Iconic Books: The Jess Mariano Reading List That Every Gilmore Girl’s Fan Will Love
The Jess Mariano reading list is something that every Gilmore Girls fan should know about. Jess Mariano has great taste in literature, and it’s definitely something that is worth exploring.
If you’ve ever wanted to read books that feel like a character rather than just match a genre, this list is for you. Jess Mariano from Gilmore Girls is known for his brooding, intellectual taste in literature – and these books reflect that same restless, literary energy.
Watching Gilmore girls is brilliant for finding new book inspiration, but Jess is a character who’s bookish identity I feel is often overlooked. This means we are often missing a whole catalogue of immaculate book choices from the Jess Mariano reading list.
Chances are, if you love Gilmore girls, you are a die hard fan of Dean, Jess or Logan. I’ve always loved Jess, and the fact that his taste in literature is so good is just a bonus.
Jess tends to lean towards Philosophical Literature with the ‘tortured artist trope’. Seemingly, he identifies with this trope and finds comfort within it.
You are going to learn about the Jess Mariano reading list, and get inspired for a cosy evening of reading.
This post is all about the Jess Mariano Reading list that every Gilmore Girls fan should save to their tbr.
[Related Post- Gilmore Girls Season 1- The Free Printable Reading List That Will Make You Smarter]
Jess Mariano’s Reading List
A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
A darkly comic novel following an eccentric, self-absorbed man in New Orleans; beloved for its satire and absurdity.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain
A rebellious journey down the Mississippi River that critiques society, racism, and hypocrisy.
Billy Budd and Other Tales – Herman Melville
Novellas exploring innocence, justice, and moral ambiguity aboard naval ships.
The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger
A teenage boy wanders New York City while grappling with alienation and loss. This book screams Jess Mariano and his angst.
Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoevsky
A philosophical psychological thriller about guilt, morality, and redemption after a desperate crime.
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test – Tom Wolfe
A nonfiction chronicle of Ken Kesey’s psychedelic road trip and the birth of counterculture.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – Hunter S. Thompson
A drug-fueled, chaotic journey through American excess, told in gonzo journalism style.
The Fountainhead – Ayn Rand
A controversial novel about individualism and artistic integrity centered on an uncompromising architect.
Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
A Gothic tale of scientific ambition and the monstrous consequences of abandoning responsibility.
Franny and Zooey – J.D. Salinger
Two connected stories exploring spirituality, existential crisis, and family dynamics.
High Fidelity – Nick Hornby
A music-obsessed record store owner revisits past relationships in a funny, self-aware narrative.
The Holy Barbarians – Lawrence Lipton
A look inside the Beat subculture in 1950s Venice Beach, exploring art, rebellion, and bohemian life.
Howl and Other Poems – Allen Ginsberg
Iconic Beat poetry confronting conformity, sexuality, madness, and spiritual longing.
The Inferno – Dante Alighieri
A medieval epic following a guided journey through Hell’s nine circles.
Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them – Al Franken
A comedic, political critique of media misinformation and hypocrisy in early 2000s America.
The Magic Mountain – Thomas Mann
A philosophical novel set in a Swiss sanatorium, exploring illness, time, and modern thought.
Moby-Dick – Herman Melville
An epic study of obsession and humanity as Captain Ahab hunts the great white whale.
[Related Post- 3 Powerful Books On The Divine Feminine That Will Empower You To Harness Your Inner Goddess]
My Struggle – Karl Ove Knausgaard
An autobiographical, introspective multi-volume work exploring memory, family, and everyday life.
Naked Lunch – William S. Burroughs
A nonlinear, hallucinatory novel critiquing bureaucracy, addiction, and societal control.
Notes of a Dirty Old Man – Charles Bukowski
Raw, gritty essays and stories about life, drinking, relationships, and urban survival.
Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
A social critique wrapped in the story of an orphan navigating crime and hardship in London.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Ken Kesey
A rebellion-versus-authority story set in a psychiatric ward, exposing systems of control.
One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel García Márquez
A magical-realist family saga about fate, memory, and the blurred line between myth and reality.
On the Road – Jack Kerouac
A defining Beat novel following cross-country wandering, freedom, and spiritual searching.
Othello – William Shakespeare
A tragedy of jealousy, manipulation, and betrayal leading to catastrophic consequences.
Please Kill Me: The Oral History of Punk – Legs McNeil & Gillian McCain
An unfiltered, firsthand account of the origins and chaos of the American punk scene.
Slaughterhouse-Five – Kurt Vonnegut
A darkly comedic anti-war novel mixing sci-fi, trauma, and fatalism through the eyes of Billy Pilgrim.
The Subterraneans – Jack Kerouac
A semiautobiographical novel about a turbulent love affair, jazz culture, and Beat-era life.
Ulysses – James Joyce
One of modernism’s most challenging masterpieces, paralleling the Odyssey in a single day in Dublin.
Visions of Cody – Jack Kerouac
An experimental, stream-of-consciousness tribute to friendship, spontaneity, and Beat philosophy.
We Owe You Nothing: Punk Planet, The Collected Interviews – Daniel Sinker
Interviews capturing the politics, DIY spirit, and philosophy of punk culture.
[Related Post- A Solo Winter Reading Challenge To Spend Better Time With Yourself]
This Post was all about the Jess Mariano reading list
[Related Post- The Insanely Good Gothic Reading List For 2026]
Who is your favourite Gilmore Girls Character?
