trade paperback, 340 pages
English language
Published Nov. 10, 2013 by Ballantine Books Trade Paperbacks.
Here is Peter Benchley’s classic suspense novel of shark versus man, which was made into the blockbuster Steven Spielberg movie. The Jaws phenomenon changed popular culture and continues to inspire a growing interest in sharks and the oceans today.
When Peter Benchley wrote Jaws in the early 1970s, he meticulously researched all available data about shark behavior. Over the ensuing decades, Benchley was actively engaged with scientists and filmmakers on expeditions around the world as they expanded their knowledge of sharks. Also during this time, there was an unprecedented upswing in the number of sharks killed to make shark-fin soup, and Benchley worked with governments and nonprofits to sound the alarm for shark conservation. He encouraged each new generation of Jaws fans to enjoy his riveting tale and to channel their excitement into support and protection of these magnificent, prehistoric apex predators.
This edition of Jaws contains bonus content from …
Here is Peter Benchley’s classic suspense novel of shark versus man, which was made into the blockbuster Steven Spielberg movie. The Jaws phenomenon changed popular culture and continues to inspire a growing interest in sharks and the oceans today.
When Peter Benchley wrote Jaws in the early 1970s, he meticulously researched all available data about shark behavior. Over the ensuing decades, Benchley was actively engaged with scientists and filmmakers on expeditions around the world as they expanded their knowledge of sharks. Also during this time, there was an unprecedented upswing in the number of sharks killed to make shark-fin soup, and Benchley worked with governments and nonprofits to sound the alarm for shark conservation. He encouraged each new generation of Jaws fans to enjoy his riveting tale and to channel their excitement into support and protection of these magnificent, prehistoric apex predators.
This edition of Jaws contains bonus content from Peter Benchley’s archives, including the original typed title page, a brainstorming list of possible titles, a letter from Benchley to producer David Brown with honest feedback on the movie adaptation, and excerpts from Benchley’s book Shark Trouble highlighting his firsthand account of writing Jaws, selling it to Universal Studios, and working with Steven Spielberg.
(back cover)
I enjoyed this a lot. The film didn't follow the plot 100% and actually i prefer the movie ending. Quint is one of my favourite characters and he is a stronger character in the movie. But a great read. That shark...3 barrels... sheesh
4.5 stars. A fun summer read and different enough from the movie that there is some fresh surprises.
edit to add: there are some problematic aspects to this book given its age. They weren’t plentiful or egregious enough to prevent me from being able to enjoy it though. Just a heads up for the more sensitive among you.
The ending of this book is the only time I can recall ever throwing a book across the room, stomping on it, and chucking it in the trash. I just couldn't believe what I had read and tried to get so invested in. I thought it would redeem itself a bit in the end, but nope, not for me. The basic premise was a fantastic idea; just wish it'd gone better. There was too much and not enough going on through much of it.
Yes, the film is iconic as hell, and yes, it's an adaptation, so it'll make changes, but those changes tightened the story and streamlined it so well half the book was unnecessary. What got me was how utterly unlikeable most of the characters were in the book. If they weren't complaining or bad-mouthing each other (to their faces or elsewhere), then they were pursuing their own …
The ending of this book is the only time I can recall ever throwing a book across the room, stomping on it, and chucking it in the trash. I just couldn't believe what I had read and tried to get so invested in. I thought it would redeem itself a bit in the end, but nope, not for me. The basic premise was a fantastic idea; just wish it'd gone better. There was too much and not enough going on through much of it.
Yes, the film is iconic as hell, and yes, it's an adaptation, so it'll make changes, but those changes tightened the story and streamlined it so well half the book was unnecessary. What got me was how utterly unlikeable most of the characters were in the book. If they weren't complaining or bad-mouthing each other (to their faces or elsewhere), then they were pursuing their own agendas with relish. I hadn't seen a fiction book so populated with unlikeable people that I can recall. It's like watching old episodes of "House, M.D.", but EVERY freaking character acts like House!
There were too many side plots, some which had something going for them but were vaguely fleshed out (the mob and pressure to keep the beaches open by the mayor could've had a bit more, probably the only integral side-story that would've helped the movie a touch regarding the mayor's story).
Maybe if I'd read this before seeing the movie 100-ish times, I would've liked it better, but considering how much I despised the characters, it probably would've led me to not want to watch the movie. I think this is the one time I can say "the movie was better" without sarcasm or much defense.
Jaws has been one of my long time favorite films, so when I saw the book on a shelf at the library, I had to pick it up.
The book lived up to expectations! The writing style was wonderful and all of the characters felt like people on the page with their thoughts, fears, and feelings.
Though there were times where I was like "I see why they didn't include any of this in the movie." Specifically the very long subplot involving Ellen cheating on Brody with Hooper during an insecure time in her life. It wasn't a bad subplot, but it did take me out of the story. The relationship drama felt unrelated to the hunt for the shark and slowed down the story, but it wasn't bad and it was nice to get to know Ellen more as a character.
It might have been better if it'd been …
Jaws has been one of my long time favorite films, so when I saw the book on a shelf at the library, I had to pick it up.
The book lived up to expectations! The writing style was wonderful and all of the characters felt like people on the page with their thoughts, fears, and feelings.
Though there were times where I was like "I see why they didn't include any of this in the movie." Specifically the very long subplot involving Ellen cheating on Brody with Hooper during an insecure time in her life. It wasn't a bad subplot, but it did take me out of the story. The relationship drama felt unrelated to the hunt for the shark and slowed down the story, but it wasn't bad and it was nice to get to know Ellen more as a character.
It might have been better if it'd been weaved in more naturally, like the subplot concerning why Vaughan was so against closing the beach, which was built over over the narrative with his increasing desperation to convince Brody not to scare away the tourists until the reveal. It was a great addition to the main plot and gave more depth to Vaughan's character. It made me feel for him more than the film did.
Overall it was a great read and reminded me how much I missed reading an omnipresent narrator. I'm really glad I got a chance to read it.
(Though I never did get used to them all referring to the shark as a "fish.")
I was seven when the movie version of Jaws came out. My parents, not having any clue as to what was appropriate for a small child, took me along with them to the drive-in. I was terrified to take a bath for years afterward.
I figured the book would be pretty fun and since it's offered for free to Amazon Prime members through Audible Channels, I decided to take the plunge. I mostly wish I'd skipped it.
While I absolutely loved all the parts that had the shark involved in the scene, everything else was pretty bad. Well, maybe it wasn't bad in the early 1970s but yeah, plenty of casual racism and sexism. The biggest thing that made me want to quit mid-way was how much time was devoted to Brody's wife. I didn't care about character development, especially not a character who has nothing to do with the …
I was seven when the movie version of Jaws came out. My parents, not having any clue as to what was appropriate for a small child, took me along with them to the drive-in. I was terrified to take a bath for years afterward.
I figured the book would be pretty fun and since it's offered for free to Amazon Prime members through Audible Channels, I decided to take the plunge. I mostly wish I'd skipped it.
While I absolutely loved all the parts that had the shark involved in the scene, everything else was pretty bad. Well, maybe it wasn't bad in the early 1970s but yeah, plenty of casual racism and sexism. The biggest thing that made me want to quit mid-way was how much time was devoted to Brody's wife. I didn't care about character development, especially not a character who has nothing to do with the shark. But there you go. It was there and I got through it with some eye rolling and grimacing.
Luckily, there was plenty of shark-related carnage at the end that made it mostly worth the time.
dont look at your heroes too closely. Jaws is my favorite film and while I can say I'm glad I read the book, the story of the movie was better. They did the right thing by cutting out the poorly depicted marital problems of the Brodys. It was nice to read the forward where Benchley said he could not write Jaws today because it promotes a misunderstanding of shark behavior.
A competent thriller, with the usual flaws of age: A depiction of women from hell, and the conflict reduced to males competing for the alpha spot. - The parts where the story focuses on the shark, though, are certainly very well done. ;)
Not as good as it was when I was 10.
Has very little to do with a shark, and a lot to do with a small community in crisis. Interesting and tense, it captures small-town mentality brilliantly.
