The Art of Adaptation is a unique monthly book/film discussion series exploring movie adaptations of books (details below).

APRIL ZOOM SESSION (April 14): The Haunting, based on The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (book 1959, film 1963).

A small group of people investigate a purportedly haunted house.  Considered by many (including Stephen King) to be one of the 20^th century’s best ghost stories, the book has been translated to media multiple times, including two film adaptations, a Netflix series, a radio drama, and two stage plays.  We’ll discuss the top-notch 1963 film version, starring Julie Harris and Claire Bloom.

[ Check out ebook or e-audiobook on OverDrive | Stream Movie on Hoopla ]

Discussion on Zoom begins at 7:00 p.m. on April 14.  After signing up (below) you will be emailed the Zoom link.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

Each month, participants read a designated book and then watch the movie version.  On the second Wednesday evening of the month at 7:00 p.m., we gather by Zoom for an informal discussion, exploring how the adaptation stacked up, and the strengths and weaknesses of different storytelling media.  The diverse books cover the period 1939 to 2010, and the movie versions encompass a variety of genres, including drama, musical, horror, and works based on true stories.

The books and movies are available to borrow free from Gates Public Library, or to download/stream from the library’s OverDrive and Hoopla services (details below).

Download the full schedule
 

HOW TO BORROW THE BOOKS AND MOVIES:

Copies of the books will be available for checkout at Gates Public Library one month prior to the discussion date.  To borrow, you’ll need a library card from Gates or another public library in Monroe County (how to get a card).  Most titles (as indicated in the description) are available in e-book and e-audiobook formats from OverDrive, though the number of e-copies is generally low.

The movies can be watched either by streaming them from Hoopla using the links above, or borrowing DVD and/or Blu-ray copies from Gates Public Library.  To use Hoopla, you must have a Gates Public Library card, or a card from another subscribing MCLS library (Chili, Fairport, Greece, Irondequoit, Pittsford, Rochester Public Library).