The thorn birds (best, crime, characters, movies)

[Timothylogan3]

Do you still remember it? what a book! what an author! so have any of you read it? and how would you compare it to the tv series? i know i am digging up old history here, i guess i am getting carried away, when the book came out and then the series was way too young. anyhow i think this is one of those books that will be good for all time.

[miguel's mom]

Hey!
I read the thorn birds some years back because everybody told me what a great book it was. I didn't like it very much but finished it nevertheless. It's just not my taste of book.

[Timothylogan3]

i want to quote a passage from the book that makes me think - Dear Ralph, I do see it. I know, I know... each of us has something within us which wont be denied, even if it makes us scream aloud to die. We are what we are, thats all. Like the old Celtic legend of the bird with the thorn in its breast, singing its heart out and dying. Because it has to, its driven to. We can know what we do wrong even before we do it, but self-knowledge cant affect or change the outcome, can it? Everyone singing his own little song, convinced its the most wonderful song the world has ever heard. Dont you see? we create our thorns, and never stop to count the cost. All we can do is suffer, and tell ourselves it was worth it .

[Timothylogan3]

The thing is with thorn birds it doesnt really have a great story line. i didnt enjoy till i was more than half way through the book then it started to hit me, it all came home. there is alot of reflecting and deep wisdom in the book and it all comes out beautifully towards the end. the writing is amazing. it all really takes a bit of time to come out.

[Miss Blue]

Tim, The Thornbirds is one of my all time favorites. I can't tell you how many times I have read it, and you quoted a passage that has stayed in my mind..Once in a while on a cold winter day when I am alone I pull out the movie and settle down and watch..

[Timothylogan3]

so blue please tell me is the film as good as the book? i was bit young when it came out, so i would love to hear your views - how does it compare?

[Miss Blue]

Tim, usually I don't care as much for the movies from my favorite books..Seems like most of the movies change too much and leave out important parts, imo. The Thornbirds was almost exactly like the book. The characters came to life well and the plot stays the same. The cast portrayed the characters in the book amazingly well

[MSJones]

I adore the book. It's one of my all time favorites and I've read it about 10 times!

I enjoyed the movie, but love the book more - but, to be fair, I always enjoy the book more, regardless! I agree with Blue that the characters came to life well. I loved Richard Chamberlain as Father Ralph - excellent casting. I guess I just feel the book is....richer than the movie. There's more storytelling, and deeper plots, but with time constraints with movies you just can't ever really do a book justice, IMO.

[Gunluvver2]

I did not read the THORN BIRD but I have read another book by her that I really enjoyed. It was set in Australia also and followed the lives of some of the early Aussie settlers that were convicted of various crimes in England and sent to Australia. It was a very good story and I will read more of her works.

[WVBurn]

The Thornbirds is one of the few books I've read more than once. I really loved this story and the series was well done too. The portrayal of Father Ralph by Richard Chamberlain was the best acting he has ever done. I've read a few other books by this writer.."Tim" was very good and was also made into a movie starring Mel Gibson as Tim. He was very young in this...many years before his "meltdown".