Kamshi AhmedAhead of the 2024 Emmy Awards on Sept. 15, here are some of the shows adapted from bestselling novels like Shogun, The Morning Show and Lessons in Chemistry.
These 2024 Emmy Awards nominees will keep you fully booked.
After all, so many of this year’s Emmy-nominated TV shows based their scripts on bestselling novels, including Shogun, Lessons in Chemistry, Ripley and Red, White & Royal Blue.
Shogun—this year’s most nominated show with 24 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series—took its cue from James Clavell’s 1975 novel of the same name, which traces events and figures in Japanese history.
Meanwhile, two book adaptations will go head-to-head for the Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series Award when the Emmys (hosted by Eugene Levy and Dan Levy) air on ABC on Sept. 15. Lessons in Chemistry—starring Emmy nominee Brie Larson—is based on Bonnie Gramus’ 2022 debut novel of the same name, following the fictional love story of TV chef and chemist Elizabeth Zott. It’s nominated alongside Ripley, the latest adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 psychological thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley, which also inspired the 1999 movie
starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law.
Historically, book adaptations have done well at the Emmy Awards, with shows like Games of Thrones, Bridgerton and Big Little Lies picking up multiple nominations and wins over the years.
HBO’s Games of Thrones, which was based on George R.R. Martin’s popular book series, received a total of 164 nominations during its 2011-2019 run, winning Outstanding Drama Series four times. And Netflix’s Bridgerton was a hit with fans and Emmy voters, nabbing 15 nominations and two wins so far.
And the drama was never bigger than on Big Little Lies, which was based on Liane Moriarty’s best-selling novel of the same name. The series brought some serious talent to the small screen with stars Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz and Laura Dern, and earned 21 Emmy nominations and eight wins, including Outstanding Limited Series.
And then of course there’s perennial Emmy favorite The Morning Show, which has garnered 27 nominations since it debuted in 2019. The Apple TV+ shows sees stars Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston and Billy Crudup—who won a Supporting Actor Emmy in 2020—as they take on the cutthroat world of daytime television. Based on Brian Stelter’s 2013 non-fiction book Top of the Morning, the show earned recognition at the 2024 Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actress for Witherspoon and Aniston and Outstanding Drama Series, among others.
Curious about more book-based shows that have been nominated for Emmys over the years, as well as some excellent book to small screen adaptations? Keep reading for all the novels you’ll soon be adding to your book pile.
And tune into the 2024 Emmy Awards Sept. 15 to see all the winners.
Lessons in Chemistry
Miniseries Lessons in Chemistry—based on Bonnie Gramus’ 2022 debut novel of the same name—received a total of 10 Emmy noms in 2024, including ones for stars Brie Larson, Lewis Pullman, Aja Naomi King and Millicent Shelton. Both the Apple TV+ series—which earned a nomination for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series—and the book follow chemist Elizabeth Zott (Larson) as she navigates heartache, misogyny and ultimately stardom as a cooking show host in 1960s Southern California.
Shōgun
After Shōgun premiered in 2024, it became the first Japanese-language series to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series—garnering 25 nominations in total at the 2024 Emmys. The FX show is based on James Clavell’s 1975 novel of the same name, which focused on events and important figures from Japan in the 1600s, just as the Edo period was beginning. In addition to the 2024 series, the book was previously adapted into a 1980 miniseries and also into a stage musical, board game and video games.
The Morning Show
Since its 2019 debut, The Morning Show has remained a powerhouse in the streaming world, thanks to stellar performances from its stars including Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Billy Crudup, who have all earned Emmy nominations during the Apple TV+ show’s run. Based on Brian Stelter 2013 non-fiction book Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV, The Morning Show has given viewers a behind-the-scenes look at morning television and nabbed 27 nominations in the process—plus a 2020 win for Crudup for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
Ripley
An adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 psychological thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley, Ripley stars Andrew Scott as the titular Tom Ripley, a grifter in 1960s New York who is hired by a wealthy shipping magnate to persuade his son Dickie (Johnny Flynn) to leave his European escapades and return to the U.S. The Netflix miniseries—which also costars Dakota Fanning—premiered in 2024 and received 13 Emmy nominations in 2024, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Scott and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Fanning
Red, White & Royal Blue
A 2019 bestselling novel by Casey McQuiston, Red, White & Royal Blue became a hit Amazon Prime movie in 2023, depicting the love story between the fictional son of the president of the United States (Taylor Zakhar Perez) and the Prince of England (Nicholas Galitzine). The film earned a 2024 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Television Movie.
Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
The second entry in Ryan Murphy’s anthology series, 2024’s Feud: Capote vs. The Swans tells the story of how celebrated writer Truman Capote (Tom Hollander) ruined his friendships with his “Swans”—a group of New York City socialites—after writing about thinly veiled versions of them in a 1975 Esquire article. Based on Laurence Leamer’s 2021 book Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era, the FX show boasted a bevy of stars including Naomi Watts, Diane Lane, Chloë Sevigny, Calista Flockhart, Demi Moore, Molly Ringwald and the late Treat Williams. The second season earned 10 Emmy nominations in 2024, including acting nods for Hollander, Watts, Williams and Lane.
Fellow Travelers
Based on the 2008 novel of the same name by Thomas Mallon, 2023’s Fellow Travelers tells the story of Hawkins Fuller (Matt Bomer) and Timothy Laughlin (Jonathan Bailey) as they navigate a volatile relationship that spans from the 1950s to the 1980s. Both Bomer and Bailey received 2024 Emmy acting nominations for the Showtime miniseries: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Bomer and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Bailey.
Bridgerton
Netflix’s adaptation of Julia Quinn’s romance book series Bridgerton was a cultural phenomenon at the end of 2020. Why? Well, thanks to a diverse cast, an incredible score and some steamy sex scenes, subscribers to the streaming service couldn’t get enough of the series. Bridgerton also received critical acclaim, earning an Outstanding Drama Series nomination at the 2021 Emmys.
Game of Thrones
This drama full of epic battles and star-crossed romance is based on the popular book series by George R.R Martin. While the novels are best-sellers in their own right, the TV show has garnered fans from all over the world, including many who wouldn’t even call themselves fans of the source material. Over the course of eight seasons, the HBO series received 58 Emmy Awards, more than any other drama in history. And while viewers remain divided on the controversial conclusion, which saw the series surpass Martin’s plotting to reveal an ending all its own, the show will go down as one of the most celebrated of all time
3 Body Problem
3 Body Problem garnered six 2024 Emmy nominations after its debut, including a coveted Outstanding Drama Series nomination. The Netflix series—set in the U.K. and China—follows a group of scientists dealing with an extraterrestrial mystery and planetary threat. It’s based on Liu Cixin’s book series Remembrance of Earth’s Past, which debuted in 2006 with The Three-Body Problem. Cixin followed that up with The Dark Forest in 2008 and Death’s End in 2010.
