Several Taylor Swift songs draw inspiration from literature. From the singer’s favourite reads to books perfect for Swifties, here’s your essential reading list
If you’re a Swiftie in search of your next summer read, you’re in luck. While most fans agree Taylor Swift’s lyrics are pure poetry, sometimes you need to sink your teeth into something chunkier.
Thankfully, there are plenty of books perfect for Swift’s fans. Whether you’re looking to pick your next read based on your favourite song, or perhaps you’d like to know what Swift is reading these days, an expert has done the hard work for you.
Iayat Riaz, Head Librarian 11-18, at Stephen Perse Cambridge, has pulled together a list of 15 novels sure to delight Swifties of all ages. Featuring love stories, antiheroes and metaphors aplenty, all of the recommendations are picked with tortured poets in mind.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
If you’re spending your summer listening to “The Man”, this one’s for you. “Jo March embodies the sentiments echoed in Taylor’s ‘The Man’. Despite the limitations that women faced at the time (1800s), Jo is determined to live and choose the life that she wants to live,” explains Riaz.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Here’s another classic recommendation, picked for good reason. “The song lyrics in ‘Invisible String’ reference a quote from Jane Eyre, and she also alludes to Mr Rochester in ‘Guilty as Sin?'” says Riaz.
While we won’t spoil the plot, Mr Rochester references his own “invisible string” in Brontë’s beloved novel. “I have a strange feeling with regard to you: as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly knotted to a similar string in you,” he says. Sound familiar?
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
As Riaz points out, Swift has confirmed she’s a Sally Rooney fan. Referencing the novel, the singer previously told Entertainment Weekly: “I really like her book . I like the tone she takes when she’s writing. I think it’s like being inside somebody’s mind.”
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
“A swift skim of this gripping summer read will leave you bereft with countless Swiftie references from Wonderland, TLGAD, The Lucky One, Paper Rings and So It Goes,” suggests Riaz.
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Come on, you should have been expecting this recommendation. “If you’re a fan of Taylor’s classic Love Story, then you must check out Shakespeare’s timeless love story of two star-crossed lovers,” reasons Riaz.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Did you know “Tolerate It” was inspired by Rebecca? In an interview with Apple Music, the songwriter confirmed she drew inspiration from the novel. “When I was reading Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, I was thinking, wow, her husband just tolerates her. She’s doing all these things and she’s trying so hard and she’s trying to impress him, and he’s just tolerating her the whole time. There was a part of me that was relating to that, because, at some point in my life, I felt that way,” she revealed.
It’s not surprising then that there are multiple parallels between du Maurier’s Rebecca and Swift’s ‘Tolerate It’ with references to murder, intrigue, duplicity, and anguished love, according to Riaz.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
John Green fans, you can count Taylor Swift among your number. As Riaz notes, during a discussion with Scholastic Books, Swift mentioned that she was a fan of Hazel Grace because she’s a “really intricate, beautiful, complicated female character”.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
“Wonderland is littered with references to Carroll’s magical fairy-tale,” Riaz points out. Swift also drew inspiration from the story during her 2013 Grammy Awards performance.
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Fans of “Love Story” and “New Romantics” should check out The Scarlet Letter, says Riaz, who praises “Hawthorne’s masterful tale of what happens when a woman falls foul of society’s expectations”.
The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
Swift famously wrote two songs for The Hungers Games film, and she devoured the novel in just as many days.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: And Six Other Stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Swift is a big Fitzgerald fan, Riaz explains. “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” and “Don’t Blame Me” both include references to The Great Gatsby. Then there’s the small detail that she named one her cats Benjamin Button.
How They Met and Other Stories by David Levithan
Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down” is an ode to the LGBTQ+ community, one that perfectly complements Levithan’s collection of stories that celebrate the community across a wider spectrum, says Riaz.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
“Listen to ‘Getaway Car’ and then read the opening lines of A Tale of Two Cities to see how the songwriter plays on one of Dickens’ greatest novels,” Riaz advises.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Riaz suggests Moyes’ beloved novel for Swifties looking for a tearjerker.
Atonement by Ian McEwan
“Listen to ‘Back to December’, and delve into McEwan’s classic wartime saga of love, redemption, and regrets,” says Riaz.
