Most successful people tend to have one thing in common: they read a lot.
A young Elon Musk reportedly read for up to 10 hours a day, working through science fiction, encyclopaedias, and whatever he could find. Bill Gates reads a new book every week. Warren Buffett still reads five to six hours every day.
But it’s not just business figures who read widely — there are many famous bookworms across sport, music, and entertainment.
In our infographic below, we take a look at the bookshelves of 20 well-known figures.
They read for different reasons. Some for entertainment, others as a way to support their personal lives.
LeBron James has made a habit of reading before games — a way of shifting perspective and stepping away from pre-game pressure.
Kendall Jenner’s passion for reading only started in 2019 when her agent gave her book recommendations. Jenner has said that reading is a form of therapy that helps her deal with anxiety.
Blackpink’s Kim Jisoo reads to relieve stress and doesn’t mind rereading books; she says revisiting a title gives her a different perspective each time.
Check out our infographic of 20 well-known readers and the books they love.
Amy Poehler
Amy Poehler is an actress, comedian, writer, producer, and director — and an avid reader.
Her bookshelf reflects both sides of her personality. You’ll find Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities sitting next to Amy Sedaris’ I Like You, a hosting and entertaining guide. It’s a collection that balances the literary and the practical.
LeBron James
LeBron James is widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA players of all time, and his habits off the court reflect the same discipline he brings to the game.
On his bookshelf you’ll find Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, which examines how small actions can trigger large-scale change. There’s also Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, the story of a shepherd’s journey toward his destiny — a book with a devoted following among athletes and readers alike.
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe’s bookshelf reveals a reader with broader tastes than her public image might suggest.
There’s Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie, the story of a young woman pursuing her ambitions in the city, alongside Joseph Conrad’s The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale, a drama-thriller steeped in espionage and moral ambiguity.
Mike Tyson
Considered one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time, Mike Tyson’s reading choices take a very different direction from the boxing ring.
His shelf includes Leo Tolstoy’s Youth — the sequel to Boyhood, following Nikolai into his university years — and Mao: The Unknown Story, Jung Chang and Jon Halliday’s 2005 biography of Mao Zedong.
Uzo Aduba
Uzo Aduba is best known for her role as Suzanne ‘Crazy Eyes’ Warren in Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, a performance that earned her an Emmy Award.
She shares a taste for The Alchemist and A Tale of Two Cities with several others on this list, and adds J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye and the children’s classic Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss.
Rainn Wilson
Rainn Wilson is an American actor, writer, and producer, best known as Dwight Schrute on The Office — a role that earned him three consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a comedy series.
His reading leans thoughtful: The Family Virtues Guide, a parenting book on raising children with moral awareness, alongside The Seven Mysteries of Life: An Exploration of Science and Philosophy. The comic side emerges with Demetri Martin’s This Is a Book.
Chrissy Teigen
Model, television personality and author, Chrissy Teigen has been candid about her personal experiences — including openly discussing her pregnancy loss, which resonated widely with readers.
Her book choices reflect this directness: Jon Ronson’s So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed and Ramin Setoodeh’s Ladies Who Punch both sit on her shelf.
Madonna
Madonna’s influence on pop culture spans decades. Her bookshelf is as eclectic as her career, ranging from The Quran and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince and Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife.
Ashton Kutcher
Actor, model, producer, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist — Ashton Kutcher began his career as Michael Kelso in the sitcom That ’70s Show and has since built a substantial profile in technology investment.
His bookshelf mixes the personal and the professional: Harvey Karp’s The Happiest Baby on the Block sits alongside Finding the Next Steve Jobs by Nolan Bushnell and Gene Stone.
Karlie Kloss
Named one of the top 30 models of the 2000s by Vogue Paris at the age of 17, Karlie Kloss was a Victoria’s Secret Angel until she left in 2015 to study at New York University.
She’s an avid reader with varied interests, enjoying Nathalia Holt’s Rise of the Rocket Girls, Gloria Steinem’s My Life on the Road, and Brian Grazer’s A Curious Mind.
Noah Centineo
Actor and model Noah Centineo began his career on Disney Channel and has since built a following across film and television.
His favourites include Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Mastery of Love.
Dolly Parton
Singer, songwriter, actress, author, businesswoman, and humanitarian — Dolly Parton has described reading as a lifelong passion and has made children’s literacy a significant part of her philanthropic work.
Her shelf includes The Bible, Watty Piper’s The Little Engine That Could, Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, and Lee Smith’s Black Mountain Breakdown.
Camila Cabello
Singer-songwriter Camila Cabello rose to fame after appearing on The X Factor in 2012.
Among her reading choices is Mona Kerby’s Reading Fun and several other titles from the same author — suggesting she found a favourite and stayed with it.
Kendall Jenner
Model and media personality Kendall Jenner rose to prominence through Keeping Up with the Kardashians. She came to reading relatively recently and has since built an eclectic list.
You’ll find Melissa Broder’s So Sad Today — an honest collection of personal essays — and Fariha Róisín’s How to Cure a Ghost, a poetry collection tracing a journey from self-criticism to self-acceptance.
Kim Ji-soo (Jisoo)
Before joining BLACKPINK, Jisoo appeared in Korean television dramas and commercials, and has since expanded into film. She reads to relieve stress and finds that revisiting a book offers a new perspective with each read.
Her shelf includes F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Jojo Moyes’ Me Before You, and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince.
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley’s bookshelf is one of the more unexpected on this list. The range of titles reflects a serious and wide-ranging intellectual curiosity.
You’ll find The Torah, Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, Thomas Troward’s Bible Mystery and Bible Meaning, and Paramahansa Yogananda’s Autobiography of a Yogi.
Kristi Yamaguchi
Kristi Yamaguchi won gold at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville and went on to become one of the most beloved figure skaters in the United States.
Her reading includes Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham, Anne of Green Gables, the Dalai Lama’s The Art of Happiness, and Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time.
Nina Dobrev
Canadian actress and model Nina Dobrev began her career as Mia Jones in Degrassi: The Next Generation before going on to wider recognition in The Vampire Diaries.
Her shelf is a good argument for young adult fiction: the complete Harry Potter series, Twilight, and Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones.
Maria Sharapova
Former Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova has been a US permanent resident since 1994, when she moved to train in Florida as a child.
Her reading is wide-ranging: A Tale of Two Cities alongside Glennon Doyle’s Love Warrior, Joel ben Izzy’s The Beggar King and the Secret of Happiness, and Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning.
Syd Schulz
Mountain bike racer, writer, and blogger Syd Schulz rounds out the list. She has written about the intersection of sport and personal growth, and her reading reflects this.
Her shelf includes Christopher McDougall’s Natural Born Heroes, Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit, and George Mumford’s The Mindful Athlete.
