# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/21 "2010-12-09T22:01:17Z")
_The Shipping News_. I haven’t read it yet, and it’ll probably have decent trade value. ---
**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, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/22 "2010-12-09T22:33:45Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I’ll bring a bound copy of all my Star Trek fanfics. I figure sooner or later, somebody will want to read them. We’re going to Mars, not going INSANE. ---
**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, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/23 "2010-12-09T22:36:44Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > We’re going to Mars, not going INSANE. You said everyone was going. Therefore I am going. Are you saying you don’t think I’ll drive the rest of y’all mad? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/24 "2010-12-09T22:44:46Z")
The Rubber Handbook, or similar vital reference. Does Wikipedia come in a bound edition? More on the theme: The Complete Science Fiction Treasury of H. G. Wells ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/25 "2010-12-09T23:13:13Z")
I will bring _Finnegan’s Wake,_ and read it out loud, at all hours of the day, over and over until we reach Mars. Just to make everybody’s trip more interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/26 "2010-12-09T23:19:08Z")
I’ll bring Gary Jennings **Aztec**. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/27 "2010-12-09T23:35:50Z")
I’ll bring my own copy of _Finnegans Wake_, to read silently, just in case **BrainGlutton** ’s copy ends up inserted into him. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/28 "2010-12-09T23:46:04Z")
I’m trying to decide between _Watership Down_ by Richard Adams and _Lonesome Dove_ by Larry McMurtry. If any other Doper wants to pick one, I’ll take the other and then we’ll both be covered. ---
**Author:** ![Intelligently\_Designed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intelligently_designed/32/20957_2.png) [@Intelligently\_Designed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intelligently_Designed)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/29 "2010-12-10T00:48:40Z")
Ken Grimwood’s _Replay_. I never tire of rereading this book. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/30 "2010-12-10T01:55:11Z")
I’ll bring a bible. It’ll be good for posterity. ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/31 "2010-12-10T02:40:53Z")
Ulysses, maybe I’d actually read it this time. ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/32 "2010-12-10T02:47:49Z")
Nobody bringing any porn? That’ll be one loooooooooooooong trip 😃 actually I’ll bring the book that inspired my Doper name: Hašek’s _Adventures of the good Soldier Švejk_. Someone else please bring Catch 22! ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/33 "2010-12-10T02:53:32Z")
I’m also bringing _Finnegans Wake_ because, if it’s all I’ve got, I might actually read the thing. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/34 "2010-12-10T04:39:01Z")
I’d bring along my NY Times book of crossword puzzles. They’ll keep me entertained longer than a book will. I’m terrible at crosswords. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/35 "2010-12-10T14:45:00Z")
To paraphrase Hawkeye Pierce: I’ll bring a complete unabidge dictionary, because all the other books are in it. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/36 "2010-12-10T14:58:51Z")
Fiction or nonfiction? For fiction, I’m bringing _[Mists of Avalon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mists_of_Avalon)_, 'cause I read it every year and never get bored with it. Nonfiction? One of (since I can’t bring 'em all) the \*[Foxfire](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxfire_books)\*books. I figure we may need to live low on the hog for a while, and an easy reference for how to make soap or a barrel or a shotgun or how to kill and dress that Marshog might be a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Amazing\_Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@The\_Amazing\_Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Amazing_Hanna)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/37 "2010-12-11T00:38:47Z")
A really good cookbook. There´s a reason why these sell so well. ---
**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 11, 2010, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/38 "2010-12-11T03:04:19Z")
> [@The\_Amazing\_Hanna](#): > > A really good cookbook. There´s a reason why these sell so well. Well if we’re all stuck on Mars, maybe _To Serve Man_. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/39 "2010-12-11T07:52:07Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I will bring _Finnegan’s Wake,_ and read it out loud, at all hours of the day, over and over until we reach Mars. > > Just to make everybody’s trip more interesting. We’ll be sure to toss the book out the airlock with you. ---
**Author:** ![missyounow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@missyounow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missyounow)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573/40 "2010-12-11T09:04:52Z")
It’s not my favorite book of all time, although I am an avid fan, but either Harry Potter 3, 6, or 7. 7 is my favorite, but 6 especially have a real sentimental value to me, concerning my dad who is no longer here. The third one I remember a Valentines Day with him. The sixth one I remember having a really memorable, happy conversation with him when he had went out and got the book for me the morning it came out. 7 he drove an hour to bring to me the day it came out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-going-to-mars-you-get-to-bring-one-book/563573.md?page=3)