The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

[Zeljka]

.

A story about an ordinary man but with a quite vivid imagination, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber was adapted twice, both very successfully and quite loosely based upon it. The first was made in 1947 and starred Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo, and the second was done 2013 by Ben Stiller who also had a leading role.

The story may be read for free in The New Yorker Fiction Archive. If you are more into listening to the stories, you can listen to Ben Stiller's narration also for free, on Audible.

[Zeljka]

I highly recommend you to do all that was mentioned above - read the story, hear it in the voice of Ben Stiller and then watch both the movies. I still have to watch the 1947 movie, but I enjoyed very much all the rest.

[Andrew]

Just finished reading this fun little short story. I have not seen either of the films but it will be interesting to see how they expand on the story seeing how short it is.

[Shelley]

Just wanted to mention that if you haven't read Thurber's short stories lately, I think he's way underrated.

They're more than just funny. There's a world view there.

Shelley, http://dustbowlstory.wordpress.com

[Heidi]

Loved the amount of imagination jam packed into such a short story.

[Zeljka]

Heidi wrote: "Loved the amount of imagination jam packed into such a short story."

Shelley wrote: "Just wanted to mention that if you haven't read Thurber's short stories lately, I think he's way underrated..."

Yes, his imagination really surprised me. It really makes me wonder how many great authors are out there now almost forgotten, just like Thurber and Woolrich, whose Rear Window we read a few months ago.

[Alana]

Definitely a very short story, but interesting. Made me think of a little kid imagining what he wants to be. But then, all of us do this at least a little bit as adults, imagining our lives to be far more exciting than they really are. I wasn't blown away by it, but it was interesting.

[Elena]

An interetesting and amusing short story ... but depressing!! I hate thinking that there could be someone out there who dislikes their boring life so much, that they have to constantly live in their head through fantasies ...

The movie was cute... but... hate Ben Stiller :)

[Alana]

I finally watched the 1947 version and thought it was quite adorable. It's just as over the top as the 2013 version (I think the 2013 was a remake of the 1947 moreso than it was another adaptation of the original story) and while ridiculous, was quite cute and enjoyable. I found it especially interesting after having finished The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History, also for this group, considering in the 1947 version, they are trying to keep the Nazi's from getting a book with the locations of all the hidden Dutch art!