Sujata Massey's Blog - Posts Tagged "lisa-see"
Author signing toss up!
I have a real dilemma this week; two authors I'm extremely interested in have come to visit Minneapolis/St. Paul.
Unfortunately, they are having book signing/reading events on the same night!
LISA SEE will be at the Minneapolis Public Library at 7 this Thursday; she is one of my top five favorite authors and does such amazing work bringing historical settings to life. At the same time at the Edina, MN Barnes & Noble, first-time author KAMALA NAIR is discussing her book which is set in Kerala, India, where I have been several times with my children, who were born there as well. OK, I'm crazy about Indian fiction and Kerala and curious about this new talent; and I'm a many-years fan of Lisa See and would love to learn how she makes old history so breathlessly current.
I wish I could clone myself!
Kamala NairThe Girl in the Garden
Unfortunately, they are having book signing/reading events on the same night!
LISA SEE will be at the Minneapolis Public Library at 7 this Thursday; she is one of my top five favorite authors and does such amazing work bringing historical settings to life. At the same time at the Edina, MN Barnes & Noble, first-time author KAMALA NAIR is discussing her book which is set in Kerala, India, where I have been several times with my children, who were born there as well. OK, I'm crazy about Indian fiction and Kerala and curious about this new talent; and I'm a many-years fan of Lisa See and would love to learn how she makes old history so breathlessly current.
I wish I could clone myself!
Kamala NairThe Girl in the Garden
International Fiction to Film
This weekend "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" opens as a film, and I am really excited. The trailer shows scenes of gorgeous old China (where did they film it?). The trailer's cinematography reminds me of "Memoirs of a Geisha" and "The Kite Runner," both of them beautiful, insightful books that translated well to film.
I understand "Snow Flower" has been made more marketable by the addition of actor Hugh Jackman to play love interest to a modern woman.
The addition of foreign (i.e. Western) elements to a story set in Asia reminds me of what happened years ago, when somebody was interested in optioning The Salaryman's Wife. The screenwriter asked me, "Could the book be set OUTSIDE of Japan?" Another time, my agent told me her Hollywood contracts wouldn't take on the book because it had an Asian protagonist, and there were "no Asian actresses in Hollywood."
I understand there always must be changes made when a book becomes film, but the above comments were more than a little rankling. And I think readers would be quite confused to see someone like Cameron Diaz play Rei Shimura!
I am relieved--and not so secretly elated-- that the Asian actors in "Snow Flower" have found their way to playing powerful, nonstereotyped roles on the big screen. I will take my daughter and her friends to see this story of loyal friendship this weekend.
I understand "Snow Flower" has been made more marketable by the addition of actor Hugh Jackman to play love interest to a modern woman.
The addition of foreign (i.e. Western) elements to a story set in Asia reminds me of what happened years ago, when somebody was interested in optioning The Salaryman's Wife. The screenwriter asked me, "Could the book be set OUTSIDE of Japan?" Another time, my agent told me her Hollywood contracts wouldn't take on the book because it had an Asian protagonist, and there were "no Asian actresses in Hollywood."
I understand there always must be changes made when a book becomes film, but the above comments were more than a little rankling. And I think readers would be quite confused to see someone like Cameron Diaz play Rei Shimura!
I am relieved--and not so secretly elated-- that the Asian actors in "Snow Flower" have found their way to playing powerful, nonstereotyped roles on the big screen. I will take my daughter and her friends to see this story of loyal friendship this weekend.
