The Literary Book Blog Hop features book bloggers who focus on books with literary merit. Every week a prompt is presented and bloggers answer it, leaving a link to their post at The Blue Bookcase. This week's prompt is:If you were going off to war (or some other similarly horrific situation) and could only take one book with you, which book would you take and why?
The book I would chose in such a situation would have to satisfy at least two of the following three conditions: 1) it must be funny or uplifting 2) it must be long and 3) it must be something I haven't read before. To satisfy all three qualities, I'd choose something like Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything. It's been on my to-read list for a long time. Even though I love Bryson and think he's hilarious, I haven't picked up a copy of this book yet.
Another possibility would be an anthology of short humor writing. I love David Foster Wallace, David Sedaris, P.G. Woodehouse, and Mark Twain. If I could find a good "Best Short Humor of the 20th Century" book, I think this would be a perfect way to get my mind off the horrors of war.
15 comments:
I picked book that is already a favorite, but I agree that Bill Bryson is a lot of fun...and fun may be exactly what is needed.
Love Bill Bryson. Great choice.
Short History is my very favorite Bryson. I've suggested to Those In Charge of Things that this book replace all high school textbooks.
Here's my post: www.readerbuzz.blogspot.com.
I have got to read some Bill Bryson. He's a big gaping hole in reading list.
P.G. Wodehouse! I keep wanting to read the Jeeves series, but I'm the kind of guy who has to start at the beginning, and I haven't been able to find the first book yet. My local Half-Price Books has nearly all of the Jeeves books, but week-after-week, the first is not there. Sigh.
not really a bryson fan, but the humour book could come in handy.
Hmm, yes, Bill Bryson. That seems a great way to get some distraction from the war.
My distraction is a bit different: http://leeswammes.wordpress.com
I don't often reread books, but in that case, I wouldn't take the chance to be disappointed. What if you hate it?
Adam - Don't feel like you need to start the Jeeves stories from the beginning. They're like a sitcom - new stuff happens, but you can always pick it up at the beginning of an episode. See my post on Jeeves in the Morning for an example or Right Ho Jeeves for an earlier book.
Em: I've already read some Bryson, so I know I like his style. I've heard good things about A Short History.
Wodehouse is a writer I still haven't tried. I went for the opposite end of the spectrum with my choice-Crime and Punishment. Bryson is entertaining, and has caused me to laugh out loud in an embarrassing way in public places.
Wodehouse and Twain win hand down! So does Bryson!
Here is my Literary Blog Hop post!
I own so many Bill Bryson books, and yet I haven't read any of them yet- so shameful! I went the other way with this, and chose The Grapes of Wrath... See why here:
http://devouringtexts.blogspot.com/2011/02/literary-blog-hop-february-17-20.html
That's neat you'd pick a new book. I just bought "The Hope." It's fun getting ready to read something I've never read before.
I'm following from the hop.
ecwrites.blogspot.com
I wish that short humor collection existed. Comedy would be a great form of escape in a horrible situation.
I am also one who wouldn't want to take a book i'd never read. I've mostly enjoyed Bryson before but, yeah, if i didn't like it, i'd be stuck!
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