Rachel is the Health Literacies Specialist at Vaughan Public Libraries. She enjoys cooking (but not cleaning), travelling, and reading just about anything.
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Meet the team
Beach reads. Is there a more evocative reading mood than the idea of lying on the beach, lazily flipping through a romance or thriller? Or maybe you prefer to beat the heat and sit in the comfort of air-conditioning (at home or at the library), killing time until the sun sets with a book in hand. In the summer, the days are longer, inviting you to fill them with books.
For good reason, World War II stories dominate the historical fiction market. Stories of bravery, courage, and standing up to evil are always compelling reads. But the same can also be said of other time periods in history. In the following list you will find stories of bravery and triumph over oppression, and fictionalized stories about real figures in settings around the world, spanning from 900AD to the 1950s.
When I’ve just finished reading a really dramatic, or emotional, or action-packed novel, I often think to myself… but what would it look like on screen? And clearly I’m not the only one who has this instinct! There’s an entire Oscar category for Best Adapted Screenplay, which doesn’t always been adapted from a book… but often does. When you really love a book, there’s something magical about hearing your favourite quote being recited by a famous actor, or seeing a larger-than-life action scene projected onto the big screen.
This challenge will have us take a step back and read the book that was the inspiration and source material for a book or movie adaptation. They say the book is always better, and this is your chance to find out! Here is a list of recommended reads in this category – although, of course, there are hundreds of books that would meet this criteria and you are more than welcome to read something not on this list, too!