Jenna Bush Hager’s Read With Jenna book club has firmly established itself as a significant influence in the publishing world. What began as a lighthearted segment on the TODAY show has grown into a major driver of book sales, with the club’s distinctive purple sticker becoming a mark of distinction that can boost a title’s popularity overnight.
Bush Hager’s rise as a national literary tastemaker is in many ways a continuation of her family’s longstanding commitment to literacy. Her mother, former First Lady Laura Bush, was an advocate for reading initiatives and played a pivotal role in the growth of large-scale book festivals. Today, Jenna Bush Hager not only curates her widely followed book club but also hosts an annual festival, which held its inaugural event in May 2025.
Among the diverse selections featured in Read With Jenna, one genre consistently stands out: literary fiction. While the term can be broad, literary fiction generally refers to novels that emphasize character development, stylistic nuance, and emotional depth. This preference signals a readership seeking stories that reflect complex human experiences rather than formulaic plots.
Literary fiction regularly forms the backbone of Bush Hager’s picks, often including critically acclaimed works recognized by prestigious awards such as the Booker Prize, Pulitzer Prize, and Nobel Prize in Literature. Recent selections like Jessica Soffer’s This is a Love Story, Lee Cole’s Groundskeeping, and Joanna Quinn’s The Whalebone Theatre exemplify the club’s commitment to diverse and meaningful storytelling.
The popularity of literary fiction is not isolated to Read With Jenna. In 2024, publishing houses acquired literary fiction titles at unexpectedly high rates, challenging the notion that only fast-paced, commercial fiction sells well. Even Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club, known for popular romance and thriller genres, has shown a marked interest in more introspective and ambitious works, indicating a broader shift in reader preferences.
In addition to literary fiction, Bush Hager often selects coming-of-age stories—particularly elliptical bildungsroman narratives—alongside historical fiction and family-centered novels. The club occasionally features thrillers and lighter summer reads, adding variety to its offerings. However, the most highly rated selection in the club’s history is not a novel but Devotions, a poetry collection by Mary Oliver. This choice underscores a collective appetite for thoughtful reflection amid a culture often focused on fast-moving plots.
As Read With Jenna continues to shape literary tastes, its embrace of literary fiction reflects a growing desire among readers for stories that resonate deeply and explore the nuances of the human condition.
