Reel Reads: Books into MoviesWith so many new films being released based on extremely popular books (Harry Potter, Bourne Identity, About a Boy, etc.), it is always fascinating to look back at how Hollywood adapted other books for the 'silver screen' (for better or worse). Here's a quick look at some popular books that became movies.
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Heller, Joseph(1961)
Catch-22
Heller's timeless masterpiece builds a fantastical world in which sanity and insanity are switched about and events are exaggerated to the extreme. From this emerges an ironically accurate picture of what is really going on. Captain John Yossarian, who wants desperately to stay alive in a world where many are trying to kill him, attempts to convince his commanders that he is too insane to fly any further missions. The Catch, of course, is that only a sane man would try to evade further combat. Another catch involves the number of missions required to complete a tour -- a number that is constantly increasing. Heller's mad world is -- fittingly -- set in the madness of World War II. But the tale it tells -- witness Milo Mindbender's acceptance of a reasonable offer from the Germans to bomb his own airfield -- can be set in any time or place.
Reviewed by Jim B., Main Library
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Wells, Rebecca(1996)
Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood
Humor, pathos, and bittersweet memories
are the hallmarks of Rebecca Wells'
popular NYT Bestseller. With all the
idiosyncrasies of growing up Catholic and
the peculiarities indigenous to the bayous
of 50's and 60's Louisiana, "Vi-Vi"
Walker keeps an hilarious and sometimes
poignant memento of her life with the
"Ya-Ya's", a group of girlfriends who keep
their blood-blessed oath to stay friends
well into adulthood. It is also an
emotional look at the oft-times difficult
relationship between mothers and daughters
as Vi-Vi's daughter, Siddalee, yearns to be
a member of the sisterhood herself.
Colloquialisms abound, funny and irreverent,
this is a book you don't want to miss.
Reviewed by Rosanne L., Matthews Branch
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Berendt, John(1994)
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Step into the exotic world of Savannah, Georgia with John Berendt’s
travelogue/murder mystery which remained on the New York Times
bestseller list for years and transformed Savannah into a tourist mecca. The
story of Jim Williams, self-made millionaire antiques dealer and owner of the
fabulous Mercer Mansion (built by the great-grandfather of songwriter Johnny Mercer),
and his arrest and four trials for the murder of his houseboy/lover, is fascinating
in itself. Add to this a voodoo priestess, a crazy inventor who carries poison
around threatening to pour it into the water supply, a flamboyant cross-dressing
nightclub performer, and other zany characters, and you have a book that
would make anyone curious enough to visit a city that could produce such an
assortment of misfits. Highly recommended and much better than the movie.
Reviewed by Ruth H., North County Regional
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Reader's comments about this book
This is truly one of the sexiest murder mystery books I have ever had the pleasure to read. I read it over and over again and can see something new every time.
-Ashley, Panama City, FL
I found this book fascinating and so did my husband so we visited Savannah when in the US - and found it fascinating, too!
-Kaye, Auckland, New Zealand
It amazes me that one man,an outsider who is a New York author, could have been absorbed into the confidence of the closed society of Savannah and could have found so many "off-the-wall", ecentric, persons in one closed city about whom he could describe in his writing.
-Char, Ormond Beach, Fl
One of the most powerfully written evocations of place in the 20th Century, this book is a love song to a city wrapped up in a murder mystery. Rich, wonderful crime writing at its best.
-Ian, Charlotte, NC
Excellent book. One powerful statement- You are my North, my South, My East, My West.
-Terry, Folly Beach, SC
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DuMaurier, Daphne(1938)
Rebecca
Most people have already seen the videorecording starring Lawrence Olivier as
Max De Winter, and Joan Fontaine as his forlorn, love-starved wife. However,
if you haven't picked up the book lately, or have never read it, this book remains the hallmark of Du Maurier's masterly ability to create deeply moving characters,
an uncanny ability to set mood and atmosphere, and a suspenseful plot, all of
which culminate in a shocking and surprising ending. It remains one ot the
masterpieces of fiction to this day, and a classic for the well-stocked home
library.
Reviewed by Rosanne L., Main Library
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Fitch, Janet(1999)
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White Oleander
Likely to be remembered as one of the
year's best novels, White Oleander is
particularly impressive for a debut work.
Astrid is the only child of a single mother,
Ingrid, a beautiful, brilliant, narcissistic
poet who uses her beauty to manipulate
men. Astrid worships her mother and
cherishes their private world, but it falls
apart when Ingrid murders a former lover
and is imprisoned for life. What follows is
an extraordinary tale of Astrid's journey
through life in foster homes and her
struggle to develop a sense of identity
along the way. Her intelligence, strength
and resilience will inspire you. Filled with
achingly beautiful prose, this is one
compelling story you don't want to miss.
Reviewed by Staci F., South County Regional
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Herbert, Frank(1965)
Dune
The first book of one of Sci-Fi's grandest
epic adventures, Dune introduces us
to the Atreides family and Paul-Muad'Dib,
heir to House Atreides. In an empire that
spans the universe fueled by, and addicted
to, the spice melange, Herbert examines the
many facets and interweavings of power,
religion, philosophy and science. A totally
convincing future reality, for which our
universe is the ancient, almost mythical
past, Dune centers on the home world
of the spice and the Fremen people who find
their messiah in Maud'Dib. This is a treasure
to read, to savor, and ponder over and over
again.
Reviewed by Mark B., Main Library
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King, Stephen(1996)
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Green Mile
This book was originally written as a series of six novellas, and King claims that the outcome was unknown when he first began the series. The Green Mile takes place in Louisiana in 1932 at Cold Mountain Penitentiary. The narrator, Paul Edgecomb, is supervisor of E Block, where inmates await their walk down the Green Mile for their rendezvous with Old Sparky, the electric chair. The reader comes to know the personalities and demeanors of each inmate, and also the other guards on E Block. In his tenure on E Block, Mr. Edgecomb has seen many characters, but John Coffey is an enigma. A giant with the simple thoughts of a child, with a gift of healing, Coffey challenges Edgecomb's, and thus the readers', concepts of morality and human dignity.
Reviewed by Melissa K., Mint Hill Branch
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Moody, Rick(1994)
Ice Storm
Thanksgiving weekend, 1973, a severe ice storm sweeps across Connecticut cutting into the lives of two families entwined in the trendy and tawdry "sexually enlightened" affairs they have with each other and . . . well, others . . . But it was the Age of Watergate, which, of course, followed the Age of Aquarius…. Moody takes the reader to the sleazy underside of Suburbia -- the very place we've learned to hate -- in the 1970's, no less -- the Age of Bad Taste. There, amid the glitter and cheap gaudiness, he confronts us gently with our humanity. Ice Storm is a brilliant achievement.
Reviewed by Jim B., Main Library
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Sparks, Nicholas(1999)
A Walk to Remember
A softly-scented breeze can evoke forgotten
sweet memories of our tender years. And so,
Landon Carter remembers his seventeenth
year and tells his story of the love he
found at Beaufort High in 1958. Never in
his life could he have imagined being attracted
to the minister's daughter, Jamie Sullivan.
Yet, after being cast as her leading man in
the Christmas play and thrown together constantly,
Landon begins to see the luminous beauty
hidden behind Jamie's strait-laced, eccentric
exterior. By the spring of his senior
year, he declares his love for Jamie, who
has been harboring a tragic secret of her
own. Author Nicholas Sparks once again
weaves his special brand of romantic magic
with a story that will make you smile, make
you cry, and make you believe in miracles.
Reviewed by Ginny H., Mint Hill Branch
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Reader's comments about this book
This book is one of the better Nicholas Sparks books. The first book I actually cried reading.
-Melanie, Huntersville, NC
This is the best book ever. I love this book. A book that makes you happy and at the same time sad.
-Jackie, Columbia, MD
This book is going to be with me as long as I live. It is a book of inspiration.
-Kareem, Cairo, Egypt
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McCarthy, Cormac(1992)
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All the Pretty Horses
McCarthy tells the tale of John Grady Cole, a young Texan who grew up on his grandfather's ranch in the 1940s. After his grandfather dies, John Grady's mother sells the ranch, separating him from the only life he's ever known. Feeling dispossessed, John Grady and his pal Lacey head for the last bastion of the old West - Mexico, where they secure jobs on a huge ranch. The rancher takes a liking to the young man with an uncanny ability with horses. Meanwhile, John Grady takes a liking to the rancher's daughter, which spells trouble in paradise. It is a beautiful tale portraying rites of passage, a vanishing way of life, and the loss of innocence; as usual with a McCarthy novel, however, the real star is the writing.
Reviewed by Bryon C., North County Regional
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Chevalier, Tracy(1999)
Girl with a Pearl Earring
Set in 17th century Holland, this is an intriguing story about Griet,
a sixteen year old girl who works for the famous Dutch painter Vermeer and
his family. Griet is Vermeer's maid and is responsible for cleaning the
studio in which he paints. As Griet becomes a vital part of Vermeer's
work, an intimate relationship grows between Griet and her master. In this
novel, the descriptions of the characters and the daily life of the 17th
century Delft are vivid and beautifully detailed. The story blends history
and fiction seamlessly. In the end, I found myself wanting to know more
about Vermeer's life and his paintings.
Reviewed by Janet W., Morrison Regional
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Reader's comments about this book
I loved this book!!!!!
-Maddie, Jesup, GA
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Ballard, J.G.(1984)
Empire of the Sun
Referred to as a 'work of fiction', science-fiction author J. G. Ballard’s Empire Of The Sun is actually a memoir of a childhood spent in Shanghai during World War II. Ballard lived a cloistered, sheltered life in the British sector of Shanghai, until this privileged world was completely shattered and upended by the Japanese invasion of China. Separated from his parents in the chaos that ensued, "Jim" is forced to fend for himself in a terrifying and surreal landscape. He is finally caught and sent to a war-camp with other (mainly European) prisoners, a harrowing section which takes up the second half of the book. By the time the boy is reunited with his parents after the war, he has understandably changed, both in physical appearance and outlook on life.
Reviewed by Sam S., Main Library
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Goldman, William(1974)
Marathon Man
Marathon Man (which the film follows with remarkable fidelity, given the complexity of the story, with all its various double-dealings and shifty subterfuge) follows the harrowing experiences of brilliant Columbia student and PhD candidate Tom "Babe" Levy (Dustin Hoffman in the film), who also happens to be an obsessive marathon runner. Levy’s life is turned totally upside down when his brother (Roy Scheider in the film) reveals himself to be some kind of CIA "spook" (a double agent) --- a revelation which occurs only as his brother literally dies in Levy’s arms. Without bogging down into unnecessary plot details, let me just say that Levy suddenly finds himself ensnared in an extremely complex, lethally sinister conspiracy that involves ex-Nazis, millions of dollars worth of stolen diamonds, psychotic "hit-men" of various nationalities, a traitorous and bewitching woman --- needless to say, Levy’s graduate studies are rudely interrupted. However, his talent for running (and running away from) is put to excellent use, especially towards the climax of the story.
Reviewed by Sam S., Main Library
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Sayers, Dorothy L.(1927)
The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club
These mysteries fascinated me to no end, as they presented a very different world than I was used to (Edwardian England, upper class twits, exclusive clubs, smoking rooms, manor houses, impeccable manners). And murders - found in those tidy, albeit bloody, 'locked rooms' that are always presenting themselves as academic, if not mathematical, conundrums to gentlemen detectives of the very upper crust - Cool.
Reviewed by Sam S., Main Library
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Wolff, Tobias(1989)
This Boy's Life
Wolff's electrifying memoir is the sort of book that someone recommends to you with a slightly awed, slightly crazed look in their eyes, as if THIS is the book -- above all other books -- that has refused to 'go away' quietly since first reading it. Certainly its inclusion this year on the Top 100 Nonfiction Books Of The Century is proof alone that THIS BOY'S LIFE is not just another memoir (in a period of time in which we have seen, let's face it, an exhausting glut of memoirs and autobiographies), but something altogether unique.
The story follows the experiences of the teenage Wolff as he follows his wandering mother around California and the Pacific Northwest, eventually ending up in a mountain town in Washington, where in desperation she has married a man she hardly knew, but should have known better. It is in this situation that the major portions of the book take place, as the young Wolff ("Jack" in the book) finds himself more or less the prisoner of a harrowing home-life. Dwight, his abusive step-father, is a monstrous creation, a brutal and belittling man prone to corny homilies like," You can call me anything you like, but don't call me late for dinner!" The young Wolff is not helpless, however, and through deception, deceit, and disguise (not bad training for the writer-to-be), he eventually triumphs over a situation that might have defeated others.
Reviewed by Sam S., Main Library
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Crichton, Michael(1990)
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Jurassic Park
John Hammond is a showman – with the ultimate show. Thanks to technology and investors his incredible park is almost ready to open; just a few snags away from perfection. But the snags are not easily solved; how do you control animals no one has ever seen before?
In a richly detailed book, Crichton has captured the essence of technology gone wild. With a scope exceeding the movie, the characters and science compete for your attention. The pace is just as fast and intriguing. In addition to T-Rexes and raptors there are other carnivores to worry about, including pterodactyls, and compsognathus. Oh, yes, dinosaurs are escaping the island on the boat to the mainland. A seductive, exciting read with plenty of heart pounding danger as well.
Reviewed by Tammy S., University City Regional
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Reader's comments about this book
This book is very interesting, because it shows you what you all can do with science. Even though many people find sciences are very dull, Michael Crichton lets you see it isn't true. I mean, making dinosaurs isn't something you deal with every day.
-Kevin, Everberg, Brussels, Belgium
This book is one of my favorites because I have been a dinosaur fan for years.
-Henry, New Holstein, Wisconsin
This book was amazing. It was just as good as the other book that I read of his called Prey. He has such a way of writing that makes the plot so suspenseful. I couldn't put the book down. It's these kinds of books that get people interested in reading. I'm very disappointed that the movie was hardly at all like the book. But I give thumbs up to Michael Crichton.
-Christina, Arizona
This is one of my favorite novels! I believe it to be Crichton's best work. As suspensful as Prey and as action-packed as Predator! I couldn't put it down!
-David Johnson, New York City, NY
A good book with plenty of suspense and thrills.
More character development than the film, as well.
-SteponStorev, North Olmsted, Ohio
What do you expect from a summa cum laude of Harvard? Jurrasic Park is definitely his best book. It is Michael Chrichton at his best. Absolutely more thrilling than Dan Brown's novel. Better than the best. The father of techno-thriller will never put you down.
-ian, los angeles, california
My all time favourite. Best book ever.
-Smitha, Charlotte, NC
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Sheldon, Dyan(1999)
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
Young Adult"It is a sad and shocking fact of my young life that my parents named me Mary Elizabeth Cep by mistake. I've known since I was five that my true name is Lola." Poor, misnamed Lola is facing the biggest challenge of her life - having to leave the glamour and excitement of New York City behind for a menial existence in the New Jersey suburbs. But this drama queen is up to the challenge, including the challenge of beating born-to-win, born-to-run-everything school socialite Carla Santini. Not only do Lola and Carla compete for the lead in the school play, but they have their biggest face-off over the Sidhartha concert. Will Stu Wolff, the lead singer of Sidhartha, be able to pick the real drama queen?
Reviewed by Trish
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Reader's comments about this book
This was a great book!
-Shella, Sydney, Australia
This book is really interesting because it tells of a teenager that acts like a drama queen. It's also pure love and imagination.
-Phoenix, Charlotte, NC
I feel as if they were talking about me! This book is the best book I have read in my 14 years of life. You will laugh, cry,and find some parts as if they were talking about you!
-Katie, Homestead, FL
This is a book that all teenage drama queens need to read. It's awesome!
-Lisa, Melvindale, Michigan
This book is amazing. It is so realistic and relatable.
-Hello, CA
It was a great book and movie, IF you’re a girly-girl.
-Tatyana, Washington
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Dubus, Andre(1999)
House of Sand and Fog
House of Sand and Fog is a modern day Greek tragedy complete
with its multi-ethnic layers of morals and complexities. A legal
altercation quickly flares into a personal battle—with climactic,
appalling results. Andre Dubus’s technique in narration of purposefully
shifting of points of view supplies emotional response to the
characters’ moral dilemmas and the ongoing frustrations of not being able
to resolve conflicts. The reader cannot help but sympathize with Kathy Nicolo
(self-destructive alcoholic), Sheriff Lester Burden (obsessively smitten
married man), and Massoud Amir Behrani (former wealthy colonel in the
Iranian military under the Shah) in their pursuit of the “American Dream.”
Reviewed by Laura S., Scaleybark Branch
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Roth, Philip(2000)
Human Stain
Summer 1998: 71-yr old Coleman Silk has lost everything, including his job
as a distinguished professor, his wife (deceased), and his roots. The book examines the final tumultuous months of Silk's life and the tragic results
of his romance with Faunia Farley, a troubled young woman. Told
from the point of view of Nathan Zuckerman (a recurring Roth character who
is a writer and a friend of Silk's), the reader learns of an incredible secret that Silk has kept for fifty years. This rich and complex narrative is full of
memorable characters who come and go. Silk and Farley’s predicament is
viewed in contrast with the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal which was then
unfolding.
Reviewed by Greg E., South County Regional
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Weiner, Jennifer(2002)
In Her Shoes
Since their mother died, Rose Feller has looked after her slacker sister, Maggie who cannot hold a job. Rose, a shy overachiever, has little in common with Maggie, an outgoing, fashion-conscious flirt, except their love of designer shoes.
Weiner interweaves the Feller family’s story set in Philadelphia, with their estranged Grandmother Ella’s set in Florida. The characters struggle with loss, estrangement, and self-discovery as they explore the meaning of family. Chick-Lit fans will enjoy this humorous, heartwarming read.
Reviewed by Megan M., Main Library
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Lipman, Elinor(2008)
Then She Found Me
April Epner knew she was adopted, but she had no idea her birth mother was Bernice G!, the flamboyant hostess of a Boston TV talk show. After April’s adoptive parents die, Bernice decides that it is time to form a relationship with her daughter. Bernice, however, is not the motherly type and also has a problem telling the truth, particularly about the circumstances of April’s birth. Along the rocky road to forming a mother-daughter bond, April learns much about herself and the meaning of family – and also finds love. This book was originally published in 1990 and re-released in conjunction with the 2008 movie starring Helen Hunt. It is a sweet, heartwarming story, often poignant and witty, that should appeal to women of all ages.
Reviewed by Dale C., South County Regional
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