Read by Oprah Winfrey, Pedro Pascal, Esther Perel and 1 others
What books does Jenna Bush Hager recommend?
The Jenna Bush Hager book recommendations here come from the founder of TODAY's Read with Jenna book club, who has propelled dozens of titles onto the bestseller list and become one of publishing's most influential tastemakers. Seventeen titles are drawn from her Read with Jenna monthly selections, her Voices at the Table Substack, and a Goodreads interview. Fiction and literature overwhelmingly lead, with strands of history, society and psychology. Her most personal pick is Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, which she says made her realize books have the power to create empathy and serve as a catalyst for conversation and compassion. She names Ann Patchett's Bel Canto and Donna Tartt's The Secret History among her all-time favorites, and calls Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life one of her favorites too. Bush Hager has also authored six books, including Sisters First and Everything Beautiful in Its Time.
Last updated July 2026 · Every recommendation cited to its original source.
byToni Morrison
1970224 Pages“That book made me realize books have the power to help create empathy. They're a catalyst for conversation and empathy and compassion, which is such a powerful tool.”
— Jenna Bush Hager
Source: Read with Jenna December 2020 Selection
Read by Jenna Bush Hager
Little Wonder
THE OPRAH’S BOOKCLUB PICK - A POWERFUL, HEARTBREAKING STORY OF HOPE, PERSEVERANCE AND LOVE
bySophie Chen Keller
2026311 Pages“Little Wonder completely swept me up and transported me into River and Song's world. I loved every minute of this story, and I cannot wait for all of you to experience it for yourselves.”
— Jenna Bush Hager
Source: Voices at the Table Substack, June 2026
Read by Jenna Bush Hager
Conform
A Novel
byAriel Sullivan
2025593 Pages“This is a book that takes you to another world entirely. Set in a future ruled by power and control, it's a love story wrapped in rebellion, about one woman daring to choose her own heart in a world that wants to choose for her.”
— Jenna Bush Hager
Source: Voices at the Table Substack, November 2025
Read by Jenna Bush Hager
Bel Canto
A Novel
byAnn Patchett
2001335 Pages“The Secret History, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Bel Canto are a few of my all-time favorites.”
— Jenna Bush Hager
Source: Goodreads Interview, July 2019
Read by Stephen King, Ryan Tubridy, Reese Witherspoon and 2 others
byDonna Tartt
1992559 Pages(1,040,000)
“The Secret History, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Bel Canto are a few of my all-time favorites.”
— Jenna Bush Hager
Source: Goodreads Interview, July 2019
Read by Jenna Bush Hager
A Little Life
A Novel
byHanya Yanagihara
2015785 Pages“A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara is one of my favorites, too. It's so beautiful.”
— Jenna Bush Hager
Source: Goodreads Interview, July 2019
Read by Jenna Bush Hager
Homegoing
A novel
byYaa Gyasi
2016321 Pages“And then I loved American Marriage and Homegoing.”
— Jenna Bush Hager
Source: Goodreads Interview, July 2019
An American Marriage
A Novel
byTayari Jones
2018308 Pages“And then I loved American Marriage and Homegoing.”
— Jenna Bush Hager
Source: Goodreads Interview, July 2019
Read by Jenna Bush Hager
Theo of Golden
A Novel
byAllen Levi
2025400 Pages“I read two beautiful, hopeful books this break (JUST for fun!), which I haven't done for years: Theo of Golden and The Correspondent. Both books are about grace and forgiveness.”
— Jenna Bush Hager
Source: Voices at the Table Substack, January 2026
The Correspondent
A Novel
byVirginia Evans
2025305 Pages“I read two beautiful, hopeful books this break (JUST for fun!), which I haven't done for years: Theo of Golden and The Correspondent. Both books are about grace and forgiveness.”
— Jenna Bush Hager
Source: Voices at the Table Substack, January 2026
Devotions
The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver
byMary Oliver
2017480 Pages(30,011)
Source: Read with Jenna December 2024 Selection
Read by Jenna Bush Hager
Cursed Daughters
A Novel
byOyinkan Braithwaite
2025365 PagesSource: Read with Jenna November 2025 Selection
Read by Jenna Bush Hager
byChris Whitaker
2024609 PagesSource: Read with Jenna July 2024 Selection
Read by Jenna Bush Hager
Into the Blue
A Love Story
byEmma Brodie
2026449 PagesSource: Thousand Voices Imprint Release, April 2026
Read by Jenna Bush Hager
Laws of Love and Logic
A Novel
byDebra Curtis
2026321 Pages“There are so many things I love about this book — the longing, the redemption, the sisterhood…”
— Jenna Bush Hager
Source: Voices at the Table Substack, February 2026
Read by Jenna Bush Hager
The Shampoo Effect
A witty and irresistible new novel for fans of The Wedding People and Blue Sisters
byJenny Jackson
2026272 PagesSource: Read with Jenna July 2026 Selection
Read by Jenna Bush Hager
The Children
A Novel
byMelissa Albert
2026411 Pages“Not since Donna Tartt's The Secret History have I loved a book filled with such magic and mystery as I have Melissa Albert's The Children”
— Jenna Bush Hager
Source: Read with Jenna June 2026 Selection
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Frequently asked questions
What books does Jenna Bush Hager recommend?
Her 17 recommendations include The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, Ann Patchett's Bel Canto, Donna Tartt's The Secret History, Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life, and Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing, drawn largely from contemporary literary fiction.
What is Jenna Bush Hager's favorite book?
She highlights Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, saying it made her realize books have the power to help create empathy and are a catalyst for conversation, empathy and compassion. She also names Bel Canto and The Secret History as all-time favorites.
Where do Jenna Bush Hager's book recommendations come from?
They come from her Read with Jenna monthly book-club selections, her Voices at the Table Substack, and a July 2019 Goodreads interview, spanning debut novels and established literary fiction.
Has Jenna Bush Hager written any books?
Yes. She has authored six titles here, including Sisters First, Ana's Story, Everything Beautiful in Its Time, Love Comes First, and The Superpower Sisterhood, several of them #1 New York Times bestsellers.
What genres does Jenna Bush Hager read most?
Her list is overwhelmingly fiction and literature, from Toni Morrison and Donna Tartt to newer voices she champions through her book club, with additional threads of history and books on society and psychology.
All 17 Books Jenna Bush Hager Has Recommended
- The Bluest Eye · Toni Morrison
- Little Wonder · Sophie Chen Keller
- Conform · Ariel Sullivan
- Bel Canto · Ann Patchett
- The Secret History · Donna Tartt
- A Little Life · Hanya Yanagihara
- Homegoing · Yaa Gyasi
- An American Marriage · Tayari Jones
- Theo of Golden · Allen Levi
- The Correspondent · Virginia Evans
- Devotions · Mary Oliver
- Cursed Daughters · Oyinkan Braithwaite
- All the Colors of the Dark · Chris Whitaker
- Into the Blue · Emma Brodie
- Laws of Love and Logic · Debra Curtis
- The Shampoo Effect · Jenny Jackson
- The Children · Melissa Albert