Question #23: Desert Island Scenerio

[Danine]

What 3 books would you want to have on a desert island?

This week's question was brought to you by Ed. Thank you!!

[Leslie]

1. This is probably a cheat, but the complete works of Jane Austen. You can get them all in one book! I've been reading and rereading them sporadically throughout the last 10+ years, so it would probably take awhile to get tired of them.

2. The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.

3. Another cheat, but I used to have a copy of the first three Anne of Green Gables books in one. I'd say the whole series, but I don't think you can get all 8 books in one!

I think if I was stranded on a desert island, I would want the comfort and familiarity of old favorites. So that explains Jane and Anne. Time Traveler's Wife is so that I could occupy myself by making a complete chart of Henry's life, and its intersection with Clare's.

[Tiffany, Administrator]

If I wanted to take 3 books to remind me of home/my life at home, I'd take
- The Westing Game - I never get tired of this book, and if I were stuck on an island, this would definitely be a fun book to have
- Adventures in Hi-fi - A wonderful R.E.M. biography
- The Fountain the Mountain: The University of Washington Campus in Seattle - Fabulous and beautiful pictures and descriptions of the University of Washington. It would remind me of home (and then probably make me really sad that I wasn't there)

If I wanted to take 3 books that were good reads to have while stranded, I'd take
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Yes, this may "just" be a "kids" book, but it's good entertainment!
- If On a Winter's Night a Traveler
- The Master and Margarita - I think I could probably keep myself amused on a desert island with this book, because every time I reread it, I'd probably find something new in it
And because I'm crafty, I'd hide The Exploits of Arsene Lupin or some other Arsene Lupin book somewhere, like tucked in the waist of my jeans

[Molly]

Well, I would take my 2 favorites that I re-read all the time so I know I wouldn't get bored with them - To Kill A Mockingbird and The Sound & The Fury. I have no idea what else - probably some long deep thinking books I haven't read yet to keep my brain occupied. Maybe even the Bible - I'm not very religious but there are some interesting stories in there.

[Bishop]

I used to love Emo Philips when I was a kid. He used to tell a joke about there being nothing better than cozying up to a fire with a copy of War and Peace...because a book that size could keep a fire going for hours.

Whenever anyone asks the "desert island" question, I always remember that joke...good stuff.

[Mary Todd]

I would take Dandelion Wine, To Kill a Mockingbird, and a blank book...a really huge one. Then I could read and write new stuff to read. It wouldn't be as good as Lee and Bradbury, but it would keep me occupied.

[Aprile]

This is HARD!

I would take
1. Fall On Your Knees - Anne Marie MacDonald
2. Complete works of Shakespeare
3. Complete works of Jane Austen (I haven't read a lot of them, so it would be interesting for me)

[Lisa]

Ummmm
1. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
2. I might have to go with the Bible as well. It would at least take up quite a bit of time, which you'll have on a deserted island.
3. The Golden Notebook. A little bit of a risk since I haven't read it, but it'll be good to have something new and if I really hate it it's long so it could make a decent fire.

[Jonathan]

1. The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
2. Sex, Drugs and Coco Puffs - Chuck Klosterman
3. The Watchmen - Alan Moore

[Melissa]

the Bible.
the Hobbit.
i like the blank book idea, at least i would have someone to talk to. (myself) ha ha
can you imagine a life without being able to write stuff down? agh!!

[Ed]

Since I offered the question for discussion, I feel morally obligated to pick three books I would want to have with me on my imaginary island.

1. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.

2. The Second World War by Winston Churchill (This is a bit of a cheat since it's actually six volumes.)

3. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

[MB (What she read)]

I'd prefer to have 1) a pre-loaded Kindle with a FULLY-loaded memory, 2) some way to re-charge it, 3) and a book full of survival strategies & wilderness tips.

If not, I'd settle for a really LOOOOOONG book, as well as #3, and a blank book (I like that idea).

[Molly]

Oh yeah - DUH - a survival guide would be key! And there I would have been starving and cold with a few pieces of classic fiction and the Bible - and of course I could never bring myself to burn any of them for a fire.

[Danine]

Great responses.

1. Any poetry book by Leonard Cohen

2. The Master and the Margarita. I've tried reading this book four times now and it loses me every time but I WILL finish this book. I will. And what better way to conquer this book on a desert Island. Oh this also includes the Cliffs Notes which still counts as one book. Thanks for bringing that up Tiffany.

3. The thickest and biggest hardback book I can find by Ayn Rand. Bishop brought up a great point about keeping a fire going.

I wish I could smuggle in a blank book. That was a great idea.

[Cecilia]

The books I would take:

Pride and Prejudice
Breakfast at Tiffany's: A Short Novel and Three Stories
My old Girl Scout Handbook

[Kristi]

1. Wicked by Gregory Maguire
2. The complete works of Shakespeare
3. The Long Walk by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)

[Ann]

Bishop wrote: "I used to love Emo Philips when I was a kid. He used to tell a joke about there being nothing better than cozying up to a fire with a copy of War and Peace...because a book that size could keep a ..."

o I loved Dandelion Wine! And a blank book is a perfect answer.

[ஐ Briansgirl (Book Queen)ஐ]

Danine wrote: "What 3 books would you want to have on a desert island?

I've always considered this a strange question. lol I'm a practical sort and would want reference books that would help me to survive on the island or how to get off the island and find my way back home. So I would choose:

1) The Swiss Family Robinson
2) Robinson Crusoe
3. Kon-Tiki Across the Pacific by Raft

[Vicki - I Love Reading]

it would have to be 3 i had not read...
but 3 really thick one lol

[Carrie]

I think I could scrap the survival books. I've been in scouting so long hopefully I wouldn't need them. But I do like the 'cheat book' answers people are giving, where it's several books compiled into one large tome. I think, as others have also been saying, that I'd want something large enough to keep me occupied.

1) The Complete Works of Jane Austen (familiarity)
2) The Complete Works of Lewis Carroll (sort of familiar, but mostly new)
...and probably...
3) The Tudor Chronicles (definitely new)

[Jasmine]

hmm i would probably bring breaking dawn by stephenie meyers or Inkheart by cornielia Funk