Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: Ben Stiller to direct film adaptation

James Thurber's classic short story "The Secret Lives of Walter Mitty" has already made the leap from print to film once in 1947. Now, according to this article from Variety, a new adaption of this humorous story is being produced by 20th Century Fox, and will be directed by the film's star, Ben Stiller. The story is about a meek, mild-mannered book editor who, tired of his Clark Kent existence, dreams up secret, imaginary lives in which he is a Superman. Read the full story as well as Thurber's tongue-in-cheek autobiographical essay "The Secret Life of James Thurber" in this special illustrated edition available from your Community Library.

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Being Mortal is about the limitations of what modern medicine can provide for people as their lives draw to a close. Gawande argues that the objective of medicine should not merely be treatment and survival; medical care should also ensure dignity in death and having control over one's final moments. He argues that instead of aggressively fighting the inescapable realities of aging, we should ask the hard questions of ourselves and our loved ones -- What makes life worth living? When should we try to extend our lives, and when should we choose a better quality of our remaining days over extending their quantity?

This book is difficult to read. Not because of the way Gawande writes -- his style is highly engaging, and he never lapses into excessively scientific jargon or overly simplistic explanations -- but because of the tough subject matter. Gawande draws on his own experiences as a doctor and peppers his book with honest and humane stories of his patients, friends, and family; the stories he tells make the book more accessible, and also more heartbreaking. (And that's not a bad thing.)

No one likes to think about their loved ones', or their own, impending mortality. But it's important to have these hard conversations, because as Gawande says, "endings matter." - Amanda

Ben Stiller to direct film adaptation

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