I recently finished "The Firm" by John Grisham. It was an incredible read. Quick, but suspenseful throughout the entire story. For those unfamiliar with the work, it is the story about a kid fresh out of Harvard Law School who is recruited by a firm which he later learns is run by the mob. I would highly recommend it.
 I just watched the movie version yesterday, but it was a huge disappointment. The entire ending as changed, and not for the better. The new ending didn't even make sense given the main character's motivations and attitudes. The one plus about the movie however was the casting. Each character resembled EXACTLY what I had envisioned when I read the book. It was almost uncanny. The cast includes such stars as Tom Cruise,  Hal Holbrook, Wilfred Brimley, Gary Busey, and Gene Hackman.
Earlier this year, a miniseries was made about the book. I have yet to watch it, but I just hope it sticks closer to the events of the book and not the movie. The ending of the book version leaves alot of options open.

Right now, I have moved on to reading a biography of comedian Art Carney. I had first watched him in the Honeymooners and immediately became a fan. Since then, I've watched Harry and Tonto which only solidified my opinion of him as a top tier actor.

I am going to be leaving on vacation soon and will be gone for a couple of weeks. Where I am going has limited television and internet access, so I plan on engaging in a lot of reading. My goal is to finish Carney's biography and maybe even get through Steinbeck's "Travels with Charley". I am also bringing with me "Sweet Thursday", "Cannery Row", and "The Winter of our Discontent" (all by Steinbeck) just in case. More from this bibliophile on the flip side. Until then, keep reading!

UPDATE:

I am back from vacation and have since finished the Art Carney book as well as "Travels With Charley". I have to say both were very interesting reads.  I learned so much about Art that I never would've guessed. Who knew he suffered from an alcohol problem? Apparently he battled with it all his life, and he never really felt he was producing good work. I also learned that "Harry and Tonto" for which he won the Best Actor oscar, was his big break in to movies. Up until that time, he was primarily a tv and Broadway actor.

"Travels" was really fascinating. One thing that was especially cool was that early in the book he is traveling along U.S. Highway 95 and while I was reading that part, I was also traveling long U.S. 95. I paused and took a look out the window, but I am sure it looked completely different then it did fifty years earlier when he drove along it. As I soon learned, his destination was Deer Isle, which is only an hour away from Bar Harbor, where I had just been. I found that coincidence to be mind blowing. My favorite author traveling the same route I do. How cool is that? As a side note, I actually have been to Deer Isle once.
The most important thing I took away from "Travels" was realizing how manly Steinbeck is. He is a tough as nails guy who is willing to do anything. For example, in the beginning of the book, even before he sets out on his trip, amidst the eye of a hurricane (not a tropical storm, but a bonafide hurricane) he jumps into the lake by his house (fully clothed) to recuse his boat. His neighbors had improperly tied their boat up before the hurricane and when the storm hit, a gust of wind slammed their boats in to Steinbeck's. This forced his boat to become untied and drift away. He wife is not thrilled by his actions, but he is successful in rescuing his boat while only sustaining a few minor cuts and bruises.
Personally, I feel this has to do with the era in which Steinbeck grew up. He was born on a farm in Salinas, CA in 1902. In those days, people were not lazy or fearful. They did what they had to to survive. If they weren't successful growing their crops or didn't catch anything on a hunt, they didn't eat. People from his time wouldn't have been as impressed as we are today by his heroic, possibly even stupid, actions to save his boat. He lived through the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, and 2 World Wars. He also spent alot of time on farms with migrant workers, telling their stories.  On top of all that, he also a boy scout, which would've further instilled in him a sense of know-how and bravery. Needless to say, I gained a lot of respect for this great man from reading this book. One final detail I'd like to add is that my copy of the book had both the original ending that Steinbeck wrote and the alternate ending his publisher made him use. It was interesting to see the contrast. I don't quite understand what was wrong with his original ending though. I don't see why the publisher wouldn't have used it.

At the present moment, I am reading "I Shouldn't Even be Doing This", the autobiography of Bob Newhart. I know I am doing a really poor job of sticking to my original reading list, but this is a book I've been wanting to read for years. I started reading it three years ago, but stopped. Then I laid the book down and forgot where it was. I just recently rediscovered it, and am determined to finish it this time.

Interesting, I have learned Bob is still touring. I am hoping to purchase tickets and see him perform his routines live this Fall.

Until next time, keep reading!