Here’s every single book referenced during “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life”
Rory Gilmore is one of the most well-read television characters of all time. Books played a major part of the Gilmore Girls as a whole. There’s a Rory Gilmore book club on Goodreads. There’s even a Rory Gilmore reading challenge that lists all 339 books mentioned in the original series (TBH we’re still trying to plow our way through it). So of course we’ve been super curious to see what books pop up in the long-awaited Netflix revival, Gilmore Girls: A Year in a Life. We’re happy to report that Stars Hollow didn’t disappoint. There are books aplenty in the revival. So many that we’ve gathered them all up to make a new reading challenge.
We see the books, Rory! We see them! Here we go:
WINTER
Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh — Lorelei mentions this book when she says that Rory’s apartment in Brooklyn had a “Trainspotting vibe.” We know…she might have been referencing the movie. But it’s also a book, so it goes on the list!
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain — Lorelei mentions Twain’s classic in the same scene as the Trainspotting reference. She says she hoped she’d find a prequel to Huck Finn in Rory’s luggage. Alas, she didn’t. Apparently, she didn’t find Rory’s underwear either.
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman — There’s a copy of Leaves of Grass on Richard’s coffin at his funeral and WE’RE NOT CRYING, YOU’RE CRYING.
On the Road by Jack Kerouac — This was a favorite back in the original Gilmore Girls series. Jess loved it, so of course so do we. We love it hard. It makes a comeback in the revival when Lorelei compares Kerouac’s classic to Rory’s “homeless” status.
The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Konde — Read this, but beware! When Emily reads it, she takes things a little too far and gets rid of her dining room chairs when they don’t bring her joy.
SPRING
The Art of War by Sun Tzu — Paris mentions The Art of War in the revival when she talks to a group of Chilton students. Because of course she does.
“Consider the Lobster” by David Foster Wallace — When Rory meets with the editors of GQ, they mention David Foster Wallace several times. Specifically, his famous essay, “Consider the Lobster.”
SUMMER
Wild by Cheryl Strand — This books plays a HUGE part in the revival. HUGE. It dominates both Summer and Fall. Not the movie…the book. They make the distinction very clear.
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy — Rory reads this book poolside in the reboot, and it gives us major flashback vibes to Gilmore Girls Season 1 and poor Dean trying to wrap his head around Tolstoy.
I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts About Being a Woman by Nora Ephron — Rory references Ephron’s (totally amazing) I Feel Bad About My Neck in a perfect literary burn while working at the Stars Hollow Gazette offices.
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee — Taylor claims the author of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf was his mentor, but *spoiler alert* he’s stretching the truth. Just a tad.
FALL
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde — Lorelei references Dorian Gray when she tells Emily that she never changes. Are you thinking the same thing we’re thinking? Lorelei has been doing a ton of reading in the past decade!
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien — Rory teases Dean about his Lord of the Rings obsession, and because we’re book lovers, we’d like to believe Dean has read the book rather than only seeing the movie.
My Struggle by Karl Ove Knausgaard — Jess is reading this book when he helps Luke dress for a certain special occasion. Ahem. No spoilers.
BONUS READ
The New Yorker — We know. The New Yorker is technically a magazine, not a book. But it gets mentioned. Like, a lot. It’s even now a part of the menu of Luke’s Diner. So pour yourself a cup of coffee and get reading!
