Welcome to The Bookrack, a segment that lists what our favorite on-screen characters are possibly reading!
Hear us out, good fellas. Rachel Green is a bibliophile. Yes, she is. Apart from her to-die-for outfits and the iconic haircut that had a generation in a chokehold, books found mention, subtly so, in her character arc over the ten seasons of Friends. Whether it was Rachel surmising Wuthering Heights is about robots, falling back on feminist self-help to empower herself, or giving Little Women spoilers to Joey, this 90's icon is a reader through and through.
Read on to know what this icon may currently have on her bookshelf.
Picture Courtesy: Friends (1994–2004)
Stephen King's THE SHINING
This 1977 horror novel put Stephen King on the map. Quite firmly, so. Ms Green was seen reading this cult classic in episode 13 of season 3. With a fluffy throw pulled over and a warm cup of tea steaming on the side, The Shining would be a perfect book to get to if someone is looking for a Halloween read.
Publisher: Hodder
Print length: 512 pages
Paperback, INR 599.
Joan Didion’s THE LAST THING HE WANTED
On 'The One at the Beach', the up-and-coming Bloomingdale employee was engrossed in Didion's The Last Thing He Wanted, a chilling political thriller that the New Yorker called 'lucid and surreal' in their review. Talk about having good taste.
Publisher: Vintage
Print length: 240 pages
Audiobook available in India
Annie Lord’s NOTES ON HEARTBREAK
From Vogue's dating columnist, comes a funny and honest take on relationships, break-ups, and the necessary act of letting go. A memoir masquerading as a friendly self-help, Lord's exploration of love and heartbreak is a perfect holiday read for a newly single reader.
Publisher: Trapeze
Print length: 400 pages
Paperback, INR 1,150.
Louisa M. Alcott's LITTLE WOMEN
A coming-of-age classic about sisterhood, gender, and class could be an interesting read for someone whose two spoilt younger sisters either ruin Thanksgiving by giving their child a piercing or dating their ex-boyfriend. Not ideal. But family is family. Despite the odds. Despite the insanity.
Publisher: Vintage Children's Classic
Print length: 432 pages
Paperback, INR 299
Caroline O'Donoghue's THE RACHEL INCIDENT
Touted as 2023's most-anticipated summer read, this unconventional and messy romance, where a young woman falls in love with her married professor, is perfect for readers of Marian Keyes and Gabrielle Zevin. A guaranteed resident of Ms Green's TBR, we're sure.
Publisher: Virago
Print length: 320 pages
Digital formats available in India
Curtis Sittenfeld’s ROMANTIC COMEDY
A compelling page-turner, Sittenfeld's Romantic Comedy is a refreshing romance suffused with yearning, compassion, and winsome hilarity. Can a scriptwriter and a pop idol hit it off? Is love really that simple? The book answers all in cutting prose and funny observations.
Publisher: Doubleday
Print length: 320 pages
Paperback; INR 699
Elissa Sussman’s FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK
Smart and romantic, Elissa Sussman's novel is about a journalist and a Hollywood heartthrob reuniting a decade later. The banter is fresh and the characters evolve delightfully on the pages. A perfect read on long flights between Paris and New York during fashion week.
Publisher: Piatkus Books
Print length: 352 pages
Paperback; INR 699
Andrea Pflaumer’s SHOPPING FOR THE REAL YOU
A thorough guide for those who want to up their style quotient and make informed sartorial choices. Not that Rachel Green needs a book to tell her what's hot, but this one-of-a-kind self-help is a great companion to have when flipping over one's wardrobe.
Publisher: One Step Productions
Print length: 206 pages
eBook available in India
Dolly Alderton’s DEAR DOLLY
This compilation of Alderton's Sunday Times columns is a gentle guide to understanding the complexities engulfing modern relationships. The advice is thought-through and measured, and Alderton's empathy and perceptiveness make the reader feel tremendously cared for.
Publisher: Fig Tree
Print length: 240 pages
Paperback; INR 999
Nora Ephron’s HEARTBURN
Why wouldn't Rachel read America's beloved screenwriter's (When Harry Met Sally and You've Got Mail) semi-autobiographical novel about a recently divorced woman? The writing? Sharp. The emotions? Sincere. The vibes? Taylor Swift in her Fearless era. Nora Ephron will forever be unmatched. Much like Rachel Green.
Publisher: Virago
Print length: 192 pages
Paperback; INR 599
Matthew Perry’s FRIENDS, LOVERS, AND THE BIG TERRIBLE THING
A meta recommendation. But how can Rachel ever pass the opportunity to read a funny yet heartbreaking memoir of one of the most recognizable faces in the entertainment industry, especially if it's her dear friend?
Publisher: Headline
Print length: 272 pages
Hardcover; INR 557
Do you think Rachel Green is reading something else, too? Let us know in the comments below.
Note: This listicle was curated a night before Matthew Perry's unfortunate passing. May his soul rest in peace. No opportunism was intended in putting the list together.