The Earth Abides with Bogart

Iv'e read the Earth Abides a couple time and its one of the most interesting books I've read in a long time. What I like most about it is that it was the first book to predict a massive disease striking the human race. This book isn't as well known as it should be because people like Stephen King ripped-off his idea in books like the Stand. This story is so much more realistic than any of its spinoffs, that's why I like it so much. All of its rip offs have to add stuf and it just cheapens the story in my opinion. The book is methodical and matter of fact in its descriptions of a post apocalyptic world. The dramatization leaves a lot to be desired, but that was only because I was already very familiar with the book. But I definitely think that this condensed version would be very interesting to someone who had no knowledge of the novel and its characters like Ish and Charlie. A part of the book that I always found particularly interesting was only briefly mentioned in the drama. It was the idea that the point at which Ish, Emma, and Ira solidified their community as a state run body was when they unanimously voted to execute Charlie for the good of the many. This was always a very interesting way of thinking about government and I can understand why it was glossed over considering the time period in which it was aired. All in all, I liked this dramatization very much. It is always interesting to here a different rendition of a story that you are already familiar with, even if it is super condensed.

The Queen of Africa is a Great Movie, but the dramatization just seemed rushed. Maybe if they had an extra half hour to develop the story like in the movie it would be more convincing. A lot of what makes Humphrey Bogart a great actor is expression, or more appropriately, his lack of expression. The story works and there are plenty of out dated stereotypes that are amusing, but I just like the movie better. Sorry, I'[m just being a big winer about the listenings this week.