Desert Island Challenge - You Get One Book. What is it?

Submitted by xtramelanin on

Mates,

Staggering to the end of OT season, with fall creeping closer than I realized with a weather change due here up north and us harvesting livestock and hay right now.  I have a question for the mgoglitteratti.  As well read of a group as I can imagine you'd find on the interweb I will guess there is a very wide spread on what you all have read. 

Assume the following:  You are ship wrecked on a desert island with enough food/water to live. Also assume for those of any particular faith, that you get that book (Bible, Torah, bhagavad gita, etc.) so don't include that one in your answer.  And no, you can't download it or use your Kindel. 

Question:  You get one book.  Which one do you pick?

XM

 

youn2948

August 3rd, 2017 at 4:27 PM ^

I don't re-read books usually.

So either a full LOTR type of condensed series into one.  Or a building/survival guide on plants and basic engineering.  A hut may keep me alive but a giant structurally sound treefort with drawbridge style ramp and aqueduct for running fresh water and solar heating stored hot water etc will make my desert island experience drasitcally improved.

Grampy

August 3rd, 2017 at 8:16 PM ^

But existence without purpose is Sartre World. I want a full, unabridged version of LOTR. The edition I have at home will suit me fine. Apart from the comfort of mythology, I would read Tolkien's unmatched skill with English prose and draw strength from the notion that beauty and truth exists, at least in abstract

Rickett88

August 3rd, 2017 at 4:28 PM ^

I have to have a book that's fiction given the situation I find myself in. This was a great book that is soon going to be a movie that I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed. If you haven't read it yet, do yourself a favor and spend a weekend reading it.

Tom Snow

August 3rd, 2017 at 4:29 PM ^

Hollowed out. Inside, waterproof matches, iodine tablets, beet seeds, protein bars, NASA blanket, and, in case I get bored, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." No, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban." Question: did my shoes come off in the plane crash?

WhoopinStick

August 3rd, 2017 at 4:40 PM ^

For me the obvious answer would be the bible, but since you say I already have that I would pick something lengthy.  Since I'm limited to one book I would hate for it to be something short that doesn't take long to read.  I've never read War and Peace so I'll pass on that one.  Did not find Moby Dick that thrilling.  I did enjoy the Lord of the Rings series, and since I've seen that trilogy combined into one book, I'll pick that as something that's both entertaining and would keep me occupied for a long time.   Not saying it's my favorite book of all time, but just one that is both entertaining and long.