I’ll be honest – I started this post on June 3, shortly after I had seen the movie The Bridges of Madison County and compared it to the book. There’s no time like the present, someone once said, so I’m finally the getting this up as a post. As I look at the novels I currently have waiting to be read, I must admit I am often drawn to those where I could watch the movie version as well.
However, when I think about other books that I’ve read and their movie counterparts, the results are mixed. I’ve listed a bunch, and again, these are very personal preferences reflecting what I like to read and which movies I’d go see.
The Shipping News – Annie Proulx – both movie and book excellent!
Shawshank Redemption – Stephen King – really liked both
Silence of the Lambs – Thomas Harris – book so gripping I couldn’t put it down, movie was also gripping, but not quite as good, though truly terrifying
Red Dragon – Thomas Harris – Book was excellent – the prequel to Silence of the Lambs; movie a huge disappointment, and almost nothing like the book
Because of Winn Dixie – Kate DiCamillo – both excellent, book still a bit better
The Secret Life of Bees – Sue Monk Kidd – book excellent, movie really quite good
Lord of the Rings – R.R.Tolkien, Harry Potter Series – J.K. Rowling, Narnia Series – C.S. Lewis – I lump these together – perhaps unfairly – because they are all series, fantasy and of epic proportions in film. I loved the books that I read from these series, and that was not always all of them, but I really loved the movies, too. Either way, you can’t lose.
White Oleander – Janet Fitch – Outstanding book, couldn’t put it down; the movie not really even worth seeing
The Invention of Hugo Cabret – Brian Selznick – I like the storyline, but it wasn’t a favorite book of mine; Martin Scorsese really brought the story to life. Preferred the movie.
2001: A Space Odyssey – Arthue C. Clarke – Movie by Stanley Kubrick – One of my favorite movies, and I feel it far outshined the book, but I’m real biased on this one.
The Joy Luck Club – Amy Tan – an amazingly complex and engrossing book; the movie couldn’t possibly carry the book’s richness. Book better by far.
The Devil Wears Prada – Lauren Weisberger – Here’s a case where the movie was just fabulous and fabulously funny. I got the book after seeing the movie and was disappointed.
The Horse Whisperer – Nicholas Evans – I saw the movie first on this one and it was excellent, so I read the book. Also excellent and I’d recommend both.
Well, that’s my two cents. Do you have a loved book that was made into a movie and a thought or two about it? Or a great movie and the book you read later? Let us know!
Still A Dreamer 
What a great list and some of my favourite movies and books too! Shawshank Redemption remains one of my favourite movies and when I read the short story by Stephen King, it was brilliant as well. It’s been a while since I last read fiction but when I do have time, I really love Alexander McCall Smith – especially his No.1 Ladies Detective series based in Botswana. They’ve recently come up with a dvd series. Pretty good. The Kite Runner (Khalid Hosseini) brilliantly written but I felt the movie fell short. Will definitely be keeping track of this section. Put up your Part 3 list! Sharon
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I have been hearing quite a bit from numerous people about the No. 1 Ladies Detective series as of late – I must be meant to get this, too! Thanks for the tip. The Kite Runner is a brilliant book and I have yet to watch the movie for just that reason. It was so beautiful, but so painful that I am still waiting to read A Thousand Splendid Suns which is here waiting for me. I am usually reading one fiction book and one non-fiction book at the same time, with the fiction always going faster. I’ll do another list as the inspiration arrives. Thanks for stopping by.
Hope you’re well!
Jeanne
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