Everything is Illuminated January 26, 2009

Marion Carnegie Library’s “Read the Movie, Watch the Book” program selection for January is Everything is Illuminated. Each month the library chooses a new book and film combination. Participation is open to all community members, who may participate by reading the book, watching the movie or doing both. Discussion time will be available after the movie.

Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer tells the story of a young Jewish American who travels to the Ukraine in search of his grandfather’s past. He has a photograph and the name of a village. He hires the Odessa Heritage Tours, made up of a gruff old man and his English-speaking grandson. The three, plus grandfather’s deranged dog, travel in an old car from Odessa into Ukraine’s heart. Jonathan, the American, is a collector, putting things he finds into small plastic bags, so he will remember. But will the journey illuminate the past? The 2005 movie stars Elijah Wood and is directed by Liev Schreiber, who won awards from the Venice Film Festival and the National Board of Review. It is rated PG-13.

Official Website: http://www.marioncarnegielibrary.org