Books2Movies Club discussion

Our quick reads are always so difficult to pick. We are running out even of our previous not-selected nominations (this thread here: Quick Reads Nominated So Far). I am not yet keen to give up on them, because we still manage to find some really interesting short works to read.

I'll nominate something new this time. The Taming of the Shrew, although a bit outdated, has some great adaptations we should watch. Blow-Up by Julio Cortázar I haven't read yet, but I've seen the movie with John Travolta that is inspired by it (and Antonioni's movie as well).

Do you have any other suggestions?

What's the story Arrival is based on? Have we read that yet? The movie was fantastic!

Goodreads had a list recently of some short story adaptations that came out or are due to come out soon... I'll have to see if I can find the link, for other suggestions.

Alana wrote: "What's the story Arrival is based on? Have we read that yet? The movie was fantastic!
Goodreads had a list recently of some short story adaptations that came out or are due to come out soon... I'l..."

Yes, we did the story last March (well, I still have to read it), check this post here: 2017/03 - Arrival

It would be nice to see that list. I am so backlogged that I stopped searching for fresh ideas. I have Blow-Up in my book of adaptations so it was an easy pick.

Here's a couple just general lists (not necessarily short reads):

https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/8...

https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/7...

And here's a Wikepedia list:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...

I'd like to suggest Henry James' The Turn of the Screw, which was adapted into the 1961 film The Innocents. Hopefully, it hasn't been read or suggested here before (I checked a few of the links above).

Ben wrote: "I'd like to suggest Henry James' The Turn of the Screw, which was adapted into the 1961 film The Innocents. Hopefully, it hasn't been read or suggested here before (I checked a few of the links abo..."

Actually we did it (but it was our monthly read, not a quick read -- a rookie mistake we did at the beginning of the group :)

The Turn of the Screw

It's interesting thing, while I didn't like the book itself, I really liked the discussion about it. It was one of my favourites.

Alana wrote: "Here's a couple just general lists (not necessarily short reads)..."

Thanks for the links! Those on the GR are mostly longer works. I think Fences is the only one suitable QR. I probably won't be able to find the play, but I might at least watch the movie.

Wikipedia offers a nice selection of works! I'll add that link to our thread mentioned in the first comment. Steel might be interesting, I liked the movie.

I'd like to read Blow Up since I saw the original film. I had no idea there was a Travolta version! I have to see that now.

For future to add on the list what about Double Indemnity and The Third Man?

Sue wrote: "I'd like to read Blow Up since I saw the original film. I had no idea there was a Travolta version! I have to see that now.
For future to add on the list what about Double Indemnity and The Third Man?"

Yes, it is said that De Palma's Blow Out with Travolta is inspired directly by Blow-up. Both books sound fine, as they are not too long, so they sort of still can be quick reads.

I think we have enough for the first QR poll this year:

Quick Reads Poll for 2018

Every book mentioned in the poll will feature on our bookshelf in the reading order based on your votes. The only ones that will go to the next round of polls will be those without a single vote (from my experience, they tend to go without a vote only because one can vote only for one book at a time).

Zeljka wrote: "Alana wrote: "Here's a couple just general lists (not necessarily short reads)..."

Thanks for the links! Those on the GR are mostly longer works. I think Fences is the only one suita..."

Have marked this as "To Read" on GR and placed a hold on both the movie and the play at my local library ... ready to tackle this! ;o)

There are no more quick reads on our bookshelf after Fences; we should soon add new ones. My suggestions are Johnny Mnemonic, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, MirrorMask, and Tuck Everlasting.

Do you have any other suggestions?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...

https://www.ranker.com/list/best-movi...

I need to look through these and see what we haven't read yet :)

Alana wrote: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
https://www.ranker.com/list/best-movi...
I need to look through these and see what we..."

Awesome links, thank you so much! Yes, Ranker's list includes many stories we've read, but luckily there are still some we haven't :)

Here's the list of short stories we haven't ever nominated for our quick reads, according to Ranker's list of best movies based on short stories:

Away from Her by Alice Munro
The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier
The Dead by James Joyce
Death in Venice by Thomas Mann
Don't Look Now by Daphne du Maurier
Dream Story by Arthur Schnitzler (Eyes Wide Shut)
Eisenheim the Illusionist from The Barnum Museum by Steven Millhauser
Farewell to the Master by Harry Bates (The Day Earth Stood Still)
The Fly by George Langelaan
The Living Daylights by Ian Fleming
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance by Dorothy M. Johnson
Million Dollar Baby: Stories from the Corner by F.X. Toole
The Mist by Stephen King
The Palace Thief: Stories by Ethan Canin (The Emperor's Club)
Paycheck by Philip K. Dick
The Running Man by Richard Bachman / Stephen King
The Sentinel by Arthur C. Clarke (2001: A Space Odyssey)

There's a mention of Hitchock's Notorious too, but I don't think it is based on any story or novel, at least I couldn't find any source suggesting me otherwise.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance could be interesting: have we read a Western recently?

Alana wrote: "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance could be interesting: have we read a Western recently?"

I think we haven't had a true western for quite a looong time... I certainly won't mind :)

Let's make our selection for the next few months. I've already suggested Johnny Mnemonic, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, MirrorMask, and Tuck Everlasting, and Alana did The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, so let's read them first. Whenever you suggest a new quick read, we'll add it to our bookshelf.

Works for me! I've had a VERY busy spring with a sister getting married, some travelling and some major changes at work, so my reading time just hasn't been what I'd like, unfortunately :(

When I look at the choices, I like the Man Who Shot Liberty Vance the best. I don't know if I want to read the book or watch the movie! One often spoils the other...

We should select new quick reads soon. My suggestions this time would be Steel, A Streetcar Named Desire and Don't Look Now.

There is another short story I might be interested to read, and it is available online for free: Farewell to the Master by Harry Bates. It was a basis for the movie(s) The Day the Earth Stood Still.

If you have ideas what we might read for our new quick reads, please share them!

I'll put the story mentioned above as a quick read of October, to have at least one quick read ready. The other three suggestions will be added later in the month if there won't be any objections or other suggestions before :)

I have some new suggestions, not mentioned before, tell me if you'd like any specifically:
The Grass Harp by Truman Capote
Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The Water Horse by Dick King-Smith

The Little Prince is an interesting story, definitely a quick read.

The Middle Ages

Gigi

Jennifer wrote: "The Middle Ages"
Jennifer wrote: "Gigi"

Gigi, if that's the same one Leslie Caron played, would be an awesome quick read!
The Middle Ages? I am confused :/ It is a long book, can you please clarify, is there a story in it that we might read and watch something together with it?

Zeljka wrote: "Alana wrote: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
https://www.ranker.com/list/best-movi...
I need to look through these and..."

I'd nominate The Last Tycoon by F. Scott Fitzgerald if it hasn't been read by the group yet.

Byron wrote: "I'd nominate The Last Tycoon by F. Scott Fitzgerald if it hasn't been read by the group yet. "

No, it hasn't, great suggestion! It is a bit longer work, but probably not too difficult to read. What do you think, which version would it be better to read? The original was unfinished, but there is a revised edition that was published in 1993 and used for a recent TV show.

Zeljka wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "The Middle Ages"
Jennifer wrote: "Gigi"

Gigi, if that's the same one Leslie Caron played, would be an awesome quick read!
The Middle Ages? I am confuse..."
It's in some Colette story collections Gigi and other stories

We still have three more stories to read, but it won't harm to add new ones to the nominations pile. I just remembered one really good movie, based on Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington. I think the subject matter is important and we should become more familiar with it. Another one that made an impression on me was based on a play, Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose. I am surprised that one didn't come up sooner on our list!

We haven't read an sf story for a while - I'll add Impostor by Philip K. Dick to those two posted above.
That means we have three stories (actually two and a play) to read next. Yay :)

Do you have more suggestions?

Speaking of Philip K. Dick: How about The Man in the High Castle? It´s a great series, though the book is differently as I heard.

Michaela wrote: "Speaking of Philip K. Dick: How about The Man in the High Castle? It´s a great series, though the book is differently as I heard."

I heard that too. It might be interesting to read. I think it is too long to qualify as a quick read though. Let's remember this book for our next SF or random choice nominations :)

Zeljka wrote: "Michaela wrote: "Speaking of Philip K. Dick: How about The Man in the High Castle? It´s a great series, though the book is differently as I heard."

I heard that too. I..."

You´re right! Perhaps another time...

I'll add my suggestions to the quick reads bookshelf - this is anyway an ongoing discussion. No point in asking which should be read first either, because timeframe here has a bit ambiguous quality :)

If you come up with any new suggestion, assuming it qualifies, I'll add it to the bookshelf.

"Alabama Moon" by Watt Key was a quick read for me earlier this year when i read it for my F2F book club. It is YA which probably is a factor in quick reading. After book club meeting i checked DVD out from library. Enjoyed it also.

Lorena once mentioned horror stories to read, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: The Complete Collection and V-Wars. I would like to add something between though, too many scary stories to read in continuation :)

Nancy L Owens wrote: ""Alabama Moon" by Watt Key was a quick read for me earlier this year when i read it for my F2F book club. It is YA which probably is a factor in quick reading. After book club meeting i checked DVD..."

I'll rather add it to our monthly reads, fits really nicely :) For quick reads we assume stories, novellas and plays. Occasionally we made blunders and added novels instead :)

edit: short novels, approx. 200 pages or less may also be included. For example Alabama Moon paperback notes it has 320 pages, so we should put it under drama or young adult fiction.

Maybe you have this list but if not, possibly we could choose something from it.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...

Powder River Rose wrote: "Maybe you have this list but if not, possibly we could choose something from it."

Thank you Powder River Rose! We should definitely use that list.

Rust and Bone by Craig Davidson and Shopgirl by Steve Martin seem interesting.

   Here are 2 QUICK reads with a seasonal theme:
1.  The Thanksgiving Visitor by Truman Capote | Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9.... 37 pages
The Thanksgiving Visitor (TV Movie 1968) - IMDb
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0324218/
2. A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote | Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9...
48 pages
    This earlier production includes "A Christmas Memory".  I suppose that Geraldine Page plays the same character as she did in "The Thanksgiving Visitor" but with Capote who knows?
Trilogy (1969) - Plot Summary - IMDb
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165996/...
A Christmas Memory (TV Movie 1997) - IMDb
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0135187/
This is a combination edition BOOK:
A Christmas Memory, One Christmas, & The Thanksgiving Visitor by Truman Capote | Goodread
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Nancy L Owens wrote: "   Here are 2 QUICK reads with a seasonal theme..."

Great ideas Nancy! We can put that trilogy right in between Thanksgiving and Christmastime :)

Scary Stories can be put right before that, in time for Halloween. Brilliant, we are set for two months after Impostor ;)

Alright, I'll put the new four / five (six?) quick reads up, in this order:

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: The Complete Collection by Alvin Schwartz (October)
A Christmas Memory, One Christmas, & The Thanksgiving Visitor by Truman Capote (November & December)
Rust and Bone by Craig Davidson (January)
Shopgirl by Steve Martin (February)

We should start thinking about new stories and plays to add to our bookshelf. My suggestions would be The Mist and Amadeus.

Why not to add also a graphic novel or two to this pile? At the moment I am curious about 30 Days of Night Omnibus. This trilogy was the basis for 30 Days of Night (2007).

If you have any other suggestions, please tell us! If they are not lengthy works that would fit better with our regular monthly reads, they will be added at once :)

There are no more quick reads after 30 Days Of Night. Let me add some new ones to our bookshelf:

Rashoumon and In a Grove
The Front Page
Mr. Popper's Penguins
In the Tall Grass

I am open to any other suggestions :)