In Contrast

In episode 26, Alan & Nisha delve into the counterculture classic One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

First published in 1962, the novel by Ken Kesey was inspired by his time working at a mental hospital while studying at Stanford. This experience, alongside his prolific use of psychedelic drugs, made Kesey adamantly outspoken against systems of oppression and dehumanization. The book even had a notable impact in helping improve co...

In Episode 25, Alan and Nisha go back to a millennial childhood favorite and their very first Roald Dahl story... James and the Giant Peach!

Originally published in 1961, this story is one of many Dahl classics that have remained beloved by both children and parents. Adapted into a stop-motion Disney animation film in 1996, this story feels like it was particularly present for those growing up in the 90s. Does it still hold the same...

In Episode 24, Alan & Nisha blast off to the Red Planet to discuss The Martian.

Originally self-published and released by Andy Weir as an online serial, the book was then adapted into a full novel released in 2014. Rights for a film had already been optioned by then, resulting in the 2015 film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon alongside a stacked supporting cast.

Weir has gone on to have an incredibly successful ca...

In episode 23, Alan & Nisha return to the classics with

Pinocchio.

Originally released as a serial, The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi was published as a novel in 1883. It quickly became a staple of children's literature and Italian culture, and has become one of the best-selling and most translated novels in the world.

As such, it has been adapted numerous times over the years in films ranging from animated, to live ac...

In episode 22, Alan & Nisha take a trip to the Pacific Northwest to hear the tale of Robert Grainier in Train Dreams.

Originally a 2011 novella by Denis Johnson, Train Dreams was nominated for the Pulitzer and has enjoyed a great reputation for its ability to capture the scope and beauty of life and the changing American West, in an impressively short format.

The novella was adapted into a feature-length film in 2025, directed by...

Happy New Year from In Contrast!

We are ringing in 2026 with a very special episode. In celebration of what would have been her 250th birthday, we discuss Jane Austen's timeless novel Pride and Prejudice.

For the first time on the show, Alan & Nisha are joined by a very special guest, Jayanti Addleman! Jayanti is a career librarian and a champion of literacy and reading access. She is also the biggest Austen fan we know. Who bett...

Happy holidays from In Contrast!

In episode 20, Alan & Nisha look for some Christmas cheer with The Polar Express.

Originally a 1985 children's picture book by Chris Van Allsburg, it was adapted into a 2004 feature-length film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks.

Some viewers found a modern Christmas classic, while others found its unique animation style...challenging.

Grab your hot chocolate and join us aboard The ...

In episode 19, Alan & Nisha tackle a MONSTER of an episode (we're so sorry) -- Frankenstein!

Among the most influential novels of all time, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus has informed not just the gothic and horror genres but echoes throughout all of pop culture history. With over 400 films and numerous TV Shows adapting, lampooning, or otherwise referencing Frankenstein and/or h...

In episode 18, Alan and Nisha ring in spooky season with one of the classics... The Exorcist. 

The 1973 film, based on a 1971 novel by William Peter Blatty, has become the stuff of legends. Directed by the great William Friedkin with a screenplay adapted by Blatty himself, the film helped bring horror to the mainstream and revolutionized the genre for years to come. 

When it released, it quickly became a cultural phenomenon...

In episode 17, join Alan & Nisha as they discuss The Wild Robot, first a book published by Peter Brown in 2016. The rights for a film adaptation were bought almost immediately by Dreamworks Animation, and the film was released in 2024 to critical acclaim.

Brown's novel explores some familiar themes, but does so in creative ways that do not shy away from the realities of nature. How does an even more visual medium manage to remai...

In episode 16 of In Contrast, Alan & Nisha do the one single thing you're not supposed to do.. talk about Fight Club.

Fight Club was the debut novel of author Chuck Palahniuk, originally published in 1996 and adapted to film by David Fincher in 1999. Both the book and film have remained a solid piece of the cultural zeitgeist ever since.

Why has this story remained so popular since its release? What about it draws so many people ...

In episode 15, Alan & Nisha have their first foray into the timeless mysteries of Agatha Christie with 1934's Murder on the Orient Express. Among Christie's most well-known novels, this story finds longstanding detective Hercule Poirot wrapped up in a bizarre murder mystery aboard a stranded train.

This and other Christie stories have been adapted in numerous forms over the years, but we stick with the major film adaptations for...

In Episode 14, Alan & Nisha discuss the much-acclaimed psychological thriller Shutter Island ! They talk about the 2003 novel by Dennis Lehane, and the 2010 film adaptation directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

At the time of publishing this book, Lehane was already well-known for his crime mysteries, but how did he inject a new psychological twist into his typical work. The story relies on misdirection and...

In episode 12, Alan & Nisha discuss another classic of gothic horror: Edgar Allan Poe's The Masque of the Red Death! They marvel at how well this story holds up even 180 years later, and even still has some notable parallels to our modern world.

For the film adaptations, they focus on the most well-known version put to film: the 1964 film of the same name, as well as the early 1919 silent film The Plague in Florence. The first ...

In episode 11, Alan & Nisha once again visit with pod favorite H.P. Lovecraft to discuss his 1927 short story, The Colour Out of Space. Often cited as perhaps the favorite work of Lovecraft himself, this story has been adapted numerous times over the years and inspired countless more.

For the discussion, they also focus on two films: The 2019 film The Color Out of Space starring Nicholas Cage, and the lesser-known 2010 film Die...

In episode 10, Alan & Nisha tackle the well-known crime thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley. Written by Patricia Highsmith and released in 1955, this novel kicked off a series of five books that would be published over the next few decades.

This first book has 3 major adaptations, all of which are discussed in this episode. Purple Noon is a French adaptation starring Alain Delon as Tom, released in 1960. The Talented Mr. Ripley, p...

Happy 2025 from In Contrast!

Alan & Nisha are ringing in the new year by discussing a seminal work in modern young adult fantasy and a personal favorite of Nisha's: The Golden Compass. This book (also known as The Northern Lights) was written by Phillip Pullman and released in 1995. It is the first entry in the His Dark Materials trilogy, but this conversation specifically focuses on the first book and its adaptations.

The book...