I reread it once a year...then I gotta reread the whole series...then I gotta go back and start the 1st one again....some1 help!!
Tigger, Dec 9, 2005 @ 01:41

In fact, I notice that you didn't answer your own question...
I've been thinking about this since I read your post and I really don't know what I would pick.
The Stand by Stephen King (the only book of his that I truly enjoy) is one that I re-read every few years.
David Mitchell, I really like, so I imagine I'd be all right with one of his.
Hilary McKay is excellent, but as she writes for children, I'm not sure how long I would last with just one of hers, but if I had to choose it would either be Exiles or Exiles in Love.
I will think about this some more; though, for an all in one, romance, self-help, violence and redemption kind of a book, I guess I could go for the Bible.
misskate, Dec 9, 2005 @ 15:58

but struggle , cause there is another series that is almost as powerfull , the "chung ko" series by greg white I believe his name is , but DUNE , very tasty and seriously spicey !!
tantien, Dec 9, 2005 @ 20:27

ok, we'll pretend i'm quite happy reading my book and don't fancy being rescued just yet - for this reason I won't choose the SAS suvival handbook to learn how to lash together a raft or create a rescue beaon out of a rock and a couple of coconuts.

I agree that the Stand is great and I've read it twice (the longer version is better). You might not have picked up but the bad guy (Roland Flag if I remember rightly) from this book reappears in Dragon Tears and the Gunslinger series. The disease (Captain Tripps I think) appears as a short story in Skeleton Crew (the Long Walk short story in this colection is my personal favourite of Stephen King stuff). I was quite into King a few years ago and part of his reward for your fidelity is seeing when one story / character overlaps with another in the twisted world he creates.

I'll have a look at the Dune books again although I'm not too much of a sci-fi guy.

So if I was stuck on a desert island which book would I like to be nestled amongst my change of socks in that suitcase? Very difficult question but I think the Counte of Monte Cristo by Dumas wins. Strongly recommend reading the book and not subjecting yourself to the nonsense movie they made of it a few years ago.

Anyone else have a book they'd like to salvage from the sea?
Singean, Dec 10, 2005 @ 16:57

But would have to go with the 3 Musketeers trilogy. Have only read Count of Monte Cristo in the abridged format as a child, so maybe will see if Off the Shelf has it in the Penguin Classics series and pick it up for the holidays.


I don't know which version of the Stand I've read, but it's a big honkin' book, so I'm going to assume the longer edition. I'm not much for Stephen King. I've read quite a few of his and I still get scared just looking at the cover of Salem's Lot and I always keep my closet doors closed. I prefer his books that more along the lines of the Stand and Green Mile than his horror. I can scare myself in my own head without his help.




misskate, Dec 10, 2005 @ 19:46

is that it's not just about sci-fi.
It's really a vision on scarcity of resource, dictatorships, politics, monopolies, economics, life, power and its ramifications, metamorphasis, sacrifice, cults...everything u need to know to get on in this world.
Tigger, Dec 12, 2005 @ 03:12

and all that stuff in Dune will probably not b necessary for life on a desert island, no?

Unless u want to exercise dominion over the neighboring tribe of monkeys and have absolute price fixing control over the supply of coconuts..lol
Tigger, Dec 17, 2005 @ 14:41

planning on any nasty sandworms on your island?
Singean, Dec 17, 2005 @ 18:25

Because the more i think about it the more i doubt my choice. I think your desert island book changes depending on your life at the time. Others which have sprung to mind while Ive been pondering this are:

Roots - Alex Haley
The Power of One - Bryce Courtenay
Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkein
Long Walk to Freedom -Nelson Mandela

However, all the above four although I loved them I have no inclination to pick them up again just now. Its a little bit like having a friend you like a lot but just don't feel like calling right at the moment.

Think I'd be better off with a bookshelf washing up on the beach with me.... maybe I could make my escape raft after all.

Singean, Dec 17, 2005 @ 20:49