10 Books I Would Take to a Deserted Island

[@scal2025]

I look forward to someday reading your Master's thesis on gothic Japanese science fiction.

[@panikiczcock2891]

Being practical I'd probably take 1-2 favorites and 8 long books of the "Complete works/novels/short stories of XYZ" so I'd not run out of reading material 😅

[@MountainShadow8]

A year on a desert island with 10 books actually sounds good to me. I would have to cheat and bring some Norton Anthologies. You are a bright light and I so enjoy your videos. Thanks to you, I'm now reading Becky Chambers and Claire Keegan.

[@ThePoeticGuy]

Seeing Frankenstein at #1 genuinely brought a big smile on my face because it's my fav book of all time too! I LOVEEE that book! I can never talk enough about it! No amount of words that I ever say about this book will be enough! 🤌🏻

[@WillowTalksBooks]

I couldn’t agree more. I have a Frankenstein tattoo that I cherish, and that book is close to usurping my entire personality

[@javawatson]

When my brain feels fuzzy Your descriptions of and passion for books always excites me to read more.Thanks

[@Amoscrts]

I love being a patron because it was fascinating to see this video go from idea to completion! You’ve chosen a marvelous list! ❤📕

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Aw thank you! 💜

[@impastomusic]

My first choice would have to be my Oxford UP edition of the Complete Works of Shakespeare - sure, a bit of a cheat, but it would give me a chance to read the plays I haven’t yet (Henry VI 1/2/3, Henry VIII, and King John) and after thirty years of study, I still find something new every time I see or read a play. Next, my Complete Works of Oscar Wilde, for the same reasons. Plus a sentimental attachment, as my copy was gifted to me by my Grade 12 English Lit teacher. We took turns reading The Importance of Being Earnest in class and I kept failing because I couldn’t stop laughing long enough to read aloud. Others, more off the cuff: Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (long and dense with a whole world to sink into, and definitely rewards rereading); Pratchett & Gaiman’s Good Omens (a definite comfort read and a 2-for-1, as I would struggle to choose only one of either author’s canon); Lord of the Rings (can’t go wrong with a classic); Ian McEwan’s Atonement (one of my favourite novels, and I love the themes of memory and grief); as a wild card, Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves, which I own but have not yet read. I feel like I never have the time to dedicate and concentrate on this book, but I would love an excuse to! What a fun video, thank you! ❤

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Stellar choices!

[@badfaith4u]

What a unique video you have made. It was so much fun to see which books you would take. I would have such a difficult time picking the books to go with me.

[@readandre-read]

This is a really fun video. I'm all in favor of carting a bunch of omnibus collections and super long mammoths to the island.

[@lexileemoney6205]

I adore IT as well. Top five favorite books for me. And although it’s long, it’s one of my most reread books as well lol agree with you. The ending is absolutely disgusting but the characters and the way they make me feel is just so lovely and homey.

[@twentypaphonies2407]

Love this idea! Hard to choose but I would definitely take The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear, it´s the most wildly imaginative book I´ve ever read and I never get tired of re-reading it. Also it´s a childhood favorite, which is a must-have on the island when you´re in need of comfort! And IT is also on my list :)

[@sarahcmeikle]

I read Frankenstein this last year and absolutely loved it!

[@aldakendall4921]

Very pleased you choose It. It is on my list as well. A fairy-tale set from my childhood. A barns and noble double of Dracula and Frankenstein i got as a gift. Traders tales of the solar clipper. Crocodile on the Sandbank. The unexpected Mrs Polifax. A chonky notebook and good pens

[@shaunwild2227]

Great video as always. I would take Mary Shelley by Miranda Seymour, Farewell my Lovely by Raymond Chandler, Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay and finally Dickens ( Unabridged) by Peter Ackroyd.

[@SM-vr8dz]

Love this! I’m not sure which books I would take. Frankenstein is definitely one of them.

[@Bookbooper]

I can only think of a couple off the top of my head. The complete Shrelock Holmes collection, it's technically in one physical book. Babel because I love it. Happy by Derren Brown as I find it comforting and thought provoking. Some form of thick book on learning Arabic, if the Duolingo bird doesn't terrorise me before I can read it. Potentially multiple religious texts as I'm not sure where I stand on this topic and I would have a lot of time to consider this point.

[@HollyDunnDesign]

I love this challenge! The one that always comes to mind for this is the bind-up of His Dark Materials.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Yeah I have that and considered it myself, but I reread Northern Lights recently and don’t think it would satisfy me enough on an island

[@HollyDunnDesign]

@@WillowTalksBooks I think it would help imagining the wilds of the arctic while being stuck in a hot climate 😂 And I never get bored of Mrs Coulter.

[@krisprepolec5616]

My favourite book: Jane Eyre Book friends: Lovecraft Country Long book: The Count of Monte Christo Poetry collection: I would pick a read-your-own-adventure type book that would keep me entertained for a long time. Long escapist fantasy series: the Discworld series Complex and re-readable: Shadow of the wind series by Zafon Non-fiction about topic that interests you: something about astronomy and the night sky. Short story collection: Echoes ed by Ellen Datlow (massive) First aid/ survival manual

[@rita.sotero]

Btw, i just received as a present a book by mariana enriquez that is not translated to English yet but i was translating to Portuguese (only in brazil)! Its called “este é o mar” (this is the sea).

[@bryanreyes7351]

I’m like your friend. I’ve read 3 times Our Shared Of Night and I can’t wait to reread it, such a masterpiece. Thank you so much for introducing me to the Mariana Enriquez universe!❤❤

[@dracaryslace]

I'd bring the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, then one empty book plus a pen so I can finish the series myself. 😂 My last four would be The Lord of the Rings, Kushiel's Dart, Storyland, and poetry by Joy Harjo!

[@Barryislarge]

Holy shit, im so happy you picked IT! god the characters are so lifelike. It's so fun! Another king book with fantastic characters is "needful things". Again terrible ending (king cant do em) but its all just character ineractions and so fun

[@PaulDano_]

I lover ur energy sm😭

[@patriciaspindle7960]

That was such a fun video! Loved it 💜 I don't know if I could pick just 10 books... I'd probably drive myself mad trying to decide which ones to take with me 😂

[@camiloflores1592]

the first book that came to my head when I saw the notification was The Little Prince, as a safeguard for not losing my humanity

[@nikeestar]

Picking books for the island is a hard task. But I think you've chosen well with Hitchhiker's Guide... Douglas Adams is just brilliant, a true one-off!

[@rachel1021]

Those are all good choices 👍📚📖

[@karakask5488]

I think if I was stuck on a desert island, I would bring books that I've wanted to read but never have due to... well, life. So, War and Peace, Infinite Jest, and yes, In Search Of Lost Time. I feel like if I'm stuck there, I'll have no choice but to finally get through the list even if they're a slog. The notebook is genius, so I'd steal your idea for that, too!

[@Smelly285]

I thought our share of night was a poor translation. I’m glad to see people enjoying it tho. Maybe I need to give it another go!

[@lindsaydentonsfringe4934]

I'm definitely bringing Strange & Norrell to a deserted island; maybe then i'd actually finish it lol. desert(ed) island books would be a fab podcast, à la desert island discs!

[@MB-hc9tk]

This one’s on my tbr for this year but I’m also intimidated by it 😂

[@miyayume_eclectic_dream]

🤣🤣 yes series ist the best way to cheat. Should I take a known one like His Dark Materials or something unknown and un-read like Sanderson Misborn🤔 Or one that I don't want to read as it is a 14-books-long series : Weels of Time 😅

[@ReinReads]

Since you won’t be able to re-read Our Share of the Night anytime soon maybe consider Enriquez’s Things We Lost in the Fire, a ~200 page short story collection. It’s on audiobook at my library and I’ll be checking it out soon.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Yeah loved it

[@arleneallen8824]

I’m bringing The Night Circus and Boy’s Life. Those are lengthy and meaty and beautiful as well as stunningly lyrical.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Lyrical is the word! The Night Circus’ prose is absolutely stunning

[@martinelanglois3158]

Although I haven't come up with the other books yet, my first pick would surely be a dictionary. Second: a Stephen King book to be determined. 🤔 Great video. Will think about it all day. 🏝📚❤

[@Nastya-readsandlifts]

Omg, what a cute face! 0:52 ! (okay, keep watching)

[@earthjay]

Hii Willow, Have you read Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri? would love your thoughts on it! Happy reading!

[@miyayume_eclectic_dream]

10 books for one year 🤔 But that is not even 1 per month.🙀 I would like 30 books at least 🙏

[@WillowTalksBooks]

But then it wouldn’t be a challenge. These are ten books that I will want to read many times; that’s part of the challenge :)

[@disconnected22]

The two Dangerous Visions collections

[@maureenvannistelrooij]

I like books to have some kind of weirdness or mindfuck to them. Not ideal for a deserted island though, they might drive me a bit mad 😂

[@blubeagle55]

I love you, Willow!

[@WillowTalksBooks]

And I love you, random citizen!

[@blubeagle55]

@@WillowTalksBooks I'm Blu!

[@WillowTalksBooks]

It was a Megamind quote :)

[@blubeagle55]

@@WillowTalksBooks Ah! I have yet to see it!

[@chriscze6153]

Great list! I read mostly dark things but if I were stranded on a desert island for 1 year I'd need to bring something happy and I have very few of those lol if I had to pick at least one though I guess I'd choose I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn, a very cute and super fun story about a girl visiting her family in Japan and it is basically a written tour guide of Kyoto. It's labeled as a romance but that's a sub plot and that relationship is cute and explored well too, anyway.

[@doctormorbuis]

You might alternately consider The Summer of Night by Dan Simmons, which is kinda sorta IT without that scene. Sticks the ending, too. (Simmons himself is a complete jerk, but his early books were gold in spite of that).

[@doctormorbuis]

Oh, and I probably take The Count of Monte Cristo and Moby-Dick.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Is he a jerk, is he? That’s a shame. I really liked Hyperion

[@doctormorbuis]

@@WillowTalksBooks Yeah. He caught brainworms from 9/11 and went full Islamophobe. Last I saw he was ranting about how much of a brat Greta Thunberg is for getting mad about climate change and having the audacity to express it as anger.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Oh Christ, what an absolute loser! Ugh, well that’s disappointing. I’ve never read an Orson Scott Card novel cuz he’s a gross homophobe, and now I can happily write off Simmons and all

[@vincent_2232]

I would love to see more Horror recs Willow!!! I just cannot stand Stephen King and I feel like so many of the current horror books are just…meh…I did love the spirit bears its teeth and I loved Mexican gothic! Have you read anything by Ocean Vuong? I think you’d love his poetry and fiction book On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous Willow!!!

[@marcjohnson5991]

Thank you for including the tales of the Ketty Jay. I loved the first two. I stalled a bit on the third and still need to read the fourth I also appreciate the inclusion of Becky Chambers and Douglas Adams Pure Invention sounds fascinating

[@EvieM1]

📚🏝️

[@Tommy-xy1eh]

Dear Willow , What’s that tattoo behind your chain , couldn’t read it 😊 ❤

[@WillowTalksBooks]

“Our fables take us everywhere”, it’s a Biffy Clyro lyric :)

[@Tommy-xy1eh]

@@WillowTalksBooks ❤️