Invasion of the Body Snatchers
by Jack Finney
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Read in December, 2007
Originally printed in Collier's in 1954 as The Body Snatchers (and rewritten in 1978 as Invasion of the Body Snatchers), Jack Finney's novel is more famous for its 3+ movie versions (1954, directed by Don Siegel, 1978, starring Donald Sutherland, 2007, as Invasion), and in those versions, famous for the ease with which people read into it: it's about the horrors of Communism!; it's about the conformity of the suburbs!; it's about the terrors of McCarthyism!
Honestly,...more
Honestly,...more
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Read in May, 2008
Miles, a doctor in the sleepy town of Mill Valley, is suprised when a number of locals visit his office with the same affliction. They complain that close family members and friends are no longer the same, but are imposters. Miles refers these cases to the area psychologist who insists that this is some form of group hysteria to hit Mill Valley and that it will soon pass.
But when Miles' friends Jack and Theodora call him to come over and look at what they found in their basement, all bets ar...more
But when Miles' friends Jack and Theodora call him to come over and look at what they found in their basement, all bets ar...more
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Read in January, 2007
The original title when published in 1955 was The Body Snatchers but the 1956 film forever changed the name in the mind of popular culture to Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The version of I read (for a BookCrossing bookray) was retooled in the 1978 and flushed out from a novella to a full length novel and has the movie title. It also has the ugliest cover art for a science fiction cover I've seen in a long time (but Sean thought the missing noses and mouths were funny).
This updated v...more
This updated v...more
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Read in November, 2007
recommended to jacky by:
library display
I have seen two of the film versions of this book. While returning some students' books to the library, I couldn't help but look at the horror display up for Halloween. I had forgotten that this was a book, even though it is mentioned in "the Faculty," which I guess could count as a third film version in some ways.
I really enjoyed King's intro. Teaching 9th grade, it has been a while since I've read some real literary criticism and I also enjoyed "hearing" King's voi...more
I really enjoyed King's intro. Teaching 9th grade, it has been a while since I've read some real literary criticism and I also enjoyed "hearing" King's voi...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
Alexis and fans of Alien invasions
I loved the movies that came from this novel. I was curious of the roots and I decided to get the book.
It took a while but when I got it, I couldn't stop reading it. The readers see the relationship between Miles Bennell and Becky Driscoll grow. Oh yeah, there was also an alien invasion...
The idea of losing your humanity and feelings to an unseen force. The original black and white film was pretty accurate in most cases. The 1978 film with Donald Sutherland was more of a social commentary wi...more
It took a while but when I got it, I couldn't stop reading it. The readers see the relationship between Miles Bennell and Becky Driscoll grow. Oh yeah, there was also an alien invasion...
The idea of losing your humanity and feelings to an unseen force. The original black and white film was pretty accurate in most cases. The 1978 film with Donald Sutherland was more of a social commentary wi...more
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recommends it for:
Isobel Healy and her friends
Invasion of the body snatchers is a great story of pods from another plant come to ours to live. The are in pods. People of take the pods for other people. They them selves become in human, devoied of any emotion. There are three film version of the book and one sequel. I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I did. I must warn you after reading it, this story could be contagious.
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When I saw that a Nicole Kidman movie was coming out based on "Invasion", I had to re-read the classic. This is such a great, quick read. I have always appreciated it's simplicity. You don't need gory aliens or ray guns to make a good, scary alien story. All you need are aliens who can turn you into pod people when you are defenseless, doing something you can't avoid (sleeping).
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You can fit a lot of cool stuff into just 200 pages: the psychologist's lecture on mass hysteria and other unexplained pheonomena, the main character remembering the shoe-shiner, the professor talking about "space spores." Fast-paced, exciting, and still relevant.
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
Allegorical sci-fi fans
It's surprisingly effective. Whatever the unnamed thing we're afraid of in a given time, the idea that you suddenly don't know and can't trust people you've known your whole life is pretty real and pretty scary.
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Read in April, 2008
Good book.
Solid story telling.
Even beyond the somewhat dated idea of the red scare, Finney presents a story of an alien invasion this is haunting and memorable.
A quick and entertaining read.
Solid story telling.
Even beyond the somewhat dated idea of the red scare, Finney presents a story of an alien invasion this is haunting and memorable.
A quick and entertaining read.
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Read in October, 2007
Suspenseful tale about a subtle yet malevolent alien invasion in a California town. Story succeeds as it builds from quiet, peaceful, smalltown happiness to delusion, paranoia, and horror.
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Read in May, 2008
This is a quick and easy, very fun read. Finney knows how to create a story that is scary, yet has a lot of niceness in it also. This is what makes the book so effective.
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Read in March, 2007
recommends it for:
Those who like pulp, terror, and cheese.
Great first paragraph. This is a very creepy book that I read a cheap paperback copy of at work the other day. Contains great 1950s male/female dialogue.
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Read in September, 2007
recommends it for:
Everyone
This was a fun and easy read. The author captured my attention after the first chapter through the end. This is defiantly fast-paced and exciting.
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Read in October, 1995
Sort of classic but super hokey. Anyone tempted to read this should turn instead to the uber-creepy The Puppet Masters by Heinlein.
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Read in February, 2008
I understand why this is a classic. Read it in one night. Some really great lines - the prose kind of reminded me of Raymond Chandler.
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Just watching the Sutherland edition with Sean so now I want to read it.
Have you seen the trailer for the new one with Kidman?
Have you seen the trailer for the new one with Kidman?
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Read in February, 2000
Classic fears of invasion and take over in America in the 1950s (think Commies and McCarthyism) presented in the form of aliens.
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Read in March, 2008
What a great little book! Very camp, was written in 1954, but creepy. I can hardly wait to see the movie. Quick read.
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Read in January, 2008
The movie classic was based on this excellent book. It challenges our ideas of what makes us human. A great story!
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