Libraries Of Leaders: Books That Emma Watson, Tom Hanks And Madonna Recommend
Here’s what Madonna, Tom Hanks and Emma Watson like to read.
If you thought movie actors just read scripts, you may want to think again. The reading lists of Hollywood’s most avid readers - Emma Watson, Tom Hanks and Madonna - are wide-ranging and reflect their eclectic tastes and ideologies
This is what they read and recommend, according to their Instagram accounts.
Emma Watson
Star of the Harry Potter series and Perks of Being a Wallflower, Emma Watson has often declared her love for books. She read at least 39 books in 2016, according to her reading list on Goodreads and no, Harry Potter is not one of them. A proud feminist, the books Watson reads and recommends reflect her ideologies with just a touch of fantasy.
1. Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
The book talks about the female psyche and ways to reconnect with the wild woman archetype using fairy tales, myths, and stories. It is an attempt by the author to help women imbibe the healthy attributes of that archetype.
2. The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler
The book is a compilation of a series of monologues by a number of women in which they speak about the feminine experience, touching upon matters such as sex, love, orgasm, menstruation, female genital mutilation, and rape. Written in the 1990s, the book became so popular that it led to a series of plays and stage performances.
3. Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou
The book chronicles the author’s relationship with her mother through years of separation and then reconciliation. It reveals Angelou’s feeling of abandonment and insecurity during her formative years and is one of her most personal accounts out of her numerous biographies.
Tom Hanks
The American actor is well known for his work in movies like Forest Gump, Saving Private Ryan and Philadelphia among others. He also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the U.S., from former President Barack Obama in 2016. Here are the books he recommends.
1. The Martian by Andy Weir
This science fiction novel details the perseverance of American astronaut Mark Watney, the first man ever to walk on Mars, when he realises that he’s stranded there. The book was adapted into a movie in 2016. Calling the book nothing less than a “masterpiece”, Hanks said that he was jealous of Matt Damon, who played the lead role in film adaptation.
2. Redshirts By John Scalzi
Also a science fiction novel, this is the story of a group of new ensigns on board a spaceship called the Intrepid who quickly discover that something is wrong there. While trying to understand why things are the way they are, the protagonist plans an escape that will save both him and his friends.
Madonna
The American singer and songwriter needs no introduction and is often hailed as the ‘Queen of Pop’. Madonna’s Instagram feed is anything but boring, and even scandalous to some. But interspersed between waves of photos from her stage appearances, are the books she enjoys and recommends to her 8.8 million followers.
1. The Devil Finds Work by James Baldwin
In the book, America’s appreciated playwright and social critic, James Balwin, analyses the country’s film industry. The book highlights the underlying racism in Hollywood movies and challenges assumptions made in movies like Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner and The Exorcist.
2. Sapiens: A Brief History Of Mankind by Yuval Noah Harari
One of the most recommended books on Libraries of Leaders, Sapiens is one of the most interesting history lessons on the evolution of mankind. Dwelling on a wide variety of subjects such as battle, laws, and religion, the book will “keep your soul alive”, Madonna wrote on Instagram.
3. How To Avoid Work by William Reilly
The book is a manual for anyone who’s bored in his/her job and wants an out. The book encourages people, who are dulled by work that is monotonous to them, to quit it for something better.