Depends on who you ask

A heated debate: Which of these movies was better than the book version?

Image: Houses Cheung

While some cases are more obvious than others, the answer is usually not so clear. Taste is subjective, and there will always be a defiant voice claiming that the book was better—or the other way around. The following 12 examples of books adapted into movies range from the obvious to the worthy to the sublime—but not necessarily in that order.

Image: Oleksandr Sushko

Peter Benchley’s novel includes more details, subplots, and less action than Steven Spielberg’s film. Granted, there would never have been a Jaws movie without the book first, but the movie version—along with its unforgettable, suspenseful score by John Williams—is generally the preferred one.

Image: Ben Rosett

Mario Puzo, the author of The Godfather, once said he wrote the book without thinking much of it, hoping to make some quick cash to pay off debts. However, when Francis Ford Coppola adapted it into a film, the story was shifted to focus on the relationship between Vito and Michael Corleone. The resulting movie has been acclaimed as a masterpiece ever since.

Image: Marc-Antoine Déry

Originally a technically dense Tom Clancy novel about a rogue Soviet captain, The Hunt for Red October, directed by John McTiernan, became a nerve-wracking film starring a magnetic Sean Connery in the lead role. It’s a great read, but arguably an even better movie.

Image: Clem Onojeghuo

Anyone who has read Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange knows how tiresome it can be to constantly look up the made-up words in the included glossary. The book is compelling, and the story is strong, but it became something entirely different when Stanley Kubrick got hold of it. The addition of classical music to violent scenes, Malcolm McDowell’s performance as Little Alex, and the retro-futuristic setting created a visual experience that arguably surpassed the novel.

Image: Thomas Lefebvre

No one can deny that Tom Wolfe is an exquisite writer, and The Bonfire of the Vanities is a fine example of his talent. However, when the novel was adapted into a 1980s yuppie film, the result was mediocre at best. The shift in the story’s focus, combined with poor casting decisions, led to a critically panned adaptation.

Image: blocks

Nick Hornby wrote a great, insightful novel about a music-obsessed man who breaks up with his girlfriend and confronts a midlife crisis. Director Stephen Frears managed to create an arguably even more compelling film, aided by a brilliant cast spearheaded by an inspired John Cusack in what is perhaps his best performance.

Image: Madeleine Kohler

As great as it is, the Trainspotting book can be a challenging read, particularly for non-Scottish readers, as the novel is heavily written in Scottish vernacular that can be difficult to follow. Danny Boyle’s film adaptation doesn’t face that hurdle. It features phenomenal casting, a memorable soundtrack, and gripping storytelling that makes the gritty material more accessible to a wider audience.

Image: Loren Cutler

Sometimes, a great book can translate into a pretty good movie—and for many, Interview with the Vampire is one of those cases. Anne Rice’s novel about sophisticated, introspective vampires was adapted into a star-studded film featuring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Kirsten Dunst, Antonio Banderas, Christian Slater, and more. While the movie may not be considered a masterpiece, it remains an atmospheric and entertaining film, perfect for a moody Friday night.

Image: Ruthson Zimmerman

Bret Easton Ellis’ books can be intense, and American Psycho is no exception. The lengthy, gory descriptions of violence found in the novel are largely absent from the film, which helps to emphasize the darkly comedic nature of the story. Christian Bale’s outstanding performance as Patrick Bateman only adds to the movie’s impact.

Image: Redd Francisco

Before becoming the cult favorite movie it is today, Fight Club was a novel written by Chuck Palahniuk. While the book is a decent read, the film version is where the story shows its true potential, aided in no small part by the performances of Brad Pitt and Edward Norton.

Image: D A V I D S O N L U N A

An amazing book can translate into an amazing movie—or three. This is certainly true of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and its film adaptation directed by Peter Jackson. From the moment the production was announced, legions of rabid Tolkien fans were ready to tear it apart. However, as the three installments were released, many of those fans became Peter Jackson fans as well. While the book is often considered superior, the movies are masterpieces in their own right.

Image: Hasan Almasi

Stephen King is known as a master of horror, but some of his non-horror stories are just as fascinating. Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption was originally published as part of Different Seasons, a collection of novellas that also includes Apt Pupil. However, it was Frank Darabont’s film, The Shawshank Redemption, that best captured the essence of the story. The Morgan Freeman-narrated tale of a convicted prisoner, his friendship, and his reluctance to lose hope, coupled with a brilliant soundtrack by Thomas Newman, created a true cinematic masterpiece.

Sacred actions

10 Daily Habits Once Considered Magical

Many daily habits we take for granted can be traced back to ancient rituals, religious practices, or traditional customs. From washing your hands to enjoying a morning cup of coffee, these everyday acts carry echoes of centuries-old beliefs, offering a fascinating glimpse into how history shapes modern life.

There was a time when washing one's hands wasn’t just about hygiene. Long before germs were understood, people performed this act for entirely different reasons.

Handwashing originated as a ritual of purification in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, where priests and worshippers cleansed themselves before ceremonies to remove spiritual impurities. Today, many faiths, including Judaism and Islam, uphold these traditions, incorporating specific handwashing practices into their sacred rites.

Similarly, many of our ancestors didn't view bathing as a daily hygienic necessity, save for ceremonial purposes. In Hindu, Jewish, and Roman traditions, water immersion was tied to spiritual purification rather than hygiene alone.

Modern continuations of these practices include ritual baths such as the Jewish mikveh and the Hindu ghats along the Ganges, where devotees bathe to cleanse both body and spirit. European spa culture also traces its lineage back to the grand public bath traditions of Ancient Rome, which were as much about social and spiritual status as they were about getting clean.

Surprisingly, eating utensils weren’t always seen as daily necessities. Both chopsticks in East Asia and forks in Europe originally served ritualistic or symbolic purposes.

Chopsticks were often used in ancestor offerings and ceremonial meals before becoming household staples. Similarly, early European forks were designed to avoid direct contact with food; however, this reflected more of a concern with social etiquette and status rather than a true preoccupation with hygiene.

Coffee’s origins trace back to the 15th century, when Sufi monks in Yemen brewed it to remain alert during nighttime prayers. They viewed the beverage as a tool to enhance focus and spiritual discipline during long hours of devotion.

From its origins in the monastery, coffee spread across the Islamic world and eventually into Europe by the 17th century. Over time, it evolved from a sacred stimulant into a global morning ritual, forever linking the act of "waking up" to a practice rooted in centuries of religious discipline.

Bells have long served as powerful tools in Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian traditions—signaling prayer times, marking sacred rituals, and warding off malevolent spirits. Many cultures also hold that the resonant sound of a bell purifies the surrounding space and invites positive energy.

From church towers to school hallways, bells continue this legacy today. Even the modern dinner bell or digital alert links our daily schedules to this ancient practice of "marking" time and calling a community to attention during significant moments.

In ancient Egypt and Rome, rings were far more than simple decoration. Egyptians wore rings adorned with sacred symbols—such as the scarab or the Shen ring—as protective talismans to ward off misfortune. Meanwhile, Romans used signet rings to denote social rank and authenticate documents, often selecting specific gemstones for their purported mystical properties.

While many modern rings are purely aesthetic, wedding bands and heirlooms still carry deep symbolic weight, echoing their ancient roles as markers of status, protection, and lifelong commitment.

In ancient Greece, during the Mounychia festival (around the full moon), Athenians offered round cakes called amphiphontes to Artemis, goddess of the moon. Historical accounts suggest that these cakes were decorated with small torches or candles arranged in a circle, intended to mimic the moon’s ethereal glow.

Scholars suggest this ritual may have inspired later traditions. Today, birthday candles carry on this practice in a celebratory form, though they still symbolize the ancient themes of light, hope, and protection.

The gesture of crossing one’s fingers has roots in early Christianity: believers are thought to have crossed their index fingers with those of another person to form a secret "X" (like a tiny cross) as a sign of faith and to invoke divine protection during times of persecution.

Over time, the gesture evolved from a two-person pact into a solitary act. By the Middle Ages, individuals began crossing their own fingers to ward off evil or "trap" good luck, eventually becoming the universal symbol for hope and fortune we recognize today**.**

Waving likely evolved from the precursors of the modern salute. In the medieval period, knights would lift the visors of their helmets to reveal their faces and bare their right hands—a practical way to prove they were not carrying a weapon or harboring hostile intent.

Over time, this open‑hand gesture transitioned into a universal greeting. Today, when we wave, the raised palm still subconsciously signals peaceful intentions, echoing its origins as a gesture of peace.

Raising a glass has deep roots in ancient Greece and Rome. At Greek drinking parties, participants raised their cups in libations to the gods—a practice documented in the works of Homer, where toasts were offered to deities like Zeus and Hygieia.

In Rome, the custom took a literal turn: guests often dropped a piece of toasted bread into their wine to temper its acidity and improve the flavor. This birthed the term "toast," from the Latin tostus, meaning "parched" or "burnt." While legends suggest that clinking glasses forcefully was a way to spill wine between cups to prove neither was poisoned, the act remains a universal symbol of trust and celebration.