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Artwork for It Was A Book First

It Was A Book First

It Was A Book First
Book-To-Screen Adaptations
The Odyssey
It Was A Book First
Off Campus
The Sheep Detectives
Cape Fear
New York
Coyote Vs. Acme
Christopher Nolan
Three Bags Full
Looney Tunes
The Testaments
Heated Rivalry
Craig Mazin
Vienna
Late Fame
Arthur Schnitzler
The Dog Stars
Streaming Adaptations
Apple TV

It Was A Book First is a weekly podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Hosted by culture reporters and former colleagues Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg, IWABF dissects the TV and film adaptations everyone is talking about, what you'll be reading and watching next, and the business behind what actually makes it off the page.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes15Founded3 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksArtsTV & Film

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Artwork for It Was A Book First

Latest Episodes

This week, Sophie and Rudi discuss a movie that almost didn’t exist: “Coyote vs. Acme,” a hybrid live action and cartoon Looney Tunes reboot that’s based on Ian Frazier’s 1990 New Yorker piece of the same name.

The movie centers on Wile E. Coyote su... more

This week, Sophie and Rudi discuss “The Dog Stars,” director Ridley Scott’s adaptation of Peter Heller’s 2012 novel of the same name. Set in a post-apocalyptic future ravaged by a flu pandemic that wiped out most of humanity, the film stars Jacob Elo... more

This week, Washington Post food reporter Tim Carman joins Sophie and Rudi to discuss “Tony,” A24’s loose adaptation of Anthony Bourdain’s breakout 2000 memoir “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.”

The film, directed and co-w... more

This week, costume designer Whitney Anne Adams joins Sophie and Rudi to discuss how she approaches book-to-screen adaptations. Whitney, who hosts the “Tales From a Costume Designer” podcast, worked on Baz Luhrman’s 2013 adaptation of F. Scott Fitzger... more

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Recent Guests

Tim Carman
Food reporter and critic for The Washington Post; appeared on No Reservations
The Washington Post
Episode: 'Tony' Rewrites Anthony Bourdain's 'Kitchen Confidential' (with Tim Carman)
Whitney Anne Adams
Costume designer
Various film projects including book adaptations
Episode: How Hollywood Costume Designer Whitney Anne Adams Styles Book Adaptations
Sammy Burch
Oscar-nominated screenwriter (Late Fame, May December)
Killer Films / writer
Episode: Oscar-Nominated Writer Samy Burch on Adapting Lost 19th Century Novella 'Late Fame'
Roxana Hadadi
Vulture TV critic, Peabody Jurist
Vulture
Episode: We Watched Apple TV's 'Cape Fear' So You Don’t Have To (with Vulture's Roxana Hadadi)
Kyle Gervais
Professor of Classics
Western University (London, Ontario)
Episode: Two Classics Professors on Why Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Works (with Kyle Gervais and Il-Kweon Sir)
Il-Kweon Sir
Assistant Professor of Greek Literature
Western University
Episode: Two Classics Professors on Why Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Works (with Kyle Gervais and Il-Kweon Sir)
Gary Goldstein
Journalist, screenwriter, and author; LA Times contributor
LA Times
Episode: What the Emmys Tell Us About Book-to-Streaming Adaptations (with Gary Goldstein)

Hosts

Sophie Vershbow
Culture writer and book-to-screen analyst with bylines in Esquire, New York Magazine, and The Atlantic; covers literary adaptations, publishing history, and industry trends.
Rudi Greenberg
Entertainment journalist and book-to-screen analyst with experience covering film, television, and industry dynamics; known for discussions on casting, adaptation choices, and audience reception.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 96 ratings
  • The movie podcast you didn’t know you needed

    Literally the best movie podcast out there. (See what I did there?)

    Find out extra details that make a great movie‘s message hit harder. Learn about why a crummy movie should have been better (while avoiding wasting your time and money). And listen to two very smart people along the way who know how to talk about this stuff without making you feel stupid!

    You won’t regret listening to this one.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gnarfest
    United States12 days ago
  • Misleading

    The +1hr “with” episodes in reality means 20min with the marketed guests.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    FerchoDracoRosa
    United States20 days ago
  • Annoying

    Good concept but listen again.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    1 musketeer
    United States23 days ago
  • Definitely Opinions, but Not Good Ones

    The hosts in the show spends a great deal of time explaining how the Off Campus/Briar books came out prior to Heated Rivalry taking off in the beginning of the podcast then around 38 minutes in spend far too much time saying that “Off Campus the straight Heated Rivalry”. As a lover of both, and someone who read the books years ago, that’s just beyond disrespectful to either message the shows are putting into existence and reducing them to hockey only which is annoying (even as a real hockey fan)... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Southern Sweetheart13
    United States2 months ago
  • Love the podcast!

    Really great idea for a show! I listen first thing every Wednesday!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    John Behling
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Fans enjoy the book-to-screen angle, appreciating practical takeaways for readers and viewers.
Listeners praise the hosts' rapport and deep industry knowledge, calling it well-researched and engaging.
The show is seen as a reliable source for understanding how adaptations are developed and marketed, with a candid, conversational vibe.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#9
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#33
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#17
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#53
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#64
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#158
United Kingdom/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

'Tony' Rewrites Anthony Bourdain's 'Kitchen Confidential' (with Tim Carman)
Q: What irked you about the choices the filmmakers made in inventing aspects of Bourdain's origin story?
Tim Carman argues that while the creators had good intentions, the film invented pivotal mentor figures and compressed timelines, which risks creating a simplified, composite version of Bourdain that doesn't fully align with the real life and evolution of his career.
Oscar-Nominated Writer Samy Burch on Adapting Lost 19th Century Novella 'Late Fame'
Q: So what made you want to both adapt this novella and really tackle an adaptation?
Sammy explains that the novella's public-domain status and the tight, simple core made it an appealing canvas for modernization, allowing her to preserve the biting humor and inner life of the protagonist while translating the setting to 70s–80s New York.
Two Classics Professors on Why Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Works (with Kyle Gervais and Il-Kweon Sir)
Q: What do you think Nolan is trying to achieve with this adaptation beyond simply retelling The Odyssey?
The guests agree Nolan is translating the Odyssey for our times, engaging with a tradition of storytelling and exploring inner psychology, trauma, and modern social questions rather than offering a straightforward adaptation of the epic.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
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Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About It Was A Book First

What is It Was A Book First about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on book-to-screen adaptations, with a focus on how novels morph into TV series and films, including casting decisions, tonal shifts, production context, and the business side of bringing pages to screens. Episodes typically dissect notable adaptations, compare source material to on-screen versions, and explore audience reception, industry incentives, and upcoming projects. The hosts' chemistry and industry savvy help listeners understand why certain adaptations land with readers, what changes are made for the screen, and what this means for future IP-driven storytelling. The format often blends close-reading of source material with behind-the-scenes anecdotes, making it engaging for readers, viewers, and decision-makers in... more

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1. Feedback with Ira Madison III
2. Code Switch
3. Planet Money
4. Pop Culture Happy Hour
5. Freakonomics Radio

How many episodes of It Was A Book First are there?

It Was A Book First launched 3 months ago and published 15 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on It Was A Book First?

Recent guests on It Was A Book First include:

1. Tim Carman
2. Whitney Anne Adams
3. Sammy Burch
4. Roxana Hadadi
5. Kyle Gervais
6. Il-Kweon Sir
7. Gary Goldstein

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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