Eaten by a shark. Struck by lightning twice. Being as witty as Mr. Murray.  These are all extremely rare occurrences in the world, but enjoying a book as much as the movie adaptation is what almost all bibliophiles, like myself, consider impossible. That is until I read and watched Tom Perrotta’s novel, Election.

Years ago on a boring Friday night, I rented the movie, Election, from Blockbuster (remember that?). I loved the humorous tone of the film as well as Reese Witherspoon’s performance as the over achieving high school student, Tracy Flick.  Then I learned that, like most movies with a good plot, it was based on a book.

Now, I have read dozens of books that have been made into movies (and today who hasn’t?), but with this novel everything was different. The quirky characters were exactly the same as they were in the film, but rather than feel like I was reading a screenplay, Tom Perrotta’s chaotic, multi perspective story of a high school campaign for student body President felt like I was hearing an old family joke, but with more hilarious and grittier details.

Having now spent several years in high school, I must admit that Tom Perrotta captures the environment perfectly. All the traditional characters are present: the overachiever with a brief, sinful past, the jock who’s only running for President due to an injury, the vengeful sister who’s running against the jock because he is dating her ex girlfriend, and the teacher supervisor, who is saddled with all the ensuing mayhem. So if you need something to laugh at this Friday night grab this hysterical novel from the library because Blockbuster does not exist anymore.

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Novelist Hilary Mantel imagines Cromwell’s life, beginning with a gripping childhood scene in which his blacksmith father beats him half to death, following him into apprenticeship to Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of Canterbury, and on through to becoming the architect of Henry’s divorce from Catherine, the religious schism separating England from the Vatican, and the filling of the state coffers with the wealth of the monasteries. 

Mantel draws a character in Cromwell who is at the same time a cutthroat politician willing to destroy utterly anyone standing in his way, as well as a man of conscience who takes in orphaned relatives, mistreated servants and wayward alehouse lads alike, providing any and all of them with security, education and a chance at upward mobility. 

A literary and thought-provoking alternative to the romance-histories of Philippa Gregory, Wolf Hall brings the twisted alleys of historical politics to life—but doesn’t skimp on the gossipy, juicy bits either.

“Lyrically yet cleanly and tightly written…”  The Guardian

“Wolf Hall turns Tudor England into a compelling piece of fiction.”—The Times Literary Supplement