Seems like it’s happening more and more.  Great stories from the page are going straight to the screen, both big and small. As many authors will tell you, selling the options to the book isn’t too difficult, sometimes it’s even part of the book deal, but actually having it made into a film that actually hits the big screen is a pretty grand accomplishment.

I loved Cheryl Strayed’s WILD and plan to see the movie soon, praying I won’t be disappointed.

 

The books Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, True Blood ( Sookie Stackhouse Novels), The Walking Dead ( graphic novel), Orange Is The New Black and Pretty Little Liars are doing well as series entertainment. The good thing about seeing books on TV is that it seems to pump up sales and the “cool” factor of reading for kids that appear to be reading less and less. And for some of us, watching Olive Kitteridge on your Ipad on a treadmill was almost as good as reading the book- and definitely more healthy.

The most recent book to TV adaptation that I think works beautifully is Diana Gabaldon’s OUTLANDER. I’m excited to see future episodes as the first season, while short, was amazing.

Of course, I have an issue with film makers not concentrating on more original material, not looking to original screenplays, or exploring alternative productions as much as they seem to be pumping out batches of episodic ” fairy tales” and rehashed movies, as either remakes or sadly plotted  #2, #3 and #4’s. SIGHHHHHH.

Good Reads has a fantastic books to film list with some categories I  never thought about, like Books With Completely Different Movie Endings.

Which brings us to a whole other discussion about book adaptations. But we’ll save that for another day.

Happy reading!