It's been years since I read it, but I thought the story was less lyrical--though not really in a bad way. I thought each version of the story was the right one for its format.

Is that collection 'Different Seasons'? Everything from that collection's been made into a movie--"Apt Pupil" and the story that became "Stand By Me"--except "Breathing Lessons," which would be a bit grim for anything but "Tales from the Crypt."

I have a Stephen King tome I still haven't opened yet, because it's so big and I don't feel that compelled to make such a time commitment. I guess, reading him these days, I feel like there's a low signal-to-noise ratio, and unlike romance novels, it's hard to skim horror/adventure novels and find the key scenes still comprehensible. So, I'm waiting for the day I'm stranded in a bus terminal in Des Moines to start it.

What I'm in the middle of right now is Matt Ruff's Set This House in Order, right in the middle, where I've had rather an interesting surprise. I thought I was So Smart, detecting little details in the two narratives, but this one completely blindsided me. We'll see how that pans out.

Is that collection 'Different Seasons'?

That's where the stories are from. "Breathing Lessons" could make a fine movie, but nobody would know how to market it.

What's Breathing Lessons about?

I read "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" back when Stand by Me was out (the story is was adpated from was "The Body"). I read three of the four stories in Different Seasons, and I loved loved loved "Rita Hayworth and ..."

After I saw the film, I reread the story, and I was amazed by how much Darabont expanded the story and still had it remain true. There are some differences, most notable (for me) is the difference in the length Andy was in prision. Overall, I think I prefer the movie more, because it is so much richer in its detail. And, I admit it, I'm a sucker for the opera scene.

"Breathing Lessons" is about a taxi driver who takes a very pregnant single woman to her doctors' visits and her Lamaze classes (I think). They talk about her plans for raising the baby. At the end, there's a bad wreck, and the mom is, well, decapitated. But her body remembers the breathing lessons and manages to give birth before it dies.

As was said above, it'd be tricky to market that as a movie.

right in the middle, where I've had rather an interesting surprise.

If that's the surprise I'm thinking of, he got me too. There are clues but I thought it was fairly subtle. Micole guessed it, of course. *g*

I liked the book, and I'm interested to hear your take on it.

I've just started LMB's Paladin of Souls after really enjoying her Curse of Chalion (and the Vor books too, over the years). I'm only a chapter or two in and she has me chuckling with her small character sketches and slice of life portraits. She's good at flawed people and the start to this book feels very Chaucerian. I couldn't wait for Paladin to come out in paperback, but I didn't want to pay the $40 (cdn) for the new hardcover. Fortunately/unfortunately, I found it remaindered.

I just gave my housemate Curse of Chalion for her birthday--but if she doesn't start in on it soon, I may have to borrow it from her. I've never read any LMB but after seeing all the raves about her here, I'm eager to start.