# We're all going to Mars. You get to bring one book. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 9, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573 "2010-12-09T20:05:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/1 "2010-12-09T20:05:41Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/2 "2010-12-09T20:10:16Z")
“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** … ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/3 "2010-12-09T20:11:16Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/4 "2010-12-09T20:14:04Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > 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. 3 posts, and someone is already bringing my book!! I’ll bring _To Say Nothing of the Dog_ to go with it. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/5 "2010-12-09T20:17:27Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![misling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@misling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misling)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/6 "2010-12-09T20:17:54Z")
Cheating, I know, but I’ll just bring my Kindle… fully loaded… ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/7 "2010-12-09T20:21:32Z")
_How to Survive on Mars_ ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/8 "2010-12-09T20:24:15Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/9 "2010-12-09T20:28:29Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/10 "2010-12-09T20:51:55Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/11 "2010-12-09T20:53:47Z")
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.) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/12 "2010-12-09T20:56:05Z")
Either _The Complete Works of William Shakespeare_ or _Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable._ ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/13 "2010-12-09T21:02:17Z")
Bradbury’s\* The Martian Cronicles. \*That way I will know what to expect when we get there. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mckall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@mckall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mckall)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/14 "2010-12-09T21:11:07Z")
_IT_ For the same reason **divemaster** mentioned. ---
**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:** [December 9, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/15 "2010-12-09T21:11:13Z")
_Lord Of The Flies_. If everyone on the ship reads it several times, it might help them recognize dangerous patterns once we land. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/16 "2010-12-09T21:21:08Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/17 "2010-12-09T21:32:59Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/18 "2010-12-09T21:41:52Z")
I’ll bring a bound copy of all my Star Trek fanfics. I figure sooner or later, somebody will want to read them. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/19 "2010-12-09T21:59:33Z")
[The Man Who Was Thursday](http://www.gkc.org.uk/gkc/books/thursday.txt) ---
**Author:** ![ExcitedIdiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ea5d25/32.png) [@ExcitedIdiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExcitedIdiot)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/20 "2010-12-09T22:00:11Z")
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573.md?page=2)