If you've listened to a Gracie Abrams album, you'll know her songwriting is observational, emotionally forensic and inspired by the literary. She's someone who seem to linger over the details most people rush past. It makes sense, then, that the books she reaches for read much the same way.

Her bookshelf moves between poetry and philosophy, memoir and cultural criticism – with the occasional astrology text tucked between them. There are collections to underline, essays to return to and novels that seem to be pervasive favourites among young creatives. Whether you're hoping to understand Abrams and her third album Daughter From Hell a little better, or you're simply looking for your next read, these are the books that have shaped her thinking.

1. Devotions by Mary Oliver

It would almost be more surprising if Abrams didn't read Mary Oliver. She's previously shared her love for Oliver's iconic poem Wild Geese, and Devotions brings together the poet's most celebrated work in one beautifully curated collection. It's the kind of book that reminds you to pay closer attention to the natural world as well as yourself.

2. Zen Wisdom for the Anxious by Shinsuke Hosokawa

For anyone whose nervous system feels permanently switched on, turns out Gracie is one of us. Hosokawa offers small, accessible Zen reflections that encourage stillness (and keep the spiralling at bay). It's exactly the kind of reassurance that feels at home in Abrams' world.

3. Still Possible by David Whyte

Abrams shared a photo of David Whyte's Still Possible on Instagram Stories, and it's easy to understand why it resonated with her. Whyte writes about identity, courage and the interior life with a rare tenderness, offering essays and poems that invite you to slow down and abandon your search for answers.

4. Risking Everything by Roger Housden

Bringing together the work of poets including Mary Oliver, David Whyte, Rainer Maria Rilke and many others, this book acts an introduction to an entire literary universe. Speaking to The Sunday Times, Abrams described it as "the best book I'd ever read" and revealed that it's a title she returns to time and time again. "It's just really stunning and tragic and I carry it with me because I feel like there's a poem in there that applies to every situation. Everyone should have it. I've given it to all of my friends – it's like my go-to gift."

5. Just Kids by Patti Smith

If there were a modern literary rite of passage, Just Kids would probably be it. Patti Smith's memoir of youth, ambition and her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe has become beloved by everyone from Olivia Rodrigo to Taylor Russell — and Abrams has shared a copy tucked beside her bed on Instagram.

5. New and Selected Poems by Marie Howe

When Vogue asked Abrams where to begin with poetry back in 2024, she was quick to answer: Marie Howe. New and Selected Poems gathers decades of Howe's work into one collection, balancing grief, love and everyday life with a clarity that feels almost conversational. A good place to start.

6. The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson

Part memoir, part philosophy and part cultural criticism, Maggie Nelson's NYT-bestseller The Argonauts explores love, identity, motherhood and language without dimming its complexity. It's intellectually expansive while remaining deeply personal — exactly the kind of writing that rewards reading with a pen in hand.

7. Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay

Roxane Gay's memoir is a profoundly honest examination of trauma, self-image and living in a body shaped by experience. Unflinching without ever becoming performative, it's a book that asks readers to confront empathy, vulnerability and the stories we tell ourselves. After reading Gay's memoir, Abrams earnestly implored, "Read memoirs written by women. Listen to their truths. Being vulnerable is not comfortable or easy. Being vulnerable is incredibly hard but it is honest. Believe women."

8. The Secret Language of Birthdays by Gary Goldschneider

Abrams has never hidden her love of astrology – she told Rolling Stone that her new album, Daughter From Hell was "a Virgo" – so it's unsurprising that this cult favourite has found a place on her bookshelf. It's a personality guide and birthday compendium. We're just wondering how long it took her to search up Paul Mescal's birthday in there.

9. Good Bones by Maggie Smith

Abrams frequently cites poet Maggie Smith’s viral 2016 poem, Good Bones. This collection takes its title from the poem that became an internet phenomenon, but the book reaches far beyond a single viral moment. Throughout Good Bones, Smith writes about hope, motherhood and finding beauty alongside uncertainty.

10. A Lover’s Discourse: Fragments by Roland Barthes

Abrams has specifically highlighted the section titled Talking on her Instagram, but the entire book is worth lingering over. Barthes dissects the language of love in short, fragmented reflections, capturing all the contradictions, obsessions and irrationalities of being emotionally invested in another person.

11. How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

Kendi's bestselling work argues that antiracism isn't a fixed identity but an ongoing practice of questioning systems, beliefs and personal behaviour. And Abrams has included the book in her public reading recommendations a few times. Thought-provoking and deeply researched, it's a book that encourages readers to engage with difficult conversations rather than shy away from them.