Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: New film adaptation of 'Les Mis'

Few books have had as many film adaptations as Les Miserables, Victor Hugo's classic story of the unfortunate Jean Valjean, his unjust imprisonment, and his lifelong flight from a relentless police officer. Mastics-Moriches Shirley Community Library has several already: click here for the 1935 and 1952 versions, or click here for the 1978 version. Now a new generation is re-imagining this work of classic literature with a movie starring Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, and Russell Crowe currently in the works. Take a look at the trailer on Entertainment Weekly's "Inside Movies" column here, and be sure to also check out the book that inspired these movies 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

New film adaptation of 'Les Mis'

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