One can tell a lot about a person by the books they read (just like by the movies they watch). Generally, the kind of media one consumes defines a great part of their personality, and books are incredible vessels of self-discovery; they can also be incredibly shaping.
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Given the fact that there are so many different genres out there, it is far from hard to find one that resonates with you the most. To celebrate the best of both worlds (literature and cinema), here are favorite reads from talented directors that moviegoers should add to their to-be-read list.
Greta Gerwig – 'To The Lighthouse,' Virginia Woolf
Over the years, actress and director Greta Gerwig has risen to fame in the industry. With only three directed films, two of which Oscar nominated (Lady Bird and Little Women), and a very promising upcoming project (Barbie) starring Margot Robbie as the main lead in the works, Gerwig's filmography doesn't fail to impress.
As it turns out, To The Lighthouse by VirginiaWoolf, which depicts three powerfully charged visions into the life of the Ramsay family, living in a summer house off the rocky coast of Scotland, is one of the director's many literature favorites: "A classic for a reason," the director says. "My mind was warped into a new shape by her prose, and it will never be the same again. The metaphysics she presents in the book are enacted in a way that allowed me to begin to understand that corner of philosophy.”
David Lynch – 'The Metamorphosis,' Franz Kafka
This prolific modern filmmaker is known for his unique and mind-bending work in movies such as Mulholland Drive, which explore themes of murder and crime with feelings of anger and guilt associated with them. When it comes to filmmaking, Lynch's cinematic style is so unique that it has been dubbed "Lynchian".
Apparently, Kafka's memorable classic The Metamorphosis is one of Lynch's essentials. He loves it so much that when he tried to adapt it, he soon "realized that Kafka’s beauty is in his words." He also added that, "that story is so full of words that, when I was finished writing, I realized it was better on paper than it could ever be on film."
Sofia Coppola – 'Spring Snow,' Yukio Mishima
While Sofia Coppola was born into a royal Hollywood household (being the daughter of famous director Francis Ford Coppola), the beloved filmmaker has undoubtedly made a name for herself in the film industry. Often relying on powerful images instead of dialogue, Coppola has a style of her own. She frequently addresses emotional themes in her films and has directed some incredible flicks like Marie Antoinette and Lost in Translation.
As for her taste in literature? Spring Snow by Japanese novelist Yukio Mishima is a favorite. "This novel, the first of Mishima’s four-part Sea of Fertility series, takes place in turn-of-the-century Japan, and explores the clash between the old Japanese aristocracy and a new, rising class of elites," the director explains. "The son and daughter of two prominent families won’t admit they love each other until it’s too late, and she’s engaged to the emperor. It’s super-romantic, especially when the doomed lovers kiss in the snow."
Stanley Kubrick – 'Eric Brighteyes,' H. Rider Haggard
Having directed acclaimed horror classics like Clockwork Orange and The Shining, Stanley Kubrick is one of the most well-known filmmakers to date. Known for the one-point perspective shot and "The Kubrick Stare", the renowned director has successfully managed to carve his legacy in movie-making.
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As seen in Stanley Kubrick’s Boxes documentary movie, the filmmaker's love for Eric Brighteyes, a book that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien, is clear. The epic Viking novels by H. Rider Haggard follow the adventures of its principal character in 10th-century Iceland.
Christopher Nolan – Fiction and Non-Fiction Works, Luis Borges
Christopher Nolanis mostly known for his mind-blowing movies often involving the concept of time, reality and illusion, and among his best works are Interstellar and Inception. He also has Oppenheimer starring Cillian Murphy in the works, and it looks just about as promising as you would expect.
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Although he often resorts to muted colors when filmmaking, the director's mind is actually exceptionally bright. His favorite author is reportedly the legendary Jorge Luis Borges, and he loves all his work — from fiction to non-fiction, which is really on brand. "He’s a writer I admire tremendously," he admitted. "In a way, all stories are contained within his stories."
Guillermo del Toro – 'Frankenstein,' Mary Shelley
With both Pinocchio and Cabinet of Curiosities coming out one right after the other, Guillermo del Toro was perhaps one of the most-talked-about directors of 2022. The beloved filmmaker is known for his very characteristic style, which often relies on depicting bizarre, fascinating creatures in his movies and distinct and colorful shots.
It would only make sense that Del Toro's favorite book is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. On Twitter, he remarks: "My favorite book of all time. An emotional autobiography." As recent news suggest, the director may actually direct his own take on the novel for Netflix in the future.
Ari Aster – 'The Book of Disquiet,' Fernando Pessoa
Ari Aster is the mastermind behind his atmospheric horror movies Midsommar and Hereditary, which many consider to be among the best of all time. Aster also has Beau is Afraid coming out this year starring the talented Joaquin Phoenix. With just two films, the prized director has already become one of the most influential and memorable moviemakers of the genre.
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When asked about his favorite pieces of literature on a Reddit AMA, the filmmaker named Portuguese author Fernando Pessoa's The Book of Disquiet, saying that "without a hint of hyperbole" it is his favorite book of all time. He also explained, "imagine you get to live in someone’s head, experiencing their every emotion, doubt, dream, love, hope, fear, and loss; this is what you’re in for as you read the scattered unfinished and unpublishing pages of writing that Fernando Pessoa left after he passed away."
Ava DuVernay – 'The Sun Does Shine,' Anthony Ray Hinton
Ava DuVernay made history by being both the first African American woman to win Best Director at the Sundance Film Festival and to be nominated for a Best Director Golden Globe — and deservingly so.The talented director, best known for directing Selma and the miniseries When They See Us, often tackles themes of empathy and humanity in her powerful work.
In 2018, the filmmaker revealed that one of her favorite books is The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton, a widely read memoir about a 28-year-old man who was wrongly convicted of multiple murders and sentenced to death by a racist Alabama court. "An extraordinarily book about an extraordinarily life," she remarks. "Anthony Ray Hinton’s story inspired many things within me. Mainly, the idea of radical forgiveness. Don’t know if I could forgive what he went through, but I loved reading about how he did. And trying to learn how for myself."
Bong Joon-ho – 'Hitchcock At Work,' Bill Krohn
Perhaps best known for his brilliant work in Parasite — a movie that broke major ground in America, being the first non-English speaking language movie to win Best Picture — Bong Joon-ho is an extremely gifted director that blends satirical comedies with neorealist dramas and gripping thrillers.
On a Reddit AMA, he said, "Hitchcock at Work by Bill Krohn is one of my favorite books." As Google summarizes, the book is a "comprehensive, behind-the-scenes examination of the work of The Master of Suspense, AlfredHitchcock".
Quentin Tarantino — '9/30/55,' John Minahan
One of the most successful directors in the film industry today — with masterworks like Inglorious Basterds and Kill Bill attached to his name — QuentinTarantino excels at creating violent yet humorous films with nonlinear plots, as well as heavy pop culture references every now and again. He also particularly enjoys using excessive amounts of blood and gore in his movies, though anyone remotely familiar with his work probably already knows that.
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One of the director's favorite pieces of literature is based on a screenplay by James Bridges. Named 9/30/55, the novel chronicles the story of an Arkansas college student who is completely torn apart by the death of his idol, JamesDean, on September 30, 1955. JohnMinahan is apparently Tarantino’s "absolute favorite" novelist.
