A selection of Halle Berry’s favourite books
Back in the mid-2000s, there were few actors with a sense of radiant talent quite like Halle Berry. Consistently captivating the audience with her versatility, grace in front of the camera and ability to truly embody any character she put her mind to, Berry established herself as one of the early 21st century’s most enduring stars.
Berry also famously made history by becoming the first African-American woman to win the Academy Award for ‘Best Actress’ for her stultifying performance in the 2001 Marc Forster romantic drama Monster’s Ball, while further efforts in X-Men, Die Another Day and Catwoman further her reputation in the film industry.
While it is cinema that Berry will forever be associated with, not only starring in so many great productions but also having named her favourite movies on several occasions, she also looks to be a profound lover of all this literature, and the actor once named her favourite books of all time in conversation with Oprah Winfrey.
Berry begins with J. California Cooper’s 1995 short story collection Some Love, Some Pain, Sometimes, which dives into themes of romance and heartbreak. “They’re good people who sometimes make evil choices, and you see them suffer as a result,” Berry said of the book’s characters. “While many of the stories start off dark and depressing, ultimately, they are incredibly inspirational.”
Up next is Trisha R. Thomas’ 2000 novel Nappily Ever After, which was made into a feature-length film in 2018. According to Berry, Thomas’ work “deals with black culture and the many stereotypes that we try to overcome”.
She noted, “The main character thinks her boyfriend is going to give her an engagement ring. Instead, he brings her a puppy,” which leads the character to leave him and begin living a life of independence.
Berry looks to be a big fan of the poet and practitioner of Sufism, Rumi, whose writing was deeply spiritual; that’s why she includes The Rumi Collection, edited by Kabir Helminski, amongst her favourite books. “He doesn’t hit you over the head with the tenets of a specific religion,” Berry said, “But he introduces God in almost every passage.”
Being a mixed-race person is important to Berry’s identity, and she found a sense of kindred in James McBride’s 1995 autobiography and memoir The Color of Water, which serves as a tribute to the author’s mother. “My mother is white, and my father is black,” Berry pointed out, “So I felt an immediate connection to this story of an interracial family.”
The list is rounded off by Anne Wilson Schaef’s Meditations For Women Who Do Too Much, which compiled quotations of wisdom and insight from 365 women, intended to be read once per day. “I’m always amazed because so many times the message on the page I’ve chosen at random turns out to be exactly what I needed to hear,” Berry said. “I give this book to all my girlfriends, and I always keep a copy nearby.”
Halle Berry’s favourite books:
- Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime by J. California Cooper
- Nappily Ever After by Trisha R. Thomas
- The Rumi Collection edited by Kabir Helminski
- The Color of Water by James McBride
- Meditations For Women Who Do Too Much by Anne Wilson Schaef
