Monday, February 25, 2008

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

The Princess Bride is a timeless tale that pits country against country, good against evil, love against hate.  This incredible journey and artfully rendered love story is peppered with strange beasties monstrous and gentle, memorable surprises both terrible and sublime, and such unforgettable character as...
       Westley, the handsome farm boy who risks death (and much worse) for the woman he loves; Inigo, the Spanish swordsman who lives only to avenge his father's death; Fezzik, the gentlest giant ever to have uprooted a tree with his bare hands; Vizzini, the evil Sicilian, with a mind so keen he's foiled by his own perfect logic; Prince Humperdinck, the eviler ruler of Guilder, who has an equally insatiable thirst for war and the beauteous Buttercup; Count Rugen, the evilest man of all, who thrives on the excruciating pain of others; Miracle Max, the King's ex-Miracle Man, who can raise the dead (kind of); and of course, Buttercup...the princess bride, the most perfect, beautiful woman in the history of the world!

9 comments:

Unknown said...

As wikipedia states, "the book is presented as Goldman's abridgment of an older version by 'S. Morgenstern', which was originally a satire of the excesses of European royalty. The book, in fact, is entirely Goldman's work. Morgenstern and the 'original version' are fictional and used as a literary device." It's a pretty creative idea...

Johnny said...

Michelle and I just barely got library cards so we could read this. I haven't been in a public library for SO long! It was really cool going back. It brought back a lot of feelings from summers as a child. Our library had a summer reading program and I thought it was the greatest thing. Even before reading this book, I already like it. It reunited me with an old friend (the library). Thank you, Casey and Melissa.

Jenny said...

Ok, I apologize in advance, but here I go: Dear Mr. Goldman STOP interrupting my book for your triffle long winded comments. I know its you, Casey told me so. So please just write your story and stop putting me to sleep during the italic parts when the normal text is so good. Sincerely Jennifer Mason. p.s. no i will not send for the reunion scene, but I may rent the movie again. I forgot how charming this story was. : )

Jenny said...

I don't see myself reading the Princess Bride this month as I have just committed to 12 more hours of lecters at BYU Ed Wk again this summer. It looks like I will be reading nothing but Lincoln and Washington between now and then. I hope it's a great one for ya'll. love, Rob

Jenny said...

Ok, first of all this is Jenny. My dad has used my log on a few times and may have caused some confusion. No I Jenny am NOT speaking at education week, and YES I Jenny am reading the princess bride. Now with that said. My book that I too got from the public library says its the 25 anniversary addition with the bonus first chapter to the sequel 'buttercups baby'. Does everyones copy have this "bonus addition" and it is yet again a clever deception from Goldman that its extra, or is it really new and possibly only a few of us have read it? I of coarse have said my piece about the comments, however I found myself robbed of another good story with this "first chapter" only. Obviously Steven King did not complete the second book. So in my own long winded conclusion I don't know whether my irritation with the ending is a sign of it being a good book, or if I am justified in being annoyed. Love to all Jenny (the real one not Rob )

shelly said...

I got the stomach flu and finished the book last Wednesday. I liked the back stories on Inigo and Fezzick, those were my favorite part. My least favorite part was the starlett and the family dinner fight. I do have to admit he's a very clever writer and a delusional man.
shelly

Johnny said...

I too was bothered by the starlet intro. I was just reading it and thinking how creepy this guy is. I obviously didn't quite understand Casey's post until later after doing some wikipedia-ing myself. Let me share what I learned.

Like Casey said, there is no Morgenstern. There is no "reunion scene" (when people send in for it they receive a note about violating Morgenstern's copyright). There is no sequel (sorry Jenny/Dad). The intro is almost entirely fictional. Goldman does not have a fat son or a psychiatrist wife named Helen. Learning about the fake intro made me feel better about the author.

Michelle and I have been reading this book out loud to each other. We are having a lot of fun trying to do the voices. When Michelle reads, all of the characters have an english accent and sound kind of girly.

When I read, Prince Humperdinck sounds like Gaston, the Count sounds like Pat from SNL, Vizzinni sounds like the Count (also like Pat), Inigo sounds like Nacho Libre, Wesley sounds like me (naturally), and Buttercup sounds like me on the phone. Like I said, we have a lot of fun.

We were having so much fun with the story that we couldn't wait to watch the movie so we watched it last night. I never knew how funny that movie was. The last time I saw it I was a little kid and I took it so seriously. Anyway, I've said enough for today. Happy reading.

Jenny said...

A real quick note next months book is "Fate is the Hunter." William picked it and even we have had to order it from the library, so heads up in case you too need to request it so it will be here by April. I don't know the author so I will get back to you. thanks love jenny
As far as The Princess Bride, I understood that Goldman was the only author from Casey's intro. I guess as unique as the writing style was I love the princess bride story and didn't enjoy the side plot of Goldmans life for the same reasons John and Shelly said, he makes himself sound like a mean dad,and bad husband. I will give it to him it was a unique approach. love jenny

Jenny said...

Fate is the Hunter by Ernest K. Gann