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i was in a warmer climate one day, when that old adage came into my mind...(actually, i was in an english classroom, and the sadistic teacher had just written 3 books to a desert island, 350 words on the board. please don't enjoy this one.
The mere notion that, of six billion souls, I would be the only one to survive a nuclear catastrophe is quite absurd. Why should a selfish, narcissistic, and ignorant teenager be saved over thousands of modern-day saints and selfless, humble individuals? If I could only take three companions with me, and these were to be books, what would I choose? The possibilities are nearly endless, but I have made a tentative decision, should my salvation come early. I would bring John Cottingham�s Western Philosophy (!), A book of human history (I can think of no example), and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (either the Arden or Oxford). I would bring the first for refection, the second for mental exercise, and the last to entertain.
I was introduced to Western Philosophy this summer while studying philosophy in Cambridge, UK. It is a fantastic work, complete with excerpts from Descartes, Locke, Plato, and Aristotle, to name a few. Their ponderings are historic and interesting, and I hope to draw inspiration from them on my long sojourn on this figurative desert isle.
My second choice, some book of human history, should provide an experience akin to reading the encyclop�dia. However, history is one of my favorite pursuits and I would want to continue learning whilst in this most lonely exile, and with a lot of time on my hands, 4 million years of history should do me just fine.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare is one of man�s most loved, and loathed volumes. In it fanciful characters play out some of the most memorable scenes in the english language. I would use this book to be entertained. Who knows, in a dehydrated delirium I could find myself reciting scenes from Othello or King Lear. Committing suicide and murdering my rivals could become parts of my everyday existence. So, for entertainment, The Complete Works would accompany me.
To close, if I were to be shipped off to a desert island with only three books, they would be Cottingham�s Western Philosophy, a book of human history, and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare for thought, learning, and entertainment. If G_d decides out of the blue to leave me alone on this earth, with only three books, I will be much surprised and amused. I just hope it never happens.
So much for sparing the righteous.
this page created by SAG
copyright MMI