On the off chance you hadn’t heard, there’s a new Jurassic Park movie out this week…on my way to the library yesterday, I heard a radio add for Jurassic World while driving by a billboard advertisement for Jurassic World, while driving behind a bus that had a Jurassic World ad on its side, so I think I am fairly safe in assuming you have heard of this movie…

And don’t get me wrong…I have no doubt that Jurassic World is indeed a terrific movie.  But there are also a number of other terrific films out there this summer, and a surprising number are based on terrific books.  Plus, movie theaters are among some of the most air-conditioned places in the entire world, so for me, there is nothing like spending a ridiculously hot summer day in the frigid atmosphere of a movie theater, gleefully fighting off frostbite.   And as the days are apparently growing steadily warmer, I thought we might take a look as some adaptations that are garnering positive reviews.

We’ve already discussed Far from the Madding Crowd and Testament of Youth, both seminal works of fiction–and stellar movies, which is a rare feat, indeed.  But here are some other ideas for you to check out, both in the theaters, and here at the library:

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl: Though the title alone calls to mind comparisons to John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, Jesse Andrew’s book is a stand-alone hit that captures all the painfully self-conscious, self-questioning self-loathing of adolescence in a way that is both funny and heartwrench, and totally, utterly unique.  The title gives a fair bit of the plot away–seventeen-year-old Greg, who is painfully awkward is a rather endearing way, has an unlikely friend in the chain-smoking Earl, but it is his friendship with Rachel (the ‘Dying Girl’ of the title, who has been diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia), forced on him by his mother, that changes them all for the better.  Greg and Earl’s film spoofs are priceless pieces of arch comedy in and of themselves that are sure to translate well to the screen.  Released this week, the film version of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, starring Thomas Mann, is already amassing rave reviews.  You can watch the trailer here.

Madame Bovary: Ok, I agree, this is not an adaptation based on a contemporary book.  But I was so surprised to hear that there is an adaptation being made of this enormous, emotional epic that I had to list it here.  Mia Wasikowska has been making a number of literary films of late, from Jane Eyre to the re-invention of Alice in Wonderland,  but none of these heroine are like Emma Bovary, who attempts to escape her monotonous, suffocating society life by having extramarital affairs and living well beyond her financial means.  Gustave Flaubert’s debut novel, published in serial form over the source of 1856 caused an utter scandal in Parisian society, even being attacked by public prosecutors for obscenity.  But since then, Madame Bovary has been established as one of the best–if not the best–novels ever written.  With its hidden patterns and intricate characterizations that would inspire writers from Tolstoy to Henry James, Emma Bovary’s story is not one that will be easy to take to the big screen, but the payoff could be enormous.  You can watch the trailer here, and judge for yourself.

Set Fire to the Stars: This is another cheat, as it’s not strictly a literary adaptation, but this film sounded so fascinating I add had to add it here.  Based on a series of actual events, this film is based on the memoir by Professor John Malcolm Brinnin, about his friend (and occasional tormenter) Dylan Thomas.  Brinnin facilitated several of Dylan Thomas’ speaking tours, including the tour on which he died in 1953.  This story, however, is of Dylan’s first visit to Manhattan, and while his final tour might have provided the fodder for some higher drama, this film is garnering some very positive reviews for its cinematography (which harnesses all the dramatic potential of black-and-white, as you can see here), as well as the performances of Celyn Jones as Thomas, and Elijah Wood as Brinnin.  Shirley Henderson also has a supporting role as Shirley Jackson, author of The Lottery, who was apparently one of Brinnin’s neighbors.  Those interested in Thomas’ experiences in the U.S. can check out Brinnin’s memoir, Dylan Thomas in America, as well as the work of Dylan, himself, from his Short Stories to his Poetry, as well as his Letters–and even a sound recording of him reading ‘A Visit To America’, which is seriously incredible.  For a little extra treat, here is an recording of actual Dylan Thomas actually reading ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night’.   Just to start your day off on an upbeat note.

So there you have it, beloved patrons–enjoy some popcorn for me, and let us know what films tickled your fancy, as well!

As part of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, the British Film Institute has released a new adaptation of Vera Brittain’s classic memoir, Testament of Youth.  The film details Brittain’s early life, from her experiences as one of the first women admitted to Oxford University, to her engagement to her brother’s best friend Roland Leighton, to her war experience as a nurse in the First World War, and her grief at the death of her brother, her fiancé, and two of her closest friends in that war.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will come out and say it: I really don’t like Testament of Youth, especially compared to some of the other First World War memoirs listed below.  This is primarily because, whenever anyone teaches or discusses this book, they focus on the men in Brittain’s life who died, and not Brittain herself.  We never get to hear much about Vera Brittain’s own war experiences, or how she herself changed (apart from the loss of the men in her life).  Essentially, this book is used to perpetuate the idea that women in the First World War (and in war, in general), are passive, which is a terrible fallacy.

This is not to say that Testament of Youth is not a good book, or a good learning tool.  It is a stunningly beautiful piece of writing, and a heartrending story of loss.  But Vera Brittain was so much more than the sum of the men she knew.  An active suffragette and pacifist, she became so popular as a spokeswoman for the Peace Pledge Union that the German Army was under orders to arrest her immediately, should the invasion of England ever take place.

Fortunately, this adaptation of Testament of Youth does take on Brittain’s active role in the growing anti-war movement, and her own wartime experiences, using her letters and diaries to flesh out the sights and sounds of her hospital days far more than her memoir does.  It’s a timely reminder that this war, especially, was a generational one, that affected men and women in equal, and often unspeakable, measure.

To learn more about women’s involvement in the First World War, check out some of these titles:

Not So Quiet…: Evadne Price was an Australian journalist and popular romance author who was requested to write a comedic parody  All Quiet On The Western Front (seriously?).  Infuriated at the disrespect of the publisher, Price yelled, “What you want is someone who will write the women’s story of the war!”.  And, being a reasonable man in the end, her publisher agreed to commission that manuscript instead.  Price borrowed a diary from a FANY (First Aid Yeoman Infantry–a division of women ambulance drivers and front-line medics, and considered among the most difficult jobs for anyone to hold during the war), and wrote Not So Quiet under the name Helen Zenna Smith.  Most reviewers at the time considered the subject matter and tone too ‘unladylike’ for the general reading public, but it is precisely because the descriptions of war wounds, psychological injuries, shelling, and the filthy conditions of warfare are so graphic that this book is so powerful.  Though Smithie does have a fiancé serving in the Army, he is mentioned only once or twice in the course of the story; instead, the focus is on the relationships between the nurses and the FANYs, and how the war specifically changed the women who served at the front.

The Blood of Our Sons: Men, Women, and the Renegotiation of British Citizenship During the Great War: Nicoletta Gullace’s book deals with a fascinating, and terribly under-studied part of history–the work of British suffragettes during the First World War, and their continued advocacy for the vote through war work and participation.  She shows how suffragette’s lobbied for full citizenship not only by supporting the war, but by denigrating men who were not ‘doing their bit’, arguing that they were more entitled to vote than men who never fought in France.  A wonderfully readable, insightful work, Gullace also looks at how the war itself was a gendered event that pitted men against men in the goal of saving women, making war a moral imperative, as well as a national endeavor.

No Man’s Land: Fiction From a World at War, 1914-1918: This terrific collection features a number of the authors whose work we don’t have individually.  For instance, check out the selection from The Forbidden Zone by Mary Borden.  Borden was a wealthy college graduate from Chicago, and married to a millionaire when the First World War broke out.  When the Red Cross refused her application to work as a nurse (because she was married), Borden declared that she would fund a hospital all by herself, and demanded full control over the hiring and firing of all staff.  She served in the hospital (which was stationed near the front lines in France, near the site of the Battle of the Somme) for the duration of the war, often working 18-20 hour days.  The Forbidden Zone is a collection of her experiences, written during her scanty breaks, detailing the world of her hospital and the bizarre environment of life behind the lines, including women shopping at a street market with the sounds of gunfire in the background.  Borden was a gifted and empathetic writer, and her work alone makes this collection a stellar one.

Her Privates We: This is my favorite memoir of the First World War, and while it tells the story of a soldier (and thus, isn’t necessarily and ‘alternative’ view of the First World War), it does so in a way that no other memoir manages to do.  Frederic Manning was an Australian of Irish descent who was traumatized by his war experience.  He continued to fight only out of love and respect for the men in his battalion, and each time he received a promotion for bravery or service, he promptly committed some transgression (drunkenness, staying out past curfew, etc.,) in order to get demoted again, and return to the men and to the trenches.  His book is a memorial to those men, describing them all in their mundane and wonderful individuality, making this book unexpectedly funny, bizarre, touching, and utterly heartbreaking.  Manning doesn’t sugar-coat anything, presenting soldiers as they were (and not as the public wished to believe they were).  Thus, his book is full of obscenities and rude slang, and after the first printing, the book only appeared in an edited form, with all the ‘bad words’ judiciously removed.  This anniversary printing offers readers the chance to see the startling honesty of his work in all its original power.

My junior year of high school, our class was assigned to read Thomas Hardy’s Return of the Native.  Most of the class moaned and groaned about reading another book about staid Victorian people in corsets and bowler hats strolling about being polite to each other.  But instead, what we got was a book that changed my entire perception of literature, and historic literature, specifically.

Because Thomas Hardy didn’t write polite novels.  He didn’t write traditional morality tales that showed young ladies how to marry well, or how a gentleman could succeed in life by remaining sober and wearing cravats.  Instead, he talks about people who make mistakes; big mistakes–the kind that can change and ruin lives.  He talks about people who feel passion, who act on that passion, and who thrive because of it.  And he does it all in a way that makes you feel their needs, sympathize with the sorrow and the joy they feel, and to be willing to follow the story through all the mistakes and hardships and triumphs because these people are so real and so beautifully flawed that it’s impossible to turn away.

Granted, Hardy was not a fan of general polite Victorian culture, because he saw through the façade that people so earnestly tried to put around themselves.  In his diary, Hardy noted: “If all hearts were open and all desires known — as they would be if people showed their souls — how many gapings, sighings, clenched fists, knotted brows, broad grins, and red eyes should we see in the market-place!”  And those are the kind of characters he created.

Hardy also gave the women in his novels agency, realizing how trapped they were by the society in which they lived, and how little they were normally allowed to speak.  As the great Bathsheba notes in Far From the Madding Crowd, “It is difficult for a woman to define her feelings in language which is chiefly made by men to express theirs.”  To be fair, Victorian society was not all that taken with Hardy, either–there were rumors that a Bishop burned a copy of his last novel Jude the Obscure because he felt it too obscene to exist.

Which brings us to the real topic of this post, which is the newest screen adaptation of Far From the Madding Crowd, an enormous, gorgeous, and surprisingly faithful adaptation that captures the beauty of Hardy’s all-too-human characters, quirks of fate, and the stunning scenery he describes in detail.  It was clear early on that this film was going to be a crowd-pleaser.  As soon as Gabriel Oak made his appearance on the screen, shyly returning Bathsheba’s wayward scarf, someone near me muttered “Oh just pick him!  Right now!”.  And when Sergeant Troy strode onto the scene in his scarlet uniform and polished boots, I definitely heard someone in the back call out “Look out, he’s bad news!”.  Which only goes to show the power of Hardy’s work–and the skill of the filmmakers to convey the spirit of the piece so well.

So for those of you who were swept away by Hardy’s love story, by the sweeping panoramic views of the lush scenery, or simply want to know more about the world of this book and the man who created it, here are some suggestions:

The Return of the Native: Because I just went on and on about this book, it seems silly not to put it on the list.  Hardy’s sixth novel first appeared in serialized form from January to December of 1878, and opens with the arrival of Diggory Venn, a wandering reddleman (a man who sells the red dye with which farmers mark their sheep) to Egdon Heath.  There, he encounters not only Thomasin Yeobright, a young woman with whom he is hopelessly in love (and who is engaged to the local innkeeper) and Eustacia Vye, herself an outsider who has recently returned to Egdon Heath to live with her grandfather.  Though Eustacia is technically the wild and passionate heroine of this novel, my love is all for Diggory and Thomasin.   Though Hardy had his own idea for how their fates played out, public response to their story, specifically, was so strong, he was forced to write the ending the public demanded…

The Woman in White: Wilkie Collins was another author who delighted in criticizing Victorian culture (particularly marriage laws that limited women’s status in society), and whose books were considered quite scandalous by conventional society.  This novel, published fifteen years before Far From the Madding Crowd, deals with the mystery surrounding two young women: Laura Fairlie and Anne Catherick.  The two could not be from more different worlds– Laura is the daughter of a wealthy family who is engaged to the handsome Sir Percival Glyde, while Anne is a troubled escapee from the local insane asylum–but the two woman are identical in appearance.  The man who makes the connection between the two is Walter Hartright, the man hired to give drawing lessons to Laura and her sister, and man who steals Laura’s heart.  This book is considered among the first modern mystery novels, though there is a wonderful romantic subplot to enjoy, as well, and is told through various characters’ letters and testimony, making the narrative that much more complex and fascinating.

Mansfield Park: Specifically this adaptation, with Frances O’Connor as Fanny Price and a charmingly young Johnny Lee Miller as Edmund.  Though there are others that are perhaps more faithful to Jane Austen’s text (mostly because they are mini-series that have more time to deal with the material), this movie beautifully captures the character’s complexities, shortcomings and successes, and conveys the love story between poor but independent Fanny and the wonderfully caring, duty-bound Edmund perfectly.  Like Far From the Madding Crowd, Mansfield Park is the story of two people who are meant for each other, but it takes a lot of effort, and a few twists of fate to get them to realize it.  This adaptation also incorporates a good deal of Austen’s actual writings into the text, in the form of Fanny’s diaries and scribblings.

North and South: There is a very real chance that this is the most romantic mini-series adaptation ever made.  On the plus side, though, like Far From the Madding Crowd, it also handles the setting and social commentary of Elizabeth Gaskell’s work, as well.  The story itself centers on the privileged Margaret Hale (played by Daniela Denby-Ashe), whose father moves the family to the mill town of Milton.  There, Margaret is shocked by the gruffness of the people and the general ugliness of the factories–and especially turned off by the mill owner, John Thornton (played by the incomparable Richard Armitage).  But Thornton, and Milton as a whole, it seems, have some hidden depths…What makes this story so wonderful is not only how their love changes Margaret and John for the better, but how that love improves the world around them, as well.

Additionally, for those of you who enjoyed the folk songs that were an integral part of this movie, or traditional music in general, here are some CDs to check out:  Kate Rusby is a sensational folk musician and songwriter who has really been at the forefront of folk revival in the UK.  The King’s Singers are a choral group with a much more much more formal sound, but their repertoire includes a wide range of folk songs from around Britain–Try Annie Laurie and Watching the White Wheat for some great selections.  For those looking for a different, more contemporary sound, Great Big Sea is a Canadian group whose roots are in sea shanties and folk songs.  Check out The Hard and the Easy for some great examples.

Picture it: the year is 1992, and your Blog Fairy Princess here is still a very over-imaginative eight-year-old who takes everything way too literally (so nothing much has changed….anyways…).  One dark and stormy night, Poltergeist comes on TV in celebration of the film’s tenth anniversary.  I knew my mom liked the movie, even finding parts of it funny, so I figured I’d sit back and enjoy.

And then I didn’t sleep for weeks.  WEEKS.

Looking back, my mother was right.  It is a good movie, and there are plenty of moments that are funny–intentionally or otherwise.  Granted, some of those moments are because CGI was in its infancy, so some of the special effects need to be taken with an generous helping of salt, but this is a movie that isn’t afraid to take itself lightly at times.  That scene when the ghosts slide the helmeted kid across the kitchen floor for no apparent reason is still among my favorite parts of the whole film.  And those moments make the dramatic action that much more impactful.

Because the truth is that there are some parts of this film still stand up as genuinely shuddersome, even today.  TV static, for those of us who remember non-digital TVs, was annoying, yes, but there was also something thoroughly unsettling about that unrelenting shushing sound.  The essential premise behind the movie, not just the burial ground, but the reason the ghosts needed the children specifically for their nefarious plot, is remarkably creative, especially for a horror movie, which usually relies on loud music stings and jump-takes to cover up their shallow storyline .  And that clown doll.  Goodness gracious me, that clown doll…..

And now, since we live in the age of the remake, we have Poltergeist the repeat.  The film hasn’t been getting the best of reviews, mostly because the original did what it did so well that there seems very little, overall, to do better; not to mention the fact that digital TVs just aren’t scary.  But it has allowed some of the film junkies at the library to reminisce a bit about the books and movies that kept us up at night.

We’ve seen a number of supernatural horror films cross the circulation desk, from classics like The Uninvited or The Amityville Horror, to newer, but still thoroughly shiver-inducing stuff like The Others, Oculus, or The Sixth Sense (though I think living on earth may have spoiled the novelty of this particular film for you).  But what about the good old-fashioned ghost story?  So here is a brief list of some of the best paranormal/supernatural/generally creeptastic  novels on our shelves for your perusal.  Make sure to leave the lights on

…and be sure to turn off the TV.

…I mean, you never know, right?
The Supernatural Enhancements: It took about eight pages for this book to become one of my favorites of all time.  Wildly creative, not only in its plot, but in its story-telling, this book has also become a quick favorite among the rest of our library staff, as well.  A, a youngish European man, inherits a house from an uncle he never met, but, eager for a chance of pace, moves to Point Bless, Virginia along with his enigmatic friend Niamh, who is mute, but far from silent.  As the two begin to explore the odd house, and the legacy of A’s family, all of whom were changed and broken by living there, this story just continues to grow creepier and more intense.  Told through letters, transcriptions, and descriptions from the video surveillance cameras Niamh sets up around the house, the reader is never quite sure what is going on, but simply can’t stop flipping the pages in order to discover what happens next.  This works perfectly in this story because seeing the ghosts always ruin something in the story–when the reader is forced to imagine what A and Niamh are experiencing, it’s infinitely more scary.  Though there are some odd twists and turns at the book’s end, this is a story I cannot recommend too highly, and can only hope that Edgar Cantero comes out with a new book soon!

Those Across the River: I felt about this book much the same way as I did about Poltergeist itself–the premise is superb and the build-up is wonderfully creepy, but the climax and eventual falling action feel just a little flat in comparison.  This is purely due to my own reading preferences, however, and should not detract you from trying this book for yourself.  Christopher Buehlman is a wonderfully gifted author, who can tell a gripping story that is as beautiful as it is unsettling.  This is another inherited house story, but this time our hero is First World War veteran Frank Nichols and his beloved who have run away from her husband and moved to his family estate deep in rural Georgia, where Frank plans to write a history of the house, and the horrific slave uprising that took place there.  Full of strange, hostile characters, the town itself is haunted by legends and the fear of an ancient curse that Frank learns has far more to do with this family than he dreamt.

The Haunting of Maddie Claire: Simone St. James’ debut novel won a number of awards and accolades, and while it’s not difficult to appreciate the artistry in her work, this is also a fascinating story that captures the shattered disbelief of post-First World War Britain beautifully.  Sarah Piper is trying to make her way in London following the death of her parents in the Influenza Epidemic.  Poor and desperately lonely, she still isn’t convinced that her new assignment from the temp agency is fitting–she is expected to take notes of a ghost hunt.  But when she and her two employers, who both carry deep scars from their time in the trenches, arrive at the haunted barn, they find a much darker force–and a much deeper mystery–than they ever imagined.  St. James’ prose is somewhat stark, which makes it sound perfectly authentic both to her no-nonsense heroine and to the bleak times in which these characters are living, and the story of Maddie Claire is so heartbreaking and so real that readers will find it incredibly easy to suspend disbelief and following this chilling story to the very end.

The Devil You Know: This some lighter fare for those of us who are starting to think about hiding under the bed for a little while.  Mike Carey is probably best known as a graphic novelist, but his series of five novels featuring the freelance exorcist Felix Castor deserves more attention.  In Castor’s debut, he is just trying to make ends meet, and agrees to take an assignment in a small London museum that seems to have some paranormal trouble.  But when Castor begins to investigate, he realizes that the spirit at work here may be the biggest and baddest that he’s ever faced.  Carey brings a fun noir-ish feel to these books, and his imagination in creating supernatural powers is impressive, but these books are much more complex and emotionally powerful than your typical urban fantasy.  Felix’s powers have had plenty of negative effects on those he loves, and he is always followed by the shadows he has cast, making his work that much more dangerous, and his cases that much more compelling.

So there is our first list of spooky stories to keep you up at night.  Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments, or mention them to your friendly circulation staff at your next visit!

If you haven’t yet seen the first Pitch Perfect film, I cannot recommend it highly enough.  Part goofy comedy, part musical spectacular, part love-and-friendship journey, and full of snarky, feel-good moments, this is a perfect film to lift you out of a bad day (and give you a song to hum at the same time!).

With the action-flicks and special-effects spectaculars that typically fill screens in the summertime, it was gratifying to see a long line of people waiting to get into see Pitch Perfect 2 last night (a few of them bursting into song when the mood took them).  So, for this first weekend installment of the Free-For-All, we thought we’d offer some suggestions for those of you who found the two Pitch Perfect films aca-awesome.

Pitch Perfect: If you happened to notice in the credits, both films were “Inspired by the book by Mickey Rapkin”.  An editor for GQ, Rapkin spent a year chronicling three a cappella groups in their quest for glory–as well as their brushes with fame, and run-ins with the law.  Told with a  journalist’s quick pacing and an eye for detail, this book emphasizes just how real the competition depicted in the films are, and just how (surprisingly) popular a cappella as a form has grown in the past decade or so.

The Lumberjanes: Though neither about college nor about music, this graphic novel features the same quirky, off-beat comedy as the Pitch Perfect films, with heaps of ‘girl power’, by which we mean positive female relationship between characters who are far more concerned about facing down a three-eyed fox than they are about finding a boyfriend.  The five friends at the center of these books are sensational heroines, and the increasingly wild adventures that occur at their less-than-ordinary summer camp are sure to keep readers enthralled.

How to Build a Girl: A marvelous and surprising novel about self-invention and re-invention, Caitlin Moran’s book features an outside much like Beca, who finds her salvation through music.  After being publicly shamed on local television, Johanna Morgan reinvents herself as the flamboyant Dolly Wilde, music critic and all-around-bon vivant.  But after two years as Dolly, Johanna is suddenly forced to realize that she may have given her alter-ego a fatal flaw.

Beauty Queens: Another book that doesn’t hesitate to question why women can’t be whatever they want–and do it together.  In fact, when their plane crashes on a desert island, these beauty queen contestants band together in order to survive, all while keeping up their dance practices, just in case they get rescued in time to show off their choreography.   Libba Bray’s writing is always fun, unexpected, and engaging, and this book is especially fun as it blends the ridiculous and the sublime, as well as a few timely observations about women’s power and society.

Starter for Ten: This book by David Nicholls follows another oft-stereotyped, but seldom-explored student group: the college quiz team.  Told through the eyes of the charmingly hapless Brian during his first year at Bristol University, this is a wonderfully funny, occasionally heart-breaking story about fitting in, finding yourself, and knowing the right answers.  As a bonus to music-lovers, Brian’s penchant for mix tapes is sure to please any one with a fond nostalgia for the ’80’s.  We also have the film version of the book, starring the younger versions of the great James McAvoy and Benedict Cumberbatch.

And, naturally, you can find the soundtracks to both Pitch Perfect films in our catalog, as well!