1. Sideways - Sideways By Rex Pickett
Another novel you likely haven't read, but had a similar impact on popular culture because of the film, is Sideways. A novel about two friends, Miles and Jack, who visit wine country the week before Jack is to be married. Both the novel and the film have Miles disparage Merlot, while lauding Pinot Noir, and as a result, Pinot Noir sales rose, while Merlot sales dropped. The man who deserves the most credit for this impact on the wine industry (which generally resulted in the increasing the consumption of win) is not director Alexander Payne, but Rex Pickett. Despite the film's success and many awards, the novel was never a bestseller, and Pickett barely made any money off the book or the film rights. His experience with publisher ultimately led him to self-publish a sequel to Sideways, titled Vertical. A third installment of the adventures of Miles and Jack is currently being written and should be published next year. There are apparently no plans for the sequels to be adapted to the big screen, so if you loved the movie, and want to know what happens to Miles and Jack, (including things that didn't make it into the film) now's the time to start reading the books.