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.
Other books
Salt Water by Katy Hays
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
THe Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
The Glow by Jessie Gaynor
Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan
Murder and Mamon by Mia Manansala
BOOKS FEATURED ON THE SHOW:
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.
- The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud: Explores the meaning and psychology of dreams, aligning with their philosophical interests.
- Sexual Personae by Camille Paglia: Analyzes the connections between art and pagan ritual, reflecting their engagement with complex feminist critiques.
- The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon: A study on race, colonialism, and psychological trauma, mirroring Paula’s growing awareness of social issues.
- Gender Trouble by Judith Butler: Discusses the performative nature of gender, resonating with themes of identity explored by the characters.
- 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.
- 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
- Shane (Jake Lacy):
- Blink by Malcolm Gladwell: Explores rapid cognition and decision-making, perhaps subtly commenting on Shane’s superficial understanding of complex matters.
Season 2:
The Architecture of Closed Worlds: Or, What Is the Power of Shit? by Lydia Kallipoliti
- Character: Albie Di Grasso
- Actor: Adam DiMarco
- Description: An analysis of self-sustaining environments, reflecting Albie’s intellectual curiosity.
Modern Lovers by Emma Straub
- Character: Laurie Duffy
- Actor: Simona Tabasco
- Description: A novel about friendships and relationships, mirroring Laurie’s experiences.
Everything Is F*cked: A Book About Hope by Mark Manson
- Character: Ethan Spiller
- Actor: Will Sharpe
- Description: Manson’s examination of hope amidst contemporary challenges, resonating with Ethan’s outlook.
Gone Bamboo by Anthony Bourdain
- Character: Cameron Sullivan
- Actor: Theo James
- Description: Bourdain’s crime thriller, aligning with Cameron’s multifaceted character.
Season 3:
- Lochlan Ratliff (Sam Nivola):
- Hunger by Knut Hamsun: A novel delving into existential struggles, mirroring Lochlan’s own identity crisis.
- 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.
- 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.
- Laurie Duffy (Carrie Coon):
- Modern Lovers by Emma Straub: A novel about friends grappling with aging and relationships, reflecting Laurie’s own experiences.
- Jaclyn Lemon (Michelle Monaghan):
- My Name Is Barbra by Barbra Streisand: An autobiography, possibly indicating Jaclyn’s identification with Streisand’s life and career.
- Belinda Lindsey (Natasha Rothwell):
- Surrounded by Narcissists by Thomas Erikson: Suggests Belinda’s coping mechanism in dealing with challenging guests at the resort.
- Chelsea (Simone Ashley)
- Start Where You are: How to Accept Yourself And Others by Pema Chodron
- Piper
- Lovingkindness: The Revolutionart Art of Happiness by Sharon Salzberg