I’ll never forget some of the homes I’ve been in. Not just dirty dishes piled up in the sink, but rotting, weeks old food littered about the room. Not just cluttered corners, but piles and piles of dirty clothes, trash, old toys and broken appliances, so plentiful you could barely walk through the room. Cracks in windows letting in cold air, holes in the walls, doors that didn’t close all the way. Broken down homes.
As a child protection social worker years ago, I encountered home after home like this. I saw people’s lives in shambles, their children paying the price. Some of the parents I met were truly awful, but others were likable people who somehow just couldn’t seem to make the right choices in life.
It left me wondering about them and what brought them to this point in their broken lives.
When I read The Glass Castle, a memoir about this exact family life-the one I had witnessed so many times before, I was intrigued. It was a glimpse inside what it’s like to grow up like that. A glimpse at how a child can sometimes escape that life. And I loved it.
And now they’ve made it a movie! I’m going. I knew as soon as I heard they made it a movie that was going, because I loved the book.
Do you love a great movie that’s based off an even better book? Today let’s talk about 10 amazing movies that will leave you wanting to grab the book right away. Or books that will have dying to see how they made it into a movie.
Which is it for you? Movie first and then if you like it you’ll read the book? Or read the book and hope for the best when they make it a movie?
I admit, I’m a reader first, movie goer second. But either way, I love it when the two go hand in hand!
10 Amazing Books Made Into Movies:
Every book that I am recommending today can be listened to on Audible. And if you don’t have an account to listen to books already, you can get a free 30 day trial to see if you like it!
I’ve already told you about this one. It’s the story of a family, told from the perspective of one daughter, who grows up in the midst of neglect and abuse. It’s a memoir, so it’s based on her actual life and it’s powerful. Be warned though, I read this with my book club and it was a lot for most of them to handle. There’s some heavy stuff in here, but it’s a beautiful, thought provoking book.
Chances are pretty good that you’ve either read this or seen the movie already, if not both, but if you haven’t, it’s time! Both are fantastic! It’s the story from the 1960s of two black women working in privileged white women’s home and a third woman, white, who joins forces with the other two on a project that is risky and dangerous, but powerful and something they hope can change the future. Fantastic on all levels.
This is another that’s popular enough that maybe you’ve already read it, listened to it or seen it? But again, if not, it’s very worth it. It’s a story from WWII and the Holocaust, but this one is a little different. It’s narrated by “death,” a powerful viewpoint for a story such as this. This story is one of my all time favorite WWII books (and I’ve read a lot of them).
A classic from Jane Austen, and I love most of her books, but I chose this one this time because of the fantastic movie adaptation that you can watch if you’ve already read or listened to this book. There’s a BBC version of this book made movie that is my favorite! (And I just discovered that you can actually watch it in 4 parts on Amazon.) A great love story and really a story with some wonderful life lessons as well-read, listen, watch. And if you already have, no worries-it’s a Jane Austen! Do it again!
The Martian:
Now my disclaimer on this one is that I haven’t actually read the book. My husband read it and loved it, so when a group of friends wanted to get together and go see this movie, we went. I admit that I went more for the social experience and had low expectations for the movie, but I loved it! So well done and my husband says the book is too. The poor guy gets trapped on Mars and has to figure out how to survive there. Well thought out story.
My disclaimer on this one is just the opposite-I’ve read the book but I haven’t seen the movie. But the book was so good that I have to recommend it and I want to see the movie. (If you’ve seen it I would love to hear your thoughts.) This one is told by a five-year-old boy who has never left the room he is in. His mother is held captive and is the victim of daily sexual abuse with the little boy the result of that. Clearly, it’s a heavy topic, but reading it from the perspective of a five-year-old boy who has never seen the world is amazing. It was so eye opening and thought provoking.
Just writing about this one makes me want to read or listen to it again and watch the movie! It’s been a while, but it’s amazing. If you loved The Help, you’ll love this one. It’s another story set in the 1960s when racism and intolerance were so bad. A little white girl is taken in and cared for by three wonderful and loving black women. It’s a wonderful story.
A classic-something I read in school years ago, this book is so beautiful, so powerful, so thought provoking. It’s a post apocalyptic society who gives each person a role in the community that they are expected to do without question. It opens questions about why pain, hurt and the hard things in life are worth it. I’ve loved it every time I’ve read it and I loved the movie too!
OK, so this one has a movie being made, but it’s not actually out yet (comes out in November), but the book is great, so I figured it counted to put it in this post. This one is the story of a boy whose face is severely disfigured. And he decides to go to school for the first time in his life (rather than being home schooled). We get to hear his experiences as well as what it’s life for his family and friends as he navigates Middle School with a face that’s not like everyone’s else’s. This is a great book for kids too!
Here are a few more books made into film that you can check out as well!
Now don’t forget about that free 30 day trial on Audible so that you can listen to some of these books.
What books made movies are your favorites?
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Audible. The opinions and text are all mine.
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Abbie says
All of these books sounds so good! I can’t wait to start reading some of them. Thank you for taking the time to make these lists. I have been loving the book club posts!
Carolyn Foat says
ps. You are a dream come true given I adore reading, sewing, papercrafting, and baking!
Carolyn Foat says
Love your taste in books – I have read several of these and loved them. I didn’t realize they had been made into movies!! So exciting! I adore books/movies going back and forth from seeing the movie first and vice versa. Thank you so very much!
Amber says
Me too! Especially if the movie is well made.
Amy says
I love this list! I’ve read every book on the list except Emma, and can recommend them all. I haven’t seen all of the movies, and like you, I’m book first, movie later. I look forward to the next list.
A book I just finished, that was wonderful is The Legacy of Lucy Harte by Emma Heatherington, set in modern day Ireland about how organ donation can change so many lives. If you like history, I recommend The secret Wife by Gill Paul, about the Russian revolution, and a love story involving the Romanov family. No movies attached to these books, but both worth a read!
Amber says
Sounds like I should read those since we must have similar taste in books!
Amy says
Agree, I like your style!