Taylor Jenkins Reid Just Revealed Her All-Time Favorite Books—Add These to Your TBR
One pick made her cry in public—and another came from a fellow author
Key Takeaways
- Taylor Jenkins Reid shares five of her favorite books in a variety of genres.
- One pick, ‘The Science of Storytelling,’ was recommended to her by another author.
- Her list spans mythology retellings, historical fiction and presidential drama.
Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of the most popular authors today thanks to her page-turning historical fiction novels and her dazzling contemporary tales. And the bestselling author behind The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six has a killer reading list of her own. Over the years, Reid has opened up about the books that made her cry in public, the novel a fellow author swore would blow her mind and the stories she keeps coming back to. Keep scrolling for some of her favorite reads.
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s favorite books
From retellings to historical fiction, here are Taylor Jenkins Reid’s favorite books.
‘Circe’ by Madeline Miller
This bestselling tale follows Circe, the witch from The Odyssey, from her childhood as the daughter of the Sun God Helios to her solitary exile on the island of Aiaia. Banished by those who should have loved her, Circe slowly discovers her own extraordinary power as she encounters both mortals and gods. What follows is a battle of strength, resilience, power and love.
What Taylor says: “I finished it while waiting for someone at a Starbucks and ended up bawling my eyes out in public.”
What readers are saying: “This book brought Greek mythology to life for me. Circe, the goddess witch of Aiaia, was such a strong force to be reckoned with. I enjoyed learning about so many characters and so many stories woven together and seen from her perspective.”
‘American Wife’ by Curtis Sittenfeld
Growing up in a small Wisconsin town, Alice Lindgren never dreamed she would be the First Lady. But when a tragic accident upends her life, things change. Now, a decade after the incident, she finds herself falling in love with the son of a powerful Republican family. Years later he becomes president of the United States, but as he becomes more powerful their marriage begins to crumble and Alice is left wondering if she really loves her husband.
What Taylor says: “This is the story of a fictional First Lady named Alice Lindgren who is not not based on Laura Bush. As she somewhat reluctantly lives her life in the public eye on account of her husband’s political career, she wrestles with her own politics and humanity. A long-held favorite of mine.”
What readers are saying: “I read this book on my sister’s recommendation and from the moment I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. The author beautifully crafted an incredibly rich story about a girl and then a young woman and then a first lady. The character development was superb and I found myself yearning to crawl inside those pages and get to know everyone for myself.”
‘The Science of Storytelling’ by Will Storr
This book reveals how psychology and neuroscience can affect how people write stories. Author Will Storr connects his theories to famous authors like Jane Austen and Alice Walker and select Shakespeare plays, all while revealing how writers can—and should—frame the stories they write.
What Taylor says: “It’s about people and how we think. It was recommended to me by author Katherine Center, and it blew my mind just as she said it would.”
What readers are saying: “The Science of Storytelling almost reads like a research paper, and you can feel the author’s near obsession in bringing you through the quest for the answer to storytelling. Like most good instructions, we are taken through large amounts of examples and research leading us to just a handful of all-important epiphanies. I can now start my stories with confidence, knowing that the framework I’m building on is solid. No more realizing 100 pages in that the concept isn’t as interesting as I thought, or that maybe the characters are just too weak.”
‘The Age of Light’ by Whitney Scharer
Set in 1929 Paris, this novel follows Lee Miller after she catches the eye of famous photographer Man Ray. At first he only wants her to model, but as their relationship deepens, Lee convinces him to hire her as his assistant. Soon what started out as an innocent flirtation turns into a passionate love affair that will change both of them forever.
What Taylor says: “This novel is based on the true story of then-model Lee Miller’s romantic relationship with Surrealist photographer Man Ray. As Lee rejects the idea of being a model and steps behind the camera, it causes tension between her and Man. Lee Miller would go on to become a well-known photographer and war correspondent and she’s rendered fully dimensional here: messy, talented and determined. My favorite combination.”
What readers are saying: “I’ve just finished Whitney Scharer’s The Age of Light. Perhaps I should say I’ve just finished devouring it, because it was an utterly engrossing read in every respect. The writer deserves as much acclaim as Lee the photographer, for writing a novel in which she undertakes to express the behavior, the conversations, the emotions of two real-life people. She did her homework, and I have no doubt her imaginings are very close to the truth.”
‘Homegoing’ by Yaa Gyasi
This National Book Critics Circle Award winner follows two half-sisters—Effia and Esi—who were born into different Ghana villages and don’t know the other one exists. One sister will marry an Englishman and live a life of wealth, luxury and love in the Cape Coast Castle. The other will be captured during a raid in her village, imprisoned in the same castle her sister is in charge of before eventually being sold into slavery. A powerful tale of race, love, sisterhood and loss.
What Taylor says: “I stayed up until four in the morning one night because I simply could not put it down.”
What readers are saying: “This book was honestly the best book that I ever read in my entire life. I have never been so inspired and connected by a book before like I have been with Homegoing. Yaa Gyasi did a phenomenal job.”
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