Is the book always better than the movie? As librarians, we want to shout from our almost-new rooftop, “OF COURSE IT IS!” but, really, it comes down to personal preference. That said, there are some truly excellent adaptations–here are some of our favorites, plus a list of newer books that are being adapted for the big (and small) screen.
Erin’s favorite literary adaptations
Without a doubt, the best adaptation of this Jane Austen novel is the 1995 BBC miniseries starring Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet and Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. It’s a 6-episode miniseries, so it’s not trying to cram the whole book into a two-hour movie; the comedy and nuance of the book shines through. If you have a chance to watch it (and if you haven’t read Pride and Prejudice recently, or at all!) it could be fun to read the book and then go back to watch that miniseries. If you saw “Bridget Jones’s Diary” (also an adaptation) you saw Colin Firth play another Mr. Darcy. This isn’t a coincidence–the author Helen Fielding is a big fan of the BBC series and created her own version of Mr. Darcy as a love interest to Bridget Jones.
This darling coming of age story by Lucy Maud Montogmery has been adapted into 12 English-language films, and there are also at least 5 movies and TV series loosely based on the book. Call this Canadian librarian biased, but the 1985 CBC miniseries is among the very best.
This 1960 novel by Harper Lee was adapted into the award winning film starring Gregory Peck only 2 years later. The film was nominated for eight Oscars, and won five. The book was also adapted into a Graphic Novel.
I’ll be totally honest with you here. I didn’t even know this was a book until well after I’d seen the movie. But it’s a cult classic for a reason, and everyone should see it (and probably read it). You can go ahead and judge me… as you wish.
Two by Stephen King
It would hardly be an adaptation list without a nod to Stephen King, who has had 34 of his works adapted to film and television. King is a big fan of book-to-film adaptations in general, and of his own adaptations, he’s particularly fond of two (which are also my two favorites). First is “Stand By Me”, which is based on the novella, The Body, which is a loss of innocence/coming-of-age story set in 1960. The second is “The Shawshank Redemption”, based on his short story, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. These stories were published in King’s 1982 short story book Different Seasons. If you loved these films, treat yourself by reading the books, too!
Here are some newer books that have been adapted to small and big screen (and some that are in the works):
- Daisy Jones and the Six, Taylor Jenkins-Reid (Prime Video)
- The Last Thing He Told Me, Laura Dave (Apple TV)
- Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Judy Blume
- American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin
- All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr
- Red, White & Royal Blue, Casey McQuiston
- Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus
Wherever you land in the book vs. movie debate, one thing is for sure, it never hurts to try both, though we recommend book first, then movie. A perfect book might compel you to watch the movie, but a mediocre film isn’t likely to encourage you to pick up the book!
Finally, don’t forget about all the great options you have to watch shows and movies using your library card through the Library of Things, our streaming services, and our DVDs!
