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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
You Can See Everything
The Odyssey
East Of Eden
It Was A Book First
Off Campus
The Sheep Detectives
New York
Coyote Vs. Acme
Cape Fear
Other Mommy
Christopher Nolan
Three Bags Full
Looney Tunes
Elizabeth Holmes
The Love Hypothesis
The Testaments
Heated Rivalry
Craig Mazin
Vienna

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes23Founded5 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksArtsTV & Film

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Artwork for It Was A Book First

Latest Episodes

This week, writer Ashley Reese (@offbeatorbit) joins Sophie and Rudi to discuss “Carrie,” Prime Video’s new streaming adaptation of Stephen King’s debut horror novel from 1974.

Created by writer-director Mike Flanagan (“The Haunting of Hill House”),... more

In this special bonus episode, Sophie and Rudi discuss “You Can See Everything,” Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s mind-bending new documentary about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes that follows her and fiancee Billy Evans in the days leading up... more

This week, Vulture TV critic Roxana Hadadi and Washington Post editor Thomas Floyd join Sophie and Rudi to discuss “East of Eden,” Netflix’s limited series adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic 1952 novel. The streaming show, created by Zoe Kazan, f... more

This week, Alison Sivitz, also known as Bald Ann Dowd, joins Sophie and Rudi to discuss “Other Mommy,” a new Jessica Chastain horror movie based on Josh Malerman’s 2024 novel “Incidents Around the House.” The film, which debuted at No. 1 at the box o... more

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Recent Guests

Roxana Hadadi
Vulture and New York Magazine television critic
Vulture
Episode: 'East of Eden' Is a Great Adaptation of the Great American Novel (with Roxana Hadadi and Thomas Floyd)
Thomas Floyd
Reporter, editor and theater critic at The Washington Post
The Washington Post
Episode: 'East of Eden' Is a Great Adaptation of the Great American Novel (with Roxana Hadadi and Thomas Floyd)
Alison Sivitz
Writer and internet personality referenced as Bald Ann Dowd
Self-described writer/internet presence
Episode: 'Other Mommy' Is the Worst Book Adaptation of 2026 (with Alison Sivitz)
Linda Holmes
Longtime NPR culture critic, host of Pop Culture Happy Hour
NPR
Episode: 'The Love Hypothesis' Fails the Rom-Com Chemistry Test (with Linda Holmes)
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'
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)

Hosts

Sophie Vershbow
Culture reporter and host with deep ties to publishing and book culture.
Rudi Greenberg
Co-host with strong foothold in media coverage of books-to-screen and entertainment.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 161 ratings
  • Love it!!

    Smart hosts who really breakdown the adaptations, I’m really enjoying each episode!!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Spork28
    United Statesa month ago
  • This is such a good idea and really well carried out. Sophie speaks as well and intelligently as she writes (very!) and she and Rudi are a great team. It's a fun and easy listen while also being full of interesting info and opinions. Highly recommend

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Brighton Kate
    a month ago
  • Addictive

    I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I’m enjoying the banter and discourse even for books I haven’t read or shows I haven’t seen!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Listens on walks
    United Statesa month ago
  • A great listen

    Smart, funny hosts who really know their stuff. If you like books, movies, or both, this is the pod for you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    downloadster
    United Statesa month ago
  • New fave podcast

    My favorite new podcast to listen to! The hosts know what they’re talking about and are not annoying about it. Even if an episode is about a book/movie I haven’t yet read/seen, I still listen to it because the hosts’ voices are soothing to me, and, I get to learn something!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    magsne18
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

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

Overall high-quality discussions on book-to-screen dynamics and market considerations.
Insightful, thoughtful analysis of adaptations with savvy industry context.
Engaging hosts with strong rapport and practical takeaways for listeners.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#19
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#57
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#129
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#193
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#34
New Zealand/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#99
New Zealand/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

'East of Eden' Is a Great Adaptation of the Great American Novel (with Roxana Hadadi and Thomas Floyd)
Q: Is this just me responding to a performance? Or is this me responding to a characterization?
The guests see Adam's subdued performance as fitting his passive characterization, and note that Abbott's portrayal becomes more distinctive as Adam moves on from Cathy.
'East of Eden' Is a Great Adaptation of the Great American Novel (with Roxana Hadadi and Thomas Floyd)
Q: How do you feel about that characterization?
The panel considers whether the series' added sexual assault backstory gives Cathy greater complexity or risks suggesting that abuse explains her later actions. They conclude that her actions remain culpable while the adaptation offers more context for her character.
'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.

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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?

A weekly look at new book-to-screen adaptations, this show analyzes what's trending in film and television, how books are translated to the screen, and the business behind adaptations. Hosts bring culture-press perspective to casting, production design, and narrative shifts, often weaving in industry context and pop-culture tangents. Noteworthy is the duo's knack for pairing sharp industry insight with insider anecdotes, plus a clear focus on the interplay between source material and cinematic or streaming choices. Listeners can expect thoughtful evaluation of adaptation fidelity, pacing, and how press tours or author involvement shape perception and success.

Overall, the show stands out for its in-depth, craft-focused conversations with g... more

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Which podcasts are similar to It Was A Book First?

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1. When They Were Making It
2. Pop Culture Happy Hour
3. This American Life
4. Fresh Air
5. Paper Trail

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

It Was A Book First launched 5 months ago and published 23 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. Roxana Hadadi
2. Thomas Floyd
3. Alison Sivitz
4. Linda Holmes
5. Tim Carman
6. Whitney Anne Adams
7. Sammy Burch
8. Kyle Gervais

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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