in england there is a programme called desert island discs that runs weekly on bbc radio 4. on this programme, a famous person is selected as a "castaway," and then interviewed and asked to name the music tracks he or she would want to have along if stranded on a desert island. in addition to these songs, the castaway also selects one book and one full album.
i am terrible at picking favourites. all my life, i've dreaded the "favourites" ice-breaker questions at the start of classes or interviews that are supposed to help you relax. i freeze up when asked about my favourite colour, favourite movie, favourite book, or favourite song. how am i supposed to pick one all-time favourite? it completely depends on the context. can you imagine, though, if i answered truthfully: "brown is my favourite eye colour, but black is the best for clothes, especially trousers. for blouses, i pick blue, walls green. in roses, i prefer deep red." similarly "only you is my favourite cheesy feel-good romantic comedy, while a river runs through it is my favourite for reflecting on life and admiring brad pitt. high society has the best music, and roman holiday is my favourite classic." when thinking about song choice, i can't even select a favourite genre, let alone a single song or album.
desert island discs is my sort of programme because it doesn't force the castaway to select just one song, but rather a number of tracks. in that vein, and because it's the end of a very serious year of reading for me, i would like to present my "desert island picks"--books that outshine the rest in 2004. and since desert island discs also has a couple of additional categories, i'll tag on a couple of movie and music selections that deserve attention this year, just for good measure.
the curious incident of the dog in the night-time
by mark haddon
this story is narrated by a 14-year-old autistic boy, who goes through a process of self-discovery and development through the course of solving the mystery that surrounds the story. it is funny, and sad, and thought-provoking, and while it was written as a kids' book, should be on every adult's reading list.
the kite runner
by khaled hosseini
this was a late addition to my 2004 favourites list. it's a fantastic, haunting story of an afghan boy and his servant's son, their childhood in afghanistan, his move to america, and his return to kabul as an adult. it is a beautifully told story of forgiveness and courage, and makes afghanistan come alive in a way photos on cnn never will.
the time traveler's wife
by audrey niffenegger
this story is about a man afflicted with the ability to time travel, and the woman who shares his twisted and confused life. it follows the chronological life of the time traveler's wife, while the time traveler comes and goes, at various ages, struggling to be normal and control his affliction.
the grapes of wrath
by john steinbeck
this classic is a must read. set during the american depression, it follows a family of migrant workers on their forced journey to california. it is a graphic commentary on desperation and hope, and i cried with the characters.
the red tent
by anita diamant
the red tent takes the story of jacob and his 12 sons from the old testament of the bible, and retells it from the perspective of the women--his wives and daughter dinah. it's a very original love story.
the queen's fool
by philippa gregory
last year i couldn't stop talking about "the other boleyn girl," a historical novel by philippa gregory that i read at the start of my 12-month reading frenzy. the queen's fool was gregory's contribution in 2004, and focuses on queen mary and a young fool in her tudor court. like all of gregory's historical novels, this book makes the period come alive through vividly described real and imaginary characters, woven together between accurately described historical events. gregory is a master storyteller.
my movie pick:
eternal sunshine of the spotless mind
i wrote about this movie already, but i can't help raving again. this is a must see.
my music picks:
100 years, five for fighting
something blue, emma holland
run, snow patrol
invisible girl, minnie driver
where is the love, black eyed peas
Comments