It’s World Book Day today (2 March) where people come together to celebrate the art of reading across the globe, whilst helping children access books more easily. Even though the day tends to focus on a younger population - it is a great day for adults to equally enjoy the event. And with the release of Daisy Jones & The Six on Amazon Prime on 3 March, what better time to look at author Taylor Jenkins Reid’s other bestsellers.
Jenkins Reid catapulted to critical acclaim with her book The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in 2017, which showcased the first of her autobiographical style of writing. Written as if it was an interview, the 39-year-old is known for her historical literary fiction, which paved the way for her next big success Daisy Jones & The Six. ‘DJ&6’, as it has been lovingly dubbed by fans, was picked up swiftly by Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine, as a TV series, which is due out shortly.
The American writer herself is no stranger to the big screen, having majored in media studies and started her career in film production. However, she quickly switched to publishing after signing with her first literary agent at age 24. Her resume is impressive according to Marie Claire, as it includes co-writing the Hulu series Resident Advisors, which was produced by Elizabeth Banks, and her first book released in 2015 Forever, Interrupted, was also optioned and had actress Dakota Johnson in the main role.
The most surprising fact is that Jenkins Reid was apparently inspired by Friends star Jennifer Aniston to become a writer. Speaking to the magazine, she said: "Meeting Jennifer Aniston, because I'd been such a huge, huge fan of Friends, was so incredible that it gave me something I felt like I had to write about. I was working in feature casting at the time and I found out that she would be coming in to the office. I emailed all of my friends to tell them and since everyone said they wanted to know how it went, I wrote a story about it and sent it out to them all. That was the first time I sat down and wrote something for fun. And I was surprised by just how fun it was."
Since then, the author has gone from strength to strength, winning numerous accolades for her "famous women quartet," the last of which she finished in 2022. Hence here is a list of some of the books you should read by the cult writer.
You can watch Daisy Jones & The Six on Amazon Prime from 3 March, 2023.
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1. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (2017)
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was the first of Jenkins Reid’s "famous women quartet" series, which was inspired by the life of renowned actress Elizabeth Taylor. The story follows a rookie journalist getting a big scoop by landing a ghostwriter role for the fictional grande dame Evelyn Hugo, who was notorious for her long string of failed marriages. At the age of 79, Hugo is keen to do a final tell-all to Monique Grant, but leaves her with some shocking news. Reid has said Ava Gardner was also an inspiration for the Old Hollywood actress, as Gardner revealed the secrets of her life to a journalist, who published them in Ava Gardner: The Secret Conversations. As with most of Jenkins Reid’s books, there are crossovers between the characters. The third husband of Hugo is said to be the absent father of the Riva children in Malibu Rising. The novel was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction of 2017. On 24 March 2022, Netflix announced it will be adapting the novel into a feature film with Liz Tigelaar writing and Margaret Chernin executive producing.
2. Daisy Jones & The Six (2019)
The second in the series of famous women, Daisy Jones & The Six follows the story of a 1970s fictional band, which is said to be loosely influenced by the real-life turbulent relationship between members of Fleetwood Mac. Daisy Jones is an electrifying persona, similar to the likes of Janis Joplin, but is a complete enigma. Whilst male protagonist Billy Dunne has a love-hate relationship with her, infatuated at times, and jealous in other moments, despite being married. The entire book is premised upon another tell-all by a journalist who is eager to find out what happened to this once-successful band, and why they finally fell apart. Jenkins Reid successfully executes this book, as it appears to be incredibly realistic. The Amazon Prime show of the same name stars Riley Keough as Daisy Jones, Camila Morrone as Camila Dunne (Billy Dunne’s wife), and Sam Claflin as Billy. Daisy Jones & The Six won the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award in 2020 and the audiobook version was named of Apple’s Books’ Best Audiobooks of 2019. Amazon Studios is also reportedly developing the book into a web-based miniseries, also titled Daisy Jones & The Six. The rock-and-roller Daisy Jones also appears in other books by Jenkins Reid. In Carrie Soto is Back, she is mentioned in reference to a book written about her.
3. Malibu Rising (2021)
Malibu Rising may be part of the quartet, but has a significantly different tone in comparison. The historical fiction is juxtaposed with the present and the past, but there is no one person bringing the story together such as the journalists mentioned in the previous books. The entire book focuses on a mysterious fire that took place in 1956 in Malibu, California, and the fact that the person responsible for it was never caught. It also centres around a broken family, children of divorced parents, one of which died by issues with alcoholism and the other had abandoned them. The New York Times bestseller won Best Historical Fiction of 2021 for the Goodreads Choice Awards. And like before, Hulu purchased rights to adapt it into a television miniseries with Liz Tigelaar as executive producer.
4. Carrie Soto Is Back (2022)
The final book in the powerhouse women series, Carrie Soto Is Back, charts the rise and fall of a top level tennis player, and the hard work it takes, and the enemies she makes to get there. It begins once again in the present time, where we see Carrie past her prime and attempting to make her last hurrah in a tournament, despite injury issues and struggling with ageing. But we also see how she got to become an elite athlete, and the challenges she faced as a woman. There are some crossovers between the books as Carrie first appeared in Malibu Rising, as the woman one of the main character’s husbands cheats with and leaves her for.