What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedBrooklyn
Colm Toibin · Book · 2010
If you loved Brooklyn, start with Brooklyn (John Crowley, 2015) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Brooklyn across media.
What hooked you in Brooklyn was the way the ache of displacement and the quiet pursuit of belonging shape a life.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Brooklyn
John Crowley · Film · 2015
Films on the same thread
Brokeback Mountain
Ang Lee · Film · 2005
Explores: repressed desire, homophobia, masculinity.
Like Brooklyn, this film captures the profound tension between personal identity and societal expectations, exploring how repressed desires and the constraints of a specific era define the course of life.
Carol
Todd Haynes · Film · 2015
Explores: Social Class, Female Desire, Repression.
This story mirrors the atmospheric longing found in Brooklyn, focusing on a young woman navigating the complexities of independence and desire within the restrictive social landscape of 1950s New York.
The Brutalist
Brady Corbet · Film · 2024
Explores: Post-War Trauma, The American Dream, Artistic Vision vs. Reality.
This film echoes the immigrant experience depicted in Brooklyn, examining the personal cost of seeking a new beginning and the transformative, often difficult, reality of the American dream.
Sophie's Choice
Alan J. Pakula · Film · 1982
Explores: Trauma, Guilt, Memory.
Much like the protagonist in Brooklyn, the characters here grapple with the weight of their pasts while attempting to forge a future, highlighting the fragility of starting over in America.
Series on the same thread
Unorthodox
Anna Winger · Series · 2020
Shares 2 threads with Brooklyn: cultural identity, new beginnings.
The journey of self-discovery and the struggle to balance cultural heritage with newfound freedom in a foreign city will resonate deeply with those who appreciated Eilis Lacey’s path in Brooklyn.
The Gilded Age
Julian Fellowes · Series · 2022
Explores: Social Class, New Money vs. Old Money, American Dream.
This series captures the same period-specific social nuances that frame Brooklyn, focusing on the ambitious pursuit of a different life while navigating the rigid hierarchies of New York society.
Small Island
Series · 2009
Shares a thread with Brooklyn: Cultural Identity.
The struggle to find one’s place after leaving a homeland, a central theme in Brooklyn, is explored here through the interconnected lives of immigrants navigating the complexities of post-war identity.
Call the Midwife
Heidi Thomas · Series · 2012
Explores: Women's Issues, Community, Social Issues.
This show shares the grounded, intimate perspective of Brooklyn, emphasizing the importance of community and the quiet, persistent work of women finding their footing in the 1950s.
Podcasts on the same thread
This American Life
This American Life · Podcast · 2026
Explores: The human condition, Personal narrative, Social observation.
Just as Brooklyn reveals the inner life of its characters, this podcast explores the human condition through personal narratives that capture the same emotional depth and surprising, life-altering moments.
Slaggy Book Club
Podcast
Explores: Contemporary Literature, Book Recommendations, Literary Analysis.
If the literary quality of Brooklyn left you wanting more, this podcast provides the space to analyze contemporary narratives that explore similar themes of identity, memory, and human connection.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Brooklyn based on a book?
Yes, Brooklyn is based on the 2010 novel written by Colm Tóibín. The book was a winner of the Costa Novel Award and was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize before being adapted into the 2015 feature film.
Should I read the book Brooklyn before watching the movie?
You can enjoy the story in either format. The 2015 movie Brooklyn is an adaptation of Colm Tóibín's 2010 novel, which follows Eilis Lacey as she leaves 1950s Ireland to find work in America. Both versions capture the emotional power of her journey.
What is the setting of the book Brooklyn?
The novel Brooklyn is set in the 1950s. The story follows Eilis Lacey, a young woman who leaves her home in Ireland because she cannot find work, eventually moving to America to begin a new chapter of her life.
Was the movie Brooklyn adapted from a prize-winning book?
Yes, the 2015 movie Brooklyn is based on the 2010 novel by Colm Tóibín. The source material is an internationally bestselling story that received significant critical recognition, including a Costa Novel Award and a longlist nomination for the Man Booker Prize.