Hoda Kotb Shares Six Favorite Books That Shaped Her Life
The former Today show host ties the list to Jump and Find Joy, released Sept. 23
Hoda Kotb has unveiled six books that have guided and inspired her, a revelation tied to the release of her new book Jump and Find Joy on Sept. 23. The list appeared in Page Six’s Page-Turners feature, where the former Today show host explains how reading has shaped her outlook on life and her approach to writing.
Her picks cover spiritual guidance, reflective beach reading, and a suspenseful modern mystery. The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer helps quiet the inner voice and move toward a calmer mind; Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh offers timeless lessons on rest and reflection, despite its 1950s origins; After the Rain by Jane Lorenzini follows a shy woman who wonders if she can reinvent her life by moving next door to Thomas Edison’s winter estate in Old Florida; Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch contemplates what God would say in various settings, and Kotb keeps one copy in her bag to read during spare moments; With a Vengeance by Riley Sager delivers a juicy mystery with a suspenseful finish; and I Am Maria by Maria Shriver provides a candid window into Shriver’s life and soul as she defines herself beyond family and romance.
Kotb says the reading choices reflect her broader mission: to write books she would want to read — informative, engaging, and inspirational enough to share with loved ones — and Jump and Find Joy embodies that approach. The Page Six feature highlights how celebrity readers curate lists that ripple beyond their public personas, offering fans a glimpse of the influences behind their work.