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Every book Brian Raftery recommended on podcasts
Brian Raftery appears on cultural and literary podcasts such as The Book Review to reflect on cinema history, pop culture milestones, and the enduring legacy of 1970s blockbusters. As a journalist and reporter, Raftery often examines how iconic books transition into cultural phenomena and maintain their presence across generations. During his podcast appearance, he discussed Peter Benchley's bestselling novel Jaws, recalling how he first cracked open a Reader's Digest condensed version of the book as a child when he was not at the beach. Raftery highlighted the secondary life that hit novels enjoyed during that era through paperback editions and discussed how class struggle is depicted in both the novel and its cinematic adaptation. He also shared historical trivia about the book, noting that Fidel Castro famously discussed and praised the novel in an interview with an older men's magazine before the film's release. Additionally, Raftery touched upon the recent republication of Jaws, which included Peter Benchley's developmental papers and script notes, offering fascinating insight into how the author struggled to shape the narrative.
Books recommended by Brian Raftery
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Jaws
Jaws by Peter Benchley is a suspenseful thriller novel about a giant man-eating great white shark that terrorizes a small summer resort town, sparking panic and conflict among local authorities.
Discussed“And while he was doing that, since we're not at the beach, I cracked open the Readers Digest condensed version of Jaws.”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 Years After ‘Jaws’ Terrified Filmgoers, a Reporter Looks Back | The Book Review | 2025-06-13 | 5 |
Other mentions (6: passing, ad reads, own books)
“I mean, we're talking just after Frederick Forsight died and he wrote so many hit books, David Jackal and the Odessa file.”
“I mean, we're talking just after Frederick Forsight died and he wrote so many hit books, David Jackal and the Odessa file.”
“and I do think again going to these 70s novels I think if you want to look at the godfather that's about 10 million things as well considering this is a book about a killer”
“I do think it would make for a pretty great or interesting TV miniseries. No one should ever do that. I'm not recommending anyone ever do that because all people are going to do is think of Steven Spielberg's movie, but there's a lot of rich stuff there and it's one of those big sprawling books like Salem's Live or”
“I do think it would make for a pretty great or interesting TV miniseries. No one should ever do that. I'm not recommending anyone ever do that because all people are going to do is think of Steven Spielberg's movie, but there's a lot of rich stuff there and it's one of those big sprawling books like Salem's Live or”
“I love Manhunter, which like a man-made, which takes Red Dragon and gives it a new ending, which some people really don't like, but some people also absolutely know as the ending of Red Dragon.”