📖63 Books on Gilmore Girls Published After 2000
March is our month to read books on Gilmore Girls published after 2000, all to celebrate modern classics featured on the show and make us really well-rounded readers.
Today, let’s dig into our March reading prompt for our Rory Gilmore reading challenge to read one book per month from the Rory Gilmore reading list!
Here is the podcast episode that accompanies this post (I could only get it to show on Substack and YouTube this week; I will work on that):
March’s reading prompt is books published after 2000 on Gilmore Girls.
Gilmore Girls premiered in 2000 and features many modern classics and/or books that were part of the zeitgeist. This contemporary fiction really intrigued me when I decided to take on this challenge, as I was focused on my studies at the time of the show and missed many of these popular books.
So, with that in mind, let’s focus on the book world at the exact time of the show. It transports us to Stars Hollow in a unique way!
Featured Book of the Month: Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
No book published after 2000 could be more iconic on Gilmore Girls than Wild by Cheryl Strayed (2012). Here, the author recounts her transformative journey of self-discovery as she hikes over 1,000 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail, confronting her many struggles, including her grief over the loss of her mother, and finding healing in nature.
It’s also ripe for meditation on themes like grief and coping with hardship, which feels appropriate at the end of winter.
It’s pretty close to a tie for me. If I had to choose, I’d pick the movie, but probably only because I saw it before I read it!
10 More Modern Classics From Gilmore Girls I Read and Liked
Below are descriptions to help you choose what to read yourself. Listen to the podcast episode for my personal thoughts, fun facts, and recommendations about each one.
Atonement by Ian McEwan (2001) 👍: Read by Rory at Yale, this book is about a young girl’s misunderstanding that leads her to make a false accusation, altering the lives of those involved and prompting her lifelong quest for atonement.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (2003) 👍: Also read by Rory at Yale, this book is about a 15-year-old boy (presumably) with autism who investigates the murder of a neighbor's dog, revealing deeper truths about his own family.
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (2006)👍: After a painful divorce, the author embarks on a year-long journey across Italy, India, and Indonesia in search of self-discovery and healing. It’s mentioned on Lorelai’s Wild adventure.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling❤️: Harry finds himself unexpectedly entered into the dangerous Triwizard Tournament, where he must face increasingly dangerous challenges to uncover the dark plot that threatens the wizarding world. Miss Patty mentions the “latest” book in the series, which was this one at the time.
He’s Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo (2004)👍: This self-help book, which Lorelai refers to, empowers women to recognize when a man is uninterested in them and take a healthier approach to dating.
I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron (2006)❤️: This movie queen takes a funny look at aging as she navigates the absurdities of getting older in modern society. Rory refers to it in the Summer episode of A Year in the Life.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (2011) ❤️: The self-help book that Emily relied on during her grief, this guide advocates decluttering and organizing your home by keeping only items that "spark joy."
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (2002)❤️: Read by Emily’s book club, this book that shaped me follows a teenage girl who watches from heaven as her family and friends cope with her murder and its impact on their lives.
Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich (2001)👍: The author goes undercover to experience low-wage work in America, exposing the struggles of the working poor. Lorelai reads it in the hospital.
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion (2005) 👍: Rory’s “Martha’s Vineyard” book, this memoir reflects on grief and loss as the author navigates the sudden death of her husband and her daughter's illness.
All the Books from 2000 to 2016 on Gilmore Girls
Out of the 475 books on the Gilmore Girls reading list, there are dozens of modern classics from which to choose. What I found interesting about this collection overall is how many political books it contains (due to Rory’s studies at Yale, in particular). We also get a lot of thrillers, nonfiction, and some of the most popular modern fiction.
The full list is below the paywall, mostly because I personally fact-checked each and every one for our book club. (I did spot-check several AI models; they were unsurprisingly all different and all wrong.)
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