Cover When celebrity bookworms like Dakota Johnson champion a novel, they’re shaping reading trends and driving conversations that extend beyond social feeds. (Photo: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis /Corbis / Getty Images)
When celebrity bookworms like Dakota Johnson champion a novel, they’re shaping reading trends and driving conversations that extend beyond social feeds. (Photo: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis /Corbis / Getty Images)
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From page-turning thrillers to thought-provoking memoirs, here are the books that celebrity readers are championing
Amid endless content streams and algorithm-driven suggestions, celebrity book clubs offer something different: a curated signal cutting through the noise. When figures like Dua Lipa or Natalie Portman champion a novel, they’re shaping reading trends and driving conversations that extend beyond social feeds. The July picks from their book clubs span sweeping family sagas to dystopian thrillers that feel uncomfortably close to reality, each book a glimpse into the stories striking a chord right now. Whether you’re after escape, insight or simply a great read, these star-approved books promise to challenge and stay with you.
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Dua Lipa’s pick: ‘Small Boat’ by Vincent Delecroix
Dua Lipa’s powerful pick for her Service95 Book Club, Small Boat fictionalises the tragic drowning of 27 migrants in the English Channel in November 2021. The novel centres on a French rescue operator who receives desperate distress calls from a sinking inflatable dinghy but fails to act in time. Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2025, this searing and poetic work confronts readers with uncomfortable moral questions about humanity, responsibility and the global migrant crisis. On Instagram, Dua describes it as “an essential story that needs to be told”, highlighting its impact amid rising hate-mongering. This novel is for readers who want to engage with social issues through evocative storytelling.
Dakota Johnson’s pick: ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ by Douglas Adams
Dakota Johnson’s TeaTime Book Club revisits this beloved science fiction classic, proving that great books deserve rediscovery. Douglas Adams’s absurdist masterpiece follows Arthur Dent’s intergalactic adventures after Earth’s destruction, blending philosophical wit with cosmic humour. This genre-defining novel offers escapist entertainment with depth, exploring life’s meaning through delightfully ridiculous scenarios. Johnson’s choice reflects her appreciation for storytelling that balances intellectual curiosity with pure joy, ideal for readers looking for both laughs and contemplation.
Natalie Portman’s pick: ‘A Different Kind of Power’ by Jacinda Ardern
Natalie Portman’s book club selection champions this memoir from New Zealand’s former Prime Minister. In A Different Kind of Power, Jacinda Ardern reflects on her extraordinary political journey, from becoming the world’s youngest female head of government to navigating global crises with empathy and authenticity. This intimate account explores leadership through a feminine lens, offering powerful lessons on staying true to one’s values while wielding political influence. The memoir is perfect for readers seeking inspiration from leaders who redefined what political power can look like.
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Emma Roberts’s pick ‘Notes on Infinity’ by Austin Taylor
Emma Roberts’s Belletrist champions this extraordinary debut novel about Harvard students Zoe and Jack, who believe they’ve discovered the cure for ageing. When their promising antiageing research leads them to drop out and form a biotech startup, they’re thrust into a world of investors, magazine covers and national attention. But success brings devastating accusations that threaten everything they’ve built. The novel explores young love, scientific ambition and the recklessness of early success, asking how far one would go to achieve immortality and dreams.
Reese Witherspoon’s pick: ‘Spectacular Things’ by Beck Dorey-Stein
If you’re craving a sweeping family saga that will break your heart, Reese Witherspoon’s pick delivers with a poignant tale of sisterhood set against the backdrop of women’s football. Spectacular Things follows sisters Mia and Cricket Lowe in small-town Maine, where responsible Mia becomes a caregiver while talented Cricket pursues football stardom. The emotionally charged story dives into the impossible choices we make for family and ambition.
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Jenna Bush Hager’s pick: ‘Happy Wife’ by Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores
Jenna Bush Hager recommends this thriller, which she describes as “the perfect combination of drama, romance and mystery”. When 28-year-old Nora Davies marries prominent lawyer Will Somerset after a whirlwind romance in wealthy Winter Park, their fairy tale shatters when Will mysteriously disappears following a lavish party. With Nora as the prime suspect, this twisty whodunnit alternates between their romance and a present-day investigation filled with secrets, wealth and rich people behaving badly.
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After more than a decade in lifestyle media, Clifford has mastered the art of writing seriously about things that are fun—and writing fun things about people who take themselves very seriously. At Tatler Asia, he helped steer its flagship lists, Tatler’s Most Influential and Asia’s Most Stylish. And today, he leads T-Labs, Tatler Asia’s content innovation hub, where he continues the noble pursuit of lifestyle storytelling, spinning stories on wealth, entertainment, necessary style, Hallyu, Hollywood, beauty and more for audiences across Asia.
