Often times when a book becomes a film, it can endure great scrutiny. While I am usually primarily the fan of many films’ literary accomplices (such as The Help), I have desperately wanted to see the following books brought to life by the magic cinema for various reasons.

Anne Rice's 1982 novel, Cry To Heaven

1. Cry To Heaven by Anne Rice

Never has my mind so vividly painted the faces of characters in a piece of literature as it did with Anne Rice’s brilliant 1982 historical novel, Cry To Heaven. The novel follows Guido, a castrato who has lost his voice, and Tonio, a young nobleman castrated by his exiled older brother in order to gain the family fortune and power in the Venetian court. The novel takes us through the relationship of these two men, Tonio’s rise to stardom, and ultimately the search for love within one’s self.  Cry To Heaven  Rice  beautifully displays a unique human experience all but forgotten. I would love to see Cry To Heaven on film simply because the world and characters of Anne Rice are hardly contained on the page. They are begging to come to life.

2. Many Waters by Madeleine L’Engle

Madeleine L’Engle’s Many Waters is the fourth book published in her famous time quartet. You know, the series that gave us A Wrinkle In Time. The novel follows Sandy and Dennys Murray as they are transported back to Biblical times and meet Noah as he prepares for the Great Flood. Whats interesting about this book, is the unique characters Madeleine L’Engle created in the form seraphim and nephilim. The twins are frequently tested by the people and beings they meet in the desert oasis and ultimately triumph after helping Noah build his ark before going home. The reason I would like to see this on the big screen (NOT A TV SPECIAL) is because aside from being a fantastic story, I would love to see what Hollywood could do with these characters and the world of Many Waters.

3. DRY by Augusten Burroughs

It is no secret how much I love Augusten Burroughs. Between Running With Scissors and DRY, I don’t think I’ve ever wanted so badly to meet the author of any of my bedside staples before. Seriously… While I love reading Chelsea Handler, you have to admit, she scares you a little bit too. When I read DRY, I couldn’t put the book down. I was told on a Monday morning by my friend Brian that I just had to read this book. That evening, I saw the memoir of Augusten Burroughs’ journey to become sober on my friend Vanessa’s bookshelf, and taking that as a sign, I borrowed it. By the end of the week, I was finishing the novel sobbing uncontrollably over the loss of Augusten’s best friend and former romantic interest “Pighead.” While the author maintains that some names and experiences were changed, not to mention full persons consolidated into others, I couldn’t get over the passing of this character. What Mr. Burroughs describes their relationship as, is devastatingly beautiful and heartbreaking. I guess it’s the blatant humanity that literally dripped off the pages that got to me. Just when I thought I had come to terms with what happened to “Pighead,” as I neared the end of DRY, his final gift to Augusten (which arrived months later) sent me over the edge. I had the strangest sense of triumph while enduring heartbreak for these people I clearly do not know. For that reason, and the beautiful display of not just one, but many human experiences that resonate for so many others, is why I want to see this book on film.

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