#DesertedIslandReads

So, Joy at Fullness of Joy, tagged me for the #DesertedIslandReads tag. The idea is this: you’re on a deserted island. What ten books would you want to have with you? I’m terrible at picking favourites, but the challenge will be good for. So, here are ten books I might like with me on a deserted island:

1. The Bible. This is kind of obvious, but the more I read the Bible, the more I realize that it is amazing book. The best thing about it is that it’s exhaustless. You can read it all your life, and still find new things; perfect deserted island reading material.

2. A blank journal. This doesn’t really count but I wouldn’t want to be without it. I’m sure if I suddenly landed on a deserted island I would have a lot of thoughts to process, and adventures to record. I would also want to preserve all the memories of my left-behind family and friends. 

3. Steps to Christ. This is just a short devotional-type book, which I’ve recently found helpful and encouraging. It’s good both when I’m feeling low, unspiritual, and when I’m feeling on top of the world.

4. The Heavenly Man. I’ve only read this book once, and that a few years ago, but it was really amazing and inspiring; a reminder that even if we come to trials that are so, so hard, God will be with us through them. In that way, it’s encouraging. 

5. A holocaust story. I’m tossing up between Tales from the Secret Annexe, Ellie, and Between Shades of Gray. It’s weird to think I need a holocaust story. Of course I don’t, but they remind me that my life is not that hard, and it is possible to make it through even terrible circumstances.

6. Unbroken. The same reason goes for this one – it's a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit. Plus, it’s a riveting story.

7. Just Thirteen. Now you must really be questioning me: a children’s book? A far-too-ideal story? I know, but I have lots of memories attached to this book. It’s like my happy carefree childhood book. I got it before I was thirteen, and I’ve read it at least five times since then. I know the wording of what comes next in the story, and some sentences come to mind in everyday life. In a way, I guess it’s also the book that made me dream of wanting to write. 

8. Unspoken Love. Again, this one has memories connected to it. It was the first book that made me cry, it was the first book I shared with my Grandad, and it was the first book to prove to me that a true story could be just as well written, and even more compelling, than fiction.  

9. A book to really get me thinking, and challenge me, something deep and powerful. My favourite topics for these kind of books are: what makes people the way they are, and why things are the way they are, and psychological stuff, especially connected to the influences of the Bible and God, and just those books that explain everyday things in connection with everything else in a way that makes sense. (Quite unlike that sentence.) At the moment, The Book That Made Your World is doing that for me. It’s introduced new thoughts, and explained things I see all around.

10. Some new big fat volume. There’s nothing like old favourites, but there’s also something special about a book you haven’t read before. It’s an adventure into the unknown. Not knowing how long I’d be on this deserted island, it would be good to have a chunky new book.  

Anyway, that’s the ten that I came up with! It’s by no means conclusive, as I’m sure if you asked me in a few months’ time, I would give totally different answers. It’s a good exercise, but hopefully I'm never faced with having to live life on a deserted island with ten books to be my only companions. :)

So what do you think? Have you read any of the books I listed? What books should I pick for the last two? And, if you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged! I’d enjoy reading which books you can't live without! :)