The Impossible (and Unnecessary) Choice
The ever-popular BBC radio programme Desert Island Discs concludes each episode by asking its celebrity guest to choose just one luxury and one book for their imaginary far-away exile. They will already have The Bible and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare available - as if that wouldn’t be enough. I struggle to decide what book I’d choose: perhaps it might always be “the one I’m reading at the moment”.
For many of us a favourite book is at once companion, doorway into another world, glimpse into the mind of its author, source of delight and more besides. For many years I foolishly pooh-poohed those (like my dear wife) who, as I thought, escaped everyday reality by reading novels. I wanted to deal with reality, things that matter. But mercifully, I now know better. My more recent cumulative experience of numerous readings of books such as Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Tolstoy’s War and Peace, Hilary Mantel’s trilogy Wolf Hall and Marilyn Robinson’s four (so far) superlative Gilead novels, have transformed my understanding. There’s not much that beats a good book - other than a good friend with whom to endlessly enthuse, discuss and share one’s favourites.
‘Mind you’, quipped Professor C S Lewis, ‘a book’s no good to me until I’ve read it two or three times.’ Well, goodness knows how many times I’ve read parts of The Bible and still I wouldn’t want to live without that very close to hand. I confess, I’ve yet to make a proper start on Shakespeare, so a challenge awaits. However, for sheer absorption, imagination, profound insight, tears and laughter, give me Tolkien’s masterpiece. But, oh what a relief … I don’t have to choose!
The Rev’d Dr Richard Hines
Rural Dean for Wisbech Lynn Marshland