2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

This month we will be reading The Princess Bride by William Goldman

This book was nominated by bailey for our monthly theme Art

What happens when the most beautiful girl in the world marries the handsomest prince of all time and he turns out to be...well...a lot less than the man of her dreams?

As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the S. Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that the boring parts were left out of good old Dad's recitation, and only the "good parts" reached his ears.

Now Goldman does Dad one better. He's reconstructed the "Good Parts Version" to delight wise kids and wide-eyed grownups everywhere.

What's it about? Fencing. Fighting. True Love. Strong Hate. Harsh Revenge. A Few Giants. Lots of Bad Men. Lots of Good Men. Five or Six Beautiful Women. Beasties Monstrous and Gentle. Some Swell Escapes and Captures. Death, Lies, Truth, Miracles, and a Little Sex.

In short, it's about everything.

I'm excited for this! I've seen the movie lots of times, of course, but I've never read the book. I know it'll be fun. I may do a read-and-watch thing. :)

Coincidentally, I read this one earlier this year. I won't re-read it but will be happy to join in the discussion.

I'm guessing that most people have already seen the film. The book is very similar to the movie - in fact, author Goldman wrote the screenplay based on his book. Goldman worked in films for many years. His most famous screenplay was for a little-known film called Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid with Robert Redford and Paul Newman. Goldman's earlier novel Marathon Man was also made into a film, starring Dustin Hoffman.

See you all in the discussion!

l love novels like that but it will be my first to read it

One of my favorite movies. Can’t wait to read the book for the first time.

Such a fun book. I've haven't read a writing style like it since, Hope you all enjoy!

Looking forward to reading this one!

I just realized that this is amongst the classics I "have to" get to before the end of the year, for a personal challenge, since it was published 50 years ago... and while I'm not really inclined to pick it up, a group read might just be the perfect incentive to do so..... :D

Excited to reread this! Saw the movie for the first time in 6th grade but didn’t read the book until I was a teen. Tbh i don’t think i have reread the book since but have watched the movie a zillion times. Hoping the book holds up as well as the movie.

My aunt has a copy she will send me! Hopefully I can get it in time, I’ve been wanting to read this one for awhile! :)