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elder999
22nd October 2002, 23:37
This is a game I’ve played over the years:
The scenario is variable: desert island, long sea cruise, extended living from a backpack for whatever reason.
You can take only five books with you, and they may well be the only five you’ll ever see again.
Which five books do you pick?

For me, this year anyway, they are:

The Bible

"Dhalgren," by Samuel Delany

"D-D Muon Catalyzed Hybrid Reactor and Its Comparison with D-T System"
M.R. Eskandari, et. al. (I know, it's not really a book, but I haven't been able to put it down!!)

"The Jesus Sutras," by Martin Palmer

"The Information," by Martin Amis

Menker
23rd October 2002, 01:03
"Complete Idiot's Guide to Surviving on a Desert Island" by Willy Gilligan

"Raft Building for Dummies" by Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn

"So You Plan On Being Without Water" by I.P Freely

"One hundred and one thousand things to do alone on a desert island" by Robinson Crusoe

"How to Make a Coconut Out of a Radio, But Be Unable to Fix a Hole in a Boat" by The Professor.

:D

TommyK
23rd October 2002, 01:20
Greetings,

I have often had the same thoughts, about what limited number of books to take to a desert island. My choices, as strange as it may seem are:

(1) "The Bible", for me, the King James Version. 'nuff said.
(2) "The Stand", Stephen King. (A great tale of good vs. evil and lets one exercise the mind.)
(3) "The Way and The Power" Frederick Lovret. (Despite his reputation, what he wrote stands up in many ways, and what doesn't, makes you think.)
(4) "Secrets of the Samurai" Oscar Ratti and Adele Westbrook. (Yes, it has mistakes and ommissions, but still a great read and the beauty and simplicity of the line drawings only adds to it.)
A Tie for 5th!
(5) "The Colonization Series" Harry Turtledove.
(5) "Classical Budo, Classical Bujutsu, Modern Bujutsu and Budo" Donn Draeger. 'nuff said.

Regards,
TommyK
Tom Militello
"One can never read too much, one can only remember to absorb what is useful."

Iain
23rd October 2002, 09:15
Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Hitchikers guide to the galaxy omnibus edition(maybe I can figure out how to build a sub-etha sens-o-matic...) and if I've got that much time on my hands a copy of the complete works of Milton (Paradise Lost: It's like the Bible... but... cooler);)

Genex
23rd October 2002, 11:38
Well, i'd take the SAS Survival guide - collins dictionarys which is highly useful, how to build shelters, traps, live off the land and it features allsorts of terrain details like what not to eat what animals to eat and what to run away from like a big girl...
then i'd take LOTR trillogy as i'll need mental stimulation and i'd never get bored of that.
Terry pratchetts Watchmen trillogy (guards guards, men at arms and feet of clay) they're my fave...
then prolly my book of druidry cant remember who its published by (need some spiritual guidence aswell)
finally i'd take the biggest book i could find which has nice thin yet soft paper for the obvious luxuries which we cannot begrudge ourselves.
pete

stoker
23rd October 2002, 14:50
If it was just ME to be stranded, I'd only have to take one book and the book itself would not matter -- anytime I pick up a book that I want to read, either the wife or kids find me. Happens everytime! So I'd never be lost.:cool:

'renso
24th October 2002, 01:56
hmmm... not an easy question... let's see what comes to my mind right now:

1) "The Silmarillion" and
2) "the Lord of the Rings" trilogy by Tolkien
3) "Adrian's memories" by Marguerite Yourcenair
4) "Kodokan Judo"... that would be a good time for practicing solo uchikomi and katas, then I could always throw the palms and maybe choke a coconut :)
5) an antology of Jorge Luis Borges with all of his novels, can't remember the name, but it does exist!

Rogier
24th October 2002, 07:47
1. Playboy Picture book, collected pictures of Govert Roos
2. Survival for dummies
3. Iliad and Odyssey by Homer
4. The guinness book of records (hey you need toilet paper right)
5. Magician by Raymond E. Feist

Soulend
27th October 2002, 22:10
Desert Island:

1. SAS Survival Guide

2. "Bushcraft" by Richard Graves

3. "An Island to Oneself" by Tom Neale

4. "Marine Navigation: Piloting and Celestial and Electronic Navigation" by Richard Hobbs

5. "Problems and Answers in Navigation And Piloting" by Elbert S. Maloney

Long sea cruise:

Well, last time it was

1. Bushido Shoshinsu, Cleary translation

2. Book of Five Rings, Griffith

3. Seven Military Classics of Ancient China, Sawyer translation.

4. Sword and Spirit, edited by Dianne Skoss

5. Persimmon Wind by Dave Lowry


Backback for any length of time:

The first two or three from the island list and any two or three from the cruise list :)