By Carolyn Fante
Jodi Picoult is the bestselling author of fourteen novels. Most of them deal with controversial subjects that touch the hearts of many people who read them. On March 4, 2008, a million copies of her fifteenth book, “Change of Heart,” were released. On Friday March 7 at 8 p.m, Jodi Picoult will come to Huntington’s Book Revue to read from and sign her new novel. Picoult also appeared at Book Revue last spring to read from her previous book, “Nineteen Minutes.”
“Change of Heart” is about a New Hampshire prisoner sentenced to the death penalty. However, as a dispute arises over his request to be an organ donor, the convict begins performing miracles in the jail. The story examines religion and separation of church and state. Like Picoult’s books before it, “Change of Heart” promises to be extremely thought-provoking and controversial. Picoult’s other books have brought up issues such as organ donation, rape and school shootings.
In fact, one of Picoult’s books caused a stir on Long Island just this year. Her book “The Tenth Circle” was removed from a suggested reading list in the Westhampton Beach school district (though copies were not taken out of the school itself), as a way to appease parents angry about the book’s content (the book centered around a girl accusing her ex-boyfriend of rape). Both the book and the book’s removal from the Smithtown list caused controversy on Long Island just a few months ago.
The same book that was removed from the school reading list will also air as a movie on Lifetime in June. In addition, one of Jodi Picoult’s most famous books, “My Sister’s Keeper,” was just recast for the movie version (Dakota and Elle Fanning were replaced by Abigail Breslin and Sofia Vassilieva). The movie will begin production this month. There are many things going on with Jodi Picoult’s books, both new and old, and this Friday at Book Revue, she will be there to share it all in person and especially to read and sign “Change of Heart.” It promises to be an interesting event.
Information on Change of Heart and Jodi Picoult’s tour can be found at www.jodipicoult.com.