Cover A look at the books Paul Mescal keeps in steady rotation across genres and styles (Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for BFI)
A look at the books Paul Mescal keeps in steady rotation across genres and styles (Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for BFI)
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Paul Mescal highlights five books that reflect the range of stories he returns to during work and downtime
Paul Mescal has spoken often about how reading anchors him while working, but his recent conversation with Jack Edwards for Inklings Book Club offered a clearer look at the titles he returns to. The actor discussed books that have shaped the way he thinks about performance, intimacy and character work. His selections range from modern novels to short stories that examine precision in language. The mix reflects a reader who gravitates toward emotional clarity rather than spectacle.
These are the five books Paul Mescal highlighted in the interview, each carrying weight for him at different points in his career. With the attention on him following Hamnet, the list shows how the actor builds his inner world, how he recharges between projects and how he treats reading as part of his creative practice. It is a straightforward snapshot that reveals what he keeps close when the work becomes demanding.
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‘Hamnet’ by Maggie O’Farrell
Above ‘Hamnet’ by Maggie O’Farrell (Tinder Press) is a fictionalised look at William Shakespeare’s real-life family, centred around the death of his young son
‘Hamnet’ by Maggie O’Farrell (Tinder Press) is a fictionalised look at William Shakespeare’s real-life family, centred around the death of his young son
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The novel is set in 16th-century England and centres on the Shakespeare family, particularly Agnes, the mother, and her young son Hamnet. It explores the impact of Hamnet’s untimely death on the family, portraying daily life, parental devotion and the quiet rituals of grief. Through alternating perspectives and rich, intimate detail, O’Farrell examines how loss reshapes relationships and the ways in which love and memory persist, providing a deeply human backdrop.
Maggie O’Farrell’s novel remains closely linked to his latest role, but Paul Mescal cited it not only because of the adaptation. He spoke about the book’s focus on grief and family structure and how its restraint stood out to him. The novel’s movement between domestic scenes and loss offered him reference points for understanding the emotional core of the character he plays.
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‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee
Above ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee (Arrow), is set in the segregation-era American South
‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee (Arrow), is set in the segregation-era American South
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Set in the American South during the 1930s, To Kill a Mockingbird follows Scout Finch, a young girl, as she navigates issues of race, justice and morality in her small town. The story centres on her father, Atticus Finch, a lawyer defending a Black man falsely accused of a crime, and explores how Scout and her brother Jem witness the complexities of human behaviour. Through Scout’s eyes, Harper Lee captures childhood innocence alongside social prejudice.
Paul Mescal mentioned this as an early reading experience that stayed with him. The novel’s sense of place and its attention to childhood perception informed how he thinks about viewpoint in storytelling. The actor pointed to its steady pacing as something he appreciated when reading while on location.
‘Intermezzo’ by Sally Rooney
Above Paul Mescal picked up ’Intermezzo’ by Sally Rooney (Faber & Faber) after starring in the series adaptation of the author’s ‘Normal People’
Paul Mescal picked up ’Intermezzo’ by Sally Rooney (Faber & Faber) after starring in the series adaptation of the author’s ‘Normal People’
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Intermezzo follows two young people navigating a brief, intense relationship, capturing their conversations, emotional hesitations and the small moments that define intimacy. Sally Rooney focuses on timing, pauses and the subtleties of interaction, showing how connection can unfold in understated ways. The novel’s attention to internal thought and nuanced dialogue allows readers to inhabit the characters’ emotional shifts, a quality that resonates with many readers.
Rooney’s work has been part of Paul Mescal’s orbit for some time, since starring in the series adaptation of Normal People. In the interview, he described Intermezzo as a study in rhythm and conversation. He spoke about how the book’s structure guides the reader through shifting emotional states without force.
‘What We Talk About When We Talk About Love’ by Raymond Carver
Above The short story collection ’What We Talk About When We Talk About Love’ by Raymond Carver (Vintage Classics) explores relationships through a precise examination of deeply personal moments
The short story collection ’What We Talk About When We Talk About Love’ by Raymond Carver (Vintage Classics) explores relationships through a precise examination of deeply personal moments
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What We Talk About When We Talk About Love is a collection of short stories that examines ordinary moments and relationships with meticulous precision. Many of the stories focus on couples and friends navigating love, loss and miscommunication, often in sparse settings where dialogue carries the weight of meaning. Carver’s use of understatement and elliptical storytelling allows small gestures and conversations to reveal deep emotional truths.
Carver’s short stories have long influenced actors and writers for their precision. Paul Mescal highlighted this collection for its focus on small interactions and the way Carver builds tension through understatement. The stories offered him a reference for how much can be communicated in a single exchange or gesture.
‘The Department of Speculation’ by Jenny Offill
Above ‘The Department of Speculation’ by Jenny Offill (Granta Books) centres around a female protagonist who is navigating the complexities of marriage, motherhood and personal ambition
‘The Department of Speculation’ by Jenny Offill (Granta Books) centres around a female protagonist who is navigating the complexities of marriage, motherhood and personal ambition
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Author Jenny Offill’s The Department of Speculation follows a woman navigating the complexities of marriage, motherhood and personal ambition, told in a series of fragmented, vignette-like passages. Offill captures fleeting thoughts, moments of doubt and small domestic observations, creating a portrait of everyday life that is both intimate and precise. The novel’s episodic structure allows readers to dip in and out without losing the emotional thread.
Paul Mescal noted this novel for its fragmented form and the clarity of its voice. The book’s tight structure appealed to him during busier filming stretches. Paul Mescal described its pacing as something that matched how he reads when travelling, allowing him to move in and out of the narrative without losing connection to its central thread.
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Chonx Tibajia is a senior editor at Tatler Asia’s T-Labs team, where she writes widely on lifestyle subjects including beauty, style, entertainment and travel. She has a long career in journalism, including roles as a columnist at The Philippine Star, and is the founder of the creative platform Pineappleversed. Beyond Tatler, her bylines appear in regional lifestyle and business publications, showcasing a broad portfolio that spans beauty trends, travel guides and culture pieces.
