Hoda Kotb reveals six favorite books that guide and inspire her
The 'Jump and Find Joy' author shares the reads that shaped her outlook ahead of a new book.
Hoda Kotb, the former 'Today' show host, has shared the six books that have guided and inspired her as part of Page Six's Page-Turners feature. The list reflects a mix of self-help, memoir and suspense that Kotb says have helped her navigate life and work, including the new book she released this year, Jump and Find Joy, which hit shelves Sept. 23 and is intended to uplift readers as these titles did for her.
The six titles Kotb cites are "The Untethered Soul" by Michael A. Singer; "Gift from the Sea" by Anne Morrow Lindbergh; "After the Rain" by Jane Lorenzini; "Conversations with God" by Neale Donald Walsch; "With a Vengeance" by Riley Sager; and "I Am Maria" by Maria Shriver. Each book, she says, offered a different path to growth or escape, and she keeps several of them in circulation depending on her mood.
"The Untethered Soul" helps readers quiet their inner voice, Kotb explains. "To stop bickering with your inner voice, this book can guide you. Each page leads you toward a more peaceful mind." The author praises Lindbergh's "Gift from the Sea" for its timeless meditation on rest and reflection, noting that its message remains relevant even though it was published in the 1950s.
In a similar vein, Kotb points to Jane Lorenzini's novel "After the Rain" for its portrayal of reinvention in Old Florida, a setting that resonates with the author for its sense of possibility. She describes Neale Donald Walsch's "Conversations with God" as a series she keeps handy for quick reads in between obligations, saying, "I keep one in my bag, and when I have a few minutes in between things, I soak up the wisdom." The suspenseful "With a Vengeance" by Riley Sager scratches a craving for a juicy mystery, while Maria Shriver's memoir-poetry collection "I Am Maria" offers a candid window into a friend's life and soul.
Kotb also uses the collection to illustrate the themes of her latest work. In the interview, she says Jump and Find Joy was written with the same aim as her favorite books: to inform, engage and inspire readers to pursue happiness and resilience in daily life. "My latest work, Jump and Find Joy, is one of those books," she adds, underscoring the connection between reading and writing as a source of motivation for others.
The Page Six piece, part of its ongoing Page-Turners series, positions Kotb among celebrities who openly share the books they love most. The feature highlights how a personal library can reflect a public voice and a private life, offering fans a glimpse into how inspirational literature travels from bedside stacks to the author’s next project. The six titles on Kotb's list range from contemplative memoirs to page-turning mysteries, illustrating the broad spectrum of reading that informs her worldview. The release of Jump and Find Joy adds another layer to the conversation about how reading informs personal growth and professional resilience, a topic frequently explored in cultural and entertainment reporting.
As the literary conversation around the book and the list continues, readers can revisit Kotb's selections to see how each work aligns with the themes of joy, balance and reinvention that she champions.
