While the sun is still peeking out in Dublin, it unfortunately will not be the case in a few weeks. Instead of succumbing to seasonal melancholy, the seasoned fall expert knows it is time for the annual Gilmore Girls rewatch. While the series is a perfect comfort show in the fall for a multitude of reasons, including academic backdrops, Stars Hollow’s East Coast foliage, and the stereotypical fall activities featured, as a literature editor, it would be remiss not to mention the extensive book collection that is referenced throughout the series.
At times, Stars Hollow acts as an open-air library with frequent scenes of Rory walking around with a book. While much of Rory’s collection includes almost every book featured on my high school English class syllabus — from Lord of the Flies to Shakespeare — some books could do with a reintroduction. So, for your annual fall Gilmore Girls rewatch, pick up one of these books.
The Graduate by Charles Webb
I feel as though I betrayed one of my favourite movies, the 1967 film The Graduate, by only recently discovering that it was first a book while researching this piece. If you are familiar with the film, the plot remains the same, but Webb’s writing style, described by Nick Hornby in The Guardian as “lovely and spare,” makes it the perfect book to finish in an afternoon. First published in 1963, The Graduate follows newly graduated Benjamin as he returns home for the summer and experiences dread about his future. Here, he begins an affair with his parents’ friend Mrs Robinson, the originator of the eponymous Simon & Garfunkel song.
Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
While The Catcher in the Rye may be a polarising novel, Franny and Zooey is a Salinger novella combining two of his stories for The New Yorker. The novella offers the same exploration of alienation during the cold ember months, yet with arguably more likeable characters. The first half follows Franny and her boyfriend Lane — coined as the perfect campus couple — with Franny slowly realising her boyfriend is superficial and obsessed with success. Salinger’s depiction is part relatable and part refreshing. At one point, Lane is rambling about his paper that he deems to be a triumph, and Franny interrupts to ask if he’s going to eat his martini olive. Arguably, a literary perfect scene.
The second half centres on Franny’s brother, Zooey and explores similar Salinger themes tied to family and sibling dynamics. Overall, the novella is a great read if reading about another college student’s existential angst in autumn feels as comforting as an episode of Gilmore Girls.
Carrie by Stephen King
If you’re like me and usually stick close to literary fiction, Stephen King might have seemed off-limits. While many of King’s horror novels are several inches thick, Carrie was my introduction to King, and — at just under 300 pages — I couldn’t recommend it more. Carrie is the story of a high school girl with special powers who is bullied and, inevitably, seeks revenge. The blend of horror and raw relatability makes it a great and accessible choice to read during October.
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw’s award-winning play Pygmalion made it all the way to Stars Hollow. The social satire follows a professor determined to transform Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle into someone who can pass as a duchess. While the play critiques class systems, it also examines identity and the disorienting experience of navigating life after transformation. The play has been adapted multiple times, most notably as the film My Fair Lady, starring Audrey Hepburn.
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain
Even after his tragic death in 2018, Anthony Bourdain still manages to appear in new articles nearly every week. The acclaimed chef, travel documentarian, and author was personable, raw, and humorous, whether in kitchens or across the globe. Kitchen Confidential is the perfect entry point for anyone looking to experience Bourdain’s singular voice as he recounts his early years in the culinary world. In Gilmore Girls, this book is one of the few we actually see Lorelei reading, and it is easily the most “Lorelei” pick.
Eloise by Kay Thompson
While it may be classified as a children’s book, don’t underestimate the comfort that reading Eloise provides. This series shaped me as a child, and arguably still does, and autumn is the perfect time to revisit a childhood classic. When the days get shorter and the air colder, homesickness might creep in, and reading something lighthearted like a children’s book is sometimes enough to feel comforted. The books follow Eloise, a six-year-old living at the Plaza in New York City, recounting the adventures she goes on. Watching Gilmore Girls on a cosy night and later reading Eloise sounds like the perfect autumn ritual.
