The Age of Pedro Pascal is upon us, and we’re not complaining. The extremely talented Chilean actor is ruling TV right now — his performance as Joel Miller in The Last of Us makes us cry each week, while his role as the beskar-clad Din Djarin makes us smile as he traverses the galaxy with little Grogu in The Mandalorian.
If you’re a longtime fan like me, you’ve watched plenty of his interviews and know that he’s frequently mentioned he’s a big reader. In a 2018 interview with GQ, Pascal even said books are one of the 10 things he can’t live without (*sigh* be still my bookish, Pedro Pascal-loving heart).
Back in his Game of Thrones days, Pascal did a Reddit AMA and was asked about his favorite piece of literature. He loved the question and was kind enough to gush about a few of his favorite reads. Though this AMA was nine years ago, we’re bringing it back because his enthusiastic answers are just too good not to share.
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
We love a guy who loves a classic read. On Reddit, Pascal noted Crime and Punishment as one of the greatest reads he’s ever experienced. “I know that sounds highbrow, but to be completely honest, it was a page-turner for me,” he wrote.
Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment is atmospheric and deeply philosophical. When Raskolnikov, an impoverished student living in St. Petersburg, commits murder and theft, he sets into motion a dramatic story of sin, guilt, and redemption through vivid characterization and agonizing suspense.
Watership Down by Richard Adams
Watership Down follows a band of rabbits seeking a new home after the incursion of man destroys their home. Led by a pair of adventurous brothers, the rabbits endure harrowing trials while traveling from their former home of Sandleford warren to a mysterious promised land and a more perfect society. According to Pascal, Watership Down was one of the most “grueling” stories he read.
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
Gabriel Garciá Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude is a Nobel Prize-winning classic often heralded as a masterpiece. Solitude tells the story of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the Buendiá family. From Macondo’s rise and fall to its birth and death, Solitude‘s story of the fictional town and the Buendiá family is brimming with compassion, truth, and a lyrical magic that proves Márquez’s novel is truly a literary masterpiece.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Pedro, I love you. Oops, did I say that out loud? Oh well, it’s true. Any guy who loves the Brontë sisters is a certified 10/10, and that’s a fact.
Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre is a masterful, atmospheric story of a woman on a quest for freedom. Jane Eyre is a spirited survivor— qualities that she believes will serve her well as the new governess of Thornfield Hall. But when she falls for her employer, the sardonic Rochester, his terrible secret will force her to make a choice. Stay with him and face the consequences or follow her convictions?
Franny and Zooey, or “anything by J.D. Salinger”
Experience the trials, tribulations, and traumas of entering adulthood through this novel in two halves. Franny and Zooey is full of wit and poignancy— something J.D. Salinger has always done best. Of course, if Franny and Zooey isn’t your cup of tea, you can’t go wrong with The Catcher in the Rye, A Perfect Day for Bananafish, The Laughing Man, or For Esme—with Love & Squalor.
Other honorable mentions
If you follow Pedro Pascal on Instagram, you know he’s talked about his reading habits there too. He’s also offered tidbits of info about some other books and authors he loves in various interviews over the years, including:
- The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (via Buzzfeed)
- “Don’t Look Now” by Daphne du Maurier (via 92Y)
- The Urge: Our History of Addiction by Carl Erik Fisher (via Instagram)
- Disfruta del problema by Sebastiano Mauri (via Instagram)
- Anything Toni Morrison or James Baldwin (both via Instagram)
With Pedro Pascal ruling TV right now, we can only hope he’ll indulge us bookworms with some more recommendations soon. But until then, we highly recommend you dive into these fantastic books if you haven’t done so already.
And to Pedro Pascal, on the slim chance you’re reading this: we love your book choices, and you’re always welcome to gush about your love of reading to your fellow bookish friends at Bookstr! Sincerely, a huge fan of yours (and the rest of the Bookstr team, of course).