From Page to Screen: Marist’s Jurassic Shark Book Club

The only non-academic book club on campus, Jurassic Shark Book Club is a continuing project from last year by reading “Jurassic Park” and “Jaws” throughout the academic year. 

Photo by Alice Adams '28

“Jurassic Park” by Michael Crichton and “Jaws” by Peter Benchley are most commonly associated with the blockbuster films directed by Steven Spielberg. Now, anyone interested in discovering a new perspective on these stories can do so by attending the monthly meetings of Marist’s Jurassic Shark Book Club, held in the James A. Cannavino Library’s Gartland Reading Room.

The only non-academic book club on campus, Jurassic Shark Book Club is a continuing project from last year, when librarians Nancy Calabrese and Margaret Roach, along with Professor Jeffrey Canino, invited students to a year-long reading of Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick.” According to Professor Canino, the unofficial club’s goal was to create a fun vibe around the act of reading.

This academic year, the Jurassic Shark Book Club plans to read one book each semester. With "Jurassic Park" and "Jaws,” the selections are decidedly more fast-paced. Professor Canino said that the club recognizes that students already have a lot of assigned readings and does not want to add to that pressure. Anyone can attend the meeting, even if they have not read a single word from the book or any of the “assigned” chapters. 

Alice Adams ‘28, a regular member of both the Moby Dick and the Jurassic Shark Book Club, remembers falling behind on her readings at the beginning and still enjoying the meetings. Besides free discussions on the read materials and the opportunity to ask questions, meetings also include short presentations on topics relevant to the books. During this semester's reading of "Jurassic Park," librarian Margaret Roach gave a presentation on the history of paleontology, including a memorable insight on the “Bone Wars,” a race between scientists to find as many bones as possible. 

“Last year I learned a hell of a lot about whales,” said Adams, recalling “Moby Dick” trivia and lessons on whale anatomy.

For this year's book club, regular attendance is lower in comparison, which can be discouraging at times, according to Adams. At the same time, she thinks that it shows the low-commitment beneficial nature of the club.

“It’s the kind of thing you can just show up to and there is no pressure to have fun,” she said.

With the reading of “Jaws” planned for spring, she is excited to read another story that most people only know from the big screen.

 “["Jaws" is] a movie I consistently enjoy rewatching,” said Adams. “I haven’t read the book so I’m excited to see how the themes differ.”

Future book decisions are not yet decided and recommendations are more than welcome, according to Professor Canino. Updates about the Jurassic Shark Book Club, upcoming events and potential new readings are shared through the Instagram pages of the Marist Library and the Marist English Department.