Pictured reading famous literary works in public and updating their social media feeds with their latest reading kicks, many celebrities have highlighted their impeccable tastes in books over the years, and some have surprised us with their level of literary knowledge.
Here, we profile 10 celebrities who appear more than capable of recommending a good book.
1. Emma Roberts
The niece of America’s sweetheart Julia Roberts may not ever have the international fame of her auntie, but she’s nonetheless forged a pretty successful career for herself as an actress, appearing in countless movies over the years, many of which were adapted from great books.
Often sharing her literary passions on her Instagram feed, Roberts has proven her literary swag on ample occasions, with books by authors like Joan Didion, Albert Camus, and Haruki Murakami all making appearances on Roberts’ 10m+ strong Instagram account.
2. Lena Dunham
The creator and star of the hit HBO series Girls runs a book blog called Lenny and is always on the lookout for the next best read and regularly updates the blog with reviews and recommendations.
A literary writer herself having authored the best-selling memoir, Not That Kind Of Girl, one of Dunham’s favorite books is Rita, Sue and Bob Too by Andrea Dunbar, and has also interviewed a litany of writers, including the critically acclaimed British writer, Zadie Smith.
3. Sarah Jessica Parker
Sex in the City made this actress a household name, with the show’s emphasis on fashion almost being a biographical account of Parker herself, who remains an ardent follower of the latest trends in apparel.
Away from fashion and acting, the actress is also a bookworm and has spoken at length in past interviews about the influence books have had on her. In one interview, she said, ” I have always loved to read for the same reason I love to act, which is that other people’s stories are more interesting to me than my own.”
Being the envy of Potterheads, SJP has also had the privilege of introducing one of her favorite writers, none other than J.K. Rowling, at the 2016 PEN GALA.
4. Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon is one of the biggest book lovers you’ll ever meet, and the southern belle even has her own reading club and encourages her followers to use the hashtag #RWBOOK in order to share her latest recommendations.
She also provides buying links to the books she reviews and also plays a significant role in getting many books adapted for the silver screen.
5. James Franco
James Franco holds a majors degree in English literature from UCLA and has also taken various creative writing courses. Teaching is another forte of Franco’s, and when he isn’t studying on film sets, hosting the Oscars, or wooing women across the world with his good looks, you can find him teaching classes at USC, UCLA, and NYU.
UCLA even recognized his significance as an academic on a poster of famous alumni members, with a witty caption underneath reading, ‘Some A-Listers Actually Get A’s.’
It’s not surprising then that Franco is a diehard book addict, and has tried but failed to get various literary classics to the big screen, including J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye and Charles Bukowski’s Ham on Rye.
6. David Duchovny
David Duchovny is most known for his acting credits on the hit shows The X-Files and Californication, but acting isn’t the only craft synonymous with his career.
Perhaps refusing to be consigned to one discipline, Duchovny later branched into academia, with the star recently earning a Master of Arts from Yale University before writing his first novel, ‘Holy Cow.’
Revealing to Oprah Winfrey five books that most made an impression on him, Duchovny cited some brilliant ones, including The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon and The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald, which he described “as a book that manages to distil the idea of America.”
7. Emma Watson
Graduating from Brown University with a degree in English literature, Emma Watson has excelled in promoting women’s rights thanks to her role as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for women.
As well as her esteemed work with the UN and successful acting career, Watson is a keen reader and recently got involved with Books on the Underground, an organization that encourages people to read by placing free books in stations. Above, Watson can be seen reading her favorite book, Maya Angelou’s Mom & Me & Mom.
8. Bradley Cooper
We’ve already profiled a few actors on this list, which isn’t surprising when you think about it as actors rely on source material to perform, and it appears Bradley Cooper is one such actor who more than knows his literary classics.
Reading what is considered by many as one of the greatest (and most controversial) novels of all time, Cooper was pictured in London with then-girlfriend Suki Waterhouse reading her extracts of Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita. 9. Mayim Bialik
With a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, one would expect the Big Bang actress Mayim Bialik to be well-read, and she’s proven this assumption by regularly posting Instagram photos of books she’s read.
Past recommendations of hers include 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriella Garcia Marquez and The History of Love by Nicole Krauss.
10. Oprah Winfrey
Saving the most influential celebrity reader until last, Oprah Winfrey can make an author’s readership expand tenfold if she endorses them, with a recommendation all but assuring a writer rip-roaring sales.
While the book club has taken a back foot in recent years, she does still interview authors now and then, including a recent one with one of her all-time favorite writers, Toni Morrison.
