Thursday, March 10, 2011

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks


I watched the movie version of this before I read the book; I do not recommend doing so.

Why do I read Nicholas Sparks? He just makes me sad. I know I looked like a goob crying in my car while I listened to this book on tape. I found this little nugget on the same webpage and find it enlightening: http://www.nicholassparks.com/LearnMore.asp?BookID=12. I like the 3rd paragraph best as an answer to my issues with Sparks.




There is a summary of this book at http://www.nicholassparks.com/LearnMore.asp?BookID=12. Will someone else who read this book please tell me if John Tyre dropped out of high school? I just read it, and I did not think he dropped out; I thought he graduated and then lived as a loser for a while. The description on Sparks' own page describes him as a drop-out. (If that had been the case, then the book would have had to describe his getting his GED before he could join the army...which it didn't do...BTW!)

My problem with this book is that I know what happened in it was the right thing to do, but I still wanted something else to happen (like her husband to die of cancer? Horrible thought!).



Finally, the saddest question of all: How many people did this happen to after 9/11? (I am particularly glad to say that my friend Laura Corlew's fiance just returned from a tour of duty and they are still in love and engaged and getting married in June!)

2 comments:

  1. Hey. So, I read this whole book AND then watched the movie all in one day! I forgot to check as I read about dropping out of high school, but I DO NOT remember it saying that, and I just read it Saturday. I agree with you. The ending was right, but still sad. I can't BELIEVE how much they changed the movie. I think had I not read the book first, I wouldn't have even enjoyed the movie much. The had to leave out so many details that it seemed like their relationship was too rushed so then unbelievable. Jonathan said that if John Tyree were getting out in December of '11, the Army can actually require you to stay for a while longer anyway. So, even had he not reupped his Army contract, they could have held him longer anyway cause of 9/11.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Suz,
    I didn't know you had a blog. I'm going to link to you! Why did you pick Q for your nom de plume?
    Also, I didn't know you read my blog. Yay!
    This book really makes me sad because I wonder how many people this really happened to. I'm glad they didn't make J stay in longer. It's really scary to think that they essentially own you when you are in the service.

    ReplyDelete