The chilly winter air is thick with snowflakes, the scent of gingerbread, and the sound of jingle bells. The holidays are coming on fast, and for many of us that means hours of potentially mind-numbing travel time lie ahead.
Here at the Film Stage we sympathize. So we’ve compiled a Reading Rainbow-worthy list of suggested titles for you to enjoy during your holiday travels and travails.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Has the beginning of the end of the Harry Potter franchise left you with a sense of “What now?” If so, check out the latest craze in YA crossover fiction. With this novel’s upcoming movie adaptation slated for release in 2013, there’s still time to jump on the bandwagon for the book series so addictive that it should come with a warning label. A dark tale that has attracted scores of kids and adults, THG centers on Katniss Evergreen in her struggle to survive the twisted mechanizations of the Capitol that pits tweens and teens against each other in a kill or be killed battle for survival. Oh, and did I mention this battle royale is nationally televised? How’s that for reality-TV? If you’re a fan of Fahrenheit 451, 1984, or the Harry Potter series, I’d be willing to wager The Hunger Games will draw you in. A word of advice that was passed onto me: DO NOT START READING IT AT NIGHT! I failed to heed this warning, and spent hour upon hour hovering over the paperback novel with a flickering book light until I finished the book at 6:15 AM the following morning. Consider yourself warned.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
If you somehow missed out on this perennial high school assignment, take Baz Lurhmann’s upcoming adaptation as reason enough to get familiar with the jaded yet cool West Egg crowd. Even if you’ve read it before, this tale of jazz era decadence improves with age. In high school I was drawn in by these feckless elites and their selfish and destructive lifestyles, as an adult I’m struck by Gatsby’s hopelessly romantic quest for the green light and his Golden Girl. And if you need more reasons to try out Gatsby, know that having read it makes these Kate Beaton comics all the more hilarious.
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
This consuming story centers on a young boy named Jacob who drops out of school and becomes a vet for a traveling circus, finding love and danger along the way. One of my favorite aspects of this novel is that it is written with two running timelines, one being of Jacob when he is older, in a nursery home, during which the second timeline is told as a series of memory flashbacks, as he remembers the days of his youth. Two timelines requires two resolutions, which Gruen weaves nicely. The film adaptation (starring Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, and Christoph Waltz) will be released in April 2011.
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
When Cormac McCarthy is brought to the big screen, the results have been hit or miss (e.g. No Country For Old Men, The Road). Director Todd Field (Little Children) will try his hand next year as he adapts McCarthy’s best work Blood Meridian. This is a great opportunity (read: excuse) to read the chilling, sprawling, Western masterpiece. It is a book that will terrify, entertain and shake you. Here’s hoping the movie does the same.
Shelley: Also Known As Shirley by Shelley Winters
This winning autobiography is a full whimsy and laughs, as Winters fearlessly (and shamelessly) recounts the highs and lows her love life and career. No matter how much or little you may know about Winters or her filmography, Shelley is a wonderfully told coming-of-age tale by an actress with an indomitable spirit and an incorrigible sense of humor. And as much of the story takes place in the Golden era of Hollywood, there’s a healthy dose of anecdotes about stars like Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Errol Flynn, Marlon Brando, and James Dean. Full of humor and heartbreak, Shelley will make the miles and hours fly by during your holiday travels.
Kiss Me Like a Stranger: My Search for Love and Art by Gene Wilder
Another autobiography that is as tender as it is humorous. In this book, Wilder unfolds his life with an unguarded honesty that makes it feel like a story told by an old and trusted friend. While the book itself is a fantastic read, I recommend the audio book version – as Wilder himself narrates. Hearing his soft and sometimes melancholy tones add to the sense of revealing conversation, and gives a further insight into his acceptance of the darker moments of his life’s story.
Irving Thalberg: Boy Wonder to Producer Prince by Mark A. Vieira
A really enjoyable read, this biography offers an in-depth view into the short life of one of early Hollywood’s greatest producers. Many cinephiles might not know Thalberg by name, as he refused to give himself film credits, believing that credit one gives oneself is not worth having. However, his mark on cinema is undeniable, helping to make stars out of Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, and many others in his years at MGM. I’ve read a number of books on Thalberg, and what makes this specific book about his life interesting, is Vieira’s use of unpublished productions files, financial records, and the unpublished memoirs of Thalberg’s wife, MGM actress Norma Shearer. It does a powerful job revealing the man behind the legend.
Memo from David O. Selznick edited by Rudy Behlmer, with an introduction by Roger Ebert
This captivating work gives a glimpse into the life of another famous producer I’ve been interested in, but in his own words. Selznick, known by most as the producer behind Gone with the Wind, dictated his every thought to various secretaries, from 1916 to 1965, producing thousands of boxes of documentation. The intro sums it best with, “What we’re given is a seat in his office,” Roger Ebert says, “the Nixon tapes of Hollywood’s golden age.” Behlmer has done a wonderful job in selecting pieces to include, creating an interesting and informative read for anyone wanting to know the man behind the films.
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
One of the best portrayals of a man who leaves everything behind that I’ve ever read, Jon Krakauer manages to let us sympathize with his real, confused main character of Christopher McCandless, whose death is made all the more tragic by the perfectly-illustrated account of his journey across America. Also includes chapters devoted to men who took on similar quests as him, some to better success. Sean Penn’s incredible film adaptation serves as a great compliment to this book, and both experienced together allow you to enjoy both on an even greater level. Riveting and sad, Into the Wild is a book to be enjoyed and never forgotten.
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Happy trails and Happy Holidays!
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What other books would you suggest for the upcoming holiday travels?