I was challenged by a friend to come up with seven books that I would be happy carting around in a backpack in case the government was after me and keeping tabs on my library card or something. It's good to be prepared, after all. Now, please know that while doing this exercise herself, this friend COMPLETELY cheated and included the entire works of Shakespeare, a trilogy, a quartet and other books (holy cow). My friend actually reads a lot, whereas I read sort of a regular amount. Anyway, I digress because I am stalling. Let me go peruse my shelves (no religious works allowed in the seven).
1. The Life of Pi because I've been wanting to read it again and I haven't yet. I rarely read a book more than once but I loved his take on religion in the beginning and I love survival books. Plus, if the government is after me, it would be nice to think, "well, at least I'm not stranded on a tiny boat in the middle of an ocean with a tiger."
2. Marcus Aurelius' Meditations because I started reading them once and I liked them and I want to finish them.
3. Machiavelli's The Prince to balance out the Meditations. If I go all soft, those government guys will get me for sure.
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows--if I couldn't read that I would DIE. I'd let the government capture me for sure just to have all the loose ends tied up for Potter and the gang.
5. In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson because I'd need something amusing after the first four books. Plus, if I can get to Australia to escape that government conspiracy, I'm going to need a guide.
6. Okay, okay. I'm finding it awfully hard not to include a trilogy here. (I take back all the "cheating" harrasment I've given my friend.) Okay, I know, I would bring The Essential Calvin & Hobbes (no explanation needed).
7. Oh my gosh. Okay, I can't choose a seventh because that just shuts the door on all the other possiblities (had the same problem choosing a major in college). I think I would reserve a spot in my backpack for books I pick up at bookcrossing locations. BookCrossing is where people read books, register them at BookCrossing.com and then leave them somewhere else for others to find and read. No library card necessary. Hah. Take that evil government agents that are after me!
Yes, I know. I am such a cheat.
1. The Life of Pi because I've been wanting to read it again and I haven't yet. I rarely read a book more than once but I loved his take on religion in the beginning and I love survival books. Plus, if the government is after me, it would be nice to think, "well, at least I'm not stranded on a tiny boat in the middle of an ocean with a tiger."
2. Marcus Aurelius' Meditations because I started reading them once and I liked them and I want to finish them.
3. Machiavelli's The Prince to balance out the Meditations. If I go all soft, those government guys will get me for sure.
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows--if I couldn't read that I would DIE. I'd let the government capture me for sure just to have all the loose ends tied up for Potter and the gang.
5. In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson because I'd need something amusing after the first four books. Plus, if I can get to Australia to escape that government conspiracy, I'm going to need a guide.
6. Okay, okay. I'm finding it awfully hard not to include a trilogy here. (I take back all the "cheating" harrasment I've given my friend.) Okay, I know, I would bring The Essential Calvin & Hobbes (no explanation needed).
7. Oh my gosh. Okay, I can't choose a seventh because that just shuts the door on all the other possiblities (had the same problem choosing a major in college). I think I would reserve a spot in my backpack for books I pick up at bookcrossing locations. BookCrossing is where people read books, register them at BookCrossing.com and then leave them somewhere else for others to find and read. No library card necessary. Hah. Take that evil government agents that are after me!
Yes, I know. I am such a cheat.
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