Pixie Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 If you knew you only had one year left to live, what books would be on top of your TBR pile? Would it be ones you haven't read yet, or are there titles you would want to re-read, or both, or would you give up reading entirely for the short time you had left? I don't have an answer of my own for this yet. I need to take some time to think about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Hmmm...can we talk to authors whom we adore and get the low-down on future novels? I wouldn't have a clue, otherwise. I'll have to think about this one. Good one, Pixie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Strange as it may sound, I would probably say The Bible, even though I am not religious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysalis_stage Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Strange as it may sound, I would probably say The Bible, even though I am not religious. That doesn''t sound strange to me, I would assume many people would turn to the bible whether they religious or not for some kind of comfort. Personally I'm in two minds I would either stop reading fiction and just read non-fiction on nature, science etc and be out appreciating it all (that's if I wasn't bed ridden) or I'd read lots of dystopian lit. in order to make myself happy at the thought that I'll not have to experience/witness all the inevitably bad things in the future (hopefully enabling me to forget about all the good things I'll miss) Well, that's my opinion now, liable to change Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emelee Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 If I got such news I would not choose to read any books. I would write a book of my own, about life and what it is like to know you will die soon. And I would start living life to the fullest, something people in general never do unless they get news like that. I would travel and do other things I always wanted to do. Reading books would not be on my schedual, I have to say. I'd be too busy soul searching and writing down my thoughts and ideas etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 I think the first book I would have to read would be some kind of "life laundry" type of thing, otherwise it would take my family forever to sort out everything that would be left cluttering every room of the house after I was gone! After that, I would just carry on reading all the sorts of books I usually enjoy - all fiction - but not bother adding in any new authors/books as I usually would to widen my horizons a bit. That means I would probably have to stop using BCF, as I am always seeing books other people have enjoyed and adding them to my TBR piles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Mine would be a combination of books I haven't yet read and old favorites. I would definitely re-read: All six Jane Austen novels some of my favorites of Dickens' (David Copperfield, Nicholas Nickleby, Bleak House, etc.) The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales by Tolkien Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Jane Eyre and Shirley by Charlotte Bronte everything by Amy Tan The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, and A Moveable Feast by Hemingway Two Women, Simon's Family, and Hanna's Daughters by Marianne Fredriksson the entire Bleach series again from the beginning The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath A Wild Sheep Chase and Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond For books I haven't read, I would want to read: The Japan series by James Clavell The rest of the Avalon series by Marion Zimmer Bradley A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens all the biographies I've never gotten around to reading histories of England, America, Japan, France, Ireland, and Scandinavia everything Haruki Murakami's ever written Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelmaria Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 (edited) if I had a year to live,I'd spend more time with my children than reading. but if I had to choose,then I would choose the outsiders by s.e hinton. it's my favourite book. Edited December 21, 2010 by kelmaria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 What a difficult question! Because I have such a huge number of unread books on my TBR pile, I think I would first give away the vast majority of them so I wouldn't stress over what to read. It would be such a difficult task though. I would probably spend my last year mostly re-reading old favourites, both from my childhood and recent reads. Hmm, now that I think about it, I'm not sure that I would want to risk wasting my last months reading new books that could potentially let me down. But then again, it would be nice to read a few more classics that I've never gotten around to. <sigh> For re-reads, I would have to go with: Harper Lee: To Kill a Mockingbird Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice Norton Juster: The Phantom Tollbooth John Marsden: Tomorrow series Walter Moers: The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear I think I'd also go for a couple of non-fiction books to remind me how precious human life is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 I would be reading the Bible. After that I would go for re-reads for comfort. eg Harry Potter, Roald Dahl. Unfortunately I do have a relative who is terminally ill at the moment and she is re-reading older books because she is on so much morphine if she misses a bit it doesn't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Books do furnish a room Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 I think I would carry on reading as I do now. Even if given a year you could still get run down by a bus tomorrow. I would re-read the Jeeves and Wooster stories by P G Wodehouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysalis_stage Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Unfortunately I do have a relative who is terminally ill at the moment and she is re-reading older books because she is on so much morphine if she misses a bit it doesn't matter. That is a good idea, sad to hear of your relative's illness though. I have a recently terminally ill relative who 5 months ago was an avid reader, she has also developed cataracts in one eye and is very weak so I was thinking of buying her some audio books for xmas but unsure which ones yet especially as in my experience some are hit and miss depending on the narrator. If I were to re-read a book under these circumstances and for comfort it would probably be His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ophelia Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 I think I would carry on reading as I do now. Even if given a year you could still get run down by a bus tomorrow. I would re-read the Jeeves and Wooster stories by P G Wodehouse. Me too! I think I'd want to read something that made me smile so, in addition to Wodehouse, I'd read my favourite Tom Sharpe novels, also Chocolate and Cuckoo Clocks by Alan Coren and, time allowing, Spike Milligan's books too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted November 28, 2010 Author Share Posted November 28, 2010 Well, after mulling this one over, I think what I would do is re-read my favorites and most likely not start any new ones. As Kylie mentioned, there is a possibility I might be disappointed in something new. I would definitely have to re-read all of my Patricia McKillip books. I love her dreamlike style, and I have only read each of her books once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimmy619 Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Strange as it may sound, I would probably say The Bible, even though I am not religious. I agree. I am not religious at all, but would probably want to read it before I died, just in case... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenajul Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 why read books? I would eat myself fat in chocolate, watch 'how I met your mother' .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraPepparkaka Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 I would read much the same books as I've always read. Don't see why this would make me change anything much about my reading or my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWords Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 I have the feeling that I would probably clear my TBR pile and start working through the Doc Savage series from the beginning (including novellas and short stories), then - if I'm still alive at the end of that - I would probably begin on The Shadow series. When I get bad news I tend to gravitate towards reading matter which I know I like, and the formula of the pulps is very comforting. There something about the classic structure employed in the writing which almost hypnotizes me into continuing with the characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleyz Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 I would read much the same books as I've always read. Don't see why this would make me change anything much about my reading or my life. I agree with Sara... I'd just try to read faster in order to cram as many as I can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 I would set myself the challenge of reading everything on my TBR pile before I died, hopefully that would keep me going that bit longer. I'd also make sure I had a different pudding every day so many puddings so little time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amesy Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 With a year left to go, I wouldn't read anything I don't think. I'd go and do all the things I've always wanted to do like sky dive, Swim with a great White (In a cage obviously), climb Everest, Marry my Fiancee.... etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 I'd reread Jane Eyre, Emma, The Handmaid's Tale and To Kill a Mockingbird. Other than that - I think I'd just try to read as many off my tbr as possible. Actually I'll have to give this matter a bit more thought! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted November 30, 2010 Author Share Posted November 30, 2010 Actually I'll have to give this matter a bit more thought! I know! I'm not sure if I'm positive about my answer, either. This is tough one for me. The thought has made me re-evaluate my reading habits. I'm not sure if that is a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie2008 Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 I think mine would include rereading a lot of my favourite books rather than focusing on anything new. Sometimes I find more comfort reading books I've already read I'm sure Harry Potter would be in there, as well books like Time Travelers Wife and Christmas Carol. I'm also desperate to read the rest of the Dexter books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 I would read much the same books as I've always read. Don't see why this would make me change anything much about my reading or my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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