We will be comparing the book and movie: Being There

The book is by Jerzy Kosiński and was published in 1970.  It is only 141 pages.  I have listed libraries that carry it, or you can purchase it from your favorite book vendor.

The movie was directed by Hal Ashby and starred Peter Sellers and Shirley MacLaine.  It was released in 1979 and runs 130 minutes

Being There is the story of Chauncey Gardiner, a simple-minded, sheltered gardener.  After the death of his employer forces him out of the only home he has ever known, he becomes an unlikely, unwittingly and much sought after trusted advisor to a powerful tycoon and an insider in Washington politics.  His straightforward responses to popular concerns are heralded as visionary, and though everyone is quoting him, no one is sure what he is really saying.  Being There is a brilliantly satiric look at the unreality of American media culture.

The Being There DVD can be rented (streamed) from Amazon Prime Video ($3.59), YouTube ($3.99), or Apple TV ($3.99).

The DVD is also available at the following libraries:  Indian Trails, Palatine, Arlington Heights, Deerfield, Mount Prospect, Northbrook, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Des Plaines, Glenview, Evanston, et al.

The book is available at Vernon Area Public Library, Palatine, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Northbrook, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Des Plaines, Glenview, Evanston, et al.

Also available from Amazon and your local bookstore.