There’s no spa. The cuisine is somewhat limited. The nightlife consists primarily of attacks by a creature that can turn invisible. However, the island where Oceanic Flight 815 crashed does boast one amenity.

There’s plenty to read.

Books and literary references can be found regularly on Lost. Some books that have been seen are part of the booty Sawyer took from the wrecked plane in “Tabula Rasa (1-3).” Others have been found in Swan Station, the Dharma Initiative bunker. As of spring 2006—roughly two-thirds through the second season—the references have ranged from superhero comics to classic novels to philosophy. Hardcore fans are turning to the books in search of clues to the show’s mysteries.

When The Third Policeman, a novel by Flann O’Brien, was added to the Lost reading list in the second season, it was mentioned in USA Today and other national media outlets. The publisher of The Third Policeman ordered a new print run of 10,000 copies in order to meet the expected demand. Craig Wright, co-author of the episode that includes Policeman, was quoted as saying, “Whoever goes out and buys the book will have a lot more information in their back pocket as they theorize about the show. They will have a lot more to speculate about—and, no small thing, they will have read a really great book.”

In addition to possible clues, I think other things can be found by looking at the books shown on Lost. It’s a way of learning about the writers’ influences and getting a different perspective on the events of the show.

One of the first books to make a cameo appearance on Lost, was  …