Five Books on a Island
Damn...I've been trying to answer this question since last night, and I'm no closer to an answer now than I was then.
The problem is, the concept of only five books almost makes me panic. I'll take more books than that on a short weekend trip. One only need look at the interior of my apartment to see how difficult this choice is. I just can't narrow it down.
I wanna take classic stuff. I want to take current literature. I want to take the dime store trash I read to shut down my brain. I want to take a library.
Then there's the political stuff, the historical stuff, the science and technology...I mean there's just too much.
And don't suggest picking out favorites. I even read books I hate multiple times.
SO, I'm going to try and come up with my five books for that desert island...but I'm afraid that 24 hours is simply not enough time.
Here's what I can come up with on the spur of the moment:
1. The Complete Poetry of Emily Dickinson, because there isn't a single poem of hers that doesn't touch me on some level.
2. The Lord of the Rings (3 in 1, but you can buy it that way so it counts) by J.R.R. Tolkien, I have to have some adventure reading.
3. Lamb by Christopher Moore (this is my "spiritual" title, hehe), This book is hilarious, irreverant, and made me look at the matters of my Christian faith in a whole new way.
4. Lew Miserable by Victor Hugo, because I truly don't think I could live without this story close at hand.
5.I'm going to leave this spot open for whatever next great book is published that I don't even know about yet. If nothing appropriate comes out, I'll take along Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, because I just love it!
Of course, I left off about 300 other books in my apartment alone that I would want with me. And I feel like I'm betraying all of them right now. ;-)
posted by Underling Revived @ 8:22 PM
3 Comments:
LOL! I think you did an exceptional job! I could feel your angst from here!
Now, I need to read LAMB --- am not familiar with this title!
My favorite bit of Dickinson -- that has stuck in my mind since I first read it:
If you were coming in the fall,
I ’d brush the summer by
With half a smile and half a spurn,
As housewives do a fly.
If I could see you in a year,
I would wind the months in tiny balls,
And put them each in separate drawers,
Until their time befalls.
What a writer! ...did I remember the quote correctly? I am not sure I got the line about winding month's into balls, but I think I am close.
I plan on spending some time thinking about this one and coming up with a post.
Did you ever watch the old Time Machine? The George Pal production, not the recent stupid one. Since I was a kid I was intrigued with the little addition they made to the story at the end when he takes 3 books back to the future, but his 19th century friends are sure what three books he took.
Wow -- what an interesting idea. Have never read the TIME MACHINE, but I did see the recent stupid remake movie.
I often wonder what it would be like to take an iPod or a Walkman back to the 19th Century -- or, even 50 years ago and play some of the great hits of the past 30 years for people and see how they would react.
I wonder what sort of reaction "Kashmir" or "Get Your Freak On" would have on the average Joe of 1927 or 1894?
Would be cool to know.
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