Darned that I was away so long, but such a pleasure to come and catch up. YOU are an inspiration…so first

WOW what great shots you are getting lately. I absolutely LOVE this one, and a few of your dinner review are just awesome. More making me hate the issues with *my* blog, I’m going to move…

RE THIS post: I’ve always wished I could read as fast as you! I’ve only gone the other way, slowing with age, and having less time = far less books read than in my younger years = very difficult to get to all the wonderful ones that await me when I *am* home, never mind a long list of hope-to-reads.

With that… I’m throwing in my few cents.

I’d bring a practical book on survival. How do I make stuff grow, get their seeds, make shelter, fix stuff including broken bones, how to make stuff – like using plant strands for clothes, baskets, toilet paper! grin

Lord of the Rings too, probably…. long enough, great enough….

I dare think Hitchhiker’s guide, but then… a voluminous big-as-i-can-get-it book of empty pages to delicately and carefully write on?…. you said we could say more… Oh, hmmm… something deliciously funny… maybe a cooking on campfires type book? How to make an oven out of clay? I don’t think I’d last without cookies!
;P

Seeing as I’m here, I’ll throw in my desert island books– though subject to change, and though the contest is over:
1. Blindness by Jose Saramago
2. Colony of Unrequited Dreams- Wayne Johnston
3. barney’s Version- Mordecai Richler

@ MG – I agree the size and complexity of The Lord of The Rings makes it a great candidate. Until last week I was the only person in Calgary who hasn’t read The Stand yet, so it’s quite interesting to see it on here now. I love apocalyptic fiction and that was a great book for the reasons you mentioned, right up with Lucifer’s Hammer. I have not yet been exposed to the joys of the graphic novel, so it sounds like Watchmen is the place to start for me. Thanks.

@ WR – Tell me about it – 500 books would be a decent start. I’d likely be fantasizing about 10,000 though – just for variety I really enjoyed the first few books by JE, by am finding that the later books are becoming more farcical as the series goes on, and the characters are becoming more flat. The first book though was indeed a fun read – good call. I must be the only person in Calgary who hasn’t read The Runaway Jury, so that’s going on the list for sure. Thanks!

@ Teena in TO – welcome! And thanks for the link. I’ll definitely be checking out the Canadian Book Challenge – it looks awesome, and right up my alley. Thanks for stopping by.

http://bookmineset.blogspot.com/2009/07/canadian-book-challenge-3-on-your-marks.html

This is the third year I’ve participated.

If a book is crap, I won’t waste any more time on it. Next!

BTW, I’m here via Canada Blog Friends.

Anyhow, if I’m going to be stuck on a desert Island, the three books I’d want with me would have to be entertaining or exciting or mysterious but not sad like ‘Love Story’ since I’d probably be depressed and need something to cheer me up, so:

Definitely one of the books from the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. Pick one, whichever one; they’re all great. Mmmm…how about the first one: “One For The Money”, which introduces all the interesting characters.

I’m also a fan of John Grisham and his fast-paced, easy to read books. I’ve read all of them and like most of them, so it’s hard to select only one. But now that you’re twisting my arm, I’ll choose: “The Runaway Jury”

And finally, I’ll add something from Sidney Sheldon. How about “Rage Of Angels”, which is another fast-paced, fun, easy to read book?

So here are the choices:

‘One For The Money’ by Janet Evanovich
‘The Runaway Jury’ by John Grisham
‘Rage Of Angles’ by Sidney Sheldon

You realize, of course, that this was a very difficult decision. Only three books? That’s madness! I think you need at least 500 books (or more) for a deserted Island to keep you ‘book satisfied’. Don’t you agree?

If I was really going to a desert island I’d probably take “Surviving on a Desert Island for Dummies” or something along those lines…

My choices might be a bit unusual, but each is in the list for a reason and they are stories I personally go back to again and again. The Lord of the Rings is arguably responsible for an entire genre of fiction/videogames/movies. It takes place in such a rich and comlicated setting it almost seems real.

The Stand is good on many levels. It is a great post-apocalyptic story on the surface, and underneath you have the classic battle of Good vs. Evil. I had to read it a couple times to fully appreciate it.

Akira is a graphic novel and is basically responsible for introducing and popularizing manga and anime to the western world. It is a very long and complex story. Manga isn’t for everyone, but when you read Akira you can’t help but to respect it as an art form.

Watchmen is the graphic novel that first proved that comics can be literature in my opinion. It reads like a novel, but the graphic element is used in such a way that it adds incredible dimension to the story. Great story too — starts out with a bang and is engrossing to the very end.