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Books, film, TV and Murderbot
June 11, 2025 · 62 min

From Murderbot to Sense and Sensiblity, what are our favourite adaptations from books that we love? Inspired by the recent Apple adaptation of Martha Wells sci-fi novels The Murderbot Diaries, this episode is a celebration of the world of books to film. From the joy of seeing a book that we love brought to the big screen, to the pitfalls when things don't match up to our expectations, we're considering the hits and misses, and passing on our recommendations. You'll be hearing from pod regulars Laura Potter and Phil Chaffee, plus we meet Philippa Donovan, a literary scout to the film and TV world. Philippa founded her consultancy Smart Quill to bridge the gap between agents, publishers and authors around the world. She’s giving us the inside track on the world of book to film.

All that, plus a peek into the future and the upcoming projects we've earmarked as ones to watch.

Interview

Listen to the full interview with literary scout Philippa Donovan here [TO COME]

Patreon

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Head to Patreon.com/thebookclubreview for all the benefits and how to sign up. 

Booklist

All Systems Red by Martha Wells (Book 1)

Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (Book 2)

Room by Emma Donoghue

Normal People by Sally Rooney

The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Sparks

The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

Exhalations by Ted Chiang (the film Arrival is based on Story of Your Life)

Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx

Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissinger

Rivals by Jilly Cooper

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman

Children of Men by P. D. James

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Hunting and Gathering by Anna Gavalda

Barn Burning by Haruki Murakami

Barn Burning by William Falkner

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell by Susanna Clarke

Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

Hot Milk by Deborah Levy

The Friend by Sigrid Nunez

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

The Salt Path by Raynor Wynn

Everything I Know About Love andGood Material by Dolly Alderton

Universality by Natasha Brown

Theory and Practice by Michelle de Kretser

Transcript

Head over to the episode page at thebookclubreview.co.uk for a full transcript