Britney Spears's Favorite Books Are A Wholesome Southern Reading List
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If we've learned one thing from Britney Spears, it's that you can take the girl out of the South but you can't take the South out of the girl. And her favorite books prove just that. The pop superstar is a keen reader, so keen she told Popjustice in 2011 that she considered both reading and history to be her specialist subjects.
The star has also shared some of her favorite authors and books on multiple occasions, too. In a 2016 Q&A with on X, formerly known as Twitter, Spears recommended her followers pick up anything by Jackie Collins. Three years before that, she told a fan on X that her favorite book was anything by Max Lucado.
Spears can probably be summed up by what she told Glamour in 2008 (when she revealed yet another of her favorite authors). "I love my home and staying in bed and watching 'Dancing with the Stars' or reading a Danielle Steel novel. I'm kind of boring," she admitted. Heck, she even appeared in the American Library Association's READ campaign in 2001, clutching a Harry Potter book. This is clearly a star who's well-read, which is why we're turning to her for a few good recs.
Ugly Shy Girl by Laura Dockrill
Ready to make good on that promise to read more books? Good. We'll kick it off with a novel Britney Spears named her very favorite in a since-deleted Instagram post, and that's Laura Dockrill's "Ugly Shy Girl." The star posted the cover on her social media alongside the caption "My favorite book," but didn't explicitly explain why she loved it so much. Though, you don't have to look much further than the description to find out why.
The book tells the story of what it's like to grow up while feeling like you don't belong. The protagonist always finds herself doing or saying the wrong thing while in the company of people she doesn't really like. But all that changes when it comes time for her to step into her own and get the respect she deserves. Anyone who's read Spears' 2023 memoir "The Woman In Me" will probably understand why the "I'm Not A Girl... Not Yet A Woman" hitmaker has such an affinity for this story.
Uglies by Scott Westerfield
Another book fans of Britney Spears probably won't be too surprised to hear she connected to is "Uglies" by Scott Westerfield. This young adult book tells the story of a teenager named Tally who's counting down the days until she turns 16 years old and makes the transition from ugly to pretty. The 15-year-old is convinced that will be the key to her happiness, but her friend Shay has other ideas. Shay decides she doesn't actually want to turn pretty and have her life be all about her appearance, so decides to run away from a world that's only fixated on outward beauty. Tally is then faced with the tough decision of having to find her friend and hand her over to the authorities to face her punishment for running away — or Tally will never get the beauty she's been hoping for her whole life.
Spears sang the praises of this novel when she shared the cover in a since-deleted Instagram post from 2015. She didn't give away too much in the caption, but called it a "beautiful read!"
Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits by Reese Witherspoon
Is there anything more wholesome and Southern than Britney Spears recommending a book by Reese Witherspoon? We think not. That's exactly what happened in 2023 when Spears told Amazon Book Review how much she loved the "Sweet Home Alabama" star's 2018 lifestyle book. "Reese is such an inspiration to me. I adored her Southern lifestyle book," Spears said.
In the book, Witherspoon (who has a book club and some solid favorite books of her own) details her take on Southern hospitality and tradition. She shares some lessons from growing up as well as some of her favorite family recipes, plus various tips and tricks on how to throw the best parties with some Southern flair.
And it sounds like it's a mutual literary love for these Southern beauties, because Witherspoon has also shared her love for Spears' "The Woman In Me" memoir. The actor posted a photo of the book on what appeared to be her kitchen counter on Instagram Stories in 2023, writing, "If you know me you know I love supporting a woman telling her own story in her own words ... for so long this woman had no control of what the media said about her. With this book she took her story back. With honesty and vulnerability, she shares all the ups and downs. It's a wonderful moment to celebrate her freedom."
Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood
Speaking of Reese Witherspoon, it seems like Britney Spears is actually a big fan of Reese's Book Club, too. She proved that in 2021 when she posted a since-deleted photo of Witherspoon to Instagram and revealed in the caption that she'd read "Within These Wicked Walls" by Lauren Blackwood after Witherspoon's book club recommended it. "Thank you @reesewitherspoon for being the epitome of complete enlightenment with your girlish nature to inspire me to read 'Within These Wicked Walls' ... it's nice to remember it's not always what you see in front of you !!!" Spears captioned the post. "The magic of books can take you anywhere in the world !!! It's a good one ... thanks !!!"
"Within These Wicked Walls" is a romantic read, which tells the story of an exorcist named Andromeda who has to turn to someone with connections to make the most of her gift. She then meets Magnus, who hires her to help rid him of a curse, but she learns quickly Magnus isn't exactly the nicest person to be around. Things only get worse when Andromeda finds out that if she stays working for Magnus, it could mean the end of her life. And things only get even more complicated when she realizes she's already fallen for him. Can she save him... and herself?
Right as Rain by Bev Marshall
Another book that relates to Britney Spears' Southern roots, the star told Amazon Book Review that she's a fan of Bev Marshall's "Right as Rain" — partly because of a Deep South connection. "I read 'Right as Rain' earlier this year. Bev Marshall is from McComb, Mississippi, where I went to school as a girl," she explained.
We understand why Spears recommended this important and emotional novel, which was first released in 2004. The book is about a cook named Tee Wee and a housekeeper named Icey who work for a white family in the South. The two quickly connect due to their circumstances and begin to form a touching friendship as they open up to one another about their pasts, their hopes for their future, and their experiences due to the color of their skin. And it's that closeness that actually ends up saving their livelihood and the farm they work on.