In this weekās “Memorial Day” edition of Friday Five! we’re celebrating the recent movie release of The Great Gatsby by sharing staff picks for our favorite books-turned-movies. So grab your favorite snack, a comfy blanket and hit play on this perfect movie playlist for your three-day weekend. Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, everyone!
Whatās on my iPod: Star Wars Theme by John Williams
What Iām reading: The Curse of Van Gogh by Paul Hoppe
The last person I followed on Twitter: @LitChat
1. Crystal’s pick is Nicholas Sparks’ trend-setting novel, The Notebook. A poor and passionate young man falls in love with a rich young woman and gives her a sense of freedom. They soon are separated by their social differences.
2. Sam’s pick is The Shawshank Redemption by award-winning thriller author, Stephen King. Two imprisoned men bond over a number of years, finding solace and eventual redemption through acts of common decency.
3. Allyson’s pick is Stieg Larsson’s best-selling novel, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years by Lisbeth Salander, a young computer hacker.
4. Kim’s pick is Janet Fitch’s critically-acclaimed novel, White Oleander. A teenager journeys through a series of foster homes after her mother goes to prison for committing a crime of passion.
5. Erin’s pick is Jack Kerouac’s timeless classic, On The Road. Young writer Sal Paradise has his life shaken by the arrival of free-spirited Dean Moriarty and his girl, Marylou. As they travel across the country, they encounter a mix of people who each impact their journey indelibly.
Ah, come on, no movie is ever anywhere near as good as the book. But continuing the Stephen King trend started by Sam, I’m going with Stand by Me, which was a Stephen King short story (short is relative, of course).