What are your must-reads when you’ve played God twice, hosted National Geographic’s The Story of God, narrated countless shows about mysteries of the universe and spent the better part of 88 years searching for life’s deepest truths? In other words, what are the essential Morgan Freeman books? For the beloved Oscar winner, the answer is simple: You reach for titles that challenge everything you think you know.
Raised by a devoutly Christian grandmother in Mississippi, Freeman has long described himself as a seeker. He’s traveled 100,000 miles visiting holy sites, exploring religions both new and old (including ancient Zoroastrianism, with its tenets of good thoughts, good words and good deeds that he instantly connected with). His spiritual curiosity is also reflected in the books on his nightstand. While some provide answers, others lead to more questions. But every title promises to make you think—and maybe open your mind and heart a little wider. “We’re all looking to be part of something bigger than us,” he shares in the National Geographic Channel series, The Story of God. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that we certainly are.”
If you want to explore what really matters to you, add some of Freeman’s top picks to your TBR list today…
Moss-draped oak trees, sandy coastlines, charming small towns, sprawling farmland…there are many undeniably enchanting facets about the American South. But beyond its natural beauty, this region is steeped in a complex history rooted in slavery—and this harrowing blend of past and place makes southern historical fiction books so important for readers. Whether you’re drawn to […]
‘The Poisonwood Bible’ by Barbara Kingsolver
Harper Perennial Modern Classics
Freeman told Far Out magazine that author Barbara Kingsolver deserves every bit of her acclaim—especially for this 1998 masterpiece. The epic tale features Orleanna Price, whose zealous evangelical husband and father uproots her and and their four daughters from Georgia and takes them to a remote Congolese village in 1959. Set against the Congo’s brutal fight for independence from Belgium and a CIA-backed coup, it is an exploration of faith, power and what it means to impose your beliefs on others. Yet at its heart, it’s a moving story of women surviving and rebuilding in the wake of a fanatical man’s failures. Once you’re in the Congo with the Price women, you won’t be able to put the book down.
‘Black Beauty’ by Anna Sewell
Classics Illustrated
The very first book Freeman ever read, he discovered it as a child in the 1940s when, as he has recalled,” all we had for entertainment was radio and the movies, so reading was a big deal.” Narrated by Black Beauty himself, it tells the story of a horse’s life from idyllic days in the countryside through years of hardship and ultimately to peaceful old age. Quaker author Anna Sewell dictated the entire thing to her mother as she lay dying, and one of her most quoted lines cuts straight to the heart: “People may talk as much as they like about their religion, but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to man and beast, it is all a sham.” Black Beauty ultimately changed the world, directly influencing animal welfare laws and softening hearts across generations. After 150 years, it remains one of the bestselling books in history.
Much like choosing a novel, I plan my travels by picking a location that completely transports me. Last fall, as I mapped out a trip to Great Britain, I realized how many of my most-beloved books were set in the very places I longed to see. Castles, cobbled streets, ancient universities—they had already come alive […]
‘Long Walk to Freedom’ by Nelson Mandela
Little Brown
Freeman spent nearly a decade trying to bring Mandela’s autobiography to the screen, having been personally named by the Nobel Peace Prize winner as the actor he’d want to play him. He ultimately starred as Mandela in Invictus, based on a different book entirely. But he shared with BlackFilm.com that his devotion to this autobiography runs deep. Mandela’s writing is quietly suffused with themes of forgiveness, reconciliation and redemption, captured beautifully in his most famous passage: “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
‘Moby Dick’ by Herman Melville
Penguin Classics
Freeman told Far Out that this classic “instilled an interest in sailing and began my lifelong love of the sea.” Published in 1851, the novel follows Ishmael, a sailor on a whaling ship with a brooding captain intent on hunting the enormous white sperm whale that took his leg. What begins as an adventure becomes a profound meditation on obsession, fate and the nature of evil.
It’s considered one of the greatest American novels ever written and also one of the most theologically rich novels. One-legged Captain Ahab’s hunt is widely read as a symbol of man’s defiance of God, and many argue that you must read the Bible to fully appreciate Moby Dick—making it a perfect companion to Freeman’s next recommendation.
Jenna Bush Hager, cohost of TODAY with Jenna and Sheinelle, certainly knows books: As the daughter of a librarian, she grew up reading everything. And every month her Read with Jenna book club selects thoughtful, heartfelt novels and memoirs that stick with us—and leave us wanting more recommendations. She’s even launched her own book imprint! But […]
You may think we’ve saved the best for last—but Freeman, for his part, puts it first. The Bible tops his list of all-time favorite books, and his take on it is characteristically simple and sincere: “It’s just an interesting read. Genesis is the best part,” he told Far Out. That quiet, unadorned enthusiasm for the very first book of Scripture feels just right.
A reading list worth exploring
What makes Freeman’s picks so compelling is the thread that runs through all of them—a genuine, lifelong curiosity about faith, humanity and what connects us all. Whether you’re a devoted believer, a fellow seeker or simply a lover of great books, this is a reading list that will stay with you long after the last page.
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