Why the conflicting commentary?
So I’m reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory after having finished Gene Wilder’s autobiography. Kiss Me Like a Stranger was more of a weird coincidence, having always been a fan of Wilder and in need of a book to read on the flight home. But reading Charlie… is purely in preparation of the movie since I never read the book before, just like I pounded through The Hobbit and the Ring trilogy before that cinematic epic.
The only real time I get to read is between jobs when I nuke my dinner at the part-time place. Now that I just started Charlie… I’ve been consistently getting snorts of derision or disbelief that I should choose to read a children’s book, yet curiously followed by the universal remark about how it’s one of their favorite books (no matter how long ago the last time they could recall they read it).
If it’s such a great book that you love, why are you so amazed that I should choose to read it? It’s not like I’m laying out a coloring book here or anything…
Now wait a minute. What’s wrong with coloring books?
I am aghast that you never read _Charlie…_. Had I only known…
I know what you mean, though: I always go back to _The Cricket in Times Square_, especially on the
bus, and regularly get weird looks. Like I’m a child molester or something. I’m praying
that the rumor I heard that it was going to be filmed by the same people that mangled
_Stuart Little_ is untrue. Then again, what author was it who remarked, when asked “Have you seen
what Hollywood is doing to your books?” “What do you mean? They haven’t done anything. They’re
still there, on the shelf.”
Hmm.
Comment by James M. Long — 6/16/2005 @ 10:50 am
Interesting response from the author about the Hollywoodization of their work. I don’t know if I could be that detached from my work - no matter how much money I was making. Good for them though.
Yeah, I’m kinda surprised at myself that I’ve held off until 31 to read it. From what I recall though, you spent all your time trying to get me to read Goodbye Mr. Chips (unsuccessfully, to this day). Have you read any of Dahl’s other books?
Comment by Brian — 6/16/2005 @ 11:09 pm
I, myself, have never read _Goodbye, Mr. Chips_, so your recall is failing. I did try once,
but it seemed a bit boring from page one. Seems more like something Big Nose would read.
I was obsessed with Robert Cormier in junior high, so
maybe it was _The Chocolate War_ or _I am the Cheese_ that I was trying to spread around.
Dahl is an interesting one. His books aimed at young readers (I would have a hard time calling
them children’s books) are pretty good: Danny, the Champion of the World; Charlie and the Great
Glass Elevator; the BFG is a little silly but interesting. Never read his adult fare.
Comment by James M. Long — 6/17/2005 @ 7:57 am
That’s right, that’s right - Chocolate War was your thing. I don’t think it was Jon who tried to get me to read Mr. Chips, but for the life of me I can’t remember who did…
I didn’t realize Dahl wrote books for adults (”mature books”, “books for old people”, “not for children books”?).
Comment by Brian — 6/17/2005 @ 8:19 am