It's finally starting to feel like summer, which means the time is ripe to get outside and bask in the sun with a scintillating book. With that in mind, we turned to some well-read celebrities for their choice recommendations—just in time for World Book Day (today!). From gripping memoirs to heartwarming historical fiction, here are the titles they can't seem to put down.
H IS FOR HAWK BY HELEN MACDONALD
Who loves it: Kate Bosworth
What it's about: A falconer who trains a deadly bird of prey—the goshawk—after losing her father. "She feels the urge to become wild with something, because her own spirit was so broken," Bosworth recently told us. "It's a really amazing story about the animal-human relationship and overcoming grief."
AFTER THIS: WHEN LIFE IS OVER, WHERE DO WE GO? BY CLAIRE BIDWELL SMITH
Who loves it: Emma Roberts
What it's about: A therapist who explores the concept of the afterlife in order to cope with her own grief.
BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME BY TA-NEHISI COATES
Who loves it: Olivia Wilde
What it's about: A thoughtful exploration of America's racial history, written as a series of letters from the author to his teenage son. "The world will be a more evolved place once we all read this book," Wilde wrote in an Instagram post. "Take my word for it, and go pick it up today. Absolutely brilliant."
THE NIGHTINGALE BY KRISTIN HANNAH
Who loves it: Reese Witherspoon
What it's about: Two sisters who each embark on their own quest to survive in Nazi-occupied France during World War II.
MY LIFE ON THE ROAD BY GLORIA STEINEM
Who loves it: Emma Watson
What it's about: The feminist activist gives a refreshingly candid acount of her life and unwavering commitment to achieving gender equality and women's rights. Karlie Kloss is also on board.
