If you are anything like me, you are binge watching White Lotus. I am deep in the fan theories for this season. I wanted to compile a list of book suggestions.
Books About Wealth, Privilege & Satire
- The Vacationers by Emma Straub – A dysfunctional family travels to Mallorca for a supposedly relaxing vacation, but old secrets and tensions come to the surface.
- Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – A mix of dark humor, murder, and wealthy suburban drama.
- The People We Hate at the Wedding by Grant Ginder – A witty novel about a dysfunctional family navigating a high-society wedding in England.
- Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan – A comedic, lavish exploration of ultra-wealthy families and their power struggles.
Dark, Suspenseful Vacation Novels
- The Guest List by Lucy Foley – A destination wedding on a remote island turns deadly.
- The Club by Ellery Lloyd – A thriller set at an exclusive members-only luxury resort where dark secrets lead to murder.
- Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney – A couple’s troubled marriage unravels during a secluded getaway in Scotland.
Books With Social Commentary & Class Conflict
- Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid – Examines race, privilege, and performative allyship through a sharp and engaging story.
- The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney – A darkly comedic look at a wealthy New York family grappling with inheritance drama.
- The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller – A privileged summer retreat becomes the setting for deep personal turmoil and past secrets resurfacing.
Dark Satire & Social Commentary
- Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead – A WASPy New England wedding weekend is full of class tensions, family dysfunction, and scandal.
- Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson – A sharp and witty exploration of old money privilege in Brooklyn.
- Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner – A biting critique of wealth, marriage, and gender roles in NYC’s elite social circles.
- The New Me by Halle Butler – A darkly comic novel about millennial dissatisfaction, privilege, and workplace horror.
Vacation Thrillers & Mysteries
- Sun Damage by Sabine Durrant – A con artist and a group of wealthy vacationers on the French Riviera collide in a web of deceit.
- They All Fall Down by Rachel Howzell Hall – A group of strangers lured to a private island, where their pasts catch up with them.
- We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz – A girls’ trip turns deadly, with secrets and betrayals unraveling across exotic locations.
- The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles – A historical fiction novel with a luxurious setting and a deeper look into class and power.
Wealth & Privilege Gone Wrong
- A Special Place for Women by Laura Hankin – A journalist infiltrates a secret club for elite women, discovering dark truths.
- The Heiresses by Sara Shepard – A wealthy family dynasty is torn apart by secrets, lies, and murder.
- The Gilded Life of Matilda Duplaine by Alex Brunkhorst – A journalist enters the mysterious and exclusive world of Hollywood’s elite.
All the books featured on the show. Season 3 is not complete yet. I will update this after the season ends!
Season 1:
- Olivia (Sydney Sweeney) and Paula (Brittany O’Grady):
- The Portable Nietzsche by Friedrich Nietzsche: A collection of Nietzsche’s significant works, indicating their intellectual aspirations. BuzzFeed
- The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud: Explores the meaning and psychology of dreams, aligning with their philosophical interests. BuzzFeed
- Sexual Personae by Camille Paglia: Analyzes the connections between art and pagan ritual, reflecting their engagement with complex feminist critiques. Literary Hub+1BuzzFeed+1
- The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon: A study on race, colonialism, and psychological trauma, mirroring Paula’s growing awareness of social issues. Vogue+3What Is Quinn Reading?+3Literary Hub+3
- Gender Trouble by Judith Butler: Discusses the performative nature of gender, resonating with themes of identity explored by the characters. Literary Hub
- Discourse on Colonialism by Aimé Césaire: Examines the impact of colonialism, aligning with Paula’s contemplation of cultural exploitation.
- Écrits by Jacques Lacan: A collection of Lacan’s psychoanalytic essays, suggesting Olivia’s deep dive into complex theories. What Is Quinn Reading?
- Rachel (Alexandra Daddario):
- My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante: A novel about a lifelong friendship between two women, possibly reflecting Rachel’s own relational introspections. Literary Hub
- Shane (Jake Lacy):
- Blink by Malcolm Gladwell: Explores rapid cognition and decision-making, perhaps subtly commenting on Shane’s superficial understanding of complex matters. Literary Hub
Season 2:
While Season 2 continues the series’ tradition of embedding literary references, specific titles and their corresponding characters are not detailed in the available sources.
Season 3:
- Lochlan Ratliff (Sam Nivola):
- Hunger by Knut Hamsun: A novel delving into existential struggles, mirroring Lochlan’s own identity crisis. The Guardian
- Victoria Ratliff (Parker Posey):
- The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Reflects themes of wealth and moral decay, paralleling Victoria’s obsession with status and her obliviousness to her husband’s struggles. The Guardian+1Vogue+1
- Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood):
- The Essential Rumi: A collection of poems exploring love and spirituality, aligning with Chelsea’s star-sign-obsessed and spiritual persona. The Guardian
- Laurie Duffy (Carrie Coon):
- Modern Lovers by Emma Straub: A novel about friends grappling with aging and relationships, reflecting Laurie’s own experiences. The Guardian+1Vogue+1
- Jaclyn Lemon (Michelle Monaghan):
- My Name Is Barbra by Barbra Streisand: An autobiography, possibly indicating Jaclyn’s identification with Streisand’s life and career. Vogue
- Belinda Lindsey (Natasha Rothwell):
- Surrounded by Narcissists by Thomas Erikson: Suggests Belinda’s coping mechanism in dealing with challenging guests at the resort.