Read the Book, Watch the Movie

By Elizabeth Cate, Collection Development Librarian

Sedona AZ (January 25, 2019) – 2018 was another big year for book-to-film adaptations. Popular adaptations included Ready Player One, A Wrinkle in Time, and the blockbuster hit Crazy Rich Asians. Several adaptations were nominated for the recently awarded Golden Globes. In 2019, you can look forward to film versions of the novels “The Goldfinch,” “Where’d You Go Bernadette,” “The Woman in the Window,” and more.

Here is a selection of book/film pairings that you can start enjoying now. These books and DVDs can be placed on hold through the Yavapai Library Network catalog.

• “First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong,” by former NASA historian James Hansen, is the only authorized biography of the legendary astronaut. As such, the book’s author was given unprecedented access to the very private Armstrong. Ryan Gosling plays the lead role in the movie adaptation.

• “The Old Man and the Gun: And Other Tales of True Crime,” is written by David Grann, author of the bestselling “Killers of the Flower Moon.” The book tells the true story of a career bank robber who escaped from prison at age 70 and continued to pull off heists. The film version stars Robert Redford and Sissy Spacek. It will be shown at the Library on Monday, February 4, at 6 p.m. in the community room. 

• “Black Klansman: Race, Hate, and the Undercover Investigation of a Lifetime” is a memoir by Ron Stallworth, an African-American detective who infiltrated the Klan. The movie adaptation, directed by Spike Lee, was nominated for a Golden Globe in the best picture/drama category. It is available on both DVD and Blu-Ray from the Yavapai Library Network.

• “Bel Canto” is a critically acclaimed novel from Ann Patchett that was inspired by a hostage situation in Peru in the 1990s. In Patchett’s fictionalized account, an opera singer performs arias that help the captors and hostages discover their shared humanity. Julianne Moore stars in the film version.

Coming soon are these movie adaptations of books available to read now. Look for the DVDs in the library catalog in upcoming weeks:

• If Beale Street Could Talk, adapted from the novel by James Baldwin, was nominated for best picture in the drama category at the Golden Globes. It is expected to be released on DVD in March. The book is available in regular and large print.

• Boy Erased is another Golden Globe nominee that is based on a book. The DVD release date is set for the end of January. In the meantime, read the bestselling memoir of the same name by Garrard Conley.

• In February, be on the lookout for the dark Western The Sisters Brothers, starring Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly. I particularly enjoyed reading the book.

I hope you enjoy seeing your favorite stories on screen, as well as learning about books from their film adaptations.

Sedona Public Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We are grateful for all of our volunteers, and for the support we receive from the City of Sedona, the property tax dollars we receive from Yavapai and Coconino Counties, and the gifts we receive from businesses, foundations, and individuals like you. Please support your library at www.sedonalibrary.org.