Ask Matthew Quick! discussion
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Ask Matthew!
Matthew: I loved "Silver Linings Playbook", and I was wondering what you thought of the movie adaptation. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm hoping it does the book justice.
Did you have any personal experiences tied to the book and what was your inspiration when you read the book? How did you get the idea? I really loved the book I'm also wondering are you am eagles fan? Thanks!
Matthew: I was wondering where you drew your inspiration for this story from? And did you do much research on bipolar?
I'm a fan. I've read all of your novels and reviewed Boy 21 on New York Journal of Books. I'm interested in how Silver Linings made the leap from book to the big screen.
Bipolar Disease is such a powerful ilness that almost bring down my family but in the curse of our life and after reading Silver Linings Playbook i realize that what we face we face together just like the People"s family. How do make it to embody such a personal but at the same time universal story into your writing process?
Hi Matthew! How difficult did you find it to get into Pat's head?
I was going to ask about inspiration but someone beat me to that so... how do you come up with characters?? Do you invent them from nothing our watch people and give them character that way or base them on people you know??
Hey Matt, how do you know when you're writing a YA book or an adult book? Are there differences that matter to you?
Matthew: First of all it's an honor to have you answering our questions. Silver Lining Playbook is by far the best novel I've read. My question is: what inspired you to write such a great novel and will pat and Tiffany be in a different novel?
Hey Matthew! I've noticed most of your novels (silver linings and boy 21) have sports references...do you follow sports also and if so what teams do you follow and thank you for such great reads! It just keeps getting better and better :)
Hi Matthew: I fell in love with Silver Linings Playbook for its wit, humor, honesty, and relatability. I was curious, what was your inspiration behind choosing the name Pat Peoples for your main character?
Dear Mr. Quick,I am curious to know do you have any new books on the works? Has the success of SLPB changed you in any personal aspect?
What made you want to take on mental illness? btw you handled it very well.
Matthew, Sorta Like a Rockstar is my favorite book of yours and it seems like it would adapt SO WELL into film. Any plans/deals in the works for that book to get a film deal?
Hi, Matthew! I'm from Brazil and I'd like to say that you're amazing and I loved the "Silver Linnings Playbook"! The most fantastic: now I can say that I talked to Matthew Quick (not that he talked back, but it's already something great, don't you think?) :D
How did you find the right balance between the seriousness of the subject matter of mental illness and the humor in your book? How did you feel about the more lighthearted take in the movie version?
Hi Matthew: As someone who lives with mental illness, I was pleased with your honest, painful, humorous, real portrayal of people living with it, especially of Pat. He never mentioned the name of his disorder, but its presence was felt in the way he spoke, thought, and in his actions, of course. Your portrait of his loved ones was equally honest and sadly true of many families facing this in real life. I didn't see the film; in watching the trailer I knew it wouldn't be much like your book at all. How did you feel about the film adaptation?
I started you novel on a whim and finished in 24 hours. I couldn't put it down. As someone who is not bipolar, but married to someone who is, your novel brought me to tears as the disorder was talked about in a positive light. Pat and Tiffany were not villianized. Thank you so much for writing this and bringing it to the public eye. Your book gave me strength. What inspired you to write about this disorder in this way?
Hi Matthew!! In SLPB, you did a great job describing the Philadephia Eagles culture. The way you wrote Pat's Dad, is exactly like my father!! When I was younger that was pretty much the only way we bonded was during birds game! Who did you base the father figure after and do you think he had some kind of mental disorder as well? If you do what would it be? - Jessica
Hello, Matthew! Do you have anything in common with your character Pat? If so, what do you have in common with him?
Matthew!How did you decide to become writer? And what's your favorite book? I'm very curious about that! :)
Hello Matthew!Some significant developments in Tiffany and Pat's relationship took place indirectly through letters. How/why did you make the choice to make these interactions indirect, especially in Tiffany's final, confessional letter?
Hello, Matthew!I adore Silver Linings Playbook, but I have one question for you. Why did you decide to tackle an issue as sensitive and complex as mental illness in your debut novel? Don't get me wrong I didn't find it offensive or insulting (I have Aspergers syndrome and still found it well told and sensitive), but it just seemed a pretty large risk to take for a first novel.
Lisa wrote: "Hi Matthew: As someone who lives with mental illness, I was pleased with your honest, painful, humorous, real portrayal of people living with it, especially of Pat. He never mentioned the name of h..."I agree Tiffany --Matt handled the subject well. I too am married to a guy with B/P
Hi Matthew, I absolutely lived Silver Linings Playbook, my question to you is, when developing Tiffany's character what made you decide on her grief management tactic? (Sex), I always wondered what would go through someone's mind when it comes to grasping at the closeness of a lost spouse with someone else and where the idea would come from.
Matthew --You gave Pats dad some OCD issues with football and such but yet he had a hard time dealing with Pats illness-what was behind this?
Are you planning to create a sequeal of this book?? I'm wondering how pat and tiffany will handle there relationship. I want more about their love story.
Matthew, I loved the book, I think the way you walked us through to Pat illness and coping was heartwarming. I would like to know how you captured the difficulty of being a support group or livin with a recovering mental patient, in this case Pat's mom and Tiffany's sister?
Hi Matthew! I admit that I read "Silver Linings Playbook" after seeing the movie. Although I loved both pieces, I know there were quite a few differences between the film adaptation and your original source- especially in the relationships between Pat and his father, and Pat and Jake. What were your thoughts on these changes? Is there anything you wish had been more faithful to your book?
Hello, Mr. Quick, I truly enjoyed SLPB. I found the characters to be so real. Mental Health has come to the fore front of our thinking as of late. I feel this book should be read by everyone, especially educators, law enforcement and health care professionals. I recently watch the movie and felt it actually upheld some of Pat's misconceptions of Hollywood's silver lining the the book. The movie was a good starting point for the discussion. I am wondering if you were pleased with the changes the movie made to your very accurate book?
Hi Matthew I'm a massive fan of your books and was wondering who you're favourite author is.
Hi Matthew, Thank you so much for writing this intriguing novel of mental illness and relationships in American culture. I love the way the story is grounded in sports mania, and would love to hear your thoughts on the way we so often misplace emotional energy in such impersonal realms (sports, movies/stars, politics). Outside of writing a book with complex characters that garnered such positive attention, what were your broader goals with this story?Cheers,
Saira
Greetings from India. Read your book before the movie and actually felt the movie was too loud and Hollywood -ized - it lacked the sensitivity and passion of the book - both the main characters in the film were acting out whereas I felt the characters in the book were deeper and driven by love. As the author do u feel the same? I know it's a big hit award winning movie - but is it your book? Where did the DeNiro character come from? Love to know your views
Hello, I'm from Tbilisi, Georgia an I have read this amazing book and I love it, everyone asks this question but I have to ask anyway: how much you were involved in filmmaking ? I think film has really different story, with book title. I wonder where we can get Skywatcher's Cloud Chart ? I know this is silly question but I really want to buy it. And one more question: how did you choose songs mentioned in book ?
Türkiye Zonguldak'tan selamlar.Kitabınızı okuyup beğenenlerdenim.Okumayanlar, filmin aynı tadı vermediğini anlamalılar.Yenibir kitabınızı okumak isterim.
What made you decide to create a character as complex and deep as Pat Peoples? He has all these different feelings about life; that God has produced his life, that his ex-wife will return to him again...what inspired you to write him this way?
were any characters in The Silver Linings Playbook based on or inspired by anyone you know?
I absolutely loved your book. I read it while on holiday in Turkey and I found it one of the most inspirational things I have ever read.I am also a cinephile and wrote my degree dissertation on movie adaptations. I was very much looking forward to the O'Russell movie starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. I found it very disappointing.
O'Russell gave away the twist of the plot within the first 10 minutes which completely defeats the point. I loved how you presented Pat and let the reader understand him slowly. And almost come the the realisation of what really happened at the same time as your main character.
As I said I studied movie adaptations, and I do understand that some changes are needed when you use different media. But I found most of the changes O'Russell made to your book were either unnecessary and misleading (the father/son relationship, no space left to the beautiful character of Pat's mother, the letters Tiffany writes and above all the ending at the dance competition and Pat running away then being mugged).
How do you feel about what David O'Russell did with your novel?
Who or what inspired you to write and is it something you've always wanted to do?
Hi there Matthew.. I'm portuguese, and I really and absolutelly loved you book!!Hi have two questions for you (i'm abusing of my luck, I know)
First Question:
In anytime of the book did you consider not to join Pat and Tiffany?
Second question:
If you were Pat how would you deal with all of his issues? Would you react the same way?
Keep up the good work and hoping to your next book!!
Kisses
Vera N.
The Silver Linings Playbook is one of my all time favourite novels, I've read it quite often and still I get the urge to pick it up again and reread it, and it speaks to me in a different way each time. When I heard there was a movie being made I was so excited, and even more so when I saw the cast, because it really is a bunch of amazing actors. However I was so let down by the film! David O'Russell made so many unnecessary changes; like the whole bet thing, he gave away the whole plot in the beginning when your book was so beautifully written so that you wouldn't learn of what happened to Pat until the end, the dance competition, and the father is a completely different character. I was so disappointed in the film, I feel like the director took a beautiful opportunity and absolutely ruined it. What do you think of the changes made to your novel?
Hello Matthew! I admit, having never read any of your other books, that The Silver Linings Playbook surprised, charmed, and moved me. I especially liked the comical, dark, but meaningful choice of Kenny G. ; the way Pat views and handles the male characters: the rigid father, the therapist/friend with the Asian Invasion bus, the brother that loved him, and the mental hospital inmate Danny who taught him the logistics of words when they were racist; all the crazy Eagles references that described a true fan (good and bad); the depressing book references and protecting the young adult minds. Along with trying to figure out what was going to happen with Pat and Tiffany, I really looked forward to the rest of your writing! My question to you is: Do you have a plan ahead of time (like an outline or a list) of what you want to include in your story that would draw the male readers in? I ask this because, my husband only reads history non-fiction books and I never recommend him books but I definitely put this on his next to read list! I am certain that he would enjoy this book.
Thank you and I look forward to discovering more of your work.
Hello Matthew. The Silver Linings Play Book was my favourite book that I've read in 2012.
I was immensely dissapointed with the movie adaptation.
My question is: How is it possible to turn a fantastic, intense and overwhelming book (depressive and touching ) and then change almost all the details of the storyline? I'll give some e.g.:
1 - Pat never get the chance to even talk to his ex-wife, and in the movie he gets,
2 - Pat's father (played by DeNiro) is completely the oposite of what we read in the book,
3 - The bet with the dancing contest and the football match don't exist in the book
4 - Pat doesn't know what happened with him and his wife until he remembers in the end of the book. In the movie he is full aware of what happenned.
And many more...
Kind Regards from Portugal
This book has touched me on ways I never thought it could. Throughout Pat's conversations with himself the tears never left my eyes. Its breathtaking on so many levels, its really hard to say which was my favouraite moment. Im walking around reccomending it to everyone, definetly an all time favouraite of mine.My questions are:
Which character do you relate to the most?
Was it hard to portray Pat's bipolarity?
If you can choose a favouraite book what would it be?
Thats pretty much it :)
I congratulate you on the book's success and Im looking forward to reading more.
I love the theme of optimism and Pat's positive outlook. I know Pat comes to closure a out Nikki, but as the reader I have trouble finding a "silver lining" where she comes out ahead because of her own bad conduct. I saw Nikki as essentially the cause of a lot of Pat's problems, and here she gets a happy ending I felt she did not deserve. How (if at all) do you reconcile her bad acts with your theme? What are your thoughts on Nikki as "villain"?
I loved the book, but was keen to know your thoughts about the variances in the film plot...
I really enjoyed the mini book-reviews throughout Silver Linings Playbook. I too have wondered why we make teenagers read such depressing books. You had a great answer in "Nikki's" letters. How did you come up with this answer and is it what you believe yourself?
How did teaching English influence what you wrote and how you approached what you have written? Or was teaching high school English lit not that transferable to writing the sort of novels you do?
Where did you get your inspiration for the silver linings playbook? Is there a personal story behind it or is it just written out of pure inspiration?
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