Bang

Guilt is a heavy thing.  Sebastian doesn’t know if he can live with it anymore.  At age four Sebastian picked up his father’s gun and accidentally shot and killed his baby sister.  Sebastian and his family never fully recovered.  Now as a teen Sebastian is planning out his last days. But, his plans are put on pause when new neighbors move in, including fellow teen Aneesa.  Aneesa and Sebastian soon become besties, spending much of the summer launching a YouTube pizza making channel.  But, Aneesa doesn’t know Sebastian dark secret and he’s afraid what will happen when she figures it out.


Tiny Pretty Things

Drama, romance, back stabbing and ballet fill the intriguing pages of Tiny Pretty Things.  Told from three points of view, you see the rise of Gigi, the fall of Bette, the insight of June and all of their dirty secrets.  Everyone’s hiding something.  Gigi is sweet and authentic, scoring the lead role in the Nutcracker and Bette’s man.  Bette will do anything to stay on top; she’s been known to end young ballerina’s careers.  June is trying to earn a place in the spotlight and uncover her mother’s past.  A great juicy read and guilty pleasure complete with a sequel, Shiny Broken Pieces , you can devour.


Clybourne Park Coming to Steppenwolf Theatre

August 10, 2011

Bruce Norris’ s 2011  Pulitzer Prize- winning drama Clybourne Park  will have its Chicago premiere this fall, opening the Steppenwolf season from September 8 through October 6.  Set in a Chicago bungalow, the first act takes place in 1959 and flashes forward to 2009 in Act 2. The Pulitzer Prize committee’s citation described Norris’ play as “a powerful work whose memorable characters speak in witty and perceptive ways to America’s sometimes toxic struggle with race and class consciousness.” Read more about the play in this Chicago Sun-Times article — and make plans to see it at Steppenwolf.

Laura, Reader’s Services


Read the Book, See the Movie, Watch the Oscars!

February 6, 2009

oscarIt’s Oscar time again.  The 81st Annual Academy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on February 22, 2009. As usual, Hollywood once again went to the bookshelves this year for source material. Many of this year’s nominated films are adapted from books and stage plays, including four of the five films nominated for Best Picture. So as you head off to the theater, cast your ballots, and plan your Oscar parties, why not check out some of the books that started it all? Among the nominees are:

imp_curious_case_of_benjamin_buttonThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button was originally a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, written in 1921. It can be found in Fitzgerald’s short story collection. The film’s Oscar nominations include: Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture.

 

imp_doubtDoubt was a 2004 off-Broadway play by John Patrick Shanley. The film’s Oscar nominations include: Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, two Best Supporting Actress nominations, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

 

 

frost-nixon-official-posterFrost/Nixon was also a play, written in 2006 by the British dramatist and screenwriter Peter Morgan. The Film’s Oscar nominations include: Best Actor, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture.

 

 

imp_reader_ver2The Reader was a 1995 novel written in German by the writer Bernhard Schlink. It has since been translated into 39 languages, and was a bestseller in Germany and the United States. The film’s Oscar nominations include: Best Actress, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture.

 

revroad1

Revolutionary Road was the first novel by Richard Yates. It was a finalist for the  National Book Award in 1962. The film’s Oscar nominations include: Best Supporting Actor.

 

 

mainVikas Swarup is a diplomat and an author. His first novel, 2005’s Q and A was the basis for the film Slumdog Millioniaire. In addition to the film, the book has also been turned into a radio play and a stage adaptation, and has been translated into 36 languages. The film’s Oscar nominations include: Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture.


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