What three books would you take?

[hsdrop]

something for the 7 base si measurements with the table of elements next would have to be the biggest med book with as much info as i could find people are going to get sick and heart have to know how to fix them and then last book would be some kind of back to basics (for buildings and other thing) of the bible (for a base of some sort of government and social structure ) but never to be worshipped

 

[Karen Anne]

A book on basic skills - plumbing, electrical, including farming.
A book on astronomy.
Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars.

If I could take a fourth book, it would be a medical text.

 

[Kalki]

"History of Western Philosophy" by Bertrand Russell
"Anthropic Cosmological Principle" by John Barrow and Frank Tipler
"Introduction to the Study of Man" by J Z Young

 

[Dr Wu]

With interesting animals/pets in mind: three shortish books to grab in a rush:

1) "Starman Jones" - Robert Heinlein.
2) "The Penguin Lessons" - Tom Mitchell.
3) "The Hobbit" - JRR Tolkien.

3.3/4) "Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban" - JK Rowling.

 

[jim hardy]

...to help rebuild civilization in the distant future.

... which three books would you have taken?

Moby Dick
The Bible
Eric Hoffer's "True Believer"

three best books i know on human behavior.

 

[mathwonk]

euclid's elements, euler's elements of algebra, and courant's calculus, ought to get things started again. i would also try to sneak in a few calvin and hobbes books.

 

[BWV]

Gravity’s Rainbow
Blood Meridian
Stalin Volume 2: Waiting for Hitler

 

[Shadow89]

In The Time Machine, by HG Wells, George took three books with him when he returned to join Weena and the Eloi, to help rebuild civilization in the distant future.

If you were in his position, which three books would you have taken?

1) A fat book about mining for resources, including a detailed description of how to get useable iron from ore.

2) A really fat book about medicine, including emergency first aid.

3) The Holy Bible (I hear its really useful for getting people to do what you want).

 

[MasterChief]

Three books he removed from his shelf. (1) A history book? Would you say a book on history is essential from ground zero of a new civilization? Maybe...to teach what has been tried before.
(2) A medical reference guide? Would have to be really complete with practical and surgical applications (3) Chemistry and/or math? Would also have to be rather complete 101 to 401... but not to worry, he did find a library in decay in Weena's world. More investigation needed there...and this time, try to treat the ancient texts with a little more care! Don't forget his time machine could take him anywhere for more materials/books that would be needed.

 

[kimberlee81]

OED, (two volume "shorter")
The Sixth Winter, Douglas Orgill & John Gribbin
The Beekeeper's Apprentice, Laurie R King

 

[e-pie]

Question

How can we read the books necessary to rebuild civilization if civilization itself is starting from scratch? To read the letters would take thousands of years.

If someone was there from the past civilization he should take:

Oxford Dictionary Adv Learners... So that the new men can learn words quickly.
Practical Guide to Farming... For food
Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human
... For fire lessons

I can't wait another thousand years to eat roasted meat. My thousand year old organs cry out in pain as I think of the mere thought.

"Food,Food,Cooked Food"