''Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century'' is a 2017 nonfiction book by American journalist Jessica Bruder about the phenomenon of older Americans who, following the

Great Recession The Great Recession was a period of marked general decline, i.e. a recession, observed in national economies globally that occurred from late 2007 into 2009. The scale and timing of the recession varied from country to country (see map). At ...

from 2007 to 2009, adopted transient lifestyles traveling around the United States in search of seasonal work (

vandwelling Van-dwelling or vanlife is a lifestyle of living in a vehicle full or part-time. The names are compound words that derive from the fact that it is typically done in a van that has been modified with basic amenities, such as house batteries, solar ...

). The book was adapted into the 2020 film of the same name, which was awarded the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Awards

The book was named a "Notable Book" by ''

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'', was a finalist for the J. Anthony Lukas Prize and the Helen Bernstein Book Award, and won the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award and the international

Ryszard Kapuściński Award The Ryszard Kapuściński Award ( pl, Nagroda im. Ryszarda Kapuścińskiego) is a major annual Polish international literary prize, the most important distinction in the genre of literary reportage. History The award was founded to celebrate and ...

Critical reception

Kirkus ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

'' review stated: "Journalist Bruder... expands her remarkable cover story for ''Harper’s'' into a book about low-income Americans eking out a living while driving from locale to locale for seasonal employment... Engaging, highly relevant immersion journalism." Timothy R. Smith of ''

The Denver Post ''The Denver Post'' is a daily newspaper and website published in Denver, Colorado. As of June 2022, it has an average print circulation of 57,265. In 2016, its website received roughly six million monthly unique visitors generating more than 13 ...

'' wrote, "Bruder, who teaches at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, writes in an evenhanded, impartial tone, avoiding polemicism. She does, however, insert herself into the narrative, sometimes intrusively... Her instinct to get out of the way is wise. The people she meets and the stories they tell are powerful in their own right." Joe Martin of ''

Real Change ''Real Change'' is a weekly progressive street newspaper based in Seattle, Washington, USA written by professional staff and sold by self-employed vendors, many of whom are homeless. The paper provides them with an alternative to panhandling ...

'' commented, "Bruder’s narrative provides an entrée into the lives of resilient Americans meeting challenges with courage and humor. In the nomad world, Bruder encounters an array of appealing characters. They are portrayed with respect and admiration. Some have become friends for whom she has a deep affection."

Film adaptations

The book was adapted into a short documentary film, ''CamperForce'' (2017), in which Bruder served as a producer alongside director Brett Story and executive producer Laura Poitras. In February 2019,

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announced that the book had been optioned by

Frances McDormand Frances Louise McDormand (born Cynthia Ann Smith; June 23, 1957) is an American actress and producer. Throughout her career spanning over four decades, McDormand has received numerous accolades, including four Academy Awards, two Primetime Emm ...

and Peter Spears. Adapted and directed by Chloé Zhao, the 2020 film starred McDormand and

David Strathairn David Russell Strathairn (; born January 26, 1949) is an American actor. Known for his leading roles on stage and screen, he has often portrayed historical figures such as Edward R. Murrow, J. Robert Oppenheimer, William H. Seward, and John Do ...

, alongside Linda May, Charlene Swankie, and Bob Wells, three vandwellers featured in the book. The film received critical acclaim, receiving four nominations at the

78th Golden Globe Awards The 78th Golden Globe Awards honored the best in American television of 2020, as well as film in 2020 and early 2021, as chosen by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The ceremony took place on February 28, 2021, nearly two month ...

, winning two: Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director – Motion Picture for Zhao. Nominated for seven prizes at the 74th BAFTA Awards, the film won four in April 2021, including Best Picture and Best Director. The film earned six nominations at the

93rd Academy Awards The 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released from January 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021, at Union Station in Los Angeles. The ceremony was held on April 25, 202 ...

, winning

Best Picture This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * BA ...

for Zhao, and

Best Actress Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress aw ...

for McDormand.

References

External links

*
CamperForce
' - Field of Vision

IMDb IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...

*
CamperForce
' - Field of Vision

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

*
Q&A: 'Nomadland' author Jessica Bruder
' -

PBS NewsHour ''PBS NewsHour'' is an American evening television news program broadcast on over 350 PBS member stations. It airs seven nights a week, and is known for its in-depth coverage of issues and current events. Anchored by Judy Woodruff, the pro ...

{{Authority control 2017 non-fiction books Books about poverty Working class in the United States W. W. Norton & Company books Non-fiction books adapted into films J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize-winning works