I bought the book last week and finished it in less than 24 hours. It was excellent. Then found out there was a movie. I was a little skeptical that the movie would not live up to the movie, but I could not have been more wrong. This movie is moving on so many levels and is one of the few times I left the theater feeling like I really took something from it that would stay with me for a long time. My wife(who has not read the book). Said "That may be the best movie I've ever seen.