Taylor Swift’s reading list: All the books that inspired her songwriting
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Taylor Swift's discography is filled with literary references and odes
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A widely recognized master of the art of songwriting, Taylor Swift is obviously a reader and has cited many books as her inspiration for writing her hit songs.
The 35-year-old pop superstar has been nominated for the 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame, and it’s only fair to look back at her reading list that plays a key role in her storytelling abilities.
Taylor Swift has featured all the books over the years:
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
He mentioned the novel in an interview and credited it with changing the way he “looked at life”.
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
He talked about the series, and how he was sad after reading all of them because he felt for the characters.
- F. The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald
In her song, This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things, Swift sings, “Feeling so Gatsby for this whole year.”
“I hope she turns out to be a beautiful idiot,” she quotes the book again in the book happily.
- Star Girl by Jerry Spinelli
Swift shows great admiration for children’s literature, which he believes has the power to deeply affect readers.
“A Copy of Z: A Zelda Fitzgerald Novel Seen by Taylor’s Bedside.”
- Where the Croods Sing by Delia Owens
Swift had a glowing review for the book and then contributed to the film adaptation with her song, Carolina.
- The Giver by Louis Lowry
- Peter Pan by JM Barrie
She directly references the sensational character in her song, Peter.
- Charlotte’s Web by EB White
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hudson Burnett
On her song, I Hate It, Swift sings, “I hate it here so I’ll go to the secret gardens in my mind,” referring to the book.
- The Shining by Stephen King
- Stephen King’s Stand
- The Dark Tower by Stephen King
- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
He described the book as the inspiration for his song, Endurance, which he wrote after reading the book.
- Furious Love by Sam Kashner and Nancy Sheinberger
Swift has spoken many times about her interest in Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, and this book was right up her alley. Her song Elizabeth Taylor and the Lyric, Burton, in This Taylor, …
- Amazing Tonight by Patty Boyd
Patty Boyd, the music behind the classic hits, is another historical figure that greatly interests the singer.
- The Secret Conversations of Eva Gardner, Peter Evans
He cited the book as the inspiration behind the music video for Wildest Dreams, which depicts a film being shot in Africa in the 1950s.
- Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Her hit song, Love Story, directly refers to the play, while some others also draw from the unrequited love affair.
- Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Ophelia’s fate is based on a Shakespearean character, which Swift took as an inspiration and changed her fate.
- The Scarlet Letter of 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 F is Scott Fitzgerald’s night
- Gone Girl by Glenn Flynn
- Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
- Opened by Elizabeth Lesser
- The Kennedy Women by Laurence Lemer
- Only Children by Patti Smith
- Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney.
He has spoken of his admiration for the author, and his now-eleven starring role in the series adaptation.
- Evelyn Hugo’s Seven Husbands by Taylor Jenkins Reed
- Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
The 14-time Grammy winner knows how to strike a chord with her lyrics, and that can certainly be attributed to her extensive reading list, which has taught her about the human experience on a deeper level.
