This question is not very original. But the answer of Umberto Eco really is... I'd say... very original. ### Imagine... One rainy day, as you were about to finish a wonderful story about two people who reunited after having spent fifty years apart due to some political upheaval, you notice that some people are passing by your house. And instead of walking on, they stop and walk up to your front door. Some guys in black suits. One of them rings the door bell. And you're crazy enough to open the door. They shove you out of the way, and with big strides walk right past you. They directly head into your kitchen, make themselves a cup of strong espresso with a little bit of cream on the top. One of them boils some water and asks you where you keep the tea bags. You point at the cabinet next to the fridge. He smiles and after a short inspection of your offerings, decides to go for some jasmine. Once they are all sufficiently caffeinated, they walk to your living room and settle themselves. One even takes a seat in your favorite chair. You end up sitting on the small stool you normally only use as side table. You try not to look too upset. The one who asked you about the tea, puts down his cup and sits up straight. "We are now going to take you to an uninhabited island. You cannot bring anything with you, except one book. Which book would that be?" ![Which book would you bring_.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmS1ShCareEDc33qeyvAEBKUUBxQdMCCrwVvTnZ26TBHGP/Which%20book%20would%20you%20bring_.jpg) <center><sup>Picture from [pixabay CC0](https://pixabay.com/en/users/3dman_eu-1553824/)</sup></center> ### Six Walks in the Fictional Woods In this book I'm reading by Umberto Eco, there is a chapter about the use of time. Story time, the time used to actually do what is said, and reading time: the time used to read a story (or skip through parts). Interesting concepts to think about. As you may have noticed in the short story I wrote here, I tried to lengthen the reading time, added elements to keep you from the actual point. You may have skipped all of that and gone straight to the point. But in any case, Umberto Eco argues, you have used time that is a building up to something, and this pressure introduces the reader to the narrative speed of the whole. ### But... what to bring? So, which book would you bring with you to an uninhabited island? Umberto Eco chooses the phone book. He writes: "with all those characters to choose from, I could invent an infinite number of stories." Please let me know in the comments which book you'd bring. And tell me why! It can be just a short sentence, but I'd really like to know how to expand my reading list :) And no... e-readers not allowed. You can really only choose _**ONE**_ book. <center><a href="https://steemit.com/@nobyeni">![@nobyeni.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmXTaHeLGfTPXTNZkugWgmG2dRCwprBM9wwNfQnp4KuVGH/%40nobyeni%20footer.png)</a></center> <center><sup>Here an overview of more [fiction/short stories](https://nobyeni.com/about/writer-schrijver/fiction-short-stories-by-nobyeni/) and [poetry](https://wp.me/P3AksC-k4) by @nobyeni.</sup></center>
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Ha! Phone book. Genial! I loved Umberto Eco, his essay on Bonga People is my favorite one. Funny, smart, with elegant argument. For me, I'd bring any Smurf comic, so if anything goes less smurf, I can Smurf it up!
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Haha. Not sure that would be my personal choice... but tastes can differ, right?
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I like that, the story time and reading time. I'm guilty of the skipping parts in some books, and later regret it. But yeah, agreed with the building up. It's essential for the story, even if it's just for pacing and/or emotion. On the question? That's difficult. I can see Eco's point in choosing a phone book--it's like people-watching but without the people. After some thought, I'd probably choose The Rest of the Robots, a short story collection by Isaac Asimov. The reason isn't anything quite as remarkable as Eco's, though. Simply because each story introduces a bit more about the world and have important messages in them.
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Nice Post! I've been meaning to get around to reading some Eco for some time now, maybe this will be the push I need! I would definitely bring Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace as my book. Partially because that book is the best book ever and at ~1100 pages it'll kill some time for sure.
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Ha, good choice. Although, it might also make you depressed enough to not even make it to the end of it, perhaps -- in combination of being at an uninhabited island on your own ;)
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Any single book would seem a prison to me if it is the only one allowed. That said, I would probably take the Brothers Grimm :)
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