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.
'Coyote vs. Acme' Is Looney Tunes for People Who Read The New Yorker
Coyote vs. Acme (2026) · Sep 9, 2026
Even the Stars of 'The Dog Stars' Can't Save Ridley Scott's Adaptation
The Dog Stars (2026) · Sep 2, 2026
How Hollywood Costume Designer Whitney Anne Adams Styles Book Adaptations
The Great Gatsby (2013) · Aug 19, 2026
Oscar-Nominated Writer Samy Burch on Adapting Lost 19th Century Novella 'Late Fame'
Late Fame (2026) · Aug 12, 2026
We Watched Apple TV's 'Cape Fear' So You Don’t Have To (with Vulture's Roxana Hadadi)
Cape Fear (1991) · Aug 5, 2026
We Watched Apple TV's 'Cape Fear' So You Don’t Have To (with Vulture's Roxana Hadadi)
Cape Fear (1962) · Aug 5, 2026
'The Odyssey' Is an Epic Adaptation Worthy of Homer’s Poem
The Odyssey (2021) · Jul 22, 2026
'The Sheep Detectives' Is 'Three Bags Full' of Quirky Fun
The Sheep Detectives (2026) · Jul 8, 2026
'The Testaments' and 'Backrooms' Explore Different Kinds of Horrors
Backrooms (2026) · Jun 24, 2026
'Project Hail Mary' Is the Biggest Adaptation of 2026 … So Far
Project Hail Mary (2026) · Jun 17, 2026