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Sunday, January 29, 2012

One Book to Rule Them All



Last night, the world ended.

In my dream, the few of us remaining would be Noah's Arking it on a starship, destination: unknown.

I was allowed to bring one book. And if I didn't choose fast enough, they'd leave me behind.

How in the hell was I supposed to choose???

This wasn't a standard desert island scenario. We were trying to preserve not only our own species and any others we could herd along with us, two-by-two, but also the world as we'd known it before it ended. Which "mirror for reality" would do? Which would speak to the enormity of what had been?

I woke up, hands outstretched and hovering above me, as if my fingers were still fumbling at the bookshelf.

***
Which book would you choose?

UPDATE:
...After talking with writer friend Kai Sunday morning, we decided this scenario requires teamwork. We'd each pick different books so the Ark would have something of a library. Whew. Now I think I can choose: I'd pick Orson Scott Card's Xenocide. 




Photo courtesy of http://images.google.com

6 comments:

  1. Jaye Robin Brown1/29/2012 09:28:00 AM

    Oh gosh. That's tough. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. That way I could remember horses, humanity, cruelty, and kindness - green pastures and fast runs over open spaces. And it would be constant comfort food.

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  2. Charlie N. Holmberg1/29/2012 06:02:00 PM

    Honestly, I'd bring my scriptures lol. XD

    But one fiction book, MISTBORN #1 FO SHIZ. I love that novel.

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  3. Unknown1/29/2012 06:41:00 PM

    Lord of The Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. Not just because I'm a huge fan though. It's a great book about struggle, the coming together of strangers for survival and the classic triumph of good over evil.

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  4. unikorna1/30/2012 05:44:00 AM

    My option would be "Gone with the wind". It's not the most representative book of the world :) but it's been my friend for over 25 years. Scarlett is my imaginary friend who inspires me constantly.

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  5. Unknown1/30/2012 10:22:00 AM

    Jaye, love it. Black Beauty--it seems exactly the book you'd choose, now I think about it.

    Charlie, yes, we'd need to find a way to get a copy of the scriptures on that boat. And Mistborn! Apart from exciting action--about learning to love and trust, about equality and freedom. Excellent. By the way, I loved it.

    Meghan, Great. LOTR had to be on the ship! Such an important book.

    Unikorna, Oh, I love it! Gone with the Wind IS representative too--of the human spirit, the good and bad in us, and of our stubborn longing for love, respect, freedom, our uneasy friendship with duty and desire. Great choice.

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  6. Nancy Thompson1/31/2012 06:03:00 PM

    Gosh, I just don't know. I could pick one book of MY shelf easily, but one book in general? No idea. That's a cruel choice to have to make.

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