What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Tower
W. B. Yeats · Book · 2024
If you loved The Tower, start with The Towering Inferno (1974) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Tower across media.
What hooked you in The Tower was the way the weight of mortality and aging transforms your understanding of the physical world.
Start with the source
Adaptation
The Towering Inferno
Film · 1974
Films on the same thread
The Red Shoes
Michael Powell · Film · 1948
Explores: Artistic obsession, Fatal love triangle, The price of fame.
Much like the lyrical intensity found in The Tower, this film explores the crushing cost of artistic obsession and the inevitable passage of time on the human spirit.
The Turin Horse
Béla Tarr · Film · 2011
Shares a thread with The Tower: Mortality.
This film mirrors the stark, existential meditations on mortality and the decay of the physical world that define the core experience of reading W. B. Yeats's The Tower.
The Last Laugh
F. W. Murnau · Film · 1924
Explores: Social Status, Loss of Dignity, Class Conflict.
The Tower examines the indignities of aging with profound grace, a theme echoed in this silent masterpiece as it depicts the tragic loss of status and personal identity.
The Wind
Victor Sjöström · Film · 1928
Explores: Isolation and loneliness, Psychological unraveling, Hostile environment.
The unsettling atmosphere of this film captures the same sense of isolation and psychological unraveling that Yeats masterfully weaves into the verses of his collection, The Tower.
Series on the same thread
Fawlty Towers
Connie Booth · Series · 1975
Explores: Hotel, Misunderstandings, Social Class.
While more comedic, the frantic social dynamics within this hotel reflect the chaotic human folly and class tensions that Yeats observed through the lens of his Irish identity.
Tower of God
Series · 2020
Explores: Betrayal, Obsession, Power Dynamics.
The central metaphor of the ascent in this series echoes the symbolic structures in The Tower, where the struggle for power and meaning defines the human condition.
The Twilight Zone
Rod Serling · Series · 1959
Explores: Existentialism, Paranoia, Social Commentary.
This anthology series provides the same existential questioning and moral gravity that Yeats explores in The Tower, grounding abstract philosophical dilemmas in the reality of human experience.
The Wire
David Simon · Series · 2002
Explores: Systemic Corruption, Moral Ambiguity, Urban Decay.
The Tower reflects on the weight of history and identity, themes this series explores through the lens of systemic decay and the moral ambiguity of modern life.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe · Podcast · 2026
Explores: untold historical anecdotes, curiosity-driven learning, American cultural history.
Like the mythic and historical depth of The Tower, this podcast uncovers the hidden human stories that define our broader cultural landscape through a lens of curiosity.
This American Life
This American Life · Podcast · 2026
Explores: The human condition, Personal narrative, Social observation.
These personal narratives capture the same poignant, human-centered examination of reality that makes W. B. Yeats's work in The Tower such an enduring meditation on life.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Tower the first collection W. B. Yeats published after receiving the Nobel Prize?
Yes, The Tower is the first collection of poetry published by W. B. Yeats following his recognition as a Nobel Laureate. Released in 1928, this work focuses on themes of life, age, and reality, solidifying his status as a prominent literary figure of the twentieth century.
What themes does W. B. Yeats explore in The Tower?
In The Tower, W. B. Yeats meditates on the nature of reality, the progression of age, and the complexities of life. This collection is considered his most famous work and serves as a reflection on his experiences and observations during this period of his career.
Was The Towering Inferno based on the poetry collection The Tower?
No, The Towering Inferno is a 1974 film and is not an adaptation of the 1928 poetry collection The Tower by W. B. Yeats. The two titles share a name but belong to entirely different mediums and unrelated creative contexts.
When was The Tower originally published?
The Tower was originally published in 1928. It represents a significant milestone in the career of W. B. Yeats, marking his first collection released after he was awarded the Nobel Prize for his contributions to literature.