Ever wonder how your favorite movies were dreamed up?
A ton of awesome films began as even more awesome books! Listening to the audiobook before (or after) seeing the movie can be a total game-changer. You catch new details, and it’s a cool way to compare the story and the visuals. And ahead of the Oscars, now is the perfect time to catch up on the stories behind nominated pictures.
So grab your headphones and dive into these audiobooks, everything from true stories to popular novels. It’s like a behind-the-scenes pass for your ears.
Audiobooks adapted into award-winning/nominated movies
Twelve Years a Slave
Twelve Years a Slave is a powerful autobiography detailing Solomon Northup’s 1841 kidnapping from New York and subsequent enslavement in Louisiana. Published in 1853, it significantly impacted the slavery “debate” preceding the Civil War. Northup, a free Black man, was tricked, drugged, and sold into slavery, enduring brutal conditions for 12 years before being rescued. A major motion picture starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Brad Pitt, Paul Giamatti, and Michael Fassbender was released in 2013, and won an Oscar for Best Picture.
Room
Room tells the story of five-year-old Jack and his mother, held captive in an 11-by-11-foot shed. To Jack, Room is his entire world, while for Ma, it’s a prison. Through love and resilience, they create a life within their confinement. As Jack’s curiosity grows and Ma’s desperation intensifies, they plan a daring escape, facing the challenges of the outside world and the unbreakable bond between mother and child. The 2015 movie Room, based on Donoghue’s novel, received four Academy Award nominations. Brie Larson won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the film.
Wild Robots
“Super heart warming tale of a robot, named Roz, shipwrecked on an island. She is faced with adapting and learning to survive in her new home. Roz teaches perseverance and how kindness in the face of adversity CAN create meaningful relationships. As the listener we learn that families come in all shapes and sizes, and how it can be hard to be the newcomer in a community. A pleasure to listen to!”
— Emma • Content
Erasure
“The novel on which the film American Fiction is based: Percival Everett’s caustic, funny and thought-provoking novel about race, stereotypes, and the publishing industry.”
— Nora • Bookstore1Sarasota
The Nickel Boys
“A brilliant Black boy, in the wrong car, meets the wrong cop. A for-profit penal system puts him in a reform school run by abusers, with a suspicious graveyard out back. What happens next is… a powerful arc bending toward justice? Colson Whitehead delivers a book about suffering that does not revel in suffering, a book about keeping the soul in a broken world, a book that leaves the reader wanting the hero to embrace the person he has become.”
— Nialle • The Haunted Bookshop
Men Without Women
Men Without Women is a collection of seven stories, including the story behind the award-winning movie Drive My Car, exploring the lives of solitary men. From lovesick doctors to Kafka’s Gregor Samsa, these tales delve into themes of loneliness, loss, and the absence of significant women. With his trademark wit and poignancy, Murakami crafts a contemporary classic that resonates with readers, offering insights into the human condition while sometimes raising more questions than answers.
Hidden Figures
“Every so often I find myself blindsided by history, in this case by a wealth of information lurking unseen below the surface about the African-American female mathematicians working at NASA from its very inception being just the tip of the iceberg. What I found when I delved into Shetterly’s well researched and lovingly written homage to the women who inspired her was not only the history of integration in this country as seen through the lens of one organization and the many lives it touched. I was also reminded that not all heroes have plaques, and sometimes it’s about getting up and showing up, tirelessly and ceaselessly demanding one more inch of dignity. I was humbled by the stories of these women, and there were more of them than you would believe, who fought so that their children and indeed all of America could go yet farther.”
— Jax • Bookshop Santa Cruz
Other page-to-screen adaptations on audio
Red, White & Royal Blue
“Fresh, irreverent, and funny, Red, White & Royal Blue is a delight and a treasure. With subtle jabs, Casey McQuiston pokes fun at both the public face of the British monarchy as well as the back-door politicking that dominates the U.S. political scene. The story follows the self-centered Alex Claremont-Diaz (America’s First Son) and his interactions with British Prince Henry of Wales. As hostility increases between two political scions forced into a sham friendship, we see the framework of political destiny and duty begin to fray. Little by little, hostility turns to something else entirely. This is a story about happiness—and, more importantly, honesty—for those who live their lives in the public eye.”
— Todd Ketcham • The Book Cellar
Killers of the Flower Moon
“Did you know that the richest people per capita in the world in the 1920s were members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma? Me neither. Soon after oil was discovered under their land, a series of murders plagued the Osage Nation and one by one members were killed off, along with those who attempted to get to the bottom of this mystery. This is a shocking and sad tale, a page-turner destined to appeal to true-crime fans and history buffs alike. “
— Jeanie • Ruby’s Books
If Beale Street Could Talk
If Beale Street Could Talk is a love story set in 1970s Harlem. It follows 19-year-old Tish and her sculptor fiancé Fonny, who is falsely accused of rape and imprisoned. As Tish discovers she’s pregnant, their families unite to prove Fonny’s innocence. Baldwin’s poignant narrative explores love, injustice, and resilience in the face of systemic racism.
The Hate U Give
“This bestselling, powerful young adult novel about social justice and one teen girl’s effort to fight for what is right, will leave you breathless. The narration by Bahni Turpin is hands down the best l’ve ever heard. This is such an important book it should be required reading for life in general. Or listening. Definitely listening.”
— Kristen • Tattered Cover
Joy Luck Club
The Joy Luck Club explores the intricate relationships between four Chinese immigrant mothers and their American-born daughters in San Francisco. Through mahjong gatherings, the women share stories of their past and present, revealing cultural clashes and deep family bonds. The story delves into the complexities of generational and cultural identity. It was adapted into a critically acclaimed movie in 1993, directed by Wayne Wang.
Crazy Rich Asians
Crazy Rich Asians follows Rachel Chu, a Chinese-American professor, as she accompanies her boyfriend Nick Young to Singapore. Unaware of Nick’s wealthy background, Rachel is thrust into a world of opulence and social intrigue. The story humorously explores themes of cultural identity, family expectations, and class differences. This bestselling rom-com was adapted into a movie in 2018.
Passing
This 1929 novel explores racial identity and the complexities of “passing” in 1920s Harlem. It centers on Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry, childhood friends who reconnect and whose lives become intertwined. Clare, who is passing as white, fascinates Irene, who although light-skinned chooses to live within the Black community. A film adaptation starring Tessa Thompson and Clare Kendry was released in 2021.
Upcoming adaptations
Klara and the Sun
“Klara and the Sun from Nobel-winner Kazuo Ishiguro is a radiant new novel about the bond between Klara, an Artificial Friend, and Josie, her human companion. The setting, a dystopian realm of genetic editing and stark class divisions, is not surprising given the author’s previous work, yet Ishiguro’s immense, unwavering portrayal of kindness is astonishing and revitalizing. Classic Ishiguro themes of loyalty, friendship, and sacrifice weave through the novel, but the thread of love runs deep, giving the book warmth and hope so that the earned twist feels more like a dawn than a sunset. Whether you’re returning to Ishiguro or discovering his voice for the first time, l’m excited for you. This is a chance to bask in the brilliance of one the greatest writers of our time.”
— Caroline McGregor • Books & Books
Mickey7
“Holding the worst job in the universe, Mickey, or ‘Mickey7’ as he’s currently known, is tasked with the most dangerous missions his colony can throw at him – from being on the frontline of an attack, to being the guinea pig of an experimental drug. Each time Mickey dies, he wakes up in his bed disorientated and covered in goo. It’s only when a mistake is made and his replacement, ‘Mickey8,’ is made while Mickey7 still lives that this expendable man questions his entire existence. Edward Ashton’s Mickey7 boasts the imagination of Richard K. Morgan’s Altered Carbon with the snark and humor of Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary. A fun speculative peak into the distant future where humanity abandons a war-torn Earth to perpetually spread across the cosmos, Mickey7 is a fun and intelligent listen.”
— Nicholas • Mysterious Galaxy Books
The Running Man
Ben Richard is a desperate man with no job and no money. He enters a deadly reality show to save his sick daughter. As a contestant on The Running Man, he must evade hunters for 30 days to win a fortune, but no one has survived past eight days. But desperation can push a person to do things they never thought possible—and Ben Richards is willing to go the distance in this ultimate game of life and death.
People We Meet on Vacation
“I can almost guarantee when I press play on an Emily Henry title, l’m going to love it and I’m going to be doing a lot of introspection. Listening to People We Meet on Vacation was not an exception. I love the dual timelines that both unravel the past and build the pieces back together in the present—I will eat it up every time. I found Poppy to be deeply flawed but I enjoyed seeing her journey of unpacking the things that sewed the seeds of her insecurities and I loved Alex’s cool, calm steadfastness. This might be one of my favorite Emily Henry titles.”
— Jonlyn • A Novel Romance
Explore more audiobooks made into movies with Libro.fm
What are your favorite movies based on books?
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