I Read That Movie @ the Library: JAWS

For August, our “page-to-screen” book club, I Read That Movie @ the Library, features a book selection and movie that remain cultural touchstones over half a century after their publication and release.

We are reading the 1974 thriller Jaws by Peter Benchley, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. The story focuses on a great white shark that menaces the small Long Island resort town of Amity, threatening to disrupt its economically vital summer beach season. The town’s chief of police joins forces with a salty professional fisherman and a young marine biologist in a desperate attempt to kill the beast and save the town from disaster.

Participants are invited to read the book, then come for a screening of the iconic 1975 film adaptation directed by Steven Spielberg which marked its 50th anniversary this summer. Starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss, the film was Oscar-nominated for Best Picture, and won Oscars for its unforgettable score, as well as for sound and film editing.

Copies of the book will be available at the Reference Desk in the Humanities Department on the 2nd floor of the Central Library. Thanks to a generous grant from the Memphis Library Foundation, a limited number of new copies of the book will be given away to participants, and any additional Library copies will be available to borrow.

The screening (including popcorn, drinks, and other snacks!) will take place on Saturday, August 23at 2:00 p.m. in Room L-56, followed by a discussion about the book and the film. Even if you haven’t read the book, you are welcome to join us to watch the movie and participate in the conversation!