Did you ever think, if you had to go through the rest of your life and be limited to owning or reading only two books, which ones would they be? At first thought, I would say The Bible and the Machinery’s Handbook. The first teaches you the spiritual side of life and the latter teaches you the physical side of life. Since I am such a bad speller, maybe a dictionary should be one of them.
People say we don’t need books since we have the internet. If you take care of a book, it will last for ever, but there has been times when I turned on the computer and there was no internet. The internet goes down at times and there are still places that it can’t be accessed. But, I would be the first to admit that I would be lost without the internet.
OK, I am going to keep this short, since we have to get ready to take the dogs to the groomer this morning and then will probably make a quick trip to town for some supplies. I am really curious, so let me know the two books you would pick.
Shoot, only 2? I got to have at a minimum 3
ReplyDeleteThe Christian Bible, The Jewish Torah, and the Foxfire first book.
Hmm, just two? Again, this is hard to narrow down... I'm going to pick the bible (far to easy, but there it is), and....dangit.... Really, just one more? Fine, how about Bradford Angier's "Skills for Taming the Wilds, A Handbook of Woodcraft Wisdom". Seriously, it starts out with "you have a knife" and ends with "You have a warm, safe, sound cabin, with a full tool kit, soft bed, sturdy furniture, and full pantry." If I had a few more options, I think I would put an as of yet undecided book about home made wind generators (otherpower.com?), and truly made from scratch 2 way radios. Like, make your own vacuum tube from a baby food jar made from scratch.
ReplyDeleteIn order, Spiritual Foundation, Physical well being, electrical comforts and communication. I think that is all we really need. Any suggestions for that last book?
I would also have to say the Bible, and the other would have to be Wild America. Love the outdoors and all who live there.
ReplyDeleteThere is just no way,,,to EVER name TWO!!!
ReplyDeleteI have the American Heritage College Dictionary that I would hate to be without. Time and time again it has proven more complete and accurate than any online dictionary I've ever looked at.
ReplyDeleteAs for a 2nd book, I have quite a few other non-fiction and reference books, but wouldn't be able to say I couldn't do without any of them. But I have a big box of maps - all the states of the US and provinces of Canada, plus regional maps, and those of national forests & parks that I refer to a lot. So maybe my box of maps would be 2nd, but of course that isn't a book!
"The Four Agreements" Don Miguel Ruiz and The complete works of Edgar Allen Poe.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I'd have to choose the Bible and as book called "How to repair anything".
ReplyDeleteThat's a hard choice this morning, that's for sure!
Wow, everyone has such good answers.
ReplyDeleteBen, I believe that the first Foxfire book was the best of all of them. Living in western PA, it was only a short drive to Appalachia.
Grant, I didn’t say you had to rough it, just could have only two books to read. For my second book, I picked the Machinery’s Handbook because I have a couple and they give useful information on almost everything mechanical, physical properties, equations, etc. I use them both a lot.
Trouble, sorry, I know it would be a hard decision.
Gypsy, I agree with the dictionary and maps, except I did not pick them because I use spell checkers a lot and maps can be quickly found on the internet, where as, I have searched for info on the internet and gave up and looked it up in the Machinery’s Handbook. If the internet is down or inaccessible, it usually can be accessed at a later time or position.
Frann, of all, I would have thought that you would agree with me on the Handbook. I am sure you had one at one time, being a Machinist.
HJ, yep, I need that book on “How to Repair Anything”. Bet you would need a one ton truck to haul it around.
The only responsibility that a man cannot evade in this life is the one he thinks of least,--his personal influence. Man's conscious influence, when he is on dress-parade, when he is posing to impress those a round him,--is woefully small. But his unconscious influence, the silent, subtle radiation of his personality, the effect of his words and acts, the trifles he never considers,--is tremendous. Every moment of life he is changing to a degree the life of the whole world. Every man has an atmosphere which is affecting every other. So silent and unconsciously is this influence working, that man may forget that it exists. Just a thought
ReplyDeleteTed, that is wonderfully profound statement. You write beautifully. You have a gift.
ReplyDeleteThe printing press was a 'High Tech' piece of machinery at one time. It is not surprising that the very first book printed was the Bible. No other book compares with it.
ReplyDeleteIt bases its veracity upon its ability to predict the future. It has done so 100 % of the time with a 100% rate of accuracy. Sometimes the predictions were only a few days hence, and other times it was hundreds of years the accuracy rate remains unchanged.
I find it remarkable that with perfect success rate that some folks pay it no mind at all!
Back to 'High Tech!'
I have the bible on my computer in 13 different versions. I can stare and compare each one side by side. Included among my collection is the bible in 4 other languages, only two of which I understand.
Then there is the Kindle. Room for 3,500 books here. I love to read books on my Kindle. I bring it with me when I eat out, and read while awaiting the food to arrive.
I am reading once again, 'Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand, but this time, I'm reading it on the Kindle.