Adam’s 10 deserted island reads

(Ed. Note: Adam is a Social Media Specialist at OverDrive and manages the blog. He put his whole team through this exercise so it only seemed fair that he do it too. He’s also writing this note and apologizes that it’s in third person. I have no idea why we’re putting ourselves through this. It’s impossible. I was tempted to put Robinson Crusoe in here because I love irony but I don’t think “deserted island Adam” would appreciate the joke…)   American Gods by Neil Gaiman No surprise here but I love all things Mr. Gaiman. My favorite work of his is The Graveyard Book but this one is longer which is important when you’ve got nothing but time… The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett Again, length plays a part here but mainly I adore the way Follett somehow enables the reader to grasp the scope of a story that spans entire lives through the building of a Gothic cathedral. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Lives need whimsy, even one stuck on an island. I have long been a fan of all things nonsensical. Dr. Seuss and Jim Henson are my favorite humans but the word problems and thought games in Wonderland will keep my mind fresher so Carroll wins out. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Every year, for as long as I can remember, come December 1st I read this. I’m not going to let a little deserted island break that streak. What would we be without tradition? The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri I think of myself as a fairly spiritual person and I guess that would be heightened by the solitary confines of the deserted island. I also firmly believe in classic novels and this may just be the best ever written. The Complete stories of Edgar Allan Poe Is this cheating? It’s cheating isn’t it? Whatever, this is hard! There are few things I enjoy more than spending a fall evening by the fire re-reading The Masque of the Red Death, The Fall of the House of Usher or Manuscript Found in a Bottle…although that last one might be a bit morbid on the island.   The Princess Bride Who wouldn’t want a book with fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles… (and yes, kissing) The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky I have a thing for Russian Lit. I recently found out that this comes from my grandmother as I was rummaging through her old books discovering plays and stories by Tolstoy and Chekov. Well War and Peace would be a stereotypical answer and I feel like taking the complete works of Chekov would be cheating again so let’s go with the best book of the 19th century. The Autobiography of Mark Twain Mark Twain was, perhaps, America’s greatest writer and his autobiography makes for a breathtaking read. His life was full of successes and tragedies alike and this book is no different. Delaying its publication for 100 years meant Twain could write freely and not be concerned with what other thought about him. This was worth the wait. Sick In the Head by Judd Apatow I’m a huge comedy nerd. I’m obsessed with legends like Mel Brooks, Billy Crystal and Harold Ramis and the interviews Judd has with these and so many more are both hilarious and though provoking. I think laughter would be important on this island.   Adam Sockel is a Social Media Specialist with OverDrive

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