movies and the books that spawned them: a challenge

I love "Based on the Book" movies.

Some of my favourites: Pride and Prejudice, Excalibur, Dune, Bridget Jones' Diary, The Count of Monte Cristo, 101 Dalmatians, and of course, the Bond flicks.

I see the movie, then I always tell myself that I really should read the book... but I rarely do.

So, for my installment in Shai's 52WoC#38: Join or Start a Challenge!, I challenge myself -- and you -- to...

Read 9 books that have been made into movies.

The rules are easy:

1. Anyone can participate.

2. Choose 9 books that have been made into movies. (9 because it's 2009!)
- You can get some ideas here.
- You can change your list of books at any time.
- It's okay if you haven't seen the movies. Re-reads are acceptable.

3. To join, leave a comment with this post or email me.

4. Finish reading your books by December 31, 2009.
- I'll check in monthly to share my progress... and allow you to share your own.

Easy, non?

Okay, here's MY LIST
:

1. The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien (I know this is more than one book, but still)
2. Under the Tuscan Sun - Frances Mayes
3. Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling
4.
Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
5. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
6. A Scanner Darkly - Phillip K. Dick
7. Chocolat - Joanne Harris
8. A Room with a View - E.M. Forster
9. Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis

Honourable Mentions... in case I have extra time:
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood - Rebecca Wells
The Golden Compass - Philip Pullman

Okay, now you. :)

11 comments:

  1. 1. The Cat In The Hat - Dr Seuss
    2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Dr Seuss
    3. Charlotte's Web - E.B. White
    4. Stuart Little - E.B. White
    5. Shrek! - William Steig
    6. Bridge to Terabithia - Katherine Paterson
    7. The Witches - Roald Dahl
    8. Curious George - H.A. Rey & Margaret Rey
    9. Winnie the Pooh/The House at Pooh Corner - A.A. Milne

    OK. Done!

    Seriously though, the longer ones I intend to (or have done, but intend to again) read them chapter by chapter for the bedtime stories. It's good to expose the young'uns to the fact that there was a printed word prior to DVDs. This may reignite that goal. Thanks!

    Also seriously: if you haven't before, check out Shrek! by William Steig (all the Steig books are actually highly worth the effort) The movie, while excellent (IMHO) is only *very* loosely based on that story.

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  2. Oooh, a challenge!

    Here's my list

    Jack's Return Home - Ted Lewis (Get Carter )
    Princess Bride, The - William Goldman
    Chocolat - Joanne Harris
    Battlefield Earth - L. Ron Hubbard
    Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café - Fannie Flagg (Fried Green Tomatoes)
    Romancing the Stone - Diane Thomas
    Thank You for Smoking - Christopher Buckley
    Picture of Dorian Gray, The - Oscar Wilde
    Strip Tease - Carl Hiaasen

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  3. @harmzie:
    while I didn't say that re-reads weren't allowed, I'd hoped that my participants would include books they haven't read.

    I could've included the Dr.Seuss books, Curious George, and Grimm's tales on my list, but I've read them already.

    This is a year-long reading challenge after all.

    @Su:
    Great choices! Fried Green Tomatoes and Dorian Gray almost made my list. :) Did you check out the Based on the Book link? So many to choose from.

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  4. Marley & Me by John Grogan - tears of laughter and sadness
    300 by Frank Miller - that's a gimme
    Sin City also by Frank Miller - comic books count right?
    Joy Luck Club - Amy Tan
    Waiting to Exhale by Terry McMillan
    Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews
    Shop Girl by Steve Martin
    The Shining by Stephen King
    Patriot Games by Tom Clancy

    I've watched all these movies with the exception of The Shining because I'm so scared of horror movies; and I have not yet read the last three titles I've listed. Though I must say, Flowers in the Attic should be remade; I was much too disappointed in the movie.

    Thanks!!

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  5. Yes, I used the link you provided. There were indeed too many to choose from, but it was a fun exercise.
    In the end, it boiled down to movies I've seen (not that many really), and books I haven't read from that list.

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  6. hey! this is a fun challenge! i'll see what i can come up with. hehehe. i've read 3,4,5,8, and 9 on your list. those were good reads ;-)

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  7. @nen - sorry :-( I'll behave.

    What IS this "book" thing you speak of? I think (re)reading 9 kids books is about all I could manage in a year (especially since the kids tend to get - um - "comfortable" with certain choices for weeks at a time!) Adding the chapter books is a stretch. I'll try and focus on those since I believe I lied and have not actually read *all* the ones I listed (Witches, Stuart Little). There are dozens more that actually look good, too.

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  8. I didn't have anything to blog about until I saw this. Thanks for the inspiration.

    My answers are here.

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  9. @Cyndi:
    Great list! I think I should've added 300 to my list... what would my pretend boyfriend say? LOL

    @caryn:
    Can't wait to see your list!

    @Em Dy:
    Great list! Thanks for participating and for the link love. :)

    @harmzie:
    if you don't think you can read 9 books by year-end, you don't have to join in. simple, eh? ;)
    I carry a book in my big bag at all times anyway -- I read when I have to wait, am stuck somewhere, or want to avoid housework and have already read my fave blogs.

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  10. This challenge has inspired me to join in!! What a great way to pick a book....


    1. The Bourne Identity - Robert Ludlum
    2. The Bourne Supremacy - ditto
    3. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Jean-Dominique Bauby
    4. The Children of Men - P.D. James
    5. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini (by the way another book of his is a must-read: A Thousand Splendid Suns)
    6. Q & A / Slumdog Millionaire - Vikas Swarup
    7. Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis
    8. No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy
    9. Skipping Christmas/Christmas with the Kranks- John Grisham

    Thanks, Nenette! I have a goal this year hehe

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  11. @Mare:
    Yay! I was wondering when you'd comment! :)
    I love your list... I'll put A Thousand Splendid Suns on my must-read list. Thanks for the rec. :)

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