"I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense."
-Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People and more than a dozen other books (from ebookfriendly.com).
What a great quote from an 80 year old man who has makes a monumental difference in the world. I agree with Kushner here - as I get older, more and more things tend seem make sense to me. But I also scratch my head and wonder, "Why in the world would someone do something like that?" This thought comes to my mind every single day when I watch the news and read the newspaper, yet I still don't know the answer to that one. I do know, though, that God is love and peace. He doesn't want any of His children to suffer, and yet there is free will in the world, and with that comes evil. Just as a book is often hard to get into, if I just keep working through the book, I will eventually "get it" and I'll be able to make sense of the plot. So are our lives. It's not until we've been through many storms and trials that we begin to make sense of it all. But if you deny that we are all spiritual beings, things might not ever make sense to you.
Today I'd like to discuss books that have become movies. Which do you usually prefer? My experience is that I usually prefer the book, but I enjoy the movie for the artistry and the acting. The first book that comes to mind during this time of the year is a holiday book that is also a movie. The book is Skipping Christmas by John Grisham, a short book that is about a middle-aged couple who decide to skip Christmas and spend their money on a winter cruise instead. The movie version is called "Christmas with the Kranks" and stars Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis. The book was pretty good but the movie is hilarious, so if you've never seen it, be sure to watch it this year. It will be on TV sometime this month, I'm sure. Other books that have been made into movies include Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, The Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner, and Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. These are just a few of the books that I've read that are also movies. I think that of these, Kite Runner is the best film. The music, cinematography, acting, the realistic plot, and the scenery make it a great film. But I still argue that the book is always better.
There are definitely some good movies out there that are based on books, but what about the books that have yet to be turned into movies? I thought about some of the books that I think would make good movies. I think the book Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Ehrenreich would make a good documentary film. I can envision it being shown at a theater such as The Carolina Theater here in Durham where documentaries are often shown. I think the subject matter would make this film a very important one to see. A memoir that would make a good movie is Helene Cooper's The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood. My co-worker who is originally from Liberia told me about this book and I'm glad I read it a few years ago because it helped me realize the depth of pain that many people have experienced. The book is very well-written and easy to follow, but I think that even more people would become aware of the suffering of the Liberians during a time of war if they at least saw the movie. The Boys in the Boat by Daniel Brown is another good story that would make a good movie because it's about real people who are unlikely winners, and yet they struggle through college, rowing training, and more to become gold-medal recipients at the Berlin Olympics. Everyone loves an underdog who wins.
I've also read some good historical novels that would make good movies. How about watching The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street: A Novel by Susan Gilman on the big screen? What a great book - so full of twists and turns and with tons of interesting character development. Or how about All the Light We Cannot See: A Novel by Anthony Doerr? Or why not go see War Brides by Helen Bryan if it was also on the big screen? Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese would make a good movie too. It's not really a historical novel, but it's a great read for anyone who likes complicated characters who are followed for many years throughout the plot. There is so much going on in this book, that you will never get bored.
What are your thoughts on the topic of books as movies? I'd love to get your feedback, and nothing you write will be "wrong." What's your favorite book that is also a movie? Why do you enjoy it? Have a wonderful day...
Melissa Hill
Book Blogger
www.onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com
Used bookseller:mch seller
No comments:
Post a Comment