South Idaho Author’s Award-Winning Book Becomes Netflix Series

Authors dream of seeing their books get published and ultimately find a way into homes across the world, but when a novel lands on a bestseller list and becomes a series on a streaming platform such as Netflix, then that's a truly amazing accomplishment. One Boise author's 2017 book accomplished all of that and more.

Some of you might be familiar with the name Anthony Doerr. Although he was raised in Ohio, he has called Boise home for the past several years. He has authored multiple books, numerous essays, short stories, and award-winning story collections, according to his online biography.

 One season of the show was produced, and actor Mark Ruffalo plays the male lead.

Doerr's 2017 novel, "All the Light We Cannot See," climbed to the number one spot on the New York Times Bestseller list. The book also won a Pulitzer Prize.

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In 2023, the novel, which tells the story of a soldier and a blind woman in the times of World War II, was picked up by Netflix and made into a series. One season of the show was produced, and actor Mark Ruffalo plays the male lead. Ruffalo is best known for his role as the Marvel character The Incredible Hulk.

Doerr's other books include About Grace, and most recently, Cloud Cuckoo Land (2021). All of his works are available for purchase on numerous websites including Amazon. All the Light We Cannot See retails for between $12 and $18.

The Netflix series based on Doerr's 2017 bestselling book was directed by Shawn Levy of Stranger Things fame. Doerr is married, has two sons, and owns a home in Boise.