West Side Story

by Irving Shulman

Book Overview

The classic novelization of one of Broadway's most enduring and beloved musicals, updated with a beautiful new cover. Maria is young and innocent and has never known love--until Tony. And Tony,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671725661
• ISBN13: 9780671725662
• Release Date: April 1990
• Publisher: Pocket Books
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.24 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 4.5" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

I ain't believin' this is still in print!!!

One big difference between a novel that is made into a movie and a novelization of an existing movie is that you can take the thing to work enjoy during lunch. I mean, the actual story you saw onscreen. Also, it's still there in the bookcase years later. The problem is that novelizations normally go out of print almost as soon as the second-run theaters stop running the flick. Maybe there's a new edition if the networks run the film, usually not. If not for the title, it would be too easy to write this book off based on its shortness, but you have to remember that the story itself only covers a few days. Also, in this book, our cast gets last names that aren't in the stage production or the film: Riff Lorton, Tony Wyzek, Bernardo and Maria Nunez, Chino Martin. One adult gets a real name--youth center operator Murray Benowitz--we used to only know him as "Glad Hand". Drugstore owner Doc doesn't get one, though. The cops--Schrank and Krupke--don't get first names either. One other thing this book proves--Jerome Preisler and Jack Gregory didn't invent the reverse process of the bringing of a story from the screen to the page. Like the play and the movie, this one is simple, but it's great.

The urban equivalent of Romeo and Juliet

West Side Story has always been one of my favorite musicals. The tragic love story of Tony and Maria touches me in many ways. I, too, have had a forbidden romance, which is why I marvel at the earnestness of the story. Set in New York City, it introduces two groups. The Jets: an American gang.The Sharks: a Puerto Rican gang.The gangs attend a community dance in which they plan a fight. Things take an interesting twist when Tony -- the former leader of the Jets -- falls for Maria, Bernardo's sister. Bernardo happens to be the leader of the Sharks, and he doesn't want his sister involved with his rival.This is, without a doubt, the urban equivalent of Romeo and Juliet. The stories are very similar, but West Side Story has an irresistible urban appeal, an appeal that has captured audiences and readers for many decades. I am so glad I have read the novelization of this popular musical. If you're in the mood for a timeless love story, read West Side Story. Satisfaction is guaranteed!

A very touching story that cant get you to stop reading!

I love this book it is the best! The West Side Story is my favorit book and I recomend it to everyone. Two gangs, the Porte Ricans and the the American, were enemies. When Maria and Tony met they fell in love. The only problem is that Maria is Porte rican and Tony is American. But they didn't care. They loved each other. Tony and Maria kept there love a secret, and planed to run away with each other. In the end a tragic thing happend and everyones' lives changed. Read this wonderful book and find out what happend!

This is the book you've been dying to read!

I felt that this book was a true classic tale of love verses hate. i feel that this book is similar to a modern romeo and juliet. a forbidden love that ends in tradgedy. read this book and enjoy!