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

Avsnitt(575)

Should You Stop Eating Sugar?

Should You Stop Eating Sugar?

Gary Taubes discusses "The Case Against Sugar," and Anthony Gottlieb talks about a new biography of Casanova. 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 Jan 201744min

How Octopuses Are Like Aliens

How Octopuses Are Like Aliens

Peter Godfrey-Smith discusses “Other Minds,” and Jeff Howe talks about “Whiplash: How to Survive Our Faster Future.” 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.

29 Dec 201644min

The Year in Reading

The Year in Reading

Editors at the Book Review discuss what many notable people were reading in 2016, and Will Schwalbe talks about "Books for Living." 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.

23 Dec 201638min

Michael Lewis and Arianna Huffington

Michael Lewis and Arianna Huffington

Michael Lewis discusses his new book, "The Undoing Project," and Arianna Huffington talks about "Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less," by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang. 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.

16 Dec 201644min

The 10 Best Books of 2016

The 10 Best Books of 2016

Stefan Hertmans talks about "War and Turpentine"; editors at the Book Review talk about the year's best books; and Ian McGuire discusses "The North Water." 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.

9 Dec 201650min

100 Notable Books of 2016

100 Notable Books of 2016

Editors at the Book Review discuss the year's notable books; Ronald H. Fritze talks about "Egyptomania," and Matthew Schneier on "Vanity Fair's Writers on Writers." 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.

2 Dec 201642min

Thomas Friedman on 'Thank You for Being Late'

Thomas Friedman on 'Thank You for Being Late'

Thomas Friedman discusses "Thank You for Being Late," and David France talks about "How to Survive a Plague." 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 Nov 201645min

Michael Chabon Talks About 'Moonglow'

Michael Chabon Talks About 'Moonglow'

Michael Chabon discusses his new novel, and Blanche Wiesen Cook talks about the third volume in her biography of Eleanor Roosevelt. 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 Nov 201648min

Populärt inom Fritid

somna-med-henrik
uggla-ugglas-podcast
svenska-fpl-podden
man-i-grupp
rss-horrujeje
rss-max-tant-med-max-villman
roda-vita-rosen
billgren-wood
elbilsveckan
rss-livsreglerna
jordkommissionen
avsuttet-med-elsa-johanna
travpodden
rss-vara-klassiker
sexet
tp-podden
rss-frugan-och-back
harry-potter-podden
jag-ar-kinky
rss-medvind