Inside Taylor Swift’s Bookshelf: 6 Novels That Inspired Her Lyrics
The pop superstar has long been a passionate reader.
Whether it’s poetic lyrics or carefully crafted storytelling, Taylor Swift’s songwriting has always reflected a deep love of literature. Over the years, the global superstar has shared glimpses of the books that have shaped her perspective, such as timeless classics like To Kill a Mockingbird and modern favorites such as Normal People.
Swift’s reading list offers fans a window into the stories that resonate with her most. This is sometimes why themes of love and self-discovery echo throughout her work. Ahead, we curated a list of just a few of the books that Swift that she has read and loved.
Many of these fan-favorite titles are widely available on Amazon, with several currently on sale. This makes it the perfect time to explore the reads that have helped inspire one of music’s most celebrated singers.
Taylor Swift has cited To Kill a Mockingbird as one she read growing up, and its themes of empathy and moral conviction echo in her storytelling, particularly in songs that explore perspective and social judgment.
A cornerstone of American literature, this novel explores themes of morality and justice in the racially segregated South. Through the eyes of young Scout Finch, Harper Lee creates a narrative that confronts prejudice while celebrating empathy, courage, and the quiet heroism of standing up for what is right.
Taylor Swift once mentioned her admiration for Sally Rooney, and her books like Normal People and Conversations with Friends. Swift stated that her writing was like "being inside somebody's mind".
Normal People is an intimate coming-of-age novel that follows the complicated relationship between two Irish teenagers, Marianne and Connell, as they move from high school into adulthood, exploring all the things that young love brings.
In an interview with Apple Music, Swift explained that while reading Rebecca, she related to the protagonist’s experience of trying hard to win over a distant partner who only "tolerates" her (which you can learn in her song “Tolerate It”). Read the book by Daphne du Maurier which also inspired Swift’s albums Folklore and Evermore.
Rebecca is a haunting gothic novel about a young woman who marries a wealthy widower and moves to his estate, only to find herself overshadowed by the memory of his first wife, Rebecca, whose mysterious legacy lingers over the household.
Swift read The Giver when she was in the fifth grade, and she noted that it “blew her mind.” She loved the book so much, that when the movie adaptation of it came out, she took the role of Rosemary.
The Giver is all about a seemingly utopian society without pain or conflict. It centers around a boy named Jonas who is chosen to receive the community’s hidden memories. This is when he learns about the unsettling truths about his town, and just how controlling its leaders of are.
Swift wrote and recorded the original song "Carolina" for the 2022 film adaptation of Delia Owens' Where the Crawdads Sing. A fan of the book, the songwriter aimed to create a "haunting and ethereal" song that matched the story's tone, pitching it to the producers after reading the novel.
A coming-of-age story and mystery in one, Where the Crawdads Sing tells the story of Kya Clark, a girl raised in isolation in the marshes of North Carolina. Her life becomes intertwined with a suspicious death in the nearby town, and she knows a little more about it than she should.
Swift read the first book of The Hunger Games series in about two days. She then wrote "Safe & Sound" for the movie afterward, with lyrics that reflect the themes of hope and peace, and the lullaby in the story.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is one of the most popular dystopian novel series. It’s set in a future society where a televised competition forces young contestants from different districts to battle for survival. We read as Katniss Everdeen, a resourceful teenager who volunteers to take her sister’s place, becomes a symbol of resistance against an oppressive regime.