Book & movie both good experiences
579696
My review is really based off of the movie because I bought the book for my husband. However, he saw the movie as well and really enjoyed the book.
2361405
If you read the book and love it, you will enjoy the movie. Movie was done well and whole family loves it!
2128282
Planning on reading the book in the future. Glad I saw the movie first, so I could enjoy it, without picking it apart.
1574625
I had a group of 6 friends over for a movie night. We all enjoyed this movie very much. Apart from the humour, there were moments of pathos as well as the wonderful scenery.  Brysons book is my very favourite non fiction book. It has been a hugely popular best seller. I think that explains a lot of the disappointment and criticism that the film version has attracted. Naturally, theres a lot more in the book and the film has a couple of inaccuracies.  Unfortunately this is true of many movies based on books. In the old days they even sometimes changed the endings.
Admittedly Redford and Nolte were too old for the roles. Bryson and his friend Katz were only in their mid 40s when they did the walk. However, as our viewing group are all over 60, the older ages of the two actors added another dimension to the movie that we could all relate to - the challenge of a last great adventure before senescence really starts to set in.
All in all a pleasant uplifting movie, which I could watch again.
1614311
Great movie, was the inspiration for picking up this book. I should note right away that this is a somewhat abridged version of the original work by Morgenstern. It follows the movie and offers insight on edited sections of the original book. The abridgement was done by a man who absolutely loved the original book, author and cult following that it developed afterwards. The man is a super-fan.

With all of that said, he did a fantastic job of explaining how he came to know the story (no spoilers) and how it impacted his retelling of the story that would eventually become the movie we all know and love so dearly. However, this book is soooo much more than the story of the Princess Bride as you experienced it in the movie; Goldman frequently includes an aside (some may see it as an interruption) during the story that offers insight on his own experience with the story as a youth, the research of the original book, character/actor selection for the film, frustrations with getting the film made and the impact of these events within his own family. In short, it's an homage to the original book, the film and all of the nuances that make up the Princess Bride universe.

I think of this book as a Director's Cut DVD package with deleted scenes, director's commentary and a behind-the-scenes look at the book, movie, actors and film studio. And, by the way, the Princess Bride story is also included, albeit with some subtle differences from finished film - the book featured sharks versus shrieking eels. I enjoyed the detours and differences.

If you have ever bought the movie as a gift for someone who has never seen it, or had your own viewing parties for newbies, this is likely a book that you will savor. At first, I found the asides to interrupt the flow of the story, but then as I got hooked on them, I looked forward to their next inclusion. I am a huge fan of the movie, maybe not quite a super-fan. I don't cosplay in a Dread Pirate Roberts costume, but I love to quote the movie lines and sneak them into everyday conversations to see who recognizes them.

This is a worthy addition to anyone's shelf or Kindle that is even a mild fan of the movie. Super-fans will devour this.
1679700
If you've seen the movie, I recommend reading the book as well.
2477307
In Harms' Way is one of my favorite John Wayne movies, much less one of my favorite "Navy" movies from the war... yes, even with the model ships and rudimentary special effects.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, which, in the paperback, is a reprint, and well done.  Great font and slightly larger than some books, but not weird large or anything.  Lots of words on every page.

I know the movie by heart and having now just today finished the book, I'm grinning.  Well done.  For any fan of the movie, I encourage getting the book, There are several characters that were deleted by the screenplay ( as usual) and some others stay, but they either have larger parts and/or smaller ones.  I won't give anything away, but I really enjoyed the book for the sake of it's story and I look forward to watching the movie again with a new eye.

This author writes in the style of the day and as a newspaper man before the war and afterwards when he wrote this, I think this was his only book.  From the comparison to the movie casting, it's funny how they cast it in some of the parts, and how the screenplay took the storyline , here or there in slightly different directions, that change slightly emphasis or tone.  Fascinating..  in a good way.
3849526
I loved the movie, I'm positive this book is great!
4225296
I loved both Books and the movie is fantastic(The Ultimate Gift). The Ultimate Life is a nice sequel to the Ultimate Gift.
3045325
I wanted to reread it prior to seeing the Baz Luhrman movie which turned out to really enhance my enjoyment of the movie and make me understand how cinematic the original was.  It was a nice combination experience.
192391
I read this book for the first time some years ago prior to seeing the movie.  I loved it.  I read the book for the second time and enjoyed it every bit as much as the first time.  I do not want to give away any of the differences between the movie and the book, but for me it was not a problem.  The two work well together.
3585126
After reading the book I now realize how closely the movies/TV series followed the dialogue inn the book.  It's absolutely amazing!  It's been an enjoyable experience to read after having seen the TV series.  Easy, enjoyable, endearing experience!!!
3345407
I seldom go to a movie before I read the book but doing so did not negatively impact my enjoyment of the book. A great absorbing read.
3319204
When the movie was released in 2004, my friend was so ecstatic about seeing it hoping it captured the magic of the book.  I've never really opted to read a book in place of a movie (most people are shocked when I say this), so, I thought I would give this one a go just to see what I was missing out on.

Although the movie captured the essence of the story, there are some differences.  The book spans 14 years, and, if our math was accurate, the movie spans 7.  The book details additional insightful information about his father, the war, her paintings, and the many years in-between which are excluded from the movie.  The ending is also different - (no, I'm not going to spoil it).  Both endings are good, just different.  If you liked the movie, you will absolutely LOVE the book.  If you haven't seen the movie, read the book....it's better.

It is such an easy read.  Sparks' first person perspective and writing style contribute to the personalization of the story and the smooth flow of events.  The reader is immediately drawn in, feeling all of the emotions with each turn of the page.  I love Sparks' simple conversational style of writing.  There is a classic simplicity that makes the delivery of the story better than others I've read.  It doesn't feel as if you are reading something conjured up with a dictionary or thesaurus full of metaphors - just a simple, personal story from a man's perspective.  This is an absolutely beautiful story that is a must read.
3215721
This is my favorite book and movie and while I know both stories intimately hearing the book read aloud has given me a new appreciation of the story and characters.
2969847
While I anticipate the movies coming later on the books as usual far outweigh with the movies could be. This is an excellent book for those folks who want more of an experience than the movie can provide.
4383406
I saw Sean Penn's excellent movie adaptation of this book first.  By comparison, the book contains more information, particularly around background and context, which I found very valuable.  However, its drier tone - and the avoidance of too much creative license - means that the powerful (and, some would suggest, overly romanticized) atmosphere created in the movie was not nearly as prominent in the book.  Nevertheless, I found this a thoroughly engaging read - and one that added to my enjoyment of the movie.