Who's reading what,when & the experience

Aishah

Yes, both Nick and iwanttogoback, same with me. And when you see a movie based on a book it can be quite disappointing - except Room With A View - I thought that was brilliant.

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"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

PeakXV

Book reading certainly induces a rolling imagery that is unique, if not dream-like in it's iconography. Films, especially those shot on location, are intriguing & educational in their own particular way and often complement their literary counterparts quite well.

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We shall not cease from exploration and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started ...and know the place for the first time.
T.S. Eliot

Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

Casey

I just finished reading The Painted Veil and then decided to rent the movie. I was prepared to be disappointed and expected a feel good ending to be tacked on. While parts were quite different,the ending was not a happy feel good one. While the movie took a different turn I think this may have been a wise choice. I think the book ending would have been difficult to translate to film and easy to misunderstand. I was quite happy with how the film was handled as I generally find books and movies don't always mix well.

Sometimes, I think reading the book may make the movie better because you can understand the characters (and authors) intentions because you have more of an idea of their inner workings that may not be captured so well on film. This only works well, I think, when the movie fits our vision of the book. No Country for Old Men, a film that is out now, is very true to the Cormac McArthy novel. Seeing the film made me go back and re-read parts of the book, upon which I was able to better understand the point of one of the character. I think this is the only example of the movie teaching me something that I had missed in the book.

Aishah

The Painted Veil -you've reminded me I have this on DVD and still not seen it - bought in May from Kathmandu. It is so long since I read it that
watching the movie will be like a totally new experience. Sounds like a good movie, Casey.

Casey

I was pleasantly surprised at the movie because I was expecting total rubbish. The actors do a good job. The only problem is that I didn't find anything particularly attractive about Townsend, although it could be said that ultimatly Kitty, upon reflection, cannot see anything in him either. If anything, the scenery is quite spectacular and they do a good job of properly portraying the time period. I hate when movies think they can just period era clothes and that's all it takes. These characters look like they come from the time period.

Unfortunatly, my reading material for today is an international comparison on pensions that I must edit. Not too exciting, but I have to earn my money to do my traveling and I guess writing is not a bad way to do it. My reward will be reading another Murakami novel. I am holding on to them, just as I do my Narayan books, and read them when I have sufficient time to finish them in one or two sittings.

Aishah

I've noted Murakami, thanks Casey, to look out for. I haven't read any of his/her? writing. Now, must find a quiet time without disturbances, one evening to watch the DVD! I love good scenery in a movie and good re-creations of a time period.

wonderwomanusa

I wonder if those are the Mahabarata episodes that were shown on Indian TV in the 80s; they were on every Sunday and the entire country stopped and watched.

I read The Indian Clerk a few months ago and loved it!

Aishah

I think you've hit the nail on the head there re those videos, wwusa! I watched bits of them when they were running, but found them so over-stylized and slow moving (except the Krishna and the milkmaids one, that still stays well in memory!)I preferred to read a book.

Nick-H

I loved the Mahabarata series. I thought the stylised, even amateurish, presentation suited it well. It just wouldn't be the same with polished Hollywood special effects.

I've got the whole thing on DVD, with English subtitles. I've watched some of it, but it is the early episodes, that I missed on TV, that I really wanted it for. I think I saw every episode after the first 12 on TV.

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Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

batistuta

Japanese author with a very good imagination. Improbable scenarios are quite commonplace with this bloke. I recently read one of his short strories. Quite good.

Aishah

Thanks for extra info. batistuta - I've read Kenzo Ishiguro (a very fine writer) but not Murakami, in fact hadn't heard of him until casey posted here.

Googled and find a website of his: www.murakami.ch/ - has some exerpts from his short stories, they look excellent.

Scandojazzbuff

Ishiguro is indeed, a very good writer. I'm a little puzzled by the popularity of Murakami as I've never been able to really get into his stuff.

Speaking Japanese, you might want to take a look at Banana Yoshimoto, whose short stories struck me as quite unique. I know, Banana doesn't sound like the kind of writer you want to read!

Aishah

I think she might well be the kind of writer I would like to read! Took a peek at her website and her Journal, looks good. Will note this one down too thanks, Scando.

Nick-H

I've nearly finished She now; it has been quite gripping! I'll probably move on to the sequel.

Aishah

Your 'She' Nick might be the sort of book I need to read after the one I've just finished - a sort of adventure/fantasy antidote. Mentioned before - 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' by Khaled Hosseini. It's been quite a while since a book has moved me to tears, but this one certainly succeeded. For those of us living in peaceful places with comfortable lives, it makes our complaints look paltry and petty in the scheme of things. This book is harrowing but what I like about it, there is always hope and the ending brings about a satisfying resolution. Dark and light moments abound, and dark seems to weigh heavily at times and I'm glad the author didn't leave it at one of those points but carried through so the reader feels uplifted by the end. It is good from an historical perspective, also social customs in Afghanistan, the terrible regime under Taliban, portraying some of the worst incidents of women's place in that society.
Feeling emotionally 'wrung out' at the completion of this book (which btw is written in a very easy reading style) I searched in my cupboard for a lightweight and came up with this. Don't know if anyone has heard of her - Rajashree - a film writer and director (The Rebel, one of her films) and this is her first novel, 'Trust Me'. It's set in Bombay, the cover pics make it look as if it could be fun.