But Have You Read the Book?: 52 Literary Gems That Inspired Our Favorite Films

by Kristen Lopez Narrated by Tanis Parenteau

Overview

For film buffs and literature lovers alike, Turner Classic Movies presents an essential guide to 52 cinema classics and the literary works that served as their inspiration.*
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“I love that movie!”
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“But have you read the book?”
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Within these pages, Turner Classic Movies offers an endlessly fascinating look at 52 beloved screen adaptations and the great reads that inspired them. Some films, like Clueless-Amy Heckerling's interpretation of Jane Austen's Emma-diverge wildly from the original source material, while others, like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, shift the point of view to craft a different experience within the same story. Author Kristen Lopez explores just what makes these works classics of both the page and screen, and why each made for an exceptional adaptation-whether faithful to the book or exemplifying cinematic creative license.**

Other featured works include:
Children of Men · The Color Purple · Crazy Rich Asians · Dr. No · Dune · Gentlemen Prefer Blondes · Kiss Me Deadly · The Last Picture Show · Little Women · Passing · The Princess Bride · The Shining · The Thin Man · True Grit · Valley of the Dolls · The Virgin Suicides · Wuthering Heights

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

If you’re a big reader who also loves movies, you’ll get a kick out of [this] cleverly designed anthology . . . Irresistible.”—Ron Charles, The Washington Post

"An impressively entertaining and erudite collection of essays . . . 'But Have You Read The Book?' does its job well: it's the kind of read that'll leave you running to both your reading list and your watchlist to add several titles to the top."—Valerie Ettenhofer, Slash Film

"An engaging tour of various routes from page to film, be they departures, copies or—not implausibly—both simultaneously . . . Spanning Frankenstein to Fight Club, The Lord of the Rings to Little Women, Lopez shows how the art of adaptation is about negotiation, not simply rejection or reverence. And, if nothing else, she gives you a fine reading list to follow."—Total Film

“Lopez compiles the best film adaptations in a sweet, compact volume . . . Lopez's writing is lively . . . A good resource for book clubs and movie buffs alike.”
 —Booklist

“A compendium of 52 stories taken from print to screen [that] parses differences between the versions of each story, pointing out actor credits and box office facts for the movies and themes explored in the books. So is But Have You Read the Book? for film buffs or book nerds? I say both.”—Susannah Felts, BookPage

"A fun and handy guide for book lovers who wonder if they should watch the film adaptation, and for movie lovers who wonder if they should read the source material for a favorite flick." —Shelf Awareness

"With [this] lovely book readers and cinephiles will now have a wonderful guide to assist with finding their next favorite read or watch."—MovieJawn

Library Journal

12/01/2022

"I liked the book better" is a comment often heard after viewing a film based on a book. Lopez has selected 52 classic books that inspired movies and summarizes the differences between the books and the film versions. In some cases, the feature film was mostly faithful to the book, such as No Country for Old Men and Call Me by Your Name. In others, the film incorporated scenes that were not in the book, such as The Talented Mr. Ripley and Clueless. Lopez clearly loves and knows her books. And she loves and knows her movies, too, adding all kinds of insider tidbits about the making of each film. Interestingly, the author never weighs in whether the book or movie was better. She just points out the differences to inspire readers to read the books or see the films, possibly again, and make their own judgments. VERDICT This well-researched book with its 10-page bibliography and addictive compendium will likely inspire movie buffs and literature mavens alike to take her advice.—Rosellen "Rosy" Brewer

Product Details

BN ID:	2940175232111
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	03/07/2023
Series:	Turner Classic Movies
Edition description:	Unabridged

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