Adapting a well-loved book into a movie is a risky (if lucrative) business. Fans of the book might think the movie could never live up to their imaginations. And many people will watch a movie adaptation without having read the book that originally inspired it. YouGov’s US panelists have been quizzed on which books and movie adaptations they have seen out of a list of classic literature. We find out what Americans think is best – the bestseller or the blockbuster.
The most popular BOOKS Americans have read are:
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (44% have read)
- The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (31% have read)
- The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (29% have read)
The most popular MOVIES Americans have seen are:
- The Silence of the Lambs adapted in 1991 (44% have watched)
- The Harry Potter movies adapted 2001-2011 (54% have watched)
- The Shining adapted in 1980 (25% have watched)
American classics top the favorite book list and US thrillers feature highly in the list of popular movies. Respondents are much more likely to have seen the movie adaptation than they have read the book – this is not surprising, considering the comparative time it takes to see a movie than to read a book.
To Kill a Mockingbird is the most popular book listed – 44% of Americans have read Harper Lee’s compelling story of inequality in 1930s Alabama. The novel is an American classic and popular as a set textbook in High School and college. Even though more Americans (46%) have seen the 1962 adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird starring Gregory Peck than have read the book, it comes in as the seventh most popular movie.
The biggest difference in movie viewers versus book readers was with The Silence of the Lambs, which 46% more Americans had seen the adaptation. Anthony Hopkins was acclaimed for his performance in the 1991 movie of The Silence of the Lambs, which 59% of Americans have seen, but only 13% have actually read. 18% more respondents have got stuck in to a copy of The Catcher in the Rye than had seen the movie. And Americans are much more likely to have not read any of the bestsellers listed – 29% have not read any of the books in the survey, compared with 11% who had not seen any of the movies.
Harry Potter high in young demographic
The children’s book series that became a bestseller in the previous decade, Harry Potter, is a top book and movie for 18-29 year-olds. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a classic children’s book that has also been widely read by the younger demographic. The Catcher in the Rye makes it to the top three most read books for people aged 30 and over.
Gender divide: Women prefer watching horror
While the top two books for men and women are the same, the genders are divided over which movies they have seen. More women than men have seen The Silence of the Lambs and The Shining, which are in the top three most-watched adaptations for females. Men prefer Lord of the Rings and Da Vinci Code when it comes to books and movies, which do not feature in the women’s favorite list.
So when it comes to classic stories, more Americans will have watched the movie than they have read the book. But does this mean the movie is better? 77% of us would disagree.
