# The desert island problem **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [September 25, 2025, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370 "2025-09-25T02:41:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2025, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/81 "2025-09-26T21:06:41Z")
Book: _Webster’s New International Dictionary, 3rd Edition_. It’s one volume. CD: Time-Life’s Christmas Songs Collection (the title may vary) [I’m not going 5 years without Christmas music.] Movie: _Fantasia_ by Disney. Color, movement, and great music. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2025, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/82 "2025-09-26T21:57:57Z")
Yes, I also used to be able to read it without adaptive hardware. Perhaps we’ll be stranded on adjacent islands and can shout etymologies from each volume across the narrow, shark-infested strait. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2025, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/83 "2025-09-28T09:06:30Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Album: _5 Seconds Flat_ Lizzie Mcalpine Thanks for that, I had not heard of her. Kind of a country Mazzy Star - one of my favourites. As to the topic: Book: I am an atheist, but to hell with it, the bible. King James version. Full of fun and death and fantasy role-play. Music: JS Bach. Anything by this guy. Film: I can’t decide between Jane Campion’s absurdist “Sweetie” or Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s equally absurd “City of the Lost Children”. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2025, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/84 "2025-09-28T09:08:25Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > Kind of a country Mazzy Star Jesus, no. Not country at all. Indie pop with a bit of folk influence. It’s that latter part you’re mistaking for country. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2025, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/85 "2025-09-28T09:19:27Z")
Ok, sure. I do not listen to “country” country\*, but a lot of what is alt-country, definitely on the indie end. \* as always, there is an exception… I really, really enjoy my friend Simon’s band, Congo Cowboys. They mix oldschool banjo driven country/folk with Congolese Kwasakwasa. They play Kirstenbosch on 18 Jan. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2025, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/86 "2025-09-28T09:35:53Z")
Oh, I love them - they’re on that bluegrassy end, and their guitars do the _mbaqanga_ thing. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/87 "2025-09-29T10:05:43Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > The hard part, of course, would be deciding _which_ volume. You could take a volume out of the middle of the alphabet but you’ll learn next to nothing. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/88 "2025-09-29T16:11:06Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > You could take a volume out of the middle of the alphabet but you’ll learn next to nothing. There are only two volumes. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/89 "2025-09-29T16:19:28Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > > [@Gyrate](#): > > > > You could take a volume out of the middle of the alphabet but you’ll learn next to nothing. > > There are only two volumes. Well, in that case, if you only take the second volume you would probably learn little to zero. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/90 "2025-09-29T16:52:17Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > You could take a volume out of the middle of the alphabet but you’ll learn next to nothing. Am I the only one who gets this brilliant joke? ETA: and I just got the one made above my post. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/91 "2025-09-29T18:06:43Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > It is bring a book, not write a book. Sorry. Well, that is just not ok. If I cannot have a thick blank book and trade the movie and CD for 5 years worth of writing instruments, I refuse to go. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/92 "2025-09-29T18:31:33Z")
On second thought, since it’s a desert island I’m packing the essentials: Album: _Whale Songs_—so I can duet with the neighbors. Book: _Moby Dick_—for practical dinner-harpooning tips. Movie: _Jaws_—so I remember to keep my toes stay on land. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/93 "2025-09-29T19:23:25Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > You could take a volume out of the middle of the alphabet but you’ll learn next to nothing. I’d prefer to learn how to hug. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/94 "2025-09-30T00:46:09Z")
If you had a _really_ slim volume, you could learn how to howl. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/95 "2025-09-30T05:37:14Z")
You know where to find Sympathy? It’s between Shit and Syphilis. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2025, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/96 "2025-10-02T04:24:06Z")
where’s the electricity coming from? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2025, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/97 "2025-10-02T04:42:53Z")
Mutant electric frogs. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2025, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/98 "2025-10-03T12:05:46Z")
> [@fedman1](#): > > where’s the electricity coming from? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UBzVroza2co/hqdefault.jpg "Carling beer advert - crab on desert island") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBzVroza2co) ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2025, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/99 "2025-10-03T12:29:54Z")
Book: “Final Exit” That would suffice. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370/100 "2025-12-02T15:04:05Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > Book. I’m picking something I haven’t read, but sticking with a nautical theme. I’m going with Stuart Turton’s _The Devil and the Dark Water_, which I’ve heard described as Sherlock Holmes meets Stephen King, set on a ship from the era of sailing ships. Based on your choice, I picked this up as an audiobook, very nice! Lots of twists and turns to the mystery, and an interesting look at life on an Indiaman. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-desert-island-problem/1023370.md?page=6)