50 Years After ‘Jaws’ Terrified Filmgoers, a Reporter Looks Back
The Book Review14 Jun 2025

50 Years After ‘Jaws’ Terrified Filmgoers, a Reporter Looks Back

Steven Spielberg’s movie “Jaws” hit theaters 50 years ago this month, in June 1975, and became a phenomenon almost instantly. In some ways that was no surprise: The Peter Benchley novel it was based on, also called “Jaws,” had been a huge best seller the year before, and the public was primed for a fun summer scare. Brian Raftery — the author of “Best. Movie. Year. Ever: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen” — wrote about “Jaws” for the Book Review last year in honor of the novel’s 50th anniversary, and this week he visits the podcast to talk about the book, the movie adaptation and the era of blockbuster thrillers.

“If you’ve seen ‘Jaws,’ you could probably guess what the opening chapter of the book is,” he tells Gilbert Cruz (who has indeed seen “Jaws,” dozens of times). “It’s this shark attack, where this shark at night just devours this young female swimmer. The writing is really fun. It’s really gnarly, and it’s one of those amazing opening chapters where the book is moving as fast as the shark. After you read that first chapter, you are just completely pulled in.”

We would love to hear your thoughts about this episode, and about the Book Review’s podcast in general. You can send them to books@nytimes.com.

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Episoder(575)

David Sedaris on ‘Calypso’

David Sedaris on ‘Calypso’

Sedaris talks about his latest book, and Alisa Roth discusses “Insane: America’s Criminal Treatment of Mental Illness.” Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

25 Mai 20181h 19min

Lost at Sea

Lost at Sea

Rachel Slade talks about “Into the Raging Sea,” and Clemantine Wamariya discusses “The Girl Who Smiled Beads.” Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

18 Mai 20181h 10min

Amy Chozick on 'Chasing Hillary'

Amy Chozick on 'Chasing Hillary'

Chozick discusses her time covering Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail, and Sloane Crosley talks about her new collection of essays, “Look Alive Out There.” Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

11 Mai 20181h 3min

There Is Nothin' Like a Tune

There Is Nothin' Like a Tune

Todd S. Purdum talks about “Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway Revolution,” and Fran Leadon discusses “Broadway: A History of New York City in Thirteen Miles.” Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

4 Mai 20181h 6min

Julian Barnes on 'The Only Story'

Julian Barnes on 'The Only Story'

Barnes talks about his latest novel, and Lawrence Wright discusses “God Save Texas.” Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

27 Apr 20181h 13min

Jo Nesbo Reimagines ‘Macbeth’

Jo Nesbo Reimagines ‘Macbeth’

James Shapiro discusses Nesbo’s new novel, and Leila Slimani talks about “The Perfect Nanny.” Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

20 Apr 20181h 4min

Parenting in the Age of Omnipresent Screens

Parenting in the Age of Omnipresent Screens

Pamela Druckerman discusses “The Art of Screen Time” and “Be the Parent, Please,” and Ben Austen talks about “High-Risers: Cabrini-Green and the Fate of American Public Housing.” Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

13 Apr 201853min

Tara Westover on 'Educated'

Tara Westover on 'Educated'

Westover discusses her best-selling memoir, and Mark Weinberg talks about "Movie Nights With the Reagans." Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

6 Apr 20181h 7min

Populært innen Fritid

rss-spartsklubben
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
nerdelandslaget
interiorradet
mil-etter-mil-en-podcast-om-bil
level-backup
jegerpodden
jakt-og-fiskepodden
livet-pa-veien-med-jan-erik-larssen
villmarksliv
rss-jegerpodden
fjellsportpodden
rss-var-forste-kaffe
menn-uten-midje-kan-ogsa-lese
kaffeskal-med-hollund-krogh
rss-hestenes-klan
strikkepodden
hagespiren-podcast
lordens-garasje
ullmaske