
Free Daily Podcast Summary
by It Was A Book First
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.
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
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”), the eight-episode series modernizes “Carrie” for a Gen Z audience with Summer H. Howell as the titular teenager with telekinetic powers alongside a cast that includes Flanagan regulars Samantha Sloyan (“Midnight Mass”), Matthew Lillard (“The Life of Chuck”) and Rahul Kohli (“The Rise and Fall of the House of Usher”).Before discussing “Carrie,” they introduce their guest, discuss the book she’s writing and ask Ashley why she picked this show for her appearance on the podcast. .After going around and sharing their spoiler-free thoughts on the series (00:005:30), Sophie gives some history on King’s book, which was rescued from the trash by his wife . Then they discuss other “Carrie” adaptations throughout the years — including Brian De Palma’s Oscar-nominated 1976 film starring Sissy Spacek — before Rudi shares some background on the new series and its creator, Flanagan, a frequent adapter of King .Next, they discuss the new “Carrie” series and its many changes from both the source material and the 1976 film . Throughout the conversation, they hit on Sloyan’s brilliant turn as Carrie’s mom, Margaret White , how a key early scene is reworked with social media in mind , Alison Thornton’s diabolical performance as the show’s main mean girl Chris Hargensen and Howell’s winning portrayal of Carrie . Later, they explore how this “Carrie” handles the iconic prom scene and why a new addition to the story nearly ruins the series while also setting up a second season .Sophie then makes her Sophie’s Choice pick for which she liked better: reading King’s “Carrie,” watching De Palma’s “Carrie” or streaming Flanagan’s “Carrie.” Finally, Ashley recommends a classic book that she’d like to see get a new adaptation, which may be happening sooner than she realizes .Next week, we’re discussing two new film adaptations: director Taika Waititi’s take on Kazuo Ishiguro’s AI robot novel “Klara and the Sun,” starring Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams; and “Wicker,” an expansion of the Ursula Wills short story “The Wicker Husband,” about a fisherwoman with a wicker husband, starring Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgard and Peter Dinklage.It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays.Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpodTikTok: @itwasabookfir
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 to her prison sentence. The less said about the movie before you see it the better, so go see it before listening if you haven’t already.Because this is still an adaptation podcast, before discussing “You Can See Everything,” Rudi shares his thoughts on “Whalefall,” a new film adaptation of the 2023 Daniel Kraus survival thriller novel, which stars Austin Abrams and Josh Brolin. The conversation on A24’s “You Can See Everything” begins with Sophie sharing why she finds Holmes (already the subject of the HBO documentary “The Inventor” and the Hulu series “The Dropout,” starring Amanda Seyfried) so fascinating. She also explains how reading John Carreyrou’s book about Theranos, “Bad Blood,” unlocked her passion for nonfiction books. Rudi then talks about why he’s such a big fan of Fielder’s work and gives a primer on his TV shows — “Nathan For You,” “The Rehearsal" and “The Curse” — and shares a quote from a 2017 interview he did with Fielder for The Washington Post. Then he explains why Oppenheim’s stylistic approach to documentary (as seen in “Renn Faire” and “Spermworld”) made him a perfect collaborator for this project. From there, Sophie and Rudi get deep into spoilers for “You Can See Everything.” Throughout their discussion, they explain why they found this movie so thrilling, whether or not this changes their opinion of Holmes, why Fielder and Oppenheim are able to take this film into places you wouldn’t expect, and how the entire experience left them questioning reality and the nature of documentary filmmaking. They also discuss the film’s awards chances, the questions it poses but doesn’t answer, and how “You Can See Everything” explores adaptation in fascinating ways.Next week, we’re talking about “Carrie” writer-director Mike Flanagan’s reimagining of Stephen King’s first horror novel from 1974. The Prime Video series stars Summer H. Howell, Samantha Sloyan and Matthew Lillard.It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays.Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpodTikTok: @itwasabookfirstYouTube: @itwa
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, features an ensemble cast that includes Florence Pugh, Christopher Abbott, Mike Faist, Hoon Lee and Ciarán Hinds.Before introducing their guests, Sophie and Rudi share some exciting news: It Was A Book First was nominated for the Best Book Podcast award at next month’s ASTRA Podcast Awards! Roxana and Thomas then join the show to discuss “East of Eden,” which they both have written about. Roxana recapped each episode of the series and interviewed stars Martha Plimpton and Hoon Lee for Vulture. Thomas toured the Library of Congress with Zoe Kazan and Florence Pugh for a Washington Post feature. They go around and share their general thoughts on the Netflix adaptation, which they all enjoyed before Sophie shares some history behind Steinbeck’s novel and Rudi details the team behind the limited series .From there, the hosts and their guests dive deep into dissecting “East of Eden,” with Sophie and Roxana pointing out changes from the book as they go. They start by discussing Florence Pugh’s award-worthy performance as Cathy Ames. They explore what makes Cathy such an inscrutable character, whether or not she’s been remade for the series as a Don Draper-like figure and the choice to center her for much of this adaptation. Then they shift their focus, much like the series does, to Christopher Abbott as Adam Trask, and their differing reactions to his subdued performance, which they agree gets better as the show goes on. That leads to a discussion of Mike Faist as Adam’s brother, Charles Trask, and his relationship to Cathy .Talk shifts to Hoon Lee, whose tender turn as Adam’s servant Lee acts as the heart of “East of Eden” and introduces the concept of timshel. They also explain why the choice to leave out much of the Hamilton family (represented by Ciarán Hinds as Sam) was smart and why the last two episodes featuring the Trask boys Cal (Joseph Zada) and Aaron (Joe Anders) feel a bit rushed. Thomas also shares his thoughts on Elia Kazan’s 1955 film “East of Eden,” which only adapts the end of the novel. As they wrap the discussion, Sophie reveals her Sophie’s Choice pick for which she enjoyed more: reading Steinbeck or watching the Netflix series. Finally, Thomas and Roxana share their picks for books they’d like to see get adapted into a series or film: Thomas wants a new take on Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five;” Roxana wants to see someone take on Mark Z. Danielewski's “House of Leaves.” Next week, we’re discussing another streaming series: “Carrie” writer-director Mike Flanagan’s reimagining of Stephen King’s first horror novel from 1974. The Prime Video series stars Summer H. Howell, Samantha Sloyan and Matthew Lillard.Later this week, keep an eye on our podcast feed for a bonus episode about a movie that’s not based on a book but is based on reality (sort of): “<a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=HvW_N5p1q44&time_continue=0&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F&embeds_referring_origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.g
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 office over the weekend, follows a seven-year-old girl named Bella who is haunted by a supernatural entity that looks like her mother. After introducing their guest and briefly discussing the real Ann Dowd and “The Testaments” , everyone shares their general thoughts on the film, which they found disappointing compared to the movie’s trailer that ran before “The Odyssey.” Sophie then gives some background on the book and its author before Rudi shares some details on the film, which stars the Academy Award-winning Chastain in a dual role as Bella’s mom and the titular Other Mommy, along with Jay Duplass (“Sterling Point”) as Bella’s “Daddo” and Arabella Olivia Clark as Bella. Dichen Lachman (“Severance”), Arian Moayed (“Succession”) and Karen Allen (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”) round out the cast. A collaboration between Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Atomic Monster, “Other Mommy” was directed by Rob Savage (“Host”) and adapted by screenwriter Nathan Elston (“Succession”). This time, Rudi read the book and Sophie did not, so as they walk through the plot, he points out the differences, of which there are many, including collapsing several characters, cutting monologues and softening some of the book’s darker points . Throughout the discussion, Sophie, Rudi and Ali highlight the ridiculousness of “Other Mommy” (both the movie and the entity), why they found the movie funnier than it is scary and how it completely botches the book’s superior ending. They also spend some time theorizing how it could have been better and why, unlike many adaptations they’ve covered on the podcast, this one isn’t quite bound by the same devoted, built-in audience expectations of other books. Rudi then reveals his Rudi’s Choice pick for which he liked better: reading “Incidents Around the House” or watching “Other Mommy.” Finally, Ali shares her pick for a book she’d like to see get adapted for the screen: Lena Dunham’s recent memoir “Famesick.” Next week, we’re discussing “East of Eden,” Netflix’s limited series adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic 1952 novel. The series, created by Zoe Kazan, features an ensemble cast that includes Florence Pugh, Christopher Abott, Mike Faist, Hoon Lee and Ciarán Hinds.It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays.Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpodTikTok: @itwasabookfirstYouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcastEmail: itwasabookfirst@gmail.comHosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi GreenbergGuest: Alison Sivitz Editing: Rudi GreenbergSocial media: Sophie VershbowMusic: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin PonsLogo: <a href="https://www.trishalouiseprieto.com/" rel="noope
This week, Sophie and Rudi discuss “Verity,” a new film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s twisty psychological thriller that stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett.The Amazon MGM movie, which opened at No. 1 at the box office this past weekend, stars Hathaway (“The Odyssey”) as Verity Crawford, the writer of a famous thriller book series, whose husband (Josh Hartnett, “Oppenheimer”) enlists a younger writer, Lowen Ashleigh (Johnson, “Fifty Shades of Grey”), to help Verity finish the popular series after a car accident leaves her unable to write.Before they get to the book and film, Sophie recommends reading journalist Patrick Radden Keefe’s new book "London Falling” and Rudi shares what it was like to spend a week seeing three pop star arena shows — Charli XCX, Phoebe Bridgers and Olivia Rodrigo — all of whom have music in page-to-screen adaptations this year .They begin their “Verity” chat by sharing their overall feelings on the film and dig into the Colleen Hoover phenomenon and her growing cinematic universe . Then they discuss director Michael Showalter, who previously collaborated with Hathaway on the adaptation of “The Idea of You,” writer Nick Antosca (“Cape Fear”) and the film’s development before diving in-depth into “Verity’s” twisty plot .Throughout their conversation, Sophie explains why this is a mostly faithful adaptation of the 2018 novel that still managed to leave out a few key details (and invent some unnecessary ones). They both share what they found frustrating about the film, what made them laugh, and whether or not “Verity” is as campy as it thinks it is.They debate the merits of Johnson as an actor and fawn over the real-life house where much of the movie is set before getting into the manuscript that sets the twists in motion and the letter that has ignited debate among fans (are you Team Manuscript or Team Letter?) and Hoover herself . Rudi shares his theory on a more interesting idea for an alternate ending , they briefly compare “Verity” to “The Housemaid” adaptation from 2025 and discuss how Hathaway’s performance compares to the other four movies she starred in this year.Finally, Sophie shares her pick for what she enjoyed more: Reading Hoover’s writing or watching the film .Next week, we’re discussing the horror movie “Other Mommy,” which adapts Josh Malerman’s 2024 novel “Incidents Around the House.” The film, which stars Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass, and Arabella Olivia Clark, opens in theaters this weekend.It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays.Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpodTikTok: @itwasabookfirstYouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcastEmail: itwasabookfirst@gmail.comHosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi GreenbergEditing: Rudi GreenbergSocial media: Sophie VershbowMusic: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin PonsLogo: Trisha Louise PrietoWebsite: Kevin Pfab</
This week, NPR pop culture correspondent Linda Holmes joins Sophie and Rudi to discuss “The Love Hypothesis,” Prime Video’s new streaming adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s 2021 novel of the same name. The fake dating romantic comedy stars Lili Reinhart ("Riverdale") as PhD student Olive Smith and Tom Bateman as professor Dr. Adam Carlsen. Rachel Marsh and Jaboukie Young-White also star in the film, which was directed by Claire Scanlon (“Set It Up”) and adapted by screenwriter Sarah Rothschild. Before they discuss the book and film, they talk about rom-com adaptations and tropes with Linda, who co-hosts “Pop Culture Happy Hour” and has written three novels, including the rom-com “Back After This.” Then, Sophie explores the origins of “The Love Hypothesis,” a BookTok hit that began in a galaxy far, far away as “Head Over Feet,” “Star Wars” fan fiction that shipped Rey (who was portrayed by Bateman’s wife, Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (played by Adam Driver). After discussing more rom-com tropes and setting up the story’s fake dating premise , Rudi details the film version and they give some general thoughts on the movie. Throughout their discussion, Sophie shares the many differences from the book , what’s missing from the Adam character and how the filmmakers approached adapting the book’s infamous Chapter 16 . Linda shares what she thought worked and didn’t work about the film in the context of other rom-coms; while Rudi and Sophie talk about their issues with the film’s tonal whiplash and the lack of chemistry between the two leads. They briefly discuss Amazon and Prime Video’s strategy of leaning into romance adaptations like “Off Campus” (and non-adapations like “Sterling Point”) before they debate whether these stories work better as series instead of films Linda then talks about how she’d like to see her own books get adapted, specifically her 2019 novel “Evvie Drake Starts Over,” which has been optioned for a potential adaptation. Before wrapping up, Sophie reveals her Sophie’s Choice pick for which she liked better: Reading Hazelwood’s book or watching the Prime Video movie. Finally, Linda offers her pick for a book she’d like to see get adapted for the screen: the 2004 Jennifer Crusie romance novel “Bet Me.” Next week, we’re sticking to the romance genre but adding a psychological thriller element for “Verity,” Amazon MGM’s theatrical film adaptation of the 2018 Colleen Hoover book starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett.It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays.Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpodTikTok: @itwasabookfirstYouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcastEmail: itwasabookfirst@gmail.comHosts and producers: <a href="https://x.com/svershbow" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_b
This week, Sophie and Rudi look ahead to the book-to-screen adaptations they’re most anticipating watching this fall. From horror stories to new takes on Jane Austen, they picked 11 adaptations they can't wait to cover on the podcast before rapid-firing through some other adaptations they’re intrigued to see make the leap to the screen later this year. “East of Eden,” Oct. 1, Netflix, based on the John Steinbeck novel “Verity,” Oct. 2, theaters, based on the Colleen Hoover book “Carrie,” Oct. 7, Prime Video, based on the Stephen King book “Other Mommy,” Oct. 8, theaters, based on Josh Malerman’s “Incidents Around the House” “Sense & Sensibility,” Oct. 16, theaters; “Pride & Prejudice,” Dec. 2, Netflix; both based, respectively, on Jane Austen novels “Klara and the Sun,” Oct. 23, theaters, based on the Kazuo Ishiguro novel “Victorian Psycho,” Nov. 13, theaters, based on the Virginia Feito novel “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” Nov. 20, theaters, based on the Suzanne Collins book “Dig,” Nov 23, Peacock, based on “Excavations” by Kate Myers “Dune: Part Three,” Dec. 18, theaters, based on “Dune Messiah” by Frank HerbertOther fall adaptations: “Primetime,” Sept. 25, theaters; “You Can See Everything,” Oct. 16, theaters “The Social Reckoning,” Oct. 9, theaters “The Cat In the Hat,” Nov. 6, theaters; “Wildwood,” Oct. 23, theaters “Whalefall,” Oct. 16, theaters “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth,” Nov. 23, IMAX theaters, Dec. 23, Netflix “Guarding Stars,” Nov. 18, Netflix; “In a Holidaze,” Dec. 2, Netflix “Wicker,” Oct. 23, theaters “The Good Daughter,” Nov. 12, Peacock “Harry Potter,” Dec. 25, HBONext week, we’re discussing “The Love Hypothesis,” a new streaming rom-com for Prime Video starring Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman that’s based on Ali Hazelwood’s book of the same name, which was originally published as "Star Wars" fan fiction.It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes del
This week, Sophie and Rudi discuss "Practical Magic 2,” the sequel to the witchy 1998 book-to-screen adaptation “Practical Magic,” starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. The new film is an adaptation of writer Alice Hoffman’s “The Book of Magic,” the fourth and final book in her “Practical Magic” series.Bullock and Kidman reprise their roles as the cursed Owens sisters, as do Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing, who play their aunts. The new sequel was directed by Susanne Bier and finds actors Joey King, Maisie Williams and Lee Pace joining the ensemble cast. This film catches us up with the Owens family of witches as they try to break a centuries-old curse.Before talking about curses and spells, Sophie recaps her trip to Italy and the book she read that she can’t stop thinking about, which we’ll be covering on the podcast this fall . Then she discusses a new profile she wrote on novelist Emily St. John Mandel for Elle, which you can read here .Rudi shares a few recent movie recommendations: one new (Joe Swanberg’s “The Sun Never Sets”) and one old (1960’s “Shoot the Piano Player”). He briefly gushes over seeing Robyn in concert before they chat about the Emmy Awards and how adaptations fared (not good) , as well as his thoughts on Apple TV’s “Widow’s Bay” .Then they get into "Practical Magic” and “Practical Magic 2,” starting with their history with the original film , the background behind Hoffman’s books and Sophie’s personal connection to the author . Then Rudi shares some details on the making of the first film and they discuss why it has endured as a cozy fall cult classic .Sophie reveals some major differences between “The Book of Magic” and “Practical Magic 2” before they walk through the shaggy plot and share their thoughts on the new film which they both found to be boring, baffling and bad to look at.Finally, Sophie shares her Sophie’s Choice pick for which she liked better: reading “The Book of Magic” or watching “Practical Magic 2.” Next week, we’re looking ahead to the rest of the year with a special episode previewing the adaptations we’re most anticipating reading, watching and covering on the podcast this fall.It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays.Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpodTikTok: @itwasabookfirstYouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcastEmail: itwasabookfirst@gmail.comHosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi GreenbergEditing: Rudi GreenbergSocial media: Sophie VershbowMusic: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin PonsLogo: Trisha Louise PrietoWebsite: Kevin Pfab
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Listeners also like.

Off The Shelf with Morgann Book
A weekly conversation with authors, actors, and creatives about how stories are developed and adapted from books to screen.

Critical Darlings
Film critics Richard Lawson and Alison Willmore analyze new movie releases, from blockbusters to indie darlings and awards contenders.

Lit Witches: A Fantasy Book Podcast
Penguin Books Australia

Zero to Well-Read
A weekly exploration of famous books, covering plot, themes, and significance, from classics to modern literary hits.

Table Read
Hollywood actors perform acclaimed screenplays with cinematic sound design and immersive audio.

The Big Picture
Film critics discuss essential movies, rankings, drafts, and awards season with deep analysis and curated lists.

WHAT WENT WRONG
Examines the chaotic behind-the-scenes failures and challenges of infamous Hollywood movie productions.

Book Talk, etc.
A podcast offering book recommendations to expand your to-be-read list.

It's Storytime with Wil Wheaton
Wil Wheaton narrates science fiction and fantasy short stories from magazines like Uncanny and Lightspeed.

Documentary First: Conversations on Documentary Filmmaking
Filmmakers discuss the personal and creative journeys behind making documentaries, from idea to release.

The Book Review
Top authors and critics discuss the week’s most notable books and literary news with The New York Times Book Review.

The Bechdel Cast
A podcast examining the portrayal of women in movies, hosted by Caitlin Durante and Jamie Loftus.
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.
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Get key takeaways from It Was A Book First in a 5-minute read.
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of It Was A Book First as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by It Was A Book First.
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
It Was A Book First publishes weekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
It Was A Book First covers topics including Arts, Books, Culture, Film, Society & Culture, TV & Film. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.