Okay, so here’s the thing: I am obsessed with snooping on other people’s reading lists. Not in a creepy way (okay, maybe a little creepy)—but in that “what’s on their nightstand and will it make me smarter, funnier, or less of a hot mess?” kind of way. And lately? I’ve been spiraling down the rabbit hole of must-read book lists by celebrities & influencers.
Because apparently, if Reese Witherspoon says a book is worth it, my wallet is already like, “Fine. Take my $18.99.”
And don’t even get me started on the chaos that happens when I find out some random YouTuber I follow for skincare recs is secretly a Murakami stan. Like… excuse me?? I didn’t see that plot twist coming.
But here’s what I’ve learned after stalking, reading, and occasionally regret-buying (looking at you, random TikTok “healing poetry” rec)—these celebrity and influencer lists aren’t just about books. They’re little windows into their messy, human brains.
So grab a coffee (or let’s be real, a cold LaCroix you’ll forget halfway through). Let’s talk about the weird, inspiring, and sometimes very questionable book recs floating around Hollywood and Instagram.
Why We’re All Nosy About Famous People’s Bookshelves
I’ll be honest: I don’t always care about a celeb’s new skincare collab or “casual” paparazzi coffee runs. But their bookshelves? Oh, I’m there.
Because books are like… confessions without the priest.
If Emma Watson casually mentions she’s rereading The Bell Jar (yes, she has), it makes me feel like, okay, maybe she also has 3 a.m. existential crises where she contemplates moving to a cottage and raising goats.
And if Chrissy Teigen drops a rom-com rec? You know it’s gonna be something dramatic, probably food-related, and at least one person will cry at an airport.
We follow their book lists because, deep down, we’re trying to find the overlap. That sweet spot where our messy brains go, “Oh wait, me too.”
The Reese Witherspoon Effect
You knew this was coming. Reese’s Book Club basically runs my life.
She could recommend a cereal box and I’d be like, “Wow, so empowering.”
But here’s the thing: her picks are actually good. Where the Crawdads Sing? Yup. The Last Mrs. Parrish? Read it in one night and then stared at my ceiling like I’d just been betrayed by every man I’ve ever met.
She gravitates toward strong female leads, small-town drama, and stories that would make great movies (shocker, since she turns half of them into movies).
If your TBR (to-be-read) list isn’t already 50% Reese-approved, are you even trying?
Barack Obama’s Summer Lists (aka Dad Goals)
Okay, this man drops a reading list like it’s a Spotify playlist. Every summer, every winter—bam.
And they’re not light beach reads. Oh no. Obama’s out here casually recommending books about democracy collapsing, climate change, and then sprinkling in a Colson Whitehead novel like a palate cleanser.
One summer he had Educated by Tara Westover, and I was like, “Cool, so now I have homework.”
But honestly? His lists are a mix of smart (stuff that makes you feel guilty if you don’t read it) and surprisingly fun (The Underground Railroad? Masterpiece).
Reading Obama’s list feels like texting that one friend who’s always ten steps ahead of you in the self-growth department.
Oprah (Still the Queen of Book Recs)
I mean… do we even talk about book lists without Oprah?
The woman basically invented the celebrity book club. She held up The Road and suddenly millions of us were sobbing about ash and father-son bonding.
Her picks lean heavy on emotional depth—memoirs, sweeping novels, the kind of stuff that stays in your chest like a bruise.
I tried reading A Fine Balance because of Oprah. Took me 3 months. Did I cry? Yes. Did I sometimes want to throw it in the trash? Also yes. But I finished it and felt like I’d climbed Everest in flip-flops.
That’s Oprah’s magic. She makes you read things you’d never pick up yourself. And then you’re like, “Oh wow, I have feelings. Cool.”
The TikTok Effect (aka “BookTok Made Me Buy It”)
Not exactly celebs, but influencers? BookTok is basically running publishing right now.
You know the drill: some 19-year-old with fairy lights and an iced latte cries into their camera about a book that “destroyed them.” Next thing you know, it’s sold out at Target.
Case in point: It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover. That book went from quietly existing to being the only thing anyone talked about in line at Trader Joe’s.
BookTok lists are chaotic. One day it’s fantasy smut (ACOTAR, anyone?), next it’s a 700-page Russian classic. It’s like literary roulette, and I kinda love it.
Other Random Celebrity Recs That Shocked Me
- Kendall Jenner reads poetry (yes, actual poetry). She once shared The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur, which feels very on-brand for a girl who posts moody desert pics at golden hour.
- Bill Gates (of course) loves non-fiction, especially about climate change and tech. His lists are like required reading for people who wear Patagonia vests unironically.
- Emma Roberts has a book club too (Belletrist), and her picks are artsy and cool, like the indie films of books.
- Snoop Dogg once shouted out The Art of War. And honestly, that feels… correct?
Why These Lists Actually Matter
Okay, here’s my take: it’s not really about the books.
It’s about connection.
When you see someone like Mindy Kaling recommend a rom-com novel and then you read it and laugh at the exact same parts? That’s weirdly intimate. Like you’re on a tiny book date with Mindy.
And sometimes, yeah, these lists push you outside your bubble. I’d probably never read a dense history book if Obama didn’t low-key guilt me into it. But when I did? I felt… smarter. And slightly less brain-rotted from binge-watching Love Island.
The Downside about the Downside about
Let’s be real: sometimes celebs recommend books just because their friend wrote it. Or because their publicist said, “Pick something intellectual, please, people think you’re just about avocado toast.”
And sometimes you get burned. You read something hyped on Instagram, and it’s… meh.
Like the time I bought a poetry collection because a famous model said it “changed her life.” Spoiler: it was three poems about the moon, and I wanted my $12 back.
Final Thought Before I Ramble Forever: must-read book lists by celebrities
So yeah. Must-read book lists by celebrities & influencers are messy, inspiring, sometimes shallow, sometimes deep. Basically like celebrities themselves.
Are they gospel? No.
But are they fun little breadcrumbs that might lead you to your new favorite book—or at least give you something smart-sounding to bring up at brunch? Absolutely.
So next time Reese or Oprah or even some random TikTok guy with cool hair tells you to read something, maybe give it a shot. Worst case, you hate it and use it as a plant stand. Best case? It actually stays with you forever.
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