Book Recommendations for the Men of The Bachelorette
[sourced: ABC]
We’re five weeks into The Bachelorette and it’s anyone’s game. There are so many chiseled and coiffed men vying for Becca’s attention, it makes our heads spin. (Some would say too many men and we see you, Jordan. And we also see that villain edit you’re getting.) But in a world where everyone’s phones have been taken away and there’s a suspicious lack of food, what else is there to do but read? We took the time to come up with book recommendations for some of the more, um, memorable men in the mansion. Who knows. Maybe it’ll keep them occupied between group dates.
Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys Club of Silicon Valley by Emily Chang for John
When the season began, there were whispers that John was the most successful suitor in Bachelorette history. And as a founding employee at Venmo, it looks like those rumors are true. It’s difficult to predict if John will be around for the long haul, but one thing we know for certain is that he’ll be living that Silicon Valley life for a long long time. Which is why we’re recommending he read Brotopia by Emily Chang, an exploration of the boys club that permeates the tech industry. And while he may not be able to cut through the machismo of The Bachelorette mansion, he may be able to make changes in the workplace once he returns home.
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld for Jason
Despite the over the top villain hairstyle that this Seattle suitor sports, he and Becca seem to have a real connection. (We are 100% here for all their one-on-one chats.) And because it looks like Jason will be around for a while — and because he seems to transcend the reality show facade — we’re recommending that he settle into one of our favorite novels: Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld. In Eligible, Sittenfeld not only presents her readers with a compulsively readable adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, she also offers a fictional behind the scenes look at The Bachelor. (Thinly veiled here as the fictional television show Eligible.) Get comfortable, Jason. Everyone loves a reader.
The Purity Myth: How America’s Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women by Jessica Valenti for Colton
In the long — too long — preview of what’s to come this season, the producers revealed that there’s going to be a huge to do about Colton and his virginity. We want to encourage him to nip any self hatred on the subject in the bud and read The Purity Myth, Jessica Valenti’s incredible exploration of virginity in America. And maybe after he finishes it, he can pass it along to the rest of the house. Because the other men in the mansion seem to have a lot to say about it.
Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure by Amy Kaufman for Jordan
Jordan, Jordan, Jordan. What can we say about Jordan? Well to start, he doesn’t seem to know why he’s on The Bachelorette. The way he complains to the producers about the other men's fashion choices and then flat out ignores Becca makes us wonder if he knows the aim of the game. We’re recommending that he read Amy Kaufman’s Bachelor Nation, an exploration of the entire Bachelor franchise, from the casting process all the way to the Fantasy Suites. Because if Jordan is expecting to become a viable candidate for Becca’s heart, he’s going to need to study up.
How to be Married by Jo Piazza for Blake
The producers seem to be slotting Blake into the “recently heartbroken” role this season, providing Becca with the listening ear of someone who’s really been there. And while Becca isn’t out here looking for her new best friend — she’s been very clear about that — we think it’s really sweet that Blake is ready for love. Like, really ready. We’re recommending that he read How to be Married by Jo Piazza, a gorgeous and thoughtful exploration of marriage worldwide, and, despite the prescriptive title, all through a feminist lens. And even if Becca decides to withhold the rose this week, Blake will have a lot to chew on.
