10 Things from Books I Wish Were Real

You may (or may not) have gathered that I love reading.  Adore reading.  Almost never stop reading.  Especially fantasy and sci fi.  Almost every time I read a new book, I find myself coveting something in that book, wishing it were real.  Here are my top 10 items from books that I wish were real.

1. Hermione’s beaded bag, from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  That would be the handbag to end all handbags (I also have a fascination with handbags)

2. “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” from the series of the same name.  Seriously.  You would never need another reference book again.

3. On the same vein – their spaceship is also quite incredible.

4. Charter Marks from the Old Kingdom Chronicles (by Garth Nix – check them out, really good books).  I’m cheating a little on this one.  Technically this isn’t an item, it’s a form of magic.  But it’s very cool and governed by a specific folk lore.  And also very useful.

5. The tent that Harry and co. camp in at the Quidditch World Cup (and later in the Deathly Hallows book).  If I had a tent like that, maybe I could manage camping.  Maybe.

6. Pretty much all of Fred and George’s inventions – also from Harry Potter (noticing a theme?), because we all need a good laugh.

7. Genetic testing, like what is available in a book called “The Terminator Gene” (I think…I read it a long time ago).  I know we’re kind of close to inventing something like this, and also that the ethics are a little questionable.  But I can’t help think of all the lives that could be saved if we could perform genetic testing and predict – and prevent – the occurence of diseases like cancer.

8. Also from Harry Potter – the Marauder’s Map.  But not of Hogwarts.  Unless Hogwarts was also real.  Which, duh, would be awesome.

9. The Babel Fish, from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.  What an awesome way for everyone to understand each other!  The beginning of world peace?  Maybe not.  But still.  Awesome.

1o. And one last thing from Harry Potter (ok, ok, I’m a huge fan.  So what! haha).  Who could go past the temptation of an Invisibility Cloak?  Of all the three Deathly Hallows, that would be the one I would choose.

What do you wish we had in real life from your favourite books?

PS.  I’ve asked T to write a post for the blog, since he was curious about what the whole “blogging” thing was all about.  He’s been furiously typing away over there, so I’m pretty sure that post will be up tonight.  Be ready for it, he’s much much much funnier than I am (something that wouldn’t be hard at all!).  And maybe he’ll decide to write his own blog out of it.  We’ll see.  So stay tuned!

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