote histories about magicians and was extremely prolific throughout his lifetime.
Trivia bit: The Shadow is the inspiration for that other dark knight, Batman.

[Calathea]

John wrote: "Wait... Isn't that??? It is!! The captain is Ralph !

Pardon me while I prepare to go down with the ship. :) "

Oh, you lucky man, you... :D Make sure to land on the same island as he. ;) (I'll just assume that Caroline wouldn't want to let him drown.) And thinking of that: he has a wooden box too, right?

[Katharina]

Calathea wrote: It will take me a whiel to come up with 12 books + 1 JL-title, but I can tell you now that I'll take with me: The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams (and before you're even ask, yes, all three volumes^^) and The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas"

Ooooh, I'd definitely steal both! Although my favourite Tad Williams books are the Shadowmarch volumes and Otherland - so great!!

[Katharina]

Juthi wrote: "If I made a Shrine Shelf they'd all be children's books. I've been waiting to grow out of them but never have! It's more than just nostalgia for me. I used to want to be a children's book illustrator when I 'grew' up :P"

So true!! I had a hard time not filling up the list with my favourite ones. My absolute and complete favourite chidlren's books author is Michael Ende. I sometimes still read his books when I feel a bit lost and overwhelmed, because there is so much wisdom and truth in there, it sets my head straight and makes me rethink my priorities and my ideas. Astrid Lindgren, Erich Kästner, and Otfried Preußler are awesome, too! And growing up, I so loved Tamora Pierce... Ah, so hard to choose some ;)

[Susinok]

Lori wrote: "Susinok wrote: "Aw man, I was hoping for Captain Jack, not some big blonde... either pirate or Torchwood Jack would do for me."

Oh, Ditto - though I think Capt. Jack probably has the better hygiene tho..."

Oh but bathing him would be so much fun.

[Lori S.]

Susinok wrote: "Oh but bathing him would be so much fun."

Just hope we have enough toothpaste to go around. Anyone good with homemade stuff?

[Susinok]

Sand and water? :)

[Charming]

I think I will change this to pick one book per genre. Also, I am going to pick books I reread a lot rather than literary merit. So, mostly comedy and all happy endings. :-)

Science fiction - Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold
Murder Mystery - Plot it Yourself by Rex Stout
Fantasy - Night Watch by Terry Pratchett
Classic - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Childrens - Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Fan Fiction - Transfigurations by Resonant
M/M - Camp Hell by Jordan Castillo Price
Comics - The Authoritative Calvin And Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Modern literature - Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
Audiobook - Old Man's War by John Scalzi


Josh Lanyon - Fair Game
Spiritual - The Science of Enlightenment by Shinzen Young
Music - Stop Making Sense by the Talking Heads

[Lori S.]

Susinok wrote: "Sand and water? :)"

Sounds painful, not to mention the damage to one's teeth ... :O)

[Lori S.]

Charming wrote: "I think I will change this to pick one book per genre. Also, I am going to pick books I reread a lot rather than literary merit. So, mostly comedy and all happy endings. :-)

Science fiction - Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold
Murder Mystery - Plot it Yourself by Rex Stout
Fantasy - Night Watch by Terry Pratchett
Classic - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Childrens - Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Fan Fiction - Transfigurations by Resonant
M/M - Camp Hell by Jordan Castillo Price
Comics - The Authoritative Calvin And Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Modern literature - Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
Audiobook - Old Man's War by John Scalzi"

Oooh. Good choices. I love Old Man's War and Falling Free!

[Susinok]

Old Man's War was great. It reminded me so strongly of Robert Heinlein it was like going back in time, without Heinlein's political weirdness.

[Antonella]

Charming wrote: "Comics - The Authoritative Calvin And Hobbes by Bill Watterson"

And I had forgotten the comics!

Good choice BTW!

[John]

Antonella wrote: "Charming wrote: "Comics - The Authoritative Calvin And Hobbes by Bill Watterson"

And I had forgotten the comics!

Good choice BTW!"

So had I. I'm not sure it's enough to supplant any of the books on my list, but it'd be grand to have
The Gashlycrumb Tinies just in case I forget my alphabet. My favourite: "B is for Basil, assaulted by bears"; the one that I most resemble: "N is for Neville, who died of ennui".

Calvin and Hobbes could very easily qualify as a bible replacement.

[Katharina]

Antonella wrote: "Charming wrote: "Comics - The Authoritative Calvin And Hobbes by Bill Watterson"

And I had forgotten the comics!

Good choice BTW!"

I didn't think of comics either! How could I forget that?? I'd definitely go for Dork Tower - maybe "Understanding Gamers". It's what I reread right now for the thousands time and I still find myself laughing until everything hurts :))
Although I've grown up reading and loving most of the Asterix comics. They'd definitely deserve a place here...

[Karen]

Carlita wrote: "I can't make up my mind on the music. It would have to be Bach's Violin Concertos - Itzhak Perlman or The Beatles: The Original Studio Recordings. Can't decide because they both make me so happy."

OK, I can pick Vladimir Feltsman's version of Bach's Goldberg Variations (his tribute to Glenn Gould, sans the humming), although my sister, a harpsichordist, would protest. It's my go-to music for realigning mood, temperament, and sanity. I could still hum favorite tangos. But I'd be leaving behind Mumford and some cathartic punk. Oh never mind, I'm too much of a waffling Libra... think I'm also going down with the ship.

[Marge]

Caroline wrote: "I claim no credit for this idea as it came from John while we were discussing Mary Renault's The Charioteer but it's such a brilliant concept I thought it would be nice to share. I'm currently tryi..."

Cool idea, and not as difficult as I'd thought it would be since most of the books are from my GR top-100 shelf (which actually only has 24 books so far).

However, instead of Shakespeare's complete works, I'll have
The Complete Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Much more my type of reading. Yes, you'll see I have no class, since there's not a single "great book" on my list. ;)

In no particular order:
The Stand by Stephen King

The Postman by David Brin. Hey, I even liked the movie!

The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov

Death of a Pirate King* by our fearless leader

Naked in Death by la Nora as JD Robb

The Heritage of Hastur by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Odds Against by Dick Francis

H.M.S. Surprise by Patrick O'Brian

His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik

In the Best Families by Rex Stout

The Beast Master (Beast Master by Andre Norton

And though I'm not much for poetry, I've liked everything I ever read by Robert Frost, so Robert Frost's Poems.

My Josh book is The Dark Tide* which has nothing to do with that other book up there earlier on my list--ahem. Truthfully, I couldn't decide which one, so I've sneakily added them both.

My favorite piece of music is Carol of the Bells, (composed by Mykola Leontovych with lyrics by Peter J. Wilhousky), especially when done by Trans Siberian Orchestra (Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24). I listen to this song over and over again at Christmas time. I know it's not Bach or Beethoven, but it just rings with me. Yes, pun intended.

[Lori S.]

Music ... I can't decide - the soundtrack from Liberty? Or New Celtic Moon? Or Independence Day? Or ... too many to choose from. Sigh. :OD

[Antonella]

I think we should list 12 books per genre ;-)).

[Emanuela ~plastic duck~]

Antonella wrote: "I think we should list 12 books per genre ;-))."

I agree, but we'll drown...

[Caroline]

Antonella wrote: .No hope. It's getting worse.
Each time someone adds a list I think: ''Oh , yes. How could I forget ''Orlando'' or ''The Master and Margarita''? ''The Charioteer'' or ''1984''?''. None of which I had thought about for my list... ....."

What you need to do Antonella is to go back to your own book shelves. That’s what I had to do with my choices which is probably why mine are so idiosyncratic and don’t include things I thought I ‘ought’ to have picked like Jane Eyre and A Tale of Two cities. If you’re really stuck then just pick one book, preferably by Josh and come and join us.

[Caroline]

Marge wrote: My Josh book is The Dark Tide* which has nothing to do with that other book up there earlier on my list--ahem. Truthfully, I couldn't decide which one, so I've sneakily added them both...."

You could have twelve, or even 13 by Josh if you wanted. espcially if I can borrow your Robert Frost.

[Charming]

Marge wrote: "Yes, you'll see I have no class, since there's not a single "great book" on my list. ;)"

You have excellent taste. I have read all but two of the books on your list. :-)

[Charming]

Lori wrote: "Oooh. Good choices. I love Old Man's War and Falling Free! "

Falling Free is such a love letter to engineers.

[Susinok]

My list came directly from how often I have re-read the book. Since I've been reading for 43 years now, the books on my lists tended to be those I'd found early on and re-read often. They are my comfort reads. The fact that most are classics are simply because I got them from the library as a kid.

I've read most of the genre stuff on everyone else's list but not re-read them that often, and I haven't been reading m/m long enough to have established a strong re-read pattern (other than Muscling Through, which sucks me in every time).

[Charming]

Susinok wrote: "Old Man's War was great. It reminded me so strongly of Robert Heinlein it was like going back in time, without Heinlein's political weirdness."

LOL. Yeah.

[Marge]

Caroline wrote: "Marge wrote: My Josh book is The Dark Tide* which has nothing to do with that other book up there earlier on my list--ahem. Truthfully, I couldn't decide which one, so I've sneakily added them both..."

Great! But I was trying to duck under the one book per author thing. And you are more than welcome to borrow my Robert Frost poems.

[Marge]

Charming wrote: "Marge wrote: "Yes, you'll see I have no class, since there's not a single "great book" on my list. ;)"

You have excellent taste. I have read all but two of the books on your list. :-)"

Thanks! I had a pretty varied list of books there, so it pleases me you have also read most of them. Our excellent tastes must be very similar. LOL

Mind you, I have read plenty of the books on the "greatest books of alltime lists" and some of them I've even liked. But I agree with Susinok, my Shrine picks are books I re-read, some of them many times. Most of these books have traveled with me over the years, moving from one city to another, from one home to another.

I consider them old friends, even if I haven't re-read some of them for a while now. For example, I don't believe I've read a Rex Stout book for 10-15 years. But when I was perusing them to pick which ONE I wanted with me on my island, all it took was reading the blurbs to have me smiling and remembering some of the main points in each book. And now I long to visit with Nero and Archie again--but I have so many other books on my TBR pile! "So many books, so little time."

[Susinok]

I need to read some Rex Stout. I do not remember if I have read any or not. If so, it's been long ago.

[Caroline]

"John wrote: "Pardon me while I prepare to go down with the ship. :)
"Calathea wrote: Oh, you lucky man, you... :D Make sure to land on the same island as he.(I'll just assume that Caroline wouldn't want to let him drown.)"

LOL. That makes it sound like I'm in charge.

Anyway I just wanted to say thanks to you all for joining in – it’s been amazing. At the last count there’s thirteen castaways (hmmm no wonder the ship was holed below the waterline) and over a hundred and fifty books. I really enjoyed reading everyone’s choices. I am going to have to tiptoe away for the next day or so to pay attention to my own book and a ship wreck poem that I’ve been trying to write all week.

In the meantime did anyone want to volunteer to be an Impresario to set up a concert party to play everyone’s music. We also need a volunteer librarian. And how do people feel about holding an Eisteddfod?

[Josh]

Susinok wrote: "I need to read some Rex Stout. I do not remember if I have read any or not. If so, it's been long ago."

Mid series are very entertaining. I love Archie.

[Carlita]

Do you have a shrine list, Josh?

[Johanna]

I'll have to get back to you with my list later on. You guys have made some excellent choices already!

And I DON'T have anything against small tropical islands — and captains looking like Ralph! So I'm definitely in for the adventure. :)

[Anne]

This is such a great thread, I have really enjoyed coming here and looking at all the books you have chosen.

I have thought long and hard which books to put here, there are so many to choose from after more than fifty years of reading ( and still counting). But since this is the shrine shelf, I have decided it has to be books that I can remember changing me a little bit, making a small shift inside me, of how I see the world or myself. Some of the titles I have translated from the Norwegian title, so it might not be the 'official'' English title.

So, here goes:

Heinrich Boll: Billiard at 9.30 ( the last name is written wrongly, my keyboard doesn't have the German letters needed)
Stefan Zweig: the German Lesson
John Steinbeck: East of Eden
Fjodor Dostojevskij: The Brothers Karamazov
Alice Walker: The Color Purple
Jean Genet: Diary of a Thief
James Baldwin: Go Tell It on the Mountain
Sigrid Undset: Kristin Lavransdatter
Hans Scherfig: The Lost Spring ( det forsømte forår)

Then a combination of poetry and children's book, the most beautiful book in the world: Tove Janson: who shall comfort the little one? (hvem skal trøste Knøttet?) Beautifully and lovingly translated from the Finnish by our beloved poet Andre Bjercke and with pictures by Tove Janson herself. If I am allowed just one book, this has to be it.

Shakespeare and the Bible because they are part of my cultural background, but I have to add Snorre Sturlason: the Sagas and a collection of Norwegian folk tales, compiled by Asbjørnsen and Moe, no Norwegian childhood without :)

And my Josh comfort read: Come Unto Those Yellow Sands.

And since I have exeeded the allowed quota, I might probably not reach my island.;)

[Susinok]

One of my favorite sagas is Njal's Saga. I LOVE the feud between the two women. I read Egil's Saga by Snorri Sturlason, too. What a bloodthirsty poet.