Travelling to Infinity by Jane Hawking (the book behind the film The Theory of Everything)
The
film received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.
The book is a tender account of Jane's years with Stephen Hawking,
author of A Brief History of Time. She recounts their falling
in love, dealing with Stephen's ALS, and starting a family as his career
soars. It's also a candid look at their high-profile divorce. A
fascinating portrait of the most famous physicist in the world.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (the book behind the film Gone Girl)
The film stars Rosamund Pike, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. The book is ... well, you RIFers all know this book! We've been talking with you about it since way before it hit the shelves. Okay, here's the story: Nick and Amy Dunne are a beautiful young couple bent on ravaging each other from the inside out. Gives us chills just thinking about it. Gillian Flynn, we're in awe of you (and just a little scared).
Still Alice by Lisa Genova (the book behind the film Still Alice)
The
film stars Julianne Moore, who was nominated for an Academy Award for
Best Actress. The book is a publishing phenomenon. Lisa Genova – a
renowned expert in Alzheimer's disease with a PhD in neuroscience –
self-published Still Alice in 2007. It became a huge
word-of-mouth success and has been a bestseller since. The novel is the
tragic story of Alice Howland, a psychology professor at Harvard who is
diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease.
Wild by Cheryl Strayed (the book behind the film Wild)
The
film stars Reese Witherspoon (nominated for the Academy Award for Best
Actress) and Laura Dern (nominated for the Academy Award for Best
Supporting Actress). The book is another one we shared with you long
before its release. RIFers were among the first to read this memoir,
which is a beautiful account of Cheryl Strayed's 1,100-mile long hike on
the Pacific Crest Trail. She divorced, she faced her demons, she
walked, and she healed.
Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon (the book behind the film Inherent Vice)
The
film is nominated for the Academy Award for Costume Design. The book is
set in 1970's Los Angeles — part noir, part psychedelic romp.
Drug-addicted private eye Doc Sportello surfaces, occasionally, out of a
marijuana haze to watch the end of an era. He's also investigating the
disappearance of a former girlfriend. It's a good introduction to Thomas
Pynchon for those who haven't yet read him; for Pynchon fans, it's just
good fun.
SOURCE: Read It Forward
