Arlington Community Education

Many popular books have been adapted for the big screen, some more successfully than others. This summer we’ll discuss the recent film adaptation of Nomadland, a big winner at the 93rd Academy Awards, taking home Oscars for best picture, best actress, best director, and others. Before it was a film, Nomadland was a New York Times best-selling nonfiction book by Jessica Bruder. We’ll start with a discussion of the film (students should watch on their own prior to the first class) before getting into the book, which we’ll be reading in between the final three sessions, coming back to discuss how well it was adapted in film and how the messages of the book and film relate to each other. From the gig economy’s effect on older workers, the new face of homelessness, and the status of the “American Dream,” this story is full of relevant topics. Along the way we’ll look at up-to-date news items and take some fun detours into topics like Earthships, the national parks system, and van customization. The book is available at most bookstores online and in store. Click here to buy online: https://bookshop.org/books/nomadland-surviving-america-in-the-twenty-first-century/9780393356311