Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop,
hosted by Billy @
This Week's Question
If you were stranded on a
deserted island, which ONE book
could you not live without?
(Submitted by Megan @
My Answer
Some time back, Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews asked whether choosing one's favorite book would be like choosing one's favorite child. And yeah, it certainly would be, for me. In fact, I would have a VERY hard time choosing ONE favorite book, under any circumstances!
Of course, a deserted island does present a rather desperate situation..... Some people might choose the Bible, and I would not quibble with that choice, as I've dipped into the Bible myself -- especially some of the Psalms -- in tough situations. So I would concur with that choice, BUT.... I would NOT be able to stop there. No, absolutely NOT.
Of course, it would all depend on what circumstances led to my being stranded on that deserted island.
One thing for sure, folks! Kindle books are OUT. Because, on a deserted island, WHERE THE HECK would you even find an electrical outlet? LOL. So here's where good ol' fashioned PRINTED BOOKS reign supreme!! Hahahaha!!!
So yes, I would want more than just ONE, PRINTED, book. For SURE!!! (Unfortunately, it would depend on whether I got stranded by parachuting out of a plane, or getting to that deserted island on a lifeboat.....)
Since I carry at least ONE printed book with me everywhere I go, I guess it would very well have to be whatever book I happened to be reading at the moment of my unfortunate stranding. On the other hand, it could be my "security book blanket" of the moment! Lol. This could then be a Bible, or a devotional book, such as Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young, or Mornings with the Lord, by Doreen Virtue. Or it could be Daily Guidance from your Angels, by the same author.
OR, it could be Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë, OR Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer, OR Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J. K. Rowling!
Here's the point, as well as the bottom line: there's no such thing as ONE FAVORITE book a dedicated bookworm would want to be with on a deserted island.
Therefore.....
I hereby recommend that ALL bookworms be well prepared with a small arsenal of FAVORITE books, in the event that stranding on a deserted island occurs! And just what IS "a small arsenal", pray tell? Well, I will tell! It should consist of no more (or perhaps more?) of at least TEN of your ALL-TIME FAVORITE books!! Uhhhh.....how about TWENTY? Surely just TEN is not nearly enough? Well, okay, then, TWENTY. But wait a minute.....there are all of those TERRIFIC novels I read last year, and want to reread.....and being stranded on a deserted island, I would SURELY be able to get to all of them....well, in between fending off mosquitoes, and the occasional irate native.... AND, there might even be PIRATES lurking about! Oh, but the island IS deserted, right? ISN'T IT?! GULP. Better get to the last page of this book quick, before I'm DEVOURED, or made to walk the PLANK!!!
All kidding aside, I think it's TRULY IMPOSSIBLE to answer this question. So, I'm sharing my list of my TOP TEN! (And, I just might keep adding to it, so BE ADVISED!)
Okay, you know the drill! Click on the covers for the Goodreads pages!
Of course, a deserted island does present a rather desperate situation..... Some people might choose the Bible, and I would not quibble with that choice, as I've dipped into the Bible myself -- especially some of the Psalms -- in tough situations. So I would concur with that choice, BUT.... I would NOT be able to stop there. No, absolutely NOT.
Of course, it would all depend on what circumstances led to my being stranded on that deserted island.
One thing for sure, folks! Kindle books are OUT. Because, on a deserted island, WHERE THE HECK would you even find an electrical outlet? LOL. So here's where good ol' fashioned PRINTED BOOKS reign supreme!! Hahahaha!!!
So yes, I would want more than just ONE, PRINTED, book. For SURE!!! (Unfortunately, it would depend on whether I got stranded by parachuting out of a plane, or getting to that deserted island on a lifeboat.....)
Since I carry at least ONE printed book with me everywhere I go, I guess it would very well have to be whatever book I happened to be reading at the moment of my unfortunate stranding. On the other hand, it could be my "security book blanket" of the moment! Lol. This could then be a Bible, or a devotional book, such as Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young, or Mornings with the Lord, by Doreen Virtue. Or it could be Daily Guidance from your Angels, by the same author.
OR, it could be Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë, OR Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer, OR Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J. K. Rowling!
Here's the point, as well as the bottom line: there's no such thing as ONE FAVORITE book a dedicated bookworm would want to be with on a deserted island.
Therefore.....
I hereby recommend that ALL bookworms be well prepared with a small arsenal of FAVORITE books, in the event that stranding on a deserted island occurs! And just what IS "a small arsenal", pray tell? Well, I will tell! It should consist of no more (or perhaps more?) of at least TEN of your ALL-TIME FAVORITE books!! Uhhhh.....how about TWENTY? Surely just TEN is not nearly enough? Well, okay, then, TWENTY. But wait a minute.....there are all of those TERRIFIC novels I read last year, and want to reread.....and being stranded on a deserted island, I would SURELY be able to get to all of them....well, in between fending off mosquitoes, and the occasional irate native.... AND, there might even be PIRATES lurking about! Oh, but the island IS deserted, right? ISN'T IT?! GULP. Better get to the last page of this book quick, before I'm DEVOURED, or made to walk the PLANK!!!
All kidding aside, I think it's TRULY IMPOSSIBLE to answer this question. So, I'm sharing my list of my TOP TEN! (And, I just might keep adding to it, so BE ADVISED!)
Okay, you know the drill! Click on the covers for the Goodreads pages!
This set is, I must admit, a bit heavy.....
they could easily become
water-logged. Of course, you can always encase them
in a protective plastic bag!
Okay, the above are just for starters. There are indeed ten books on this list, if you count The Lord of the Rings in separate volumes. You get the picture! Lol.
The BEST solution, in my very honest opinion, is simply this: AVOID getting stranded on a deserted island!! That way, you won't have to choose what books you can comfortably get stranded with, right? LOL.
What are your thoughts on
this topic?
If you're participating in this hop,
I'll go comment on your
own BBH post.
If not, I will then comment on one
of your blog posts!
Thanks for visiting!!!
This is an ages old question that is nearly impossible to answer. I think that densness and size would need to be a factor on what book one would choose. As such I think that The Bible would be a good choice. I am actually reasing Roblinson Cruesoe right now and the hero is stuck on a desserted Island with only The Bible. Personally I would probably go with The Complete Works of Shakespeare though.
ReplyDeleteOf course, as you point out, a Kindle would be no good! As I remember they did have a lot of books on Giligan’s Island. I guess someone took your advice about carrying lots of books with them :) Of course, if I remember the show I think that the professor built some kind of stationary bicycle that generated electricity from pedal power so maybe a Kindle would work.
Great post as always Maria.
Hi, Brian!
DeleteAbsolutely! And yet, people keep asking it, lol.
You have a point that the size of the book would matter, especially if one arrives at the deserted island via shipwreck. Perhaps a compact Bible would be best. Or a compact edition of Shakespeare's works, if there is such an edition.
Lol on the Kindle! No, that wouldn't work.... As for "Gilligan's Island", I haven't watched many of the re-runs, so I wasn't aware that they had books on the island. That invention by the professor might come in very handy with the Kindle, though. But, of course, where would the bike come from? Lol.
Of course, in real life, one might not be able to take a book to a deserted island at all.... In the chaos ensuing after either a shipwreck or plane crash, thinking of a favorite book to grab would probably be the last thing on anyone's mind. But it IS a nice speculation, nevertheless! Lol.
Thanks for the compliment and the interesting comment!! <3 :)
I have lots of favorite books but when people ask me my favorite I'll always say Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer. It's the one book that sticks out above any other. I wouldn't want any other book with me if I were to be stranded on a deserted island. I wouldn't be able to live without it. But Airman (also by Eoin Colfer) comes as a close second. :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Steph!
DeleteOh, "Artemis Fowl"!! That's yet another book on my TBR I want to get to!! Lol. So yeah, I concur with your choice!
As for "Airman", this is the first I hear of it. I'll have to check it out on Goodreads. Thanks for mentioning it! <3 <3
Thanks for weighing in on this topic!! HUGS!!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)
Oooh! Great choices! I would definitely take Harry Potter with me!
ReplyDeleteHere’s my Book Blogger Hop!
Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog
Hi, Ronyell!
DeleteYeah, I would DEFINITELY want at least the first volume of the Harry Potter series with me on a deserted island!
Thanks for commenting!! <3 :)
You are the BEST dear friend. Your answers are always SO GOOD.
ReplyDeleteI am literally laughing out loud at how we should all be prepared with an arsenal of books.
I may just have to stack them up in my car and put a few in my purse.
I love your answer as always. THANKS.
Elizabeth
Hi, Elizabeth!
DeleteAwww.....THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I GREATLY appreciate your compliments!! <3 <3 <3
Yeah, a small arsenal! Lol. That should be adequate preparation for any bookworm!! :) :) :)
I figured I'd take a humorous approach to this question, as it does seem to be a difficult topic for any book lover to tackle. I think that most of us would find it VERY hard to pick ONE favorite book! Yup!! Lol. :)
I like your idea of stacking them up in the car, and putting a few in your purse! HAHA!!
Thanks again for your SUPER nice comments on each of my BBH posts!! HUGS!!!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)
Haha. Loved your fun answer. It certainly is a hard choice!
ReplyDeleteHi, Nicki!
DeleteGlad you loved my answer! It DEFINITELY IS a hard choice! It would be like choosing a favorite child.....lol.
Thanks for commenting!! <3 :)
By coincidence, I found this on The History Girls blog.
ReplyDeletehttps://the-history-girls.blogspot.com/2018/07/desert-island-books-sheena-wilkinson.html
She got three books and they had to be a classic, a present day book and a “wild card”.
Personally, I’d take so ethin* big and fat like the Works of whoever, and a packet of pens and a pile of exercise books so I could write my own if I had to.
Hi, Sue!
DeleteThat's a very interesting post! I just took a look at it, and thanks for the link!! :)
I haven't heard of the any of the books mentioned by Sheena Wilkinson, but I will certainly look them up on Goodreads!
I LOVE the way you put it -- "something big and fat like the Works of whoever"! Lol.
The pens and exercise books are an interesting addition! You would probably have quite a bit of time to write, on this deserted island. Lol.
Thanks for the fun comment!! HUGS!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)
There is a long-running radio programme on dear old BBC Radio 4 called Desert Island Discs and they allow you the Bible and the Complete Works of Shakespeare AND your favourite book... Would that help at all? I've often thought about this one - and it would have to be an omnibus edition of some of the Discworld series, including Equal Rites, Wyrd Women, Witches Aboard and Masquerade... I've decided as I've reached a certain age that Granny Weatherwax should be my role model.
ReplyDeleteHi, Sarah!
DeleteOh, that sounds absolutely FASCINATING!! I wonder how I could listen to that..... I'll go look it up on YouTube.
When people think of essential books, the Bible and the Complete Works of Shakespeare are frequently paired. I heartily concur!!
Ah, the Discworld series.....Yet another I've been wanting to read in like, FOREVER.... LOL.
I looked up Granny Weatherwax on Wikipedia, and she sure is quite the formidable character! If you look up the article, you'll see a VERY funny, drawn portrait of Granny....Lol.
Granny SURE is a great character to choose as a role model! Lol.
Thanks for the great comment!! HUGS!!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)