I have been re-watching Friends for the hundredth time (no joke!) and I have noticed that there are actually a lot of book references. I thought it would be fun to talk about which books the characters talk about in the show and which books I think they would each love!
Monica
Magical Art of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
Monica is definitely a neat freak so I think she would absolutely love The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, but let’s be honest, she probably could have written this book!
Jules & Julia by Julie Powell
Monica is a chef, and is constantly cooking! I think she would be inspired by this novel and maybe even take the challenge of cooking a Julia Child recipe every day for year on for herself!
Ross
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
This is an obvious one! Ross is a paleontologist and he loves all things dinosaurs! He would be all about Jurassic Park!
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
There is an episode where Ross makes a reference to Lord of the Rings and Gandalf. I definitely think Ross would be a huge Lord of the Rings fan. I actually think he would love a lot of scifi/fantasy novels like Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and Games of Thrones.
The Man’s Guide to the Art of Divorce by Michael E. Young
Is this too mean? Oh well! The man has been divorced three times! I am sure he has read this…
Chandler
Chicken Soup for the Soul
I think this picture says it all!
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Chandler can be such a Holden Caulfield! They are both sarcastic, and often pessimistic, though I much prefer Chandler as a characer! Chandler would probably relate to this book. Ironically, Holden’s sister in the book is named Phoebe!
Pheobe
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
Can you not just picture Phoebe being very in to The Secret? She is spiritual in her own way and I can see her trying to follow The Secret. Whether or not she would be successful at it is another story!
Jane Eyre
In the episode ‘The One With Ross’s Sandwich,’ Phoebe and Rachel sign up for a literature class. One of the books that they are supposed to read (Rachel doesn’t) is Jane Eyre. It seemed as though Phoebe really enjoyed it and had a lot of interesting insights! I am sure she would enjoy a lot of other classics, such as Jane Austen, as well.
Rachel
Little Women by Louise May Alcott
There is an episode (The One Where Monica and Richard Are Just Friends) where Rachel and Joey decide to read each other’s favourite book! Rachel has Joey read Little Women, which he ends up loving as well! I adore Little Women and it was cute the see them talking about it and getting emotional.
The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
Rachel works at Bloomingdale’s and then for Ralph Lauren. From the very beginning she has had a huge passion for fashion! She has even had some pretty horrible bosses so I think she would relate to The Devil Wears Prada and would find it hilarious!
Joey
The Shining by Stephen King
In the episode where Rachel and Joey exchange their favourite book, he makes her read The Shining! When it gets too scary for him he hides the book in the freezer, which I think is hilarious and adorable. Little Women ends up being so sad that he has to hid it in the freezer as well!
Comic Books
There are a lot of references to Joey reading comic books throughout the series. In one episode he says he reads comic books exclusively, in another he goes over to Rachel’s apartment to read his comics books because Monica and Chandler are at his place and he can’t concentrate, and he even dresses up as Superman in a Christmas episode!
I had so much fun doing this!! I might have to try something similar for other TV shows that I love as well! Do you love Friends too? Do you agree with my choices? I would love to hear what books you think each of these characters would enjoy!
What great choices for them and great reminders of the book references in it too. Monica would so have been an MK fan!
Thank you! She for sure would!
I miss Friends, I have seen every single episode (and some quite a few times). They are now on Netflix so I’m thinking I may re-visit them again.
I love all characters but have a soft spot for Phoebe .. just because she is so chilled out and doesn’t care what others think of her… I think your book selection is spot on, I would also recommend Joey some other King’s novels… wonder what he would make of It… 🙂 I have a feeling his freezer may become severally full… 😀
completely agree! I love friends. I used to watch its reruns all the time and no matter how repetitive, it never failed to make me laugh.
and i agree with your choices, though i haven’t read all the books you listed.
Thank you! I love Friends so this was really fun for me!
Awesome post! I’m rewatching it too right now. It’s amazing how dated it all seems lol.
Thank you! It is so true! but I still love it!
Lol me too!
I love Friends so much, wow, takes me back to my university days, lol…I’m so old!! I’ve been watching it again on Netflix with my oldest son’s 19 year old girlfriend, and that’s been so much fun! Your choices were just perfect, and I loved this post so much! You should definitely do more like these 🙂
Ah that is really fun! I love that a new generation is falling in love with the show! Thank you! I am definitely inspired to do more like this!
Me too! I loved watching it when it was on the air and cried when it went off, lol. And I’ve watched reruns before, but it is so much fun to watch it with someone else…my hubby hates the show, lol. So it is my way of tormenting him after all the Star Trek he has made me watch for over 20 yrs…ugh. Yes, you definitely should! It’s fun!
It has gotten to the point where I can quote every line of the show. My mom hates it now only because I had it on non stop when I was growing up. You are amazing for sitting through Star Trek! I tried and I just can’t!
This is the coolest post idea!!! I would’ve never thought about pairing my favorite TV characters up with books they’d love. Personally, I’m not a fan of Friends but this post is just so fun!
Thank you!! I am hoping to do this with other shows as well!
This is awesome! Gave me a smile on this gloomy Monday morning 🙂
Thank you! I am so glad!
LOL! This is so adorable, and you choices were so spot on! I loved this so much!
Ahh thank you!
What a great idea Kristin! I totally agree with your picks.
Thank you! I am so happy people are enjoying this post!
Totally agree with Rachel and The Devil Wears Prada! It’s something I 100% see her reading!
It is truly the perfect book for her!
This is such a fun idea for a post and I love all your book choices! 🙂
Thank you so much!
Ah I legit *love* this post!!! I adore Friends and think you’re so right about all your choices! Especially Ross- LOL! Of course he’d like Jurassic Park and LOTR!! hahahaha yes he needs the book on divorce as well. Chandler does have a fair amount in common with Holden Caulfield 😉 And I love how you referred to books they actually read. Again, really amazing post! You’re making me want to rewatch it for the millionth time too!
Ahh so glad you liked it! OH poor Ross! I actually was having such a hard time coming up with books for Chandler and then it just hit me. Catcher in the Rye is perfect for him! It is a show that never gets old!
hehehe! haha so true!
Awesome picks!
I remember watching that episode with the Shining and being so happy because I never kept scary books in my bedroom! (I didn’t put them in the freezer though.) It was one of those moments where I could be like I’m not the only one!
Thank you! That episode is one of my favourites! I never read scary books because I am so afraid of them! I am sure I wouldn’t want them in my room either!
I LOVE Friends! It’s one of my all-time favorite shows. 🙂 I can also see Ross having a book about monkeys (ahh, throwback to when he had a monkey), haha! I love everything you picked out too!
Omg I didn’t even think about monkeys for Ross! I feel like there were so many books I could have chosen for him. It was Chandler that I struggled with which it weird since he is my favourite!
Chandler is my favorite, too…but I also can’t think of many books for him! This isn’t a real book as far as I know, but it could be like “Sarcasm for Dummies” or something.😂
That would be perfect! I was trying to think of sarcastic characters!
Haha these are great choices !!! But I feel like ross might ruin Jurassic Park for me haha
Hahaha so true!