Friday, March 14, 2008

Jodi Picolut Book Reading

Yesterday evening after work, I went to a Jodi Picoult book reading/signing at Border's on University Avenue with my friends, Karen and Kim. I saw Jodi speak a few years ago at Barnes and Nobles in Madison, and I very much appreciate her energy, passion, articulateness, and writing style. She's currently touring the country promoting her latest book release, Change of Heart, which "looks at the nature of organized religion and belief, and takes the reader behind the closely drawn curtains of America's death penalty." Border's was packed last night with hundreds of fans.

I'm currently reading one of Jodi's most popular books, My Sister's Keeper (2004), which is a novel about a 13-year old girl named Anna who was born by in vitro fertilization to be a genetic match for her older sister Kate, who was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 2-years old. Anna sues her parents for the right to make her own decisions about her body, after undergoing several procedures to save her sisters life.

My Sister's Keeper is definitely a page turner, and Jodi spoke a bit last night about how the book is currently being turned into a film, which should be released sometime this year. Jodi is extremely upset that the producer has changed her ending (she said it "breaks her heart"), and has been campaigning endlessly to have the producer film two endings and release both to a test market. Wow, seems like if you write a book and sell the film rights to a producer, it's sort of not in your hands anymore. Gotta let go and realize that your book will always be on the shelf. While I don't know the book's ending quite yet myself, Karen was snickering in back saying "good" because she said that she hated the book's ending anways...I know many of you have probably read this book. What do you think?

4 comments:

Jackie said...

I'm on a waiting list at the library for this book. Right now I'm reading Picolut's, Nineteen Minutes. Another page turner. I have not read My Sister's Keeper yet. Possibly, cause you stole it from my bookcase when you were home....don't forget to return it. :)

Anonymous said...

I started up a book club when I returned to Madison with some friends. We just read My Sister's Keeper. Excellent. Although I was upset with the ending of the book, it fits. And I just found out that Dakota Fanning has dropped out of the film! YES! Cannot stand her!

kristinleigh said...

Seriously, I read that Dakota Fanning dropped out of the movie after she learned that she would need to shave her head to play the part of Kate, who has acute promyelocytic leukemia. What a self-centered pre-madonna. Lost a lot of respect for her after reading that...

Anonymous said...

I am a huge fan of Jodi Piccoult. My Sister's Keeper was the first one I read and probably her best. Just finished Nineteen Minutes..excellent as well. Definitely suggest reading more of her work. I think Cameron Diaz is in the movie...