Before there was Audible, and before there were even audiobooks, there was the radio. For many years, the radio was the most accessible way for people to hear the news, consume stories, and connect with others. From family radios that broadcast Roosevelt’s Fireside Chats to car radios that still bring people music and news while on the go, radio broadcasting is a fundamental part of our history and our lives.
Fiction on the radio also has a long history — before conventional soap operas became popular, people tuned in to radio dramas that had new episodes that aired on the radio. Adaptations of plays and books were also wildly popular, and much more economical than the movies: Foley artists could create fantastical worlds and effects with commonplace items, and directors could overcome many hurdles using the power of audio and their audience’s imagination.
Over time, several classic and new radio adaptations have gained fame and accolades that rival their sources material: read on to find five books with fascinating radio and audio adaptations.
War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
The iconic War of the Worlds adaptation, by the famous Orson Welles, is perhaps the most famous radio drama of all time. Written as though it were a real radio news broadcast, the Halloween episode of the Mercury Theatre on the Air actually did fool many listeners, who placed frantic calls to police, newspapers, and radio stations about an imminent alien invasion.
The novel, by H.G. Wells, details the fall of London to a terrifying race of aliens. Welles, who was only 23 at the time, revolutionized radio drama by writing the adaptation not as a play performed on the air, but as though it were an actual broadcast being interrupted in real time by actual events. Welles brought new life to a sci-fi classic, and also scared the living daylights out of many members of the public, and launched the beginning of an illustrious career in radio adaptation.
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
War of the Worlds wasn’t the only novel Welles adapted for radio: he wrote and starred in an epic adaptation of Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, spanning seven episodes and starring Welles himself as Jean Valjean. This adaptation represented the potential that the Mercury Theatre on the Air carried for epic radio drama: a potential that would soon be realized in the coming decade.
Hugo’s epic is certainly a larger ask than the War of the Worlds; it boasts a huge cast of characters beyond Jean Valjean, and an equally epic scope of time. However, for those reasons, it was perfect for a radio adaptation, which was able to convey fantastic scenes and improbable experiences with only the power of sound.
Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake
This marvelously weird series, by English artist Mervyn Peake, comes to life in an equally compelling radio adaptation, starring Freddie Jones as The Artist and Sting as Steerpike. Even the intro, read by Jones, is a journey that could only be heard over the radio, perfectly introducing the wonderfully strange, gothic world of Gormenghast, which lies on the border of reality and imagination.
Titus Groan is the first in a series that chronicles the lives of a mysterious and ancient family who live in the rambling and crumbling castle of Gormenghast. Somber and yet unduly fascinating, Titus Groan’s imposing tone and vivid imagery are perfect for a radio adaptation that will send shivers up your spine.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams originally wrote this series of books for radio, so technically the books are themselves the adaptation — but they’re so iconic they deserve a place on this list. The irreverent, hilarious adaptation, remastered in 2021, is available to listen to now and still holds up as one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a romp if there ever was one, as Arthur Dent, the last surviving man from Earth, careens from situation to situation across the galaxy, always managing to emerge, if not on top, at least generally unscathed. Adams, in whatever form he wrote, penned a saga for the ages — one that would influence nerds for decades to come.
Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
Sir Terry Pratchett is an icon, and so, of course, the radio adaptations of his Discworld series are also iconic. In particular, Guards! Guards! kicks off the Night Watch series, often considered one of the best examples of the way Pratchett’s fantasy could also provide a prescient and piercing look at the politics and values of today. The BBC, which also produced two other works on this list, was a pioneer in bringing radio drama and radio theatre into the modern era, adapting many classic works of English literature for the radio.
The Discworld is a truly fantastical setting, and it’s only done justice in this adaptation because it has the magic of radio to inspire it. Where else can you imagine a world balanced on four elephants, all balancing themselves on a turtle? And of course, starring the vibrant and bizarre city of Ankh-Morpork, presided over by a benevolent dictator and protected by an increasingly exhausted City Watch. If that doesn’t convince you to listen, I don’t know what will.
Many people consider radio to be the victim of television and video’s success. But as these adaptations illustrate, the promise of radio is that it still leaves something up to your own imagination.
With the power of a few sound effects and a really good narrator, you can transport yourself across the galaxy, or back in time, or into the Parisian sewer system. And unlike when the characters live on the screen, when you listen to the radio, it’s as though they’re truly with you, wherever you might be. The magic of radio is to bring to life the characters from your favorite books, in a way that makes them feel closer and more real than ever. So without further ado, happy listening!
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