Read by Ryan Tubridy
What books does Ryan Tubridy recommend?
A broadcaster who turned his love of books into a second calling, Ryan Tubridy shares book recommendations shaped by decades of interviewing world-class authors. Best known for hosting The Late Late Show and now The Bookshelf podcast, the Irish presenter and bestselling author has gathered 24 titles here, sourced from that podcast, his official Eason's favourites list, and radio interviews. Fiction and literature lead, joined by history, society and politics, and memoir, with a warm bias toward Irish writing. Claire Keegan's Foster stands among his top picks; Tubridy said he "put that book down at the end of it and felt profoundly moved," keeping it by his bedside. The list moves easily from John Boyne's The Heart's Invisible Furies and Donna Tartt's The Secret History to David Grann's nautical history The Wager, reflecting a reader who champions story in every register.
Last updated February 2026 · Every recommendation cited to its original source.
byClaire Keegan
201088 Pages“I put that book down at the end of it and felt profoundly moved. That's I've actually got that one by my bedside.”
— Ryan Tubridy
Source: Virgin Radio UK Interview
Read by Ryan Tubridy
The Heart's Invisible Furies
A Novel
byJohn Boyne
2017592 PagesSource: Eason's 'Ryan's Favourite Books' Official List
Read by Stephen King, Ryan Tubridy, Reese Witherspoon and 2 others
byDonna Tartt
1992559 Pages(1,040,000)
Source: Eason's 'Ryan's Favourite Books' Official List
The Wager
A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder
byDavid Grann
2023352 PagesSource: The Bookshelf with Ryan Tubridy Podcast (Top Nautical Reads)
Read by Ryan Tubridy
byPaul Lynch
2023320 PagesSource: Eason's 'Ryan's Favourite Books' Official List
Read by Ryan Tubridy
byRoddy Doyle
1993282 Pages“This weeks recommended books include... Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle.”
— Ryan Tubridy
Source: The Bookshelf with Ryan Tubridy Podcast
Read by Ryan Tubridy
Animal Farm
A Fairy Story
byGeorge Orwell
1945141 PagesSource: Eason's 'Ryan's Favourite Books' Official List
Read by Ryan Tubridy
Star of the Sea
A Novel
byJoseph O'Connor
2002432 PagesSource: Eason's 'Ryan's Favourite Books' Official List
Read by Ryan Tubridy
byBill Bryson
2013528 PagesSource: Eason's 'Ryan's Favourite Books' Official List
byErich Maria Remarque
1929304 Pages(1,400,000)
Source: The Bookshelf with Ryan Tubridy Podcast (Top books to get back into reading)
Read by Ryan Tubridy
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
A Memoir of Life in Death
byJean-Dominique Bauby
1997144 PagesSource: The Bookshelf with Ryan Tubridy Podcast (Top books to get back into reading)
Read by Ryan Tubridy
Stasiland
Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall
byAnna Funder
2011304 PagesSource: The Bookshelf with Ryan Tubridy Podcast (Top books to get back into reading)
Read by Ryan Tubridy
My Friends
A Novel
byHisham Matar
2024416 Pages“I'm going to go with My Friends... curious little one... I lapped it up.”
— Ryan Tubridy
Source: The Bookshelf with Ryan Tubridy Podcast
Read by Ryan Tubridy
Ashenden
Or the British Agent
byW. Somerset Maugham
2000326 Pages“They're fantastic... wonderfully written... making me really happy.”
— Ryan Tubridy
Source: The Bookshelf with Ryan Tubridy Podcast
Read by Mark Zuckerberg, Tobias Lütke, Shonda Rhimes and 1 others
Open
An Autobiography
byAndre Agassi
2009400 Pages(146,754)
Source: Eason's 'Ryan's Favourite Books' Official List
Read by Ryan Tubridy
byPhilip Roth
2004391 PagesSource: Eason's 'Ryan's Favourite Books' Official List
byGabrielle Zevin
2022401 PagesSource: Eason's 'Ryan's Favourite Books' Official List
Read by Ryan Tubridy
Berlin: The Downfall 1945
The Fall of Berlin 1945
byAntony Beevor
2002510 Pages(18,534)
Source: Eason's 'Ryan's Favourite Books' Official List
Read by Ryan Tubridy
byLiz Nugent
2023320 PagesSource: Eason's 'Ryan's Favourite Books' Official List
Demon Copperhead
A Novel
byBarbara Kingsolver
2022560 Pages(798,510)
Source: Eason's 'Ryan's Favourite Books' Official List
Read by Ryan Tubridy
The Stolen Village
Baltimore and the Barbary Pirates
byDes Ekin
2008488 PagesSource: The Bookshelf with Ryan Tubridy Podcast
Read by Ryan Tubridy
Madhouse at the End of the Earth
The Belgica's Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night
byJulian Sancton
2021368 PagesSource: The Bookshelf with Ryan Tubridy Podcast
The Song of Achilles
A Novel
byMadeline Miller
2011416 Pages(2,000,000)
Source: Eason's 'Ryan's Favourite Books' Official List
Read by Ryan Tubridy
Imperium
A Novel of Ancient Rome
byRobert Harris
2006403 PagesSource: Eason's 'Ryan's Favourite Books' Official List
Also recommends books in
Frequently asked questions
What books does Ryan Tubridy recommend?
His 24 recommendations include Foster, The Heart's Invisible Furies, The Secret History, The Wager, and Prophet Song, with a strong showing of Irish fiction alongside history and memoir.
What is Ryan Tubridy's favourite book?
Claire Keegan's Foster is a top pick. Tubridy said he "put that book down at the end of it and felt profoundly moved," adding that he keeps the book by his bedside.
Where do Ryan Tubridy's book recommendations come from?
They are drawn from his podcast The Bookshelf with Ryan Tubridy, his official Eason's "Ryan's Favourite Books" list, and interviews on Virgin Radio UK, where he discusses new and classic titles.
Has Ryan Tubridy written any books?
Yes. He has authored two titles noted here: The Irish Are Coming and JFK in Ireland, the latter chronicling President Kennedy's 1963 visit.
Does Ryan Tubridy recommend Irish authors?
Frequently. His list features Claire Keegan, John Boyne, Roddy Doyle's Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, Joseph O'Connor's Star of the Sea, Paul Lynch's Prophet Song, and Liz Nugent, reflecting his championing of Irish literature.
All 24 Books Ryan Tubridy Has Recommended
- Foster · Claire Keegan
- The Heart's Invisible Furies · John Boyne
- The Secret History · Donna Tartt
- The Wager · David Grann
- Prophet Song · Paul Lynch
- Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha · Roddy Doyle
- Animal Farm · George Orwell
- Star of the Sea · Joseph O'Connor
- One Summer: America, 1927 · Bill Bryson
- All Quiet on the Western Front · Erich Maria Remarque
- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly · Jean-Dominique Bauby
- Stasiland · Anna Funder
- My Friends · Hisham Matar
- Ashenden · W. Somerset Maugham
- Open · Andre Agassi
- The Plot Against America · Philip Roth
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow · Gabrielle Zevin
- Berlin: The Downfall 1945 · Antony Beevor
- Strange Sally Diamond · Liz Nugent
- Demon Copperhead · Barbara Kingsolver
- The Stolen Village · Des Ekin
- Madhouse at the End of the Earth · Julian Sancton
- The Song of Achilles · Madeline Miller
- Imperium · Robert Harris