Books to Read via Amy Sherman-Palladino

Friday, March 13, 2015


 Rory's love of reading on Gilmore Girls didn't come out of thin air. The show's creator, Amy Sherman-Palladino, is a big reader herself. Years ago when the show was still on, Sherman-Palladino release a list of some of her favorite books. It was broken into two parts, classics and newer releases. There were 60 books (120) on each list.

I printed off the list around 2006 and started reading books from it. I discovered so many amazing gems! The list introduced me to the work of Margaret Atwood, Mary Roach, Dorothy Parker, Ann Patchett, Richard Russo, and Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I discovered The Awakening, Ella Minnow Pea, and Middlesex because of this list. Not every book has become a new favorite, but I've gotten something substantive from almost every single one. As I read each book I marked it off my tattered list and checked to see what I had left to read. I still have a few, but I'm running out of her recommendations!


In the comments of recent post on Brick Lane Trish asked me where I'd heard about the book. It was from this list and I realized I should post about the wonderful books I've discovered in the last decade because of it. I couldn't find a single place online where all these books are listed. Honestly, it's been so long since I first found it, I don't even remember where I got it.

So I just scanned my very worn copy of the list that has traveled around with me for years. You'll see a list of 30 Books to Read Before You're 30 on there as well. It also includes a list of Best Picture Oscar winners that I've been slowly working my way through. There's a little list of Stephen King's top 10 audiobooks that ran in Entertainment Weekly years ago. That list is the one that first introduced me to Neil Gaiman's work!

You never know where you'll find a great book recommendation. Before I started blogging this list was my secret key to discovery so many of the authors who are now my favorites, so I had to share it. I'm so grateful for Sherman-Palladino's impeccable reading tastes!

p.s. If you have any questions about a specific book just ask! I'm sure some of the titles are hard to read because of my scribbles and notes.

p.p.s. If ANYONE know how I can watch the movie Cavalcade, please let me know! It's the only movie on my Oscar list that I haven't seen and I've never been able to find a copy of it. 

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very cool! I've seen a million Rory Gilmore lists, but never this one.
You can rent or buy Cavalcade from Amazon Instant Video:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FL7EVIY/

Amy said...

Love The Gilmore Girls and love this list!! I'll add it to all the other lists posted to the side of my fridge. Thanks!

Alex (The Sleepless Reader) said...

I've been doing the same thing, but with BBC's Great Read list. it has proven a very reliable source of new books.

I remember seeing a Gilmore Girls Reading challenge, that went through everything Rory was seen reading throughout the series.

Belle Wong said...

This looks like an amazing list, Melissa - thanks so much for sharing it!

Anonymous said...

I love the look of your scanned in list!

JReiss said...

Found it!
http://www.ohbuoyancy.com/p/rorys-book-club.html
I remember the original list website had that picture at the top. So this is either the original or an exact replica.

Allie said...

That's an awesome list! I see a lot of great titles on there!

thecuecard said...

You're making great headway on the List. Wow. My I dont know that movie Cavalcade -- you stumped me

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

abibliophilesstyle - That is awesome! I'm going to have to watch that this week. Can't believe I didn't check there!

Amy - I love Gilmore Girls too. It's the best!

Alex - That BBC list is so good!

Belle - Enjoy! There are so many great books on it.

52booksorbust - Bahaha, I was just too lazy to type it all up.

Jess - You found it!!!

Allie - She really has fantastic taste in literature.

thecuecard - I've been reading from it for years now!

Jillian said...

Awesome! Gilmore Girls is fantastic, and I've been looking into reading more from this list too.

Anonymous said...

Cool. I used to have a list that was recommended reading for anyone who was serious about attending college but I've lost it. It really was old canon crap so I'm sure I would not have gotten through most of it.
Blogging is totally what opened my eyes to amazing books. I remember all the fan craze for Neil Gaiman and wondering, "WHO?!" :D

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

abibliophilesstyle - I watched Calvalcade last night. Thank you!

Jillian - It's a great list to pick from. You won't love every one of them, but there are so many wonderful recommendations.

bkclubcare - Blogging definitely did the same for me. There are SO many books I never would have discovered otherwise.

Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanity said...

I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE this. :)

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Trish - : )