Desert Island Books

Desert Island Books belongs to the concept originally developed on a BBC Radio 2 show called Desert Island Discs. This show selects 8 songs that you would take with you should you be stuck on a desert island. Though you are allowed 3 books, one the entire collection of Shakespear, two the Bible and three your personal choice, it made me think if I was stuck on a desert island what selection of books would I take with me. It's a hard choice for someone who loves reading. As my continuingly growing library at home shows I have difficulty with choosing between books. But here goes. These are my Desert Island Books.

1) Book: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien. "One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell by chance into the hands of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins. From Sauron's fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, his power spread far and wide. Sauron gathered all the Great Rings, but always he searched for the One Ring that would complete his dominion. When Bilbo reached his eleventy-first birthday he disappeared, bequeathing to his young cousin Frodo the Ruling Ring and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord, and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom."Reason Why Chosen: It's hard to state where to start. LOTRs is perhaps the greatest ever action-adventure novel for children. It is my favourite novel of all time. LOTRs is a long, exciting ride, perfect should I be stuck on a island for an extended period of time. It's also fantasy so it would definately take my mind off my current predicament. Plus I'm sure I could pick up some survival skills of Frodo & Co. camping in Middle Earth.

2) Book: Sky Burial by Xinran. "It was 1994 when Xinran, a journalist and the internationally acclaimed author of The Good Women of China, received a telephone call asking her to travel four hours to meet a woman who had just crossed the border from Tibet into China. Xinran made the trip and met the woman, called Shu Wen, who recounted the story of her thirty-year odyssey in the vast landscape of Tibet. In Sky Burial, Xinran has re-created Shu Wen’s journey, painting an extraordinary portrait of a woman and a land, each at the mercy of fate and politics. It is an unforgettable, ultimately uplifting tale of love, loss, loyalty, and survival."

Reason Why Chosen: Sky Burial was the first novel I ever reviewed for Verdict and it is still probably my favourite. (You can read the review HERE). It's a true, heart-warming tale of love, tainted with tragedy. This would be a reminicant book, to reflect on your love and loss. You can guarantee be marrooned on an island you'd spend time thinking of your family and friends, those you've loved and lossed.
 

3) Book: When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman. "This is a book about a brother and a sister. It's a book about childhood and growing up, friendships and families, triumph and tragedy and everything in between. More than anything it's a book about love in all its forms."
Reason Why Chosen: When God Was a Rabbit is a memoir style novel, narrated by the main character Elly and follows her progression through childhood in part one of the novel and then meeting her later in the early years of adulthood in part two of the novel. The first part I absolutely adored. It read as though it had been written by a child; the magic and innocence of those early years are beautifully dictated. Verdict reviewed When God Was a Rabbit, click HERE to read the full review. This book would be ideal to transport me back to my childhood innocence.

4) Book: Mud, Sweat and Tears by Bear Grylls. "Bear Grylls has always sought the ultimate in adventure. Growing up on a remote island off of Britain's windswept coast, he was taught by his father to sail and climb at an early age. Inevitably, it wasn't long before the young explorer was sneaking out to lead all-night climbing expeditions. As a teenager at Eton College, Bear found his identity and purpose through both mountaineering and martial arts. These passions led him into the foothills of the mighty Himalayas and to a karate grandmaster's remote training camp in Japan, an experience that soon helped him earn a second-degree black belt. Returning home, he embarked upon the notoriously grueling selection course for the British Special Forces to join the elite Special Air Service unit 21 SAS—a journey that would push him to the very limits of physical and mental endurance. Then, disaster. Bear broke his back in three places in a horrific free-fall parachuting accident in Africa. It was touch and go whether he would walk again, according to doctors. However, only eighteen months later, a twenty three-year-old Bear became one of the youngest climbers to scale Mount Everest, the world's highest summit. But these were just the beginning of his many extraordinary adventures."
Reason Why Chosen: If I want to survivor and \ or get off the island I'll at least want some survival techniques. Who else better than Bear Grylls? Not only do you get the tools and methods for learning to adapt and cope in challenging environments, it's also a tale of endurance and one which he overcame and won. Determination and a motivation boost right there!

5) Book: Bird Brain by Guy Kennaway. "Banger, a blood sport obsessive who is fundamentally against animal rights, takes a turn for the worst and is killed during a shooting incident only to return back to earth as a pheasant. Still pro-shooting, Banger begins his new life as a pheasant and begins to learn that his death was not an accident, as his dogs witnessed. Realising via his old detective dogs and newspaper article, he realises he was murdered. To make matters worse he has to overcome a series of obstacles; the shoots, other pheasants, foxes, children, animal-rights groups, to make his journey back to his estate to set right the oh-so-frequent mistakes in his life and see his murderer face justice."
Reason Why Chosen: This book would be the ultimate tonic and release! A comedy classic in my opinion and you can guarantee you'll be needing that on the island. Verdict reviewed Bird Brain, read the full critique HERE.

Merry Christmas!!!