How Does Reese Witherspoon Choose Her Books?

Reese Witherspoon is an accomplished actor, producer, and cookbook author renowned for her roles in intelligent films. She excels at both lighthearted comedies as well as intense dramas.

She received critical acclaim for her roles as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde and June Carter Cash in Walk the Line, earning her an Oscar for the latter. Her passion and dedication to acting led to a transformation that earned her accolades in both films.

What Is Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club?

Reese Witherspoon's passion for reading is one of the reasons her films have become such successes. She appeals to a specific demographic that publishers and booksellers value, creating books about women that readers will relate to. That's why Witherspoon was instrumental in branding Gone Girl or overseeing Wild's film adaptation - it makes sense!

The actress has a knack for portraying intelligent, determined women. This trait in movies she has made her own, from Election's Tracy Flick to Legally Blonde's Elle Woods. This signature role earned Witherspoon an Oscar nomination for Best Actress and launched an exciting comeback narrative.

Since 2017, Reese Witherspoon's book club, created in collaboration with Hello Sunshine, has become an industry sensation; more than 38 titles selected have become New York Times bestsellers and several have been adapted for film or television. Each month she announces her picks on Instagram Stories the first week of each month and promotes each title through author interviews, exclusive essays and giveaways.

In the end, it's up to Witherspoon's readers to decide if her picks are worth all the hype. In some cases, that can come down to luck; as was evident when Gail Honeyman's Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine reached #1 on Amazon with over 2 million copies sold.

But more often, it comes down to great storytelling. Witherspoon's affinity for reading has been a key factor in her success as an actress, and now she's bringing that same quality to her book club selections.

Reese Witherspoon's Book Club, launched in 2017 through her media company Hello Sunshine, boasts an Instagram following of over 2.4 million people. Each month the club selects a new book which is announced on the first Tuesday of that month.

Each month, the book club will highlight a selection written by or featuring a woman as its protagonist. Members can follow along on Instagram and share their reviews of the book on their personal accounts.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine

Gail Honeyman's debut novel Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is an engaging portrait of an intelligent young woman leading a quiet life. Her wry observations are humorously offset with dry sense of humour that make her character one readers will root for and want to get to know better.

Eleanor Oliphant, 29, is a finance clerk working at an office in Glasgow. She's settled into her routine: she starts work at 8:30 a.m., completes the Daily Telegraph crossword on her lunch break, makes dinner at home with just one pan of pasta and salad for dinner, listens to The Archers before hitting the hay at ten p.m.

Eleanor's routine is so set in stone that she doesn't think about anything else, even when she has an unexpected encounter with Raymond, her new coworker. After leaving work one day, they witness Sammy Thom collapse on the street and come together to save him; but it was during their discussion about their experiences that something shifts for Eleanor.

What happens next for Eleanor is both a shock and an uplifting surprise. Raymond persuades her to visit a mental health counsellor, helping her begin healing from her past wounds and move forward with life. It's through Raymond's kindness that Eleanor learns to forgive herself for putting off seeking assistance so long.

She notices a shift in herself when she begins having more realistic dreams, such as developing an intense crush on Johnnie Lomond, the lead singer of her local band. She follows his Twitter feed and learns where he lives, eventually visiting his apartment eager to meet him.

This book is a lighthearted and heartwarming story that will appeal to many readers. It's ideal for those interested in books about loner characters, women dealing with trauma, and unlikely friendships.

Gail Honeyman skillfully explores the dark side of human nature in her portrayal of Eleanor. Her descriptions of Eleanor's personality are so vivid that you feel as if you can get inside her head and comprehend her words.

The Last House Guest

Oprah Winfrey is a titan among book clubs, but Witherspoon has cemented herself as an industry icon in her own right. In 2017, she joined forces with Hello Sunshine to launch Reese's Book Club, which quickly went on to become an industry sensation, propelling titles onto bestseller lists and elevating Witherspoon as an influential voice among young readers.

Reese Witherspoon's Reese's Book Club is an extension of her brand as an actress and producer. It allows her to reach into a powerful demographic of women who enjoy book clubs and sharing what they read on Instagram - the same group who loved her films Legally Blonde and Big Little Lies.

Social media has allowed celebrities to reach millions of fans around the world with ease, opening up a world of communication previously unavailable. Through Witherspoon's immense reach, her book club can effectively spread her recommendations to millions around the globe.

Reese's Book Club picked Megan Miranda's The Last House Guest as its August 2019 pick, a psychological thriller set in Littleport, Maine. Avery Greer, a caretaker for the wealthy Loman family, becomes grief-stricken and under suspicion when her best friend Sadie is found dead on the beach. To clear her name before someone can twist facts to implicate her in Sadie's murder, Avery must clear her name first.

As Avery begins her search for the truth, she must navigate unexpected friendships and the intricacies of grief. As she delves into Sadie's past, she uncovers new evidence which leads her to a different conclusion about Sadie's passing than what the police initially believed.

This novel is packed with plot twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. It brilliantly explores memory's mysterious nature as well as female friendships' complex dynamics. This smart, twisty listen will appeal to both fans of Miranda and those who prefer more classic novels.

Daisy Jones and the Six

Daisy Jones is a teenage girl living in Los Angeles in the 1970s. She frequents clubs, sleeps with rock stars and dreams of singing at Whisky a Go Go. Her irreverent nature quickly captures the attention of everyone around her - including Hank Allen who becomes her manager. Daisy begins writing songs which eventually lead to a record deal - though not quite what executives were searching for.

Meanwhile, The Six's frontman Billy Dunne is struggling to accept his impending fatherhood and the end of his relationship with girlfriend Camila. But when a producer decides to pair Daisy with the band, their lives become intertwined.

As the sexual revolution, drugs and music of the seventies takes center stage, Daisy and Billy's relationship becomes the focal point. Though they have different goals in life, their conflict over love and loyalty resonates throughout their bandmates.

The 12-episode series "Taylor Jenkins Reid's Castle" was produced by Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine in collaboration with Amazon Studios. Feature writers Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber wrote the pilot script, while Brad Mendelsohn and Will Graham will executive produce.

Filming began in September 2021 and wrapped up by June 2022. Starring alongside Timothy Olyphant were Nabiyah Be and Clafin Keogh - granddaughter to Elvis Presley!

Niki Caro, director of Whale Rider and 2020's Mulan, will direct multiple episodes of the series as well as executive produce it, according to Deadline.

Unfortunately, it remains uncertain when the series will air on TV. However, it's expected to be available through Prime Video in both the US and UK.

Reese Witherspoon's next book club pick will be a 12-episode televised miniseries adapted from Taylor Jenkins Reid's best-selling novel. The 12-episode series will premiere on Prime Video in March.

Daisy Jones and the Six is a fictional account of how an accomplished band came apart due to their complicated personal lives and complicated relationships. It tells a tale of fame, fortune, and how music can take you places you never dreamed existed.

How Many Books Does Reese Witherspoon Read a Year?

Reese Witherspoon is a triple threat: actress, producer and lifestyle retailer through Draper James. But it's her love of reading that has given her an edge in Hollywood.

Witherspoon's book club, run through her Hello Sunshine media company, has become one of the most talked-about in recent years. Her selections often feature female writers and are always thought-provoking.

1. Where the Crawdads Sing

If you follow Reese Witherspoon on Instagram, then you already know about her book club phenomenon. Every month, the celebrated actress selects one of her favorite female-protagonist novels for everyone to enjoy - whether it's something quick and enjoyable to read on the subway or something suitable for YAs at your next girls' night out, Reese's book club is definitely worth checking out!

Her monthly picks are all accessible on Amazon and Audible, featuring captivating stories with captivating plotlines that keep readers guessing until the very end.

Reese has often included thrillers on her list, such as Ruth Ware's In a Dark, Dark Wood and The Woman in Cabin 10. But with Reese's latest pick - Where the Crawdads Sing - we question if it can really be made into a movie (or book for that matter).

Owens' novel depicts a world where women suffer and Kya, left alone in North Carolina's marshes, is rejected by everyone she encounters. It's an ethereal realm where natural laws take precedence over any rules of human society - an almost surrealistic fantasy world.

2. Our Missing Hearts

Oprah may be the queen of book clubs, but Reese Witherspoon has taken it to another level. Every month she selects a book to read and shares her recommendations on her Instagram feed with 2.4 million followers.

Her selections tend to focus on female protagonists and feature stunning scenery, captivating plotlines and engaging characters. It's no surprise that many books featured on her list make the NY Times Best Seller list as well.

Celeste Ng's Our Missing Hearts is a dark and dystopian novel set in a world where government is too powerful for its own good, leading to the separation of children from their families in the name of security. However, this story also serves as an empathetic plea for an honest reckoning with one's past.

Our Missing Hearts weaves together a Greek myth (Orpheus, the hero, is sent to the underworld to find his beloved) with a Japanese folktale (a boy drawing cats on a wall in a monster's lair and saying he "keeps to the small") to create an captivating tale of tragedy and hope. However, like any dystopian novel, Our Missing Hearts also takes into account real-world issues and current events - something not to be overlooked.

3. Tiny Beautiful Things

Celebrities such as Florence Welch and Emma Watson have found success by sharing their best-selling book with their followers. It is one of many ways they can help promote a book and spread awareness of its success.

Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine production company is renowned for adapting bestselling novels and cult-following creative works into television shows, creating an ever-expanding subgenre of indie comedy-dramas.

Wild stars Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern have reunited for Tiny Beautiful Things, a TV drama based on Cheryl Strayed's 2012 novel of the same name. This is her second book to have been adapted into movies or TV shows.

Witherspoon will executive produce alongside Dern and her Jaywalker Pictures partner, Jayme Lemons. HBO has put in development Tiny Beautiful Things, which explores love, loss and lust through the eyes of a Portland family who live by the mantra that truth never kills anyone.

For a decade, thousands have sought advice from Dear Sugar (the pseudonym of bestselling author Cheryl Strayed) via her online column at The Rumpus, podcast and Substack newsletter. This tenth anniversary edition includes six new columns as well as an insightful preface by Strayed full of humor, compassion and understanding.

4. Daisy Jones & the Six

Daisy Jones & the Six is a New York Times best-selling novel about fame, sex and drugs in 1970s Los Angeles. Author Taylor Jenkins Reid chronicles the meteoric rise and fall of an iconic Fleetwood Mac-inspired band over four seasons.

This story follows Daisy, a talented singer who joins an acclaimed rock band. However, their success comes with its share of risks and complications.

Taylor Jenkins Reid's captivating novel perfectly captures a time and place through her unique voice. Her characters are unforgettable, their stories deeply felt.

Are you searching for a great book to read this spring? Look no further than Daisy Jones & the Six, from Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine - who previously adapted Celeste Ng's beloved Little Fires Everywhere.

Amazon Prime video series "Juno" stars Riley Keough as Daisy Jones and Sam Claflin as Billy Dunne, based on the best-selling novel of the same name. It's set for release in March with first look photos and a teaser trailer already online. Plus, enjoy an original soundtrack featuring songs by Blake Mills, Phoebe Bridgers and more - available exclusively through Amazon Prime Video!

5. The Christie Affair

Since starting her book club in 2017, Reese Witherspoon has read an impressive amount of material and her Instagram feed is filled with recommendations. Her picks often showcase stunning scenery, compelling plotlines (with lots of heartstring-pulling twists), and female protagonist stories that we can't wait to get our hands on.

Nina de Gramont's The Christie Affair, an intriguing historical novel re-imagining the mysterious eleven days that Agatha Christie went missing, is her most recent pick. This captivating historical novel tells the tale of Agatha's mysterious disappearance and her husband's affair with Nan O'Dea, which may have contributed to her mysterious disappearance.

Nan O'Dea, who promised Agatha's husband Archie an affair that he never could have known about, tells the tale from Nan's perspective. De Gramont masterfully weaves together years of events to bring to life this gripping novel about a turbulent past and uncertain future.

Christie Tate has always felt unsatisfied in her skin despite ranking among the top of her law school class. After Dr. Rosen suggested she join his weekly psychotherapy group sessions, Christie Tate began to experience transformation on a deeper level than anticipated.

6. Dear Sugar

Reese Witherspoon has made a name for herself on the big screen, but she also has earned herself a reputation as an avid book clubgoer. On the first Tuesday of every month, she shares a book that she's loving that features a female protagonist.

Cheryl Strayed's memoir Wild, Tiny Beautiful Things by Nicola Yoon and Where the Crawdads Sing by Jennifer Ng are some of her top picks for book club discussions. However, she likes to keep things diverse with book club recommendations, including those that address racial justice issues.

She's particularly fond of Jacqueline Woodson's book True Biz, which follows a deaf teenager as they navigate life in an Irish residential school. On Instagram, she shared her enthusiasm for this uplifting read with her followers and declared it to be an "eye-opening story" about deaf culture and history.

At present, she's reading a new book every month! We've gathered her most recent picks here with ratings and descriptions from Amazon and Witherspoon herself. Be sure to bookmark this page so you can keep up with her next time she recommends a book!

7. Wild

Witherspoon acquired the rights to Cheryl Strayed's 2012 memoir Wild and, with her own money, spearheaded an adaptation. The result is a stunning but imperfect big screen saga about self-discovery and perseverance that should find an appreciative audience among arthouse goers.

Directed by Jean-Marc Vallee (Dallas Buyers Club) and co-written by Nick Hornby, Strayed captures the strength and beauty of author Aimee Witherspoon's journey along the Pacific Crest Trail in Oregon. As Strayed, Witherspoon bravely displays her faith amidst hardships that would have otherwise destroyed many.

Wild's character's will to succeed is a key aspect of the film, but Wild also captures the breathtaking beauty of Oregon's vast landscape as she traverses its trails. Gorgeous Instagram-friendly shots of Crater Lake, Ashland and Bridge of the Gods in Cascade Locks further add to her journey.

Wild is an inspiring addition to the recent spate of bigscreen survival stories, such as Tracks and Gone Girl. It exemplifies how a deep connection with nature can bring us to a place of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Reese Witherspoon Book Club List

Every month, Hello Sunshine founder Reese Witherspoon selects a female-protagonist-centered book for her readers. Whether it's an page turner, heartstring-tugging novel, or just an enjoyable read - Reese always finds something we'll all enjoy.

We've compiled a list of all the books she's featured since her initial pick in June 2017, complete with ratings and descriptions from Amazon, Witherspoon herself, as well as reviews. Scroll below to find your next read!

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Are you searching for a book to add to your next book club? There are plenty of choices. Some are upbeat, others more poignant - but all have plenty of heart. These would make great additions to Reese Witherspoon's Reese Witherspoon book club list.

Gail Honeyman's debut novel Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine won the Costa Debut Award in 2017. The book follows an unconventional heroine whose deadpan oddity and unconscious wit make for an engaging journey as she discovers that she has been on an awful path all along.

At first glance, Eleanor appears to be a social outcast with an uneventful schedule. She wakes up early for work at 8:30, buys a newspaper and reads it from cover to cover at lunchtime, watches TV or reads at home in the evening before going to bed at ten.

But her seemingly ordinary life is about to take an exciting turn. She's infatuated with Johnnie Lomond, a local musician whom she believes to be "the one." After falling head over heels in love with him, she hopes he will take her seriously and prove her right for marriage.

He can finally make her feel valued as an individual instead of a social misfit. But before she can open up to him, she must first overcome her trauma-filled past.

Eleanor must navigate the difficult waters of dating while facing her most challenging obstacles: recalling painful memories from a childhood marred by her mother's irrational and abusive behavior. With help from her therapist, Eleanor uncovers these secrets and learns how to free herself from guilt and shame associated with her past.

The book also explores the power of friendship and love. Raymond, a new IT guy at Eleanor's workplace, begins to see beyond Eleanor's deadpan weirdness and recognizes her underlying humor which gives her confidence to make friends and progress in life.

With Raymond's help, she begins seeing a therapist who helps her understand the shame and guilt from her childhood. As she comes to terms with these issues, she can let go of her abusive mother and begin a new life - one which will be both challenging and rewarding.

The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda

In 2017, Reese Witherspoon launched her own book club through her media company Hello Sunshine and quickly gained a dedicated following. Each month, the star selects a female-protagonist-focused book for readers on the first Tuesday of each month; these selections range from nonfiction to novels, with each one providing plenty of food for thought.

Megan Miranda's The Last House Guest is a murder mystery that explores unexpected friendships and the depths of grief. It examines the clash between appearance and reality, the nature of justice, and class differences in a small seaside town.

Megan Miranda, best-selling author of All the Missing Girls and The Perfect Stranger, has created another captivating novel. This one takes place over one summer after a young woman mysteriously passes away in mysterious circumstances.

The story begins on the day of Avery Greer's Plus-One Party for the Loman family in Littleport, Maine. Sadie Loman - best friend and sister-in-law to Avery's wealthy neighbor - was expected to attend with her brother Parker and girlfriend Luce; however, when she doesn't show up, Avery begins to worry that something is amiss.

Soon, Avery discovers Sadie's phone hidden in the rental cottage she manages for the Lomans and begins to investigate what might be going on. Additionally, she becomes involved in a case of someone breaking into one of their rentals and must confront her own past in this thrilling new thriller from bestselling author All the Missing Girls.

Reese Witherspoon selected this book as her August pick for her Hello Sunshine Book Club, and it's easy to see why: It's an engaging mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end.

One summer after a young woman is tragically taken from her friends by mysterious circumstances, her best friend lives under an intense cloud of grief and suspicion in this "clever, stylish mystery" (Publishers Weekly), featuring "dizzying plot twists and multiple surprise endings" (The New York Times Book Review). In this captivating debut from bestselling author All the Missing Girl, the two friends band together to unravel the truth behind their friend's passing.

Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed

Reese Witherspoon's latest book club pick is an anniversary edition of Cheryl Strayed's Advice Columns, collected over twenty-one years. Here you'll find her wise and compassionate words of guidance for readers on topics ranging from love and relationships to work drama.

For years, she anonymously answered advice seekers' questions in her column on The Rumpus under the pseudonym "Dear Sugar." Her writings quickly gained notoriety and even inspired a memoir with Witherspoon as star and an Oscar nomination for its film adaptation. Yet despite all this success, Witherspoon always felt reluctant to reveal who she truly was; when she finally did, it proved an agonizing moment which took some time for her to accept.

Eventually, she understood the benefit of what she had done. Her columns became a beacon of comfort and wisdom for people across America who needed it most. And when it was time to share her insights with the world, she collected them all into her book Tiny Beautiful Things.

This collection of advice has since been compiled into a podcast, but its words remain timeless and provide guidance at any stage in life. We chose six of her best pieces for our book club selection, but if you're searching for more, all of her advice columns can be found online.

Reese Witherspoon's book club pick The Cactus is a humorous family drama that examines how a Mexican-American matriarch can overcome her insecurities to raise her three adult children. It's an inspiring tale of triumph over hardship, family ties, and friendship.

It's a story of loyalty, friendship, insanity and just enough dysfunction that it tackles issues like addiction and co-dependency. Additionally, it delves into the legacies of abuse which show how families can be destroyed. An intriguing look into women's culture as well as its connection to technology makes this book highly recommended!

The First Fifteen Lives of Charlotte Bronte by Rebecca Stead

The First Fifteen Lives of Charlotte Bronte is an ideal book club read that explores the lives of women throughout history. The book covers topics such as her early years in England and family life in Haworth. Plus, it includes many famous characters from her works - Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights among them.

One of the most captivating aspects of this book is how it delves into how her early experiences shaped her later writing, specifically around emotional repression and the female psyche. These themes appear throughout most of her novels, but were especially prominent in her earlier works.

Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre uses her own childhood experiences of growing up as a poor and neglected child to explore the concept of love in the face of social deprivation and suppressed emotion. This theme is central to Jane's relationship with her uncle Rochester, though Bronte also draws upon it in other Angrian narratives.

These stories, though classified as melodramas, demonstrate an increasing maturity in her writing. The themes and techniques employed showed a shift away from the whimsical thrills of simple melodrama towards deeper explorations of character and motive.

Bronte's "The Bridal" (August 1832) deals with temptation and betrayal through her heroine's relationship with Marian Hume, a figure she would revisit in later works. Additionally, Bronte explored the conflict between duty and desire that permeates all her later works; her cousin St. John Rivers also plays into this pattern.

One recurring theme in her juvenilia was the conflict between two brothers, an issue she had already addressed in both her early novels and Angrian narratives. These stories explore both Lord Charles Wellesley's rivalry with older brother Arthur and Edward Percy's conflict with younger brother William.