Book to Film Adaptations

It's always fun to see how books we have read are conceptualized by filmmakers.

Sometimes I am disappointed,

sometimes I am baffled,

(The inexplicable change in the ending of My Sister's Keeper, for example.)

 and sometimes I am impressed by the filmmaker's brilliance and imagination.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy was beyond anything I could have imagined.

The first of three movies depicting The Hobbit will be released on December 14, 2012.

See the trailer [here].

(In case you are interested, Richard Armitage, the British actor who played John Thornton in North and South and Guy of Gisborne in Robin Hood will be playing Thorin Oakenshield!)

Unlike my daughter who is angry about every single change in the Harry Potter movies, I don't need the filmmakers to stay true to the book in every particular. I understand that the medium is different and that some characters will be deleted, some will be combined, some of the subplots will be eliminated, etc. There is no way to include the richness of detail that was included in the book. I just want the movie to stay true to the book at its heart, which I think many of us thought The Help adaptation accomplished.

But how are they going to pull off Life of Pi with the weather, water and wild animals? And how will they deal with the ambiguity and symbolism?

Life of Pi is in 3D and will be released on November 21, 2012.

After watching this trailer I am definitely intrigued.

The author, Yann Martel, weighs in on the movie [here].

This short video features the author and the director, Ang Lee.

It's definitely worth watching.

 

The movie I am most excited to watch is Les Miserables, which will be released on Christmas Day 2012. 

I have seen several of the other film adaptations and have been sorely disappointed in each one of them, including the 1998 movie starring Liam Neeson, which many others enjoyed.

Since Les Miserables has had such a profound influence on my life, the movie version has a lot to live up to for me.

But after watching this video I

cannot

wait!!!

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Laura Hillenbrand wrote Louis Zamperini's amazing and inspiring story in her best-selling book, Unbroken: a World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. Her first book, Seabiscuit, was also a best-seller and was made into an award-winning movie, starring Tobey Maguire and Jeff Bridges. Both stories were about overcoming incredible odds, which Hillenbrand is very familiar with in her own life.

Hillenbrand wrote Unbroken  from her Washington, D.C. home, where she is mostly home bound because of a debilitating case of chronic fatigue syndrome. She has suffered from this illness for twenty five years, dealing with severe vertigo and the accompanying nausea, weakness, and debilitating fatigue. She is a true survivor in her own right.

She wrote poignantly about her experience with her illness in an article for the New Yorker.

During the seven years it took Hillenbrand to write the book, she and Zamperini never saw each other face-to-face, but communicated over the phone. It was Zamperini's great desire to meet Hillenbrand--his hero--and her health improved enough at one point for that to be possible.

Zamperini, Hillenbrand, and John Nabor, a former Olympian and friend of Zamperini

In 2008, Hillenbrand married her long-time boyfriend and college sweetheart, Borden Flanagan, who is a professor of government at American University. She talks about how he saved her life in her New Yorker article and their love story is chronicled in Bethesda Magazine.

Perhaps it took someone like Hillenbrand, whose steely persistence is required daily, to do justice to Zamperini's story.

Immortality of Henrietta Lacks

I know you are all busy, but it would be great if you looked at some of the great extras online. Rebecca Skloot has a terrific website, with lots of interesting goodies: extra photos, videos, audio, and much, much more. I don't know if I've ever seen so many extra resources on an author's website. There's even a Jeopardy game! When you click here, you can find pictures that weren't published in the book, the original BBC documentary referenced in the book, and video from the 1950's of HeLa cells growing in the lab.

Watch a video of the author discussing the structure of the book [here].

There's  a nine-minute video with the author, Rebecca Skloot and some of the Lacks family.
(CBS Sunday Morning)

Don't have that much time? Here's a shorter video from ABC News.

Or watch a 2 1/2 minute book trailer:

COMING SOON

• Oprah Winfrey has purchased the movie rights for the book. Alan Ball (True Blood) has been hired to produce it and a screenwriter is working on the script.

• Rebecca Skloot's new book will focus on the human-animal bond and explore some of the biggest, and as yet unanswered, questions at the heart of animals’ roles in our lives. She worked for more than a decade in veterinary medicine, first as a nurse for animals in general practices and emergency rooms, and later as a technician in veterinary morgues and neurology labs. In writing her book, she will weave personal stories — her own and others’ — with science, medicine, ethics, and history.

Celebrating Women's Voices

I didn't know when I met Karen thirty one years ago that she would become one of the most influential people of my life. We met when I was a young, starry-eyed college student, newly engaged to her brother, and she was a stay-at-home mom expecting her fourth child. She and her husband had hit a financial rough patch and she was living with her parents while her husband was trying to start a business in Texas. It was a trying time for her and she thought it was important to enlighten me on the difficulties of marriage, which I was not open to hearing at the time.

Fast forward a few years: I was now a young mom of two boys living in Colorado and Karen was teaching classes at a local college in Texas. Ever the seeker of wisdom, Karen would challenge my thinking as we visited late into the night on her stopovers to visit her parents in Wyoming.

There are so many things I could say about Karen. Her accomplishments, talents and interests are quite extensive, but I will let you read about some of those on her website.

What I want you to know about Karen is this: She is a rare soul. She has an insatiable desire to learn, to seek for truth and wisdom and to lovingly share that with others.  I would not be who I am without her love and friendship throughout the years.

Visit her beautiful website [here].

Connect on facebook [here].

See her bookshelf on goodreads [here].

Karen has helped hundreds of women access their own inner wisdom. She formed women's writing groups across the country where these women shared their "their deepest thoughts, feelings, musings, and lessons they’ve learned."

"The women who wrote with me found voices hungering for a deeper form of expression. Their joys and frustrations; complaints; and humorous and wise insights mirror the experiences of many. This book of shared thought invites you to listen to your own heart voice."

Special Guest Authors!

We are fortunate to have President Top and his wife Wendy visit our book group this month.

This husband and wife

were high school sweethearts,

have four children and thirteen? grandchildren,

served in the Peoria Illinois Mission together,

and co-authored some books:

Glimpses Beyond Death's Doors: Gospel Insights Into Near-Death Experiences [here] and [here].

Steven Kapp Perry interviews them about Glimpses [here].

Finding God in the Garden: Planting, Pruning and the Plan of Happiness [here] and [here].

Finding Inward Stillness [here] and [here].

That elusive feeling of self-worth and inner peace came not from what we could do, but from what the Lord can do with us. Many well-meaning Latter-day Saints live the gospel under very strict, self-imposed guidelines. In truth, we are often unreasonably harsh taskmasters when compared to the gentle, kind, loving and tender ways of the Lord. Learn to partake of the inward stillness that only comes by living the gospel according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Explore the difference between practicing the gospel of Jesus Christ vs. many of its popular interpretations and accompanying pressures.

They will be discussing two of their books, Finding Inward Stillness and When You Can't Do It Alone, a book President Top wrote about his experiences as a mission president. 

When You Can't Do It Alone [here] and [here].

It's easy to trust in the Lord when everything's going your way. But what happens when you experience challenges and difficulties that leave you so spiritually exhausted that you can't see God's hand in your life? As a newly called mission president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, author Brent L. Top experienced a severe emotional and spiritual crisis. Desperate for help, he discovered that knowing where to turn is not enough; we must allow the Savior to rescue us. With remarkable candor, this gospel teacher shares a deeply personal story as he describes six essential ways to survive whatever trials we face. With compassion and understanding, he offers practical suggestions on how to say focused on Christ and take hold of His outstreched hand when the storms of life are raging. This insightful and encouraging book is a must for anyone dealing with adversity.

They are a faith-filled couple who have been praised for being"open," "real" and "insightful." We are happy that they would make the time to share their experiences and wisdom with us.

Nonie Darwish--Women in Islam

Nonie Darwish often says "Just because I am pro-Israel does not mean I am anti-Arab, it's just that my culture is in desperate need for reformation which must come from within."

Two thirds the way through this second part, she makes a very good point about the west's influence and mentions Nancy Pelosi. I think she makes a very good point!

"This World Was Never Meant for One as Beautiful as You."

If Vincent hadn't been a failure:

as a bookshop clerk

as an art salesman

as a preacher

as a suitor

Would we have ever been blessed with this?

I love this song:

If you want an explanation of the lyrics, go {here}.


Vincent, 19 years old

Vincent, 13 years old

His Mother

His Father

Brother, Theo

Beloved brothers at rest together.

A new biography of Van Gogh will be published next week: Van Gogh:  the Life by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith. The authors propose an explosive new theory on the cause of Van Gogh's death.


60 Minutes did a  segment on it yesterday.
Part One:
 


Part Two:



CBS News also has a virtual tour of Van Gogh's paintings:



The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam hosts more of his work than in any other museum.
Part of its permanent collection:

Sunflowers, 1889

Potato Eaters

Self-portrait as an Artist 1888

Wheatfield with Crows

Van Gogh's paintings are much more impactful when you see them in person. Such broad strokes. And the colors!

I was literally brought to tears when I went to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Paperback Pumpkins

Want to make a clever jack-o-lantern?

You will need:

old paperback books

hot glue gun

black construction paper

Go here for directions.

Forgotten Garden

The library book group read this book last October. Check out the library blog for information about the book, the author  (including an interview) and discussion questions--

[here]

Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

Get to Know Prof

Get to know a little bit about Prof. She's had an interesting life.

Life Challenges
When I came into the world, I had just one hand, my left.  My other arm ended in a stump just below my elbow.  Being a parent myself, I realize how deeply my mom and dad must have suffered and worried over my handicap, but they also had a no nonsense attitude about what I could accomplish in this world, and that was everything that anyone else could do.  Since they believed, I did too. I skated and road a bike. I sewed and knitted. I played baseball and basketball. I loved to dance.  I even learned to play the piano. I had many friends who were just as encouraging as my parents.  I grew up believing that I was special, perhaps more sensitive to the pain of others because of my own affliction.


My husband went through cancer with radiation treatments which were terrible for him and me.  As he became cancer free he began to have balance problems.  He underwent two brain surgeries, and just as he was getting back to his old self, he was rear ended at a  stop light and the vertigo became very much worse.  He had to give up his job which he loved and eventually we came here using the last of our savings to build on to Heather's house.  At first I was so lonely for Oregon and friends I left behind, but now I feel loved and supported by our Ward and would not go back if I had a chance.

Education

My college years were spent in Utah at Brigham Young University. I was a Language Arts major.  By the time I was a sophomore, I was into creative writing classes. I soon became an editor on the staff of the Wye Magazine, the literary endeavor of the school.  I published much of my own work in this magazine. I also won prizes in both of the writing contests on campus.

Career Opportunities

I continued to write such things as skits and road shows for church, and plays for the school. I always wanted to write professionally, but the time didn’t seem right.  Eventually, I snagged a job at Mount Hood College. First I taught Communication Skills. Then, I got a job with a specialized program involving veterans of the Viet Nam war.  I was to teach science.

I loved that job.  I knew little about science, but I put together a yearlong curriculum by quickly reading through children’s books. My students were an odd assortment.  Most had come out of drug rehab centers or prisons.  There I was, a prim little Mormon lady, hanging out with motorcycle gang members and ex-cons. Never have I been treated with more respect and kindness than by those fine men. I soon realized that I had the power to make them believe in themselves.  Once they believed, there was no end to what they could accomplish.

Thoughts About Being a Reader

I am a voracious reader, and have been since I was a small.  I was also something of a loner because I was an only child until I was thirteen.  I found, however, that I never had to be alone as long as a book lay open in my hands.


Life Pleasures
I find that if I am not doing something creative I am not happy.  I had a little business going with knitted hats, scarfs and purses for a while. I also made some unusual underwater centerpieces that I sold or gave away.  I love to garden and was out in the rain yesterday planting when I noticed it was snowing on me. What a crazy place.

Favorite Book

Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury


Favorite Movies
Across the Universe, The Fountain, Fried Green Tomatoes and, surprisingly, any Martial Arts movies that are funny or artistic.

Writers Who Taught a Love of Language
Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald for economy and precision
John Steinbeck for beauty of phrasing
Ray Bradbury for poetic language
TS Elliot for fine imagery and content
ee cummings the deliciousness of words