Kaia Gerber's favorite books

Reading has never been so cool. Whether it's due to a new wave of interest in contemporary publishing and young adult sagas, or the power of BookTok, but the credit also goes to celebrities and it girls who are no longer afraid to appear geeky and nerdy if they show up in public with a book under their arm, talk about it on social media and in interviews, and photograph their readings and their bookshelves. Not only that, many of them go beyond, founding and managing online book clubs to engage fans and introduce new titles.

Kaia Gerber: What She Reads and Her Book Club

Browsing through her Instagram profile and her book club website (where you can buy bookworm merch, including t-shirts with cheeky slogans and branded highlighters) we can deduce some of her favorite titles of the moment, to get inspired for our pre-holiday book shopping.

Brat, A Ghost Story - Gabriel Smith

It might seem in line with the Brat Summer, which is already over, but it's quite different. Brat is a book (unfortunately, currently available only in English for those who want to improve their language skills) that is a peculiar and surprising coming-of-age story. Just read the synopsis: "Now that his brother is handling the sale of the family home, Gabriel’s sanity begins to quickly unravel. His parents’ old manuscripts appear to change each time he reads them. A bizarre home video hints at long-buried secrets. And as if that weren't enough, there's a strange man in the garden." Kaia included it in her book club and attended meetings with the author in person.

The Lover - Marguerite Duras

A classic, and for good reason. Published in 1984, this book tells the story of a 15-year-old girl returning home to Saigon. On the train, she meets a young and wealthy Chinese man who takes her with him. The two soon become lovers, but his family intervenes, while her family (poor and in a difficult situation) tries to use this relationship to gain some money. The book is autobiographical and tells the story of a youthful love that is challenging and intense. 

The Overstory - Richard Powers

We see this book not only in Keanu Reeves's list of favorite books but also in some photos of Kaia Gerber, who carried it under her arm at the Milan Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2022 2023. For its iconic cover, of course, but also for its value, which she discussed in a live session with activist Leah Thomas. It's a challenging but wonderful book that intertwines the stories of human characters with those of the trees that have marked their lives or their family's lives in one way or another. A holistic reflection on the world and history, on the destructiveness of humans and the idea of profit. It is published in Italy by La Nave di Teseo.

In the Dream House - Carmen Maria Machado

This book, published in Italy by Codice Edizioni, has a dual value. The narrative one, as it tells the story of a relationship marked by psychological abuse, but also the meta-literary one. The attentive reader will recognize many references and allusions to different literary genres in Machado's writing, in a work "about trauma and its elaboration that dismantles the stereotype of the idyllic relationship between women."

Acts of Service - Lillian Fishman

Published in Italy by E/O, Acts of Service is a provocative tale. Published in a post-Me Too world, it boldly tackles the story of Eve, a young and insecure girl who discovers something she can't express out loud when she photographs herself naked. As she starts posting these photos online, she encounter Olivia, who asks to meet her. A book about desire and sex in the contemporary world, perfect for devouring under the sun.