We're all going to Mars. You get to bring one book.

Cafe Society
1

All Dopers are going on a long space voyage to Mars. Each person gets one book. Only one. No collected works. No omnibus editions. One title only. If it’s normally published separately, it’s one book. The Fellowship of the Ring is one book. The Lord of the Rings is three.

But you’ll have other Dopers to borrow from or arrange with to cover what you’re hoping to cover. Make deals if you can. If you duplicate someone else’s choice, you won’t end up very happy with yourself. If everyone brings Terry Pratchett, there won’t be a lot of variety, but it’s up to you.

So, what book will you be bringing to Mars?

2

“book” first brings fiction/novels to mind, so I reactively spurt out “Dune” in my brain. With a little reflection, I might be persuaded to go with a book of **Shakespeare’s **works or ancient mythology…

Then I pulled back a level and pondered further; a book that is enduringly thoughtful would be a good choice, so perhaps the Tao te Ching…

3

I will be bringing Doomsday Book, by Connie Willis. I like Connie Willis, but I’ve never read this one, so I’ll have something new to read. And I think there are enough Willis fans around that I’ll please at least some people.

4

3 posts, and someone is already bringing my book!! I’ll bring To Say Nothing of the Dog to go with it.

5

I, of course, will be bringing The Silmarillion. Between Qadgop and the other Tolkienites, I’m sure there will be copies of its lesser cousins around, but even if they don’t, I still would choose that among the Perfesser’s work.

Lord of the Rings is still just one book, though.

6

Cheating, I know, but I’ll just bring my Kindle… fully loaded…

7

How to Survive on Mars

8

I suppose I’d bring a collection of Asimov’s short stories. I enjoy re-reading them from time to time. And it would be kind of sad if anyone else on the board had to be responsible for an Asimovian collection.

9

d’aulaire’s book of greek myths. sure it’s no bullfinch’s, but it’s on par with edith’s plus PICTURES! i’ll leave it to someone else to bring d’aulaire’s norse myths.

10

I’d bring The Stand. I’ve read it so many times the characters are like old friends. And what better company to have on Mars than good friends?

11

The biggest collection of Roger Zelazny’s short fiction I can find. (Dunno if there’s a big huge NESFA compilation yet - if so, that one.)

12

Either The Complete Works of William Shakespeare or Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.

13

Bradbury’s* The Martian Cronicles. *That way I will know what to expect when we get there. :slight_smile:

14

IT

For the same reason divemaster mentioned.

15

Lord Of The Flies. If everyone on the ship reads it several times, it might help them recognize dangerous patterns once we land.

16

Are we in danger, or is the habitat all set? IOW, do I want to bring some NASA geological survey of the planet, or a book about how things work, like that guy from Lucifer’s Hammer preserved?

If all is well, then I’d probably bring a short story collection. The Best Of Henry Kuttner comes to mind.

17

Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. I somehow ended up reading parts 2 and 3 of the trilogy, but never read the first one, and it’d be appropriate too. Maybe there’s some tips there.

18

I’ll bring a bound copy of all my Star Trek fanfics. I figure sooner or later, somebody will want to read them.

19

The Man Who Was Thursday

20

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.