I recommend this type of book if you need a shake of the boring world you live in. The book is from the year 1922 by author Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, also known as F. Scott Fitzgerald. You know, the author of The Great Gatsby.
If you have been reading this blog for some time, you will know that I do not like to give spoilers, because I think it is one of the worst sins. However, if I had to summarize Benjamin Button’s book in one sentence I would say the following: a baby is born with the appearance of an 80-year-old man, (how was he born … physically … is a miracle of literature, and we will have to leave the discussion there), who, as time passes, grows younger.
The book is very short, something that surprised me at first. I explain why. My only reference to the story was the movie with Brad Pitt, and I assumed that if they had enough material to make an entire film of almost two hours, it was because the original material had a certain length. It is not the case. But hey, looking for example … I don’t know … the Hobbit, where three three-hour movies were made from a small 200-page book (not counting the extended versions that should probably take almost four hours) … I think one should not judge the amount of base material and what can be done with it. Especially, if a lot money can be made in the process. I have to admit that I have not seen the film to comment on it, but after reading the book I think I will not watch it.
Doing research about the work, I found out that, apparently, the theme of someone being born old and getting younger is quite recurring in literature. You will find the link to the Wikipedia article, just go to the section called «similar stories». I haven’t read any of those stories, if I must be honest, but if someone has and wants to recommend one, please do so in the comments. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curious_Case_of_Benjamin_Button_(short_story)
Another positive aspect in “The curious Case of Benjamin Button” is that the book already has no copyright, so I recommend that you download the book and read it, for free and legally: http://feedbooks.com/book/3431 Do not buy the expensive book because you will just be paying for its marketing and printing. The material is free on the internet.
Final comment: if you are looking to read something «different», this is the book (or short story)!
Book Quote: “For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.”
Keep on reading,
Questions to answer in the comments:
Have you read “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”? Did you like it? Do you agree with my final comments? Have you read any similar books you would recommend, for someone who would like to read more of the same genre? Please answer all these questions in the comments!
GG KLIMT 