Still need a little help completing your Book League Bingo Card? Here are some suggestions for the square, “A book that a movie has been based on.” Even though we all know the book is ALWAYS better than the movie, we promise to give all the movies a fair shot.
The Harry Potter Series, JK Rowling – originally published 1997-2007
http://pegasus.luc.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=928537
Follow the trials and tribulations of boy wizard, Harry Potter as he grows up at Hogwarts, the mystical wizarding school. Next, you can follow the movies – and see all the actors dramatically improve their acting over time.
The Help, Katherine Stockett, 2009
http://pegasus.luc.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1422984
1960’s southern society girl Skeeter comes home from college to learn that the social justice movements she’s learned about in school haven’t quite made it to her home town. Feminism, racial equality, and other issues are the backbone to this book, which speaks of lessons still important today. Once you’ve read the book, see Octavia Spencer and Emma Stone act as your new favorite characters in the film adaptation.
The Hunger Games series, Suzanne Collins, 2008-2010
http://pegasus.luc.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1166251
Katniss Everdeen becomes the unintended leader of a rebellion in the dystopian future in the country of Panem. Filled with love triangle, political intrigue, and warfare of the psychological and physical varieties – this series really does have everything. Next, watch all of the movies (the third book was split into two films) that helped launch Jennifer Lawrence and costars into stardom. As an added bonus, you’ll be all caught up to see the last movie, Mockingjay Part 2, premiering later this year.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky, 1999
http://pegasus.luc.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2098346
This quintessential coming of age tale is written from the perspective of Charlie, an introverted and painfully shy teen. The book is written in a unique manner – Charlie is telling his tale in the form of letter to an anonymous stranger. Experiencing familiar teenage problems, Charlie witnesses with everything from death, to sexuality, and drug use. Thirteen years later, this book was turned into a movie staring many famous young Hollywood stars. The advantage of this film adaptation is that you can finally see Emma Watson in a film where she is not Hermione Granger.
Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn, 2012
http://pegasus.luc.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1788154
Mystery, torrid affairs, tumultuous relationships, and crime – all in the first chapter. This fast paced, modernized who-dun-it tale really makes you think hard about who the good guys really are. This was noted as the Book of the Summer by many book clubs in 2012- and has remained popular ever since. Flynn was heavily involved in the film creation process, and even wrote a new ending for the movie, so those who read the book could be surprised a second time. Even though the movie is intentionally different than the book – readers can take solace in the fact that the original author wrote the new ending, so it MUST be just as good…
Find a longer list of books that have been turned into movies, courtesy of Good Reads, here! Decide which book has your favorite film adaptation, and then come to our next library brown bag to let us know which title wins: Thursday, July 9 @ LSC / IC 317 Quiet Reading Room / 12-1 PM
One thought on “Summer Book League – Books and their Movie Counterparts”
Comments are closed.
I was motivated to read Harper Lee’s new book, “Go Set a Watchman”. But first I re-read “To Kill a Mockingbird”, still feeling unsatisfied, I watched the original movie with Gregory Peck and completely forgot Robert Duval’s cameo appearance!
And yet, here we are still striving to learn the lessons so clearly written.