Welcome to the Historical Fiction Online forums: a friendly place to discuss, review and discover historical fiction.
If this is your first visit, please be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above.
You will have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.
To start viewing posts, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

If you were stuck on a deserted island...

For discussions of historical fiction. Threads that do not relate to historical fiction should be started in the Chat forum or elsewhere on the forum, depending on the topic.
Post Reply
Ash
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 2475
Joined: August 2008
Location: Arizona, USA

Post by Ash » Sun November 23rd, 2008, 10:51 pm

Actually a companion question that always intrigued me came at the end of Time Machine - what three books would he have taken to teach the future about civilization.

Not sure what books I'd take to an island (one is assuming one planned to be marooned on said island :) I agree with something fun, like Pratchett or Douglas Adams. Perhaps the OED, and Shakespeare. And lots and lots of paper and pencils to write my own books!
Top
User avatar
MLE (Emily Cotton)
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3564
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
Location: California Bay Area

Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Sun November 23rd, 2008, 11:06 pm

All right, if I had to pick them off my shelves, I'd take:
the Bible
the Complete Works of Shakespeare
the New York Public Library's Book of Chronologies

Plus, like Annis, I'd take a bunch of notebooks to write my own stories. I can't think of many fiction works that wouldn't get stale after a gazillion readings. Shakespeare isn't for the stories, (they are kinda lame and repetitive, dare I say) it's for the beauty of his prose.

I don't know the desert island specifics, but I think after a lifetime of hiking the wilderness I've got most of the mountain survival stuff memorized.
Top
Caveowl
Scribbler
Posts: 32
Joined: November 2008

Can I pick the Island

Post by Caveowl » Sun November 23rd, 2008, 11:43 pm

Somewhere in the Marquesas? Along with the survival guide, and an anthology of world poetry, I'd take Loren Eiseley's "All the Strange Hours" and enough blank paper to write a couple books.
Top
User avatar
michellemoran
Bibliophile
Posts: 1186
Joined: August 2008
Contact:
Contact michellemoran

Post by michellemoran » Mon November 24th, 2008, 12:13 am

And lots and lots of paper and pencils to write my own books!
True! Because if you survived the deserted island for any length of time, you'd be pretty much guaranteed a book deal (and maybe even a spot on Oprah ;) ).
Visit MichelleMoran.com
Check out Michelle's blog History Buff at michellemoran.blogspot.com
Top
Helen_Davis

Post by Helen_Davis » Mon November 24th, 2008, 1:56 am

The two books I've written and a novelization of Breath of Fire II
Top
User avatar
xiaotien
Reader
Posts: 175
Joined: August 2008
Location: southern cali
Contact:
Contact xiaotien

Post by xiaotien » Mon November 24th, 2008, 4:27 am

daniel craig as james bond!!

eta : oh wait. i read the question wrong. ;*)

practicality aside, i'd bring books
that i've reread (there aren't many) :

lord of the rings by tolkien

island of the blue dolphins by scott o'dell

i'll have to think about the third one...
Last edited by xiaotien on Mon November 24th, 2008, 4:30 am, edited 2 times in total.
SILVER PHOENIX : Beyond the Kingdom of Xia
greenwillow / harpercollins summer '09

cindypon.com
Top
User avatar
Carine
Compulsive Reader
Posts: 675
Joined: September 2008
Currently reading: Jonkvrouw - Jean-Claude Van Ryckeghem
Interest in HF: I love history
Favourite HF book: Can't pin that down to only 1 :-)
Preferred HF: Medieval, Tudor and Ancient Egyptian
Location: Ghent, Belgium
Contact:
Contact Carine

Post by Carine » Mon November 24th, 2008, 6:50 am

Only three ??? Difficult to choose I have to say !

I think I would take : The Greatest Knight, The Heretic Queen and Here Be Dragons.
Top
User avatar
Alaric
Avid Reader
Posts: 428
Joined: September 2008
Location: Adelaide, Australia.
Contact:
Contact Alaric

Post by Alaric » Mon November 24th, 2008, 7:51 am

I don't know about the other two but I'd be taking Lord of the Flies with me.
Top
User avatar
pat
Avid Reader
Posts: 472
Joined: August 2008
Location: Adelaide, South Australia

Post by pat » Mon November 24th, 2008, 11:32 am

Wild Swans by Jung Chang; read it once and loved it. Very thought provoking and due for a re-read. Being stranded on an island would provide the time.
The Big Stone Gap Trilogy by Adriana Trigiani; light reading. Read before, but would be an easy read. The paper could then be used for other purposes!
Dear Fatty by Dawn French, her autobiography. Hubby brought it for me recently and I have not had the chance to read it!


I moved most of my books, only selling the ones I did not want to read again! They were included in the shipping.
A good book and a good coffee, what more can anyone want? xx
Top
User avatar
Madeleine
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 5738
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: "Unto us a son is Given" by Donna Leon
Preferred HF: Plantagenets, Victorian, crime, dual time-frame
Location: Essex/London

Post by Madeleine » Mon November 24th, 2008, 11:52 am

[quote=""xiaotien""]daniel craig as james bond!!

eta : oh wait. i read the question wrong. ;*)

practicality aside, i'd bring books
that i've reread (there aren't many) :

lord of the rings by tolkien

island of the blue dolphins by scott o'dell

i'll have to think about the third one...[/quote]

I'm with you on that one ;) ! However while I'm waiting to be rescued, I'd be re-reading:

Lord of The Rings (some survival tips in there too)
Jane Eyre
Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier
Top
Post Reply

Return to “General Discussion”