Sign in with FacebookGwen's Reviews > The Princess Bride
The Princess Bride
by William Goldman
by William Goldman
Gwen's review
bookshelves: fiction, humor, fantasy, book_club
Mar 24, 08
bookshelves: fiction, humor, fantasy, book_club
Recommended to Gwen by:
Adrienne
Recommended for:
anyone who loves a great tale
Read in March, 2008
This review will be filled with confessions.
The first one is that the first time I read this book (about 15 years ago) I really thought it was recounting actual events in the author's life. I thought there was an S. Morganstern and a place called Guilder and Florin. At least I hoped there was.
I grew up watching the movie and when I realized that the film was based on a book, I knew that I had to read it. I've come back to it a couple of time since then and it never disapoints me. I confess though that I will always hear Billy Crystal's voice in the Miricle Max scene. This time though I think I got a bit more than the amazing stories that bring the fantastic characters together for their adventure.
Like the father and the grandfather in the book telling the story (or stories depending on which version you read) Goldman is telling us a very important life lesson in The Princess Bride that we don't really grasp until we're...oh about 27 or 57 or 77. Life is pain, but life is also true love. Sometimes though the two things come in packages that you don't expect to find them. At some point in everyone's life we all come to realize this truth and we all must decide in that moment how we will react after it. It is a beautiful thing to find. I confess, I was not expecting to find it here.
But I'm still looking for Guilder and Florin on my maps.
The first one is that the first time I read this book (about 15 years ago) I really thought it was recounting actual events in the author's life. I thought there was an S. Morganstern and a place called Guilder and Florin. At least I hoped there was.
I grew up watching the movie and when I realized that the film was based on a book, I knew that I had to read it. I've come back to it a couple of time since then and it never disapoints me. I confess though that I will always hear Billy Crystal's voice in the Miricle Max scene. This time though I think I got a bit more than the amazing stories that bring the fantastic characters together for their adventure.
Like the father and the grandfather in the book telling the story (or stories depending on which version you read) Goldman is telling us a very important life lesson in The Princess Bride that we don't really grasp until we're...oh about 27 or 57 or 77. Life is pain, but life is also true love. Sometimes though the two things come in packages that you don't expect to find them. At some point in everyone's life we all come to realize this truth and we all must decide in that moment how we will react after it. It is a beautiful thing to find. I confess, I was not expecting to find it here.
But I'm still looking for Guilder and Florin on my maps.
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read The Princess Bride.
sign in »
Comments (showing 1-3 of 3) (3 new)
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Kathryn
(new)
-
rated it 5 stars
Mar 25, 2008 01:20pm
I like this review. I've never really though about the "life is pain" and finding "true love" being so closely related. But you really hit the central theme of the book in that statement.
reply
|
flag
*
Ok, I'll admit it too... about 17 years ago, I too thought it was real. But I didn't just look for Florin on maps. I wrote the editor of the book THREE times and actually got a handwritten note back. I called local rare book seller trying to find Buttercup's Baby, the "sequel." I didn't think the story was real, but I thought S. Morgenstern was. And of course, dreamt of my Westley. :)
