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The Burning House: What Would You Take? (2012)

by Foster Huntington(Favorite Author)

3.58 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0062123483 (ISBN13: 9780062123480)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

It Books

review 1: The idea behind this book (and the website that inspired it) is incredibly simple: if your house is on fire, what would you take? Obviously you'd save people and pets, but what of your possessions do you have to bring with you?The answers vary, obviously, from person to person. You'd want your wallet and probably your phone. But what else? A favorite book or movie or CD? An iPod or Kindle or iPad? Your computer or camera? Cards and letters, maybe?So why care about what strangers would save? There are two reasons. First, obviously, is that it makes you think about what you'd take in a fire. And second is that it shows you what matters to the people interviewed. That's an interesting glimpse into a stranger's life.For me, I would save Sam (obviously). The next m... moreost important thing is this box I have that's f ull of letters and cards, stuff from college on from people I love and who love me. There are letters from my dad in there, so obviously it's irreplaceable. I'd want my phone and iPad and Kindle. And the only other thing I'd really want to save is this old stuffed cat I have that I've had since I was a kid, a gift from my best friend. (I say that those are all I'd try to save, but I can also see me frantically throwing books out the window to try and get them clear of the building before Sam, the box, stuffed cat, electronics and I made our way outside.)So what would you save?
review 2: So really, what WOULD you take if you had to escape a burning house? This wonderful book contains lists of what people from around the world said would be top on their list; a photograph of the items accompanies each list. While many of the participants seemed to lean toward the artistic side (hence "cameras and accessories" was the top category of items listed), some of the more memorable were from the younger and older ends of life's spectrum. From a 10-year-old girl describing her hair brush: "I literally bring that brush with me everywhere. It's sort of like a good-luck charm" to wisdom from a 70-year-old: "letters and ojects from a person very dear to me," the lists are interesting and will probably make every reader pause to wonder what those items are that should be in a suitcase near the door. Two other favorites: "Bottle of gin to reassure me during the fire. The same goes for a box of cigarettes and matches." and "A book of a hundred handwritten things my wife likes about me." A great conversation starter and yes, I'm revisiting my own list. less

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