Emma Watson's Favorite Books Embrace The Power Of Nostalgia In Reading

Emma Watson is a book lover. So much so, that she's been on a mission to get people to read more and expand their mind. In November 2016, Watson hid 100 copies of Maya Angelou's "Mom & Me & Mom" at the busiest stations of the London Underground as part of the "Books on the Underground" mission. In 2017, she was at it again. Having teamed up with The Book Fairies, Watson hid feminist books throughout the New York City subway system in March, then in June of that same year, she hid books all around Paris. In the caption that accompanied the Instagram video of her hiding books in Paris, Watson wrote, "If you find a copy please read, enjoy and then leave for someone else to find!"

But before Watson, queen of short haircuts, became a book fairy, she was asked about her favorite books in a piece for Time in 2010. "My dad read me 'The BFG' by Roald Dahl when I was younger," said Watson. "I'm really fond of that book [and] 'Le Petit Prince' [by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry]." Although both these books are technically written with children readers in mind, they're also profound enough to be enjoyed by people of all ages, including adults.

If you've never read "The BFG" or "Le Petit Prince," then it's time to do that. If you have read them, but it's been a while, then give yourself the chance to relive the magic in the words of these childhood classics.

What's so beautiful about "The BFG" and "Le Petit Prince" is that they're steeped in nostalgia. For those who were fortunate enough to read these stories as a kid, they're tied up in the past, in a time that can feel so far away when you're an adult. Both contain fairytale-like qualities, but also lessons that you can't help but bring with you into adulthood. 

"Le Petit Prince," especially, isn't just about a Little Prince who lives on an asteroid, caring for a rose. The exchange between he and the stranded pilot becomes commentary on what we lose when we become adults — and tragically, it's a lot. Interestingly, this is also one of Stevie Nicks' favorite books. "I like books that aren't just lovely but that have memories in themselves," Emma Watson told Time. "Just like playing a song, picking up a book again that has memories can take you back to another place or another time."

Although these two stories aren't alone in Emma Watson's list of favorite books, they do speak volumes as to what type of person Watson is when she's not in the public eye. Granted, we already knew the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador – and advocate for UN Women's HeForShe campaign, which strives to promote gender equality all over the world — was different from other celebrities. But knowing her love for feminist novels as well as the these childhood classics just amplifies how extraordinary a human being Watson really is.