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The Bridge On The River Kwai
The Bridge On The River Kwai | Pierre Boulle
9 posts | 7 read | 7 to read
The Bridge on the River Kwai tells the story of three POWs who endure the hell of the Japanese camps on the Burma-Siam railway - Colonel Nicholson, a man prepared to sacrifice his life but not his dignity; Major Warden, a modest hero, saboteur and deadly killer; Commander Shears, who escaped from hell but was sent back. Ordered by the Japanese to build a bridge, the Colonel refuses, as it is against regulations for officers to work with other ranks. The Japanese give way but, to prove a point of British superiority, construction of the bridge goes ahead - at great cost to the men under Nicholson's command.
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review
Jari-chan
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Mehso-so

Would've been a pick, if it wasn't too much of a propaganda text at some places. Even though considering the time it's set in and the time it was written in, sometimes it was too much of racism and too much of the glorification of the western lifestyle for me.

Taken only the story, it was a moving book, that asks important questions.

@TheAromaofBooks #BookSpinBingo

Buechersuechtling Maybe it‘s embarrassing, but I didn‘t know, it‘s a book. I only knew the film. (Of which, to be honest, I also can‘t remember the plot.) (edited) 4y
Jari-chan @Buechersuechtling No need to be embarrassed - the movie is a lot more famous than the book 😉 4y
TheAromaofBooks Great review!! 4y
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Jari-chan @TheAromaofBooks Thank you ❤️ 4y
Buechersuechtling @Jari-chan You know, it was just one more time of recognising that it‘s _another_ film basically not being origin of the director‘s mind but of an author‘s mind. (Sometimes I feel like this happens all the time, like especially nowadays, no director has the imagination to come up with something new, something they have created in their minds. Instead they all fall back on something someone else “invented”.) 4y
Jari-chan @Buechersuechtling I often do feel the same! New movies are either based on a book or comic, or they're new versions of older films. Sometimes this gets really annoying 😐 4y
26 likes6 comments
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Lcsmcat
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I ever saw the movie, and I haven‘t read it (yet) in either language, but this is what popped into my head for #bridge. #letstravelaugust @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

OriginalCyn620 👌🏻📚🌁 5y
tournevis Good pick. Still can't believe Bridge over the River Kwaï and Planet of the Apes were written by the same author. 5y
Lcsmcat @tournevis I did not know that. Interesting. 🤔 5y
54 likes3 comments
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Libby1
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Pickpick

I‘d never seen the film, so this book was a complete surprise. I found it boring for quite a while until suddenly it wasn‘t. It REALLY wasn‘t.

This book is more about human psychology than the horrors of war. I find it fascinating that the author, who was French, decided to transfer his wartime experiences into a British context.

Isn‘t my copy gorgeous? 🌿

JennyM That is a lovely cover 5y
Libby1 Thanks, @JennyM . I think it‘s an old British edition from the 1960s. 5y
BiblioLitten Yes! I was admiring the cover. Very pretty. 💚 5y
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Crazeedi Didn't Michener write a book with a similar title? They made a movie out of it?! 5y
TrishB No way you could escape this film on U.K. tv in my childhood!! Haven‘t read the book though. 5y
tournevis Fun fact: Pierre Boule also wrote The Planet of the Apes. 5y
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Chrissyreadit
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Looking at books to read as we head into twentieth century history- and this book also matches #bridgeovertroubledwater (sigh I am a total 80s girl who forgot how many songs I love from the 70s). #marchintothe70s

Cinfhen TRUTH 6y
audraelizabeth I watched the film in my high school class History if war through film. It was wonderful. 6y
Chrissyreadit @audraelizabeth that is good to know! I will add it to my list! 6y
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audraelizabeth No problem 6y
gradcat Ha! We think alike—see my post...I chose this film as well! 😊👍 6y
Chrissyreadit @gradcat great minds think alike! 6y
gradcat 🥰❤️👍 6y
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gradcat
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#marchintothe70s

(Day 22 - #BridgeOverTroubledWater)

*I don‘t know how many of you are old enough to have seen this movie, but it is the story of British POWs forced by their Japanese captors to build a bridge over the river Kwai to connect Bangkok and Rangoon. Meanwhile, unbeknownst by the British, the Allies have devised a plan to destroy the bridge. It‘s a great movie, adapted from the book by French writer Pierre Boulle.

Cinfhen My hubby loves the film!!! 6y
rretzler I love that movie! I may just have to watch it again this weekend. *goes off whistling Colonel Bogey March to check Amazon Prime* 6y
gradcat @Cinfhen I really love it, too!! Glad somebody knows of it... @rretzler And doncha‘ just love the Colonel Bogey March!!?! 🎵 🎼 🎶 6y
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cobwebmoth I have memories of my dad watching this. I can remember scenes from it, but I don't think I've ever sat and watched the whole film. 6y
gradcat @cobwebmoth It is really good. If you ever get the chance, I can highly recommend that you go for it! I think you‘ll feel great after you watch it—it‘s that kind of film! ❤️ 6y
rretzler Plus it has Obi-Wan!😜 6y
rretzler @gradcat Absolutely, I‘ll be humming it for days! 6y
68 likes1 stack add7 comments
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Lexeegee
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Pickpick

“then he would have understood that in our job it‘s no good cutting any old throat. You‘ve got to cut the right one. Isn‘t that so, sir?”

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Lexeegee
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I bought this at half price books for a buck. It‘s so old I‘m afraid to turn the pages. Hope it does crumble before I finish it.

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Great find! I have an old copy of Rebecca like that, I‘m afraid to stress it by reading it!😂 6y
KathyWheeler Huh. I didn‘t realize this book was written by the same person who wrote Planet of the Apes. 6y
Lexeegee @kathywheeler I didn‘t either. 6y
32 likes3 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
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45 likes1 stack add
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JacintaMCarter
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I tried to read this book in 7th grade, but gave up quickly. I don't think 13-year-old me fit the target demographic for this one. I've since seen the movie, so I'll probably give the book another chance someday. #TheRiver #RockInMay

Cinfhen I was thinking of reading this one for #ReadingAroundtheWorld #Thailand 8y
RanaElizabeth Oh my gosh, I didn't know this was a book. I love the movie! 8y
49 likes2 stack adds2 comments