I recently moved into a new apartment with a friend of mine from grade school and one of our big splurges was the magical DVR player. For someone who rarely has time to watch TV, I was given a basic lesson by my roommate in how to record shows. As we were scrolling through TV listings, I found myself announcing the shows and movies that were first published as books. And to my roommate's displeasure, I decided to record The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. 

While I may be a beginner at DVR'ing, I'm well experienced at placing holds via The New York Public Library's Catalog. Here are some book recommendations that have inspired some of today's hit television shows and series.

Boardwalk Empire by Nelson Johnson — the true account of Atlantic City's corrupt empire during the early 20th century

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay — a vigilante serial killer also works as a forensic blood analyst for the Miami-Dade police department

Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs. An anthropologist investigates murders in this hit series that also inspired the television show Bones.

Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger. A journalist follows a small town's chamionship football team in Texas and observes how much the team plays a roll in the lives of the surrounding community.

Inside Delta Force by Eric Haney — Haney's memoir about his position as a special forces operator in the U.S. Army's counterterrorist unit, Delta Force

John Adams by David McCullough. HBO created a hit mini-series based on McCullough's biography of the United States second President.

The Number 1. Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. Using her insticts, Agatha Christie, and a detective manual as her guide, Mma Ramotse solves crimes as Botswana's only female private detective.

Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris. What would we do without Sookie Stackhouse? Harris's vampire novels inspired HBO's True Blood series.   

The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman. Survivors from a small town gather together in order to survive a zombie apocalypse.

Place a hold on any of these titles by visiting The New York Public Library's Catalog or visit your local library. And in case you didn't know — many of these television shows are available on DVD and can be requested as well!