Book fiend news: 'Deathly Hallows' split hints, RIP 'Reading Rainbow,' Agatha Christie's notebooks

August 28, 6:05 PMBook ExaminerMichelle Kerns

Previous Next

2 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Book Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

 

Leap into the final weekend of August with more scintillating bookish news than an aspiring junior high girl's short story has exclamation points.

Steven Spielberg to film Michael Crichton’s final novel

Michael Crichton was finishing a kicky little pirate romp, Pirate Latitudes, when he died late last year. Pirate Latitudes won’t be released by HarperCollins until November, but Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks have already called dibs on a bookish adaptation of the tale. The screenwriter, David Koepp, has worked with Mr. Spielberg on two of Mr. Crichton’s bookish films: Jurassic Park and The Lost World.

According to DreamWorks, Mr. Spielberg has always wanted to film a pirate flick, and Pirate Latitudes, which takes place in Jamaica in 1665, seems ready-made for the legendary director. According to Mr. Spielberg, “Michael wrote a page-turner that already seems suited for the big screen. Michael and I had almost two decades of solid collaborations. Whenever I made a film from a Crichton book or screenplay, I knew I was in good hands. Michael felt the same, and we like to think he still does.”

Goyle actor spills the goods on where the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows split will be -- maybe

As most Potter-philes are aware, the film manifestation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be split into two films, scheduled for release in November 2010 and July 2011. Speculation on the exact location of the end of the first film and the beginning of the second has been as wild as an outraged veela (take a look at the Book Examiner's ponderings on five possible split points here.)

In a U.K. question-and-answer session, Jonathon Herdman, the actor that plays Malfoy's trusty Slytherin sidekick, Goyle, revealed that the split would occur immediately after Harry, Ron, and Hermione have been captured by the Snatchers. The second installment of the film would pick up at Malfoy Manor.

The director and producer have repeatedly said that the split point could change so this could all be a sound and fury signifying nothing.... I confess though, I'm a little disappointed. I kind of had my heart set on the first movie ending after Ron ditches Harry and Hermione. An ending like that would certainly have inspired more people to read the book just to find out what happens.

 

Agatha Christie's private notebooks to be published

HarperCollins is getting ready to publish Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks, a tome that will reveal the contents of the 73 notebooks Ms. Christie used to record her ideas during her writing career. Don't expect shocking personal revelations in this -- it's all stuff about plots and characters. But for those of us who have been obsessed with her work for decades, getting a glimpse into the mind of Ms. Christie at work will be more thrilling than any sordid dirty laundry could ever be.

Classy children's show 'Reading Rainbow' to end its 26 year run

Unbelievably, the best children's literature show around, Reading Rainbow, is airing its final episode today after 26 outstanding years. Why? According to John Grant, the head of content at WNED Buffalo, Reading Rainbow's home station, PBS, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the Department of Education are all unwilling to pour funding into programs that don't teach children how to read. Reading Rainbow's focus has always been on the why of reading and using an interest in books to drive children to become more interested in learning to read better. Unfortunately, there just doesn't seem to be enough money, or interest, to fund both types of programs, and Reading Rainbow has gotten the ax.

I grew up watching Reading Rainbow every single afternoon and it saddens me to see it shoved aside in favor of phonics-themed kids shows that, while nice in their own way, just aren't as good. What a pity. For old time's sake, why don't we children of the 80s console ourselves with a segment from one of Reading Rainbow's golden-oldies: LeVar Burton showing viewers around the Star Trek: The Next Generation set.

Nifty BBC Radio dramatizations to catch up on this weekend

I'm a serious BBC Radio 4 and Radio 7 nut, and if you take a listen to any one of these readings or dramatizations playing this weekend on BBC Radio, you'll soon find out why.

BBC 7 is featuring the late Spike Milligan reading his memoir, Adolf Hitler, My Part in His Downfall in 7 parts.Listen to part 1 here.

Try readings of Jacqueline Susanne's The Valley of the Dolls, a dramatization of Dorothy Sayer's Lord Peter Wimsey story The Nine Tailors, or Brian Aldiss' sci-fi delight, Hothouse.

BBC Radio 4's Open Book program features Iain Banks talking about his lastest book, Transition.

And if you're just a glutton for quirky humor about, of all things, the English language, don't miss Stephen Fry's English Delight.

 

Catching Fire, the sequel to Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games, scheduled for release on September 1st.

If you thought The Hunger Games was amazing, wait until you get your little claws on Catching Fire. This series is truly amazing. I'll be featuring a review of Catching Fire here on the Book Examiner site bright and early on release day, September 1st. Come on back to see what all the fuss is about or subscribe to have bookish rants, raves, reviews, and totally biased recommendations sent to your fiendish inbox.

Read, drink, and be merry.