My Top-10 Desert Island Choices

Books, Albums, Films

In the late 1970s a music magazine editor asked me to write a “Top-10” list of favorite guitar albums. I dashed off the assignment and over the years forgot about it. Then, by chance, I found a copy twenty-some years later. I was surprised that seven of the ten albums would still be among my “Top-10” at that time – and today, as well. We’re lucky indeed when we find creative endeavors that inspire us throughout our lives.

Every semester for the past 23 years I’ve assigned all of my writing students this challenge: “Imagine that you have to spend several months alone on a deserted island, a hard-to-reach weather station, or some other remote location. Solar-generated electricity is available, but internet and cellphone access are spotty. You’re allowed to bring along ten store-bought items to help keep your spirits up and your mind occupied. What would you bring?

“The purpose of this assignment is identify creative endeavors/intellectual property that you find valuable and inspiring. By mentioning your choices in class, you’ll hopefully inspire others to seek out some of your choices.”

The 2500+ lists I’ve read from college students from all walks of life have introduced me to countless books, films, TV series, video games, and albums that I would not have otherwise encountered. And every semester I’ve given myself the same challenge. Some of the my choices have remained constant; others have changed as my tastes have evolved or new, more-inclusive products have been made available.

If you’ve never created such a list, you’ll likely find this endeavor more difficult – and fun! – than you might imagine. Most people find it easier to create a longer list than to whittle their choices down to ten.

If you accept the challenge, I invite you to post your list and/or suggestions in the comments section below. (And be sure save a copy for your children and grandkids!) If even one of your choices leads someone to discover something great, mission accomplished.

Without further ado, here are my Top-10 “Desert Island Choices”:   

The Yale Shakespeare: The Complete Works

If I could only take one item with me, this would be it. For my dough, William Shakespeare stands head-and-shoulders above all other English-language writers. In his plays, readers can encounter all aspects of humanity. Given the differences in Elizabethan and modern English, it’s best to have an edition with detailed intros and copious notes. This 1517-page hardback delivers, and you can find copies on eBay for under $10.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Complete Sherlock Holmes

Every few years since childhood I’ve reread all of the Sherlock Holmes stories and novels. Forced to spend months alone, many people would likely enjoy immersing themselves in distant times and places. Conan Doyle’s succinct style, vivid descriptions, and awesome storytelling abilities bring to life London in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Staying true to the original texts, the Jeremy Brett filmed versions come highly recommended as well.

Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo

Imagine, if you will, getting totally screwed over by jealous acquaintances who leave you to languish in solitary confinement in an offshore dungeon for fourteen years. Digging an escape tunnel, you encounter a fellow prisoner, an abbe who hips you to the ways of the world and reveals the location of a vast hidden treasure. In time, you make a dramatic escape, recover the treasure, and use your unlimited resources to wreak havoc on your betrayers. And that’s just part of the story….

With so much time on my hands on that desert isle, it would be a welcome distraction to have massive books to explore. This unabridged edition, published by Modern Library, runs 1462 pages and has easy-on-the-eyes typeface.

Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

A companion since childhood, this Donald McKay-illustrated edition has been a favorite book since grade school. To this day, whenever I need writing inspiration I’ll read a few pages of Tom Sawyer just before falling asleep. Twain’s sentence structures, anecdotes, story arc, and superlative editing stand the test of time. And what a sense of humor! While Twain’s follow-up Tom Sawyer novels aren’t anywhere as good, the original gets my vote for best-written American novel of its era.

Bob Marley & The Wailers, 5 Classic Albums

A box set of albums by the transcendental Jamaican songwriter and prophet at the height of his powers. In years past, I’d typically choose a stand-alone anthology CD such as Natural Mystic or Legend, or the career-spanning four-CD Songs of Freedom. Then along came this attractive, budget-priced five-CD box set featuring Rastaman Vibration, Exodus, Kaya, Survival, and Uprising. In all, 57 tracks of some the finest, most uplifting reggae ever recorded. I would miss many of the songs on Burnin’, Catch a Fire, and Natty Dread, though.

Jimi Hendrix, The Experience Collection

This box set contains two favorite “guitar” albums, Are You Experienced and Electric Ladyland, as well as Axis: Bold as Love and a fourth CD with the Monterey “Wild Thing,” the Woodstock “Star Spangled Banner,” and, strangely, duplicates of tracks from the other three CDs. Go figure. Still, 48 unique Hendrix tracks would make any time spent in isolation much more enjoyable.

Sade, The Ultimate Collection

Speaking of enjoyable, I’ve always had a soft spot for Sade’s beautiful, effortless voice and superior songwriting. Excellent band too. While there are better singers – Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday in the 1930s instantly spring to mind – Sade’s music always calms and envelops me. These 29 tracks are perfect for chilling under a palm tree at sunset.

Akira Kurosawa: Four Samurai Classics

If I could only bring along one film DVD, it would be Akira Kurosawa’s magnificent Seven Samurai, which provided the template for the star-studded 1960 blockbuster Western The Magnificent Seven. With its intriguing characters, absorbing plot, and running time of more than three hours, Seven Samurai showcases a wide swath of Japanese culture. The superlative actor Toshiro Mifune also stars in the three other action-packed films in this Criterion Collection box set, The Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo, and the must-see Sanjuro.

Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy: The Essential Collection

Ten full-length films and fifty-two theatrical shorts — what’s not to love about this beautifully remastered collection? Some of my best childhood memories are of my family joyfully watching old B&W films featuring Tarzan, W.C. Fields, the Bowery Boys, and especially Laurel and Hardy. A bumbling sweetheart of a character, Stan Laurel always puts a smile on my face.

A Blank Journal and Pencils

Given today’s fast-paced lifestyle, constant barrage of social media, and hyperventilating “breaking news,” I have little doubt many people would enjoy reading about someone who left all that behind. By keeping a day-to-day journal, I just might emerge from seclusion with the manuscript of a best-seller.

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