I am a huge fan of Taylor Swift and her music. Always have been, always will be. Lyricism is very crucial to me in making or breaking a song with a catchy tune, and Taylor proves time and time again that she can effortlessly do both. Since I am such an avid fan of her music, it is not surprising that I also have a deep appreciation for many of her favorite books as well. Someone who is as gifted with words and storytelling as Taylor, is bound to also have excellent taste in books. So let’s take a look at some of her favorite books that she is a fan of and has recommended.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
I think this was likely every Tumblr girl’s favorite book at one point or another during the 2010s. But in my opinion, the success it achieved was rightfully deserved. (If you didn’t cry at the end of this book, then please stay away from me because you are a heartless monster and I’m scared of you.) In all seriousness though, I read this tearjerker of a book in a very short period of time, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it long after I finished reading it.
I can totally see why it is a book Taylor loved and recommended. It is a story of intense emotion and happiness, but also intense sadness and heartbreak, all things Taylor loves to incorporate into her music. I adored this book (it takes place in my very own home state of Indiana, which is a big plus for me) and I think it is a great start in proving that Taylor has wonderful taste in books.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
As you may already know, Taylor Swift wrote the Grammy award winning song “Safe and Sound” for the 2012 movie adaptation of The Hunger Games. But what you might not know is that she was also a huge fan of the book. After she was approached about the opportunity to write a song for the upcoming movie, she read the book in two days and said she “fell in love with it.”
As a hug fan of The Hunger Games myself, it doesn’t much cooler than your favorite artist being obsessed with one of your favorite books, and then writing a beautifully haunting song for the movie adaptation. (She actually wrote two songs for the movie soundtrack, the second one being “Eyes Open”. Although it didn’t gain nearly as much popularity as “Safe and Sound” did, it still is an amazing song that really shows how much of a fan Taylor was of the book and how well she understood Katniss.)
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Taylor read The Giver when she was still in elementary school, and it had a profound impact on her, even at a young age.
“When I read it, I was in probably fifth grade, and I didn’t do a lot of thinking about the distant future as far as our society goes at that point in my life. And this really switched that up for me, and really blew my mind in a way that’s stuck with me.”
Taylor Swift
The fact that she was such a big fan of the book since her childhood greatly informed her acceptance of a small role in the 2014 adaptation. She played the small, yet pivotal, role of Rosemary, the former “Receiver” who is only shown in flashback sequences. But that is exactly what she wanted. She wanted to be apart of an adaptation whose story and themes were so near to her heart, but without the pressure of a larger role. And let me just say, she did an excellent job with her role, small as it was.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
I am convinced that one of Taylor Swift top books of all time has to be The Great Gatsby. The list of times she has referenced this books is getting almost too long to keep track of. In her album reputation, she references the book in two songs, Don’t Blame Me and This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things, not to mention how the Delicate video is extremely Gatsby-esque, in terms of theme and setting.
In her album evermore, she references the book multiple times throughout the song “happiness” singing, “I hope she’ll be a beautiful fool” and “All you want from me now is the green light of forgiveness”, which fans of The Great Gatsby will recognize as direct references to the book. One could also argue that the line in “the 1” from folklore, “roaring twenties tossing pennies in the pool”, could also be an indirect reference to the parties Jay Gatsby threw, and his famously extravagant swimming pool.
After looking at some of Taylor Swifts favorite books, I think it is completely fair to say that yes, she does in fact have good taste in books. Now, everyone has their own opinions, but I personally am proud to be a fan of an artist with a love for each of these books, which I consider to be masterpieces.
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