I know there's no zombies or microscopic madmen in Lois Lowry's "The Giver", but this is the closest thing to dark fantasy I read growing up. I believe this is easily the most messed up book that people let their kids read in middle school. Reading that in the fourth rain mentally scarred me in a good way. So it bothers me that we can have "Twilight" and two "Alvin and the Chipmunks" movies but The Giver hasn't been made yet.
Apparently Jeff Bridges ( Probably better known as "The Dude") wants to get the movie made so he can play The Giver, who is an old wise man with a big bushy beard...Think Santa Claus and Buddha rolled into one. I think there's probably better guys out there for the part but if he can get it made then I'm all for it.
I guess I'm just kind of sending this out there since it is my only gripe with the fantasy world and I was wondering if anyone else remembers this amazing book or if theres any other fantasy books you'd like to see made into a movie. And if you remember the book as I do, what actor do you think would make a solid "Giver"? I'd personally like to throw a bearded Kevin Kline's name into the ring.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
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Ha, I actually just gave this book to a friend at Christmas. All of us that went to public schools in my city read it early on, but gonig to a private school led him to read different books. He finished it last night and seemed confused as to why it was one of my favorite books. It's like Brave New World for the youngsters, and who doesn't love a good dystopian read? In my head the Giver was always a more Robert Redford kind of guy, but that could just be my inclination for Redford.
ReplyDeleteLois Lowry's The Giver won the Newbery Medal for children's literature in 1994, the same honor that went to Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book 15 years later.
ReplyDeleteOf course I remember this book ! I had to read it once in middle school and again freshman year and loved it both times. Have you read his other book "Gathering the Blue" ? It is very similar to "The Giver" and in my opinion is equally as strange and interesting. Yeah, the Jeff Bridges I remember doesn't seem like the Giver, but I have looked up some recent pictures and I actually don't think he would be that bad if he can shake the "Big Lebowski" image. I too am surprised that such a staple in children's literature hasn't been turned into a movie yet.
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