Book-to-Movie Adaptations...What's your Favorite?

EW's PopWatch blog recently did a post on favorite book to movie adaptations.  I could probably sit here for hours thinking of all the movies I like that were books first, but my personal favorite would have to be The Notebook.  I know what you're thinking--out of all the amazing adaptations, I pick a Nicholas Sparks book?  Here's why: it's the only one where I can honestly say that the movie was better than the book.  I'm a big Nicholas Sparks fan--I've read every one one of his books and usually know months ahead of time when his next one is coming out.  The Notebook was, of course, a great book.  But Nick Cassavete's movie brought this romance to a whole new level, and few (women) who have seen this movie will forget the on-screen chemistry between the amazing leads, Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling, who were actually a real-life couple at the time.

Thinking about book-to-screen adaptations makes me think of other books I can't wait to see on the big screen.  Emily Giffin's Something Borrowed, one of my favorite chick-lit books, comes out next year starring Ginnifer Goodwin as main character Rachel.  Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants has recently announced the casting of Twilight's Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon for the lead characters (not sure how I feel about this pairing).  And coming to the small screen, Ken Follett's epic historical novel Pillars of the Earth has been turned into a TV mini-series starring an array of well-known actors, including Donald Sutherland.

The one I'm most excited for though, which I Google almost daily, is the coming adaptation of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series.  If you haven't heard of this series, check it out here.  Think The Time Traveler's Wife meets Braveheart.  The series focuses on Claire Randall, who accidently travels back to the Scottish Highlands of the 1700's, where she falls in love with the handsome and heroic Jamie Fraser.  Move over Edward Cullen--Jamie Fraser has just topped you as the most ideal male character of all time.  Although no casting has been announced, Outlander fans have been eagerly waiting and making suggestions for who they want in these unforgettable roles.  Though each book is close to a thousand pages, if not more, I just finished book four and still can't get enough of the epic romance between Jamie and Claire.  I'll be counting down the days until I can see it come to life on screen.

So what book-to-movie adaptations are your favorites, or what books would you love to see brought to the big screen?