10 Books to Help Me Survive A Desert Island

I’ve been missing Top Ten Tuesday recently, so I popped over to The Broke & The Bookish to see if there’d been any updates.  There were!  I was able to get scheduled up through September, yay!

While I was there, I started reading through all the old TTT’s that I missed.  There are so many good ones but I was really taken with the idea of what books I would want if I were on a Desert Island.  That’s a big question in tags, and Outlander is my usual answer.  It’s still my answer, but this time I was thinking more about books I thought would be beneficial to have… in fun, of course.

So, that’s how I arrived at a list of books that I think one should read before they are stranded on a desert island.  😀

1. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

So, of course I would include Outlander.  First of all, I’d just never survive on a island without Jamie Fraser.  Not only would he be so helpful on how to survive, this book also has Claire who is a wealth of information about plant life and healing.  This is full of useful data we could use.

2. The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M Auel

I know I’d survive if I could mimic Ayla’s strength.  She teaches us how to use firestones to light a fire.  We learn how to create a sling for hunting.  And, if need be, she tells us how to make friends with a Lion!  How useful is that!

3. I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

I’m pretty sure Jazz could survive anything.  He’s clever, and he thinks with a shrewdness that would be beneficial when trying to keep yourself alive.  Maybe his skills are urban, but I really think it would translate well in any scenario.

4. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

It’s right there in the title!  “Scorch Trials”- Isn’t that what I’d be going through on a Desert Island?  I’ll be honest, Maze Runner wasn’t my favorite series, but this second book is all about how to travel in the desert.  I’m sure I’d find something useful during my time on the island.

5. Ashfall by Mike Mullin

Ashfall is another survival story.  It’s more about a volcanic eruption, but over the course of the series we learn all about growing food and scavaging.  I can’t think of anything off the top of my head that directly applies to a desert, but between Alex and Darla there’s bound to be something useful between these pages.

6. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Who couldn’t use Kaz’s words of wisdom in times of great stress!  I mean, think of everything he survived.  If he doesn’t have any outright information for me, he at least inspires me to think on my feet and always stay one step ahead of the problem.  I’d have bring this book to remind me to emulate Kaz’s smarts.

7. Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Cristopher

Technically Ty is the villain, which is so hard to say, but he grew up in the Australian Bush which is as wild as you can get.  He’s essentially a man who has lived his life roughing it.  Sure, it was on a homestead, but I specifically remember some scenes that I think would help.

8. Angelfall by Susan Ee

Reading about Penryn is similar to reading about Kaz.  Penryn would motivate me to keep pushing myself.  She never gave up or lost sight of her goal, and I think that’s what I would take away from Angelfall.  Plus, maybe I’d probably start imagining I had a Raffe, and that’s not a bad thing.

9. The Unsung Hero by Suzanne Brockmann

I’d really want the entire Troubleshooters series.  I think there’s important information in each book.  However, even having one is a good idea.  The series is about Navy SEALS who have been trained to sustain in the roughest of terrain.  Not to mention that this author did a lot of research and interviews with real SEALS, it’s gotta be relatively accurate.

10. Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Confession time: I read this book so long ago that I don’t remember much about it.  I chose to include it anyway.  It’s my gamble book grab.  My last chance pick.  It’s got a desert on the cover, and one lone girl walking by herself.  There’s gotta be something magical between these pages!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!