Taylor Swift, the widely recognised master of the art of songwriting, is obviously a reader and has cited many books as her inspirations for writing her hit songs.
The 35-year-old pop superstar is nominated for the 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame, and it’s fitting to look back at her reading list which has been which has contributed to her talent of storytelling.
All the books Taylor Swift has referenced throughout the years:
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
She mentioned the novel in an interview and credited it for changing the way she “looked at life.”
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
She gushed about the series, sharing how she was sad after reading them all because of the connection she felt with the characters.
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
In her song, This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things, Swift sings, “Feeling so Gatsby for that whole year.”
She quotes the book again in happiness in the lyric, “I hope she’ll be a beautiful fool.”
- Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Swift shows much appreciation for children’s literature, which she believes has the power to deeply affect the reader.
“A copy of Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald was observed by Taylor’s bed,” Vogue UK previously reported.
- Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Swift had a glowing review for the book and then contributed to the movie adaptation with her song, Carolina.
- The Giver by Lois Lowry
- Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
She directly references the whimsical character in her song, Peter.
- Charlotte’s Web by E.B WHITE
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
On her song, I Hate It Here, Swift sings, “I hate it here so I will go to secret gardens in my mind,” referring to the book.
- The Shining by Stephen King
- The Stand by Stephen King
- The Dark Tower by Stephen King
- Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
She described the book as the inspiration for her song, tolerate it, which she wrote after reading the book.
- Furious Love by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger
Swift has talked about her interest in Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor several times, and this book was right up her alley. Her song Elizabeth Taylor and the lyric, Burton to this Taylor, in …Ready for It, are direct nods to the legendary actors.
- Wonderful Tonight by Pattie Boyd
Pattie Boyd, the muse behind classical hit songs, is another historical personality that greatly interests the singer.
- The Secret Conversations by Ava Gardner, Peter Evans
She cited this book as the inspiration behind the music video for Wildest Dreams, which shows filming of a movie in Africa in the 1950s.
- Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Her hit song, Love Story, directly references the play, while some others also draw the imagery from the ill-fated love affair.
- Hamlet by William Shakespeare
The Fate of Ophelia is based on the Shakespearean character, whom Swift took as an inspiration and changed her fate.
- The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
In Love Story, Swift sings, ” ‘Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter.”
- This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
- Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
- Broken Open by Elizabeth Lesser
- The Kennedy Women by Laurence Leamer
- Just Kids by Patti Smith
- Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney.
She has talked about her appreciation of the author, and her now-ex, Joe Alwyn, starred in the series adaptation.
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
The 14-time-Grammy winner knows how to strike a chord with her lyrics, and that can definitely be attributed to her vast reading list, which has taught her about human experiences at a deep level.
