Anyone read it? if you have, what is it like and are there differences?
shareI could never find it.
Update, here it is. Someone posted the link. It's in PDF format, scroll down the page and you'll see it.
http://www.hpcnet.org/peru/schoolartsandsciences/language/clemente/spring2009/sf/assign4#x
Very short and to the point.
I'm not sure it has ever been published commercially, or anthologized. It originally appeared in a Catholic newsmagazine in the early 1980s, and the director of the movie hunted the author down and persuaded her to sell the film rights.
Production companies may not see it the same way or recognize any return on their expenditure, but for me, I'd much rather things like this (a readable text copy of the original short story) be included on DVDs as extras, than all the "behind-the-scenes" promotional guff we usually get.
You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.
I've read it. It is indeed short, and the movie fleshes it out with much more detail, but it follows the same general story outline, and for me, it had a similar impact.
C.
Where did you find it, cingramaol?
I imagined it was something like Brokeback Mountain -- not in any of the details, obviously, but in that it would be more of a study of a character under adversity, rather than a story about actions.
I found the story of the movie very touching, and a worthy entry in the "nuclear calamity" genre, as far as alerting people to the human cost, especially. For me, comparing "Testament" to movies like "Dawn's Early Light" or even "The Day After" was like comparing "Deep Impact" to "Armageddon" -- like "Deep Impact", "Testament" didn't focus on how many were killed or the adventure-story side of it, but looked more at how people would try to deal with such a situation and still remain people. I love Stuff Blowing Up Good as much as the next bloke, but I also enjoy seeing the human side of things.
You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.
Where did you find it, cingramaol?
A friend of mine had a photocopy from the original magazine, and copied his copy for me. I imagine that's the only way one would ever get to read it these days.
C.
would you by any chance be willing to scan it or transcribe it and send it to me in email?
I'll make sure it gets up in some places where folks can read it, as far as I've been able to ascertain no one is blocking re-distribution rights on it, further the author died in 87 and her husband in 85.
I will be happy to take any heat/DMCA process for making it freely available on the web personally and solely... (in other words you have nothing to fear in those terms from sending it to me)
email address is:
tabithachase (nospam) gmail (dot) com
I second this even though this is an older thread. If at all possible send the story to me at [email protected]
share[deleted]
If you were able to photocopy it then how long was it in pages?
share[deleted]
Do you remember how it ends? Does humanity cease to exist or does it end like in the movie, where you don't know for sure?
shareIt ends with the last entry in the mother's diary. She is trying to hold out until Brad dies so he won't have to die alone. Nothing is resolved. We never find out about the people who left for survival camps, no one comes in from outside with news. As humans, we want everything resolved at the end and tied up in a neat little bow. But in a situation like nuclear war, many of us would never know the fate of the rest of the world.
I got my copy on eBay -- it was reprinted in Ellery Queen magazine in April of 1987.
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A learning experience is something that says, "You know that thing you just did? Don't do that."
It first appeared in September 1980 in St Anthony's Messenger , Ms. Magazine August 1981 and Ellery Queen in April 1987 .Similar to the movie except that it goes goes into more detail about the daughter's death. In the movie Bradley checks on neighbors in the story she and the daughter do too . The original title was The Last Testament by Carol Amen . Carol Amen died in 1987
shareI found it online, it's here:
http://documents.mx/documents/amen-carol-the-last-testament-ms-aug-81.html
Great and sad story.
"Do All Things For God's Glory"-1 Corinthians 10:31
I try doing this with my posts