It Was A Book First

About 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.

Publisher

It Was A Book First

Category

arts · society & culture · tv & film

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

4 Jun 2026

Latest episode

7 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

9 of 19 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   7 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Why Colleen Hoover's 'Verity' Needed a Campier Adaptation

   Hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg analyze the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's "Verity," debating its faithfulness to the novel and campy execution.

2. 

   30 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   'The Love Hypothesis' Fails the Rom-Com Chemistry Test (with Linda Holmes)

   NPR pop culture correspondent Linda Holmes joins hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg to analyze "The Love Hypothesis" adaptation, discussing its rom-com tropes and chemistry.

3. 

   23 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Fall’s Most Anticipated Book-to-Screen Adaptations

   Hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg preview fall's most anticipated book-to-screen adaptations, discussing genres from horror to Jane Austen.

4. 

   16 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   'Practical Magic 2' Is a Cursed Adaptation of 'The Book of Magic'

   Hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg discuss Alice Hoffman's "The Book of Magic" and its "Practical Magic 2" film adaptation, exploring the cursed Owens sisters' story and the adaptation's shortcomings.

5. 

   9 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   'Coyote vs. Acme' Is Looney Tunes for People Who Read The New Yorker

   Hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg discuss the journey and charm of "Coyote vs. Acme," an adaptation of Ian Frazier's New Yorker piece.

6. 

   2 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Even the Stars of 'The Dog Stars' Can't Save Ridley Scott's Adaptation

   Hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg analyze Ridley Scott's adaptation of Peter Heller's "The Dog Stars," discussing its plot and casting choices.

7. 

   26 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   'Tony' Rewrites Anthony Bourdain's 'Kitchen Confidential' (with Tim Carman)

   Hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg interview Washington Post food reporter Tim Carman about the film "Tony" and its adaptation of Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential."

8. 

   19 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   How Hollywood Costume Designer Whitney Anne Adams Styles Book Adaptations

   Host Sophie Vershbow and guest Whitney Anne Adams, a Hollywood costume designer, explore how to visually translate books into compelling on-screen adaptations.

9. 

   12 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Oscar-Nominated Writer Samy Burch on Adapting Lost 19th Century Novella 'Late Fame'

   Oscar-nominated writer Samy Burch discusses adapting Arthur Schnitzler's novella "Late Fame" with hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg, revealing insights into her creative process.

10. 

    5 Aug 2026

    We Watched Apple TV's 'Cape Fear' So You Don’t Have To (with Vulture's Roxana Hadadi)

    Vulture TV Critic Roxana Hadadi joins hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg to dissect Apple TV's "Cape Fear," exploring its adaptation failures and missed opportunities.

11. 

    29 Jul 2026

    Two Classics Professors on Why Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Works (with Kyle Gervais and Il-Kweon Sir)

    Classics professors Kyle Gervais and Il-Kweon Sir discuss Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" adaptation, exploring its faithfulness to Homer's epic and scholarly interpretations.

12. 

    22 Jul 2026

    'The Odyssey' Is an Epic Adaptation Worthy of Homer’s Poem

    Hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg analyze Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" adaptation, discussing its faithfulness to Homer's epic and modern relevance.

13. 

    15 Jul 2026

    What the Emmys Tell Us About Book-to-Streaming Adaptations (with Gary Goldstein)

    Hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg interview author and screenwriter Gary Goldstein about how BookTok influences streaming adaptations and his own adaptation experiences.

14. 

    8 Jul 2026

    'The Sheep Detectives' Is 'Three Bags Full' of Quirky Fun

    Hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg interview each other about Amazon MGM's "The Sheep Detectives," exploring its quirky fun and surprising exploration of grief compared to the novel.

15. 

    1 Jul 2026

    'Off Campus': The Art of Adapting 'The Deal'

    Hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg interview each other about adapting Elle Kennedy's "The Deal" into the Amazon Prime Video series "Off Campus."

16. 

    24 Jun 2026

    'The Testaments' and 'Backrooms' Explore Different Kinds of Horrors

    Hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg interview each other about how "The Testaments" and "Backrooms" explore different kinds of horrors.

17. 

    17 Jun 2026

    'Margo's Got Money Troubles' Gets the Book (Mostly) Right

    Hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg interview creator David E. Kelley about Apple TV's adaptation of Rufi Thorpe's novel, exploring its portrayal of social media and its cast.

18. 

    17 Jun 2026

    'Project Hail Mary' Is the Biggest Adaptation of 2026 … So Far

    Hosts Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg interview each other about the adaptation of Andy Weir's "Project Hail Mary," exploring its successes and deviations from the novel.

19. 

    4 Jun 2026

    Teaser: 'It Was A Book First'

    Welcome to It Was A Book First (itwasabookfirst.com), a new podcast about the book-to-screen adaptations everyone is talking about. Each week, culture reporters Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg will discuss a new book-to-screen adaptation, covering everything from how it got made to how readers are reacting to it. We’ll also talk to authors and industry insiders about how books actually go from page to screen. Our first two episodes drop on Wednesday, June 17th! Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod (https://www.instagram.com/itwasabookfirstpod/) TikTok: @itwasabookfirst (https://www.tiktok.com/@itwasabookfirst) YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast (https://www.youtube.com/@ItWasaBookFirstPodcast) Email us at itwasabookfirst@gmail.com (mailto:itwasabookfirst@gmail.com)

Inside a recent episode

Why Colleen Hoover's 'Verity' Needed a Campier Adaptation

Published 7 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] I love the house. It's a real house. It's a real house. So this is a real house in Armonk, New York, kind of like in Westchester County. Armonk? Yes. That's like pretty close to the city. That's crazy. It was built in the early 1960s by a Danish designer for Martha and Ted Nuremberg, the founders of the homeware brand Dansk. I'm bad at pronouncing things. Today, the house functions as a wellness retreat center called Beckoning Path. So this is a real place they shot. Yeah, I know, right? I kind of want to go there. They shot some of the scenes there. […]

Who has been a guest on It Was A Book First

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Linda Holmes
• Tim Carman
• Whitney Anne Adams
• Samy Burch
• Roxana Hadadi

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.6 / 5

81 ratings

Contact It Was A Book First

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about It Was A Book First