On October 5, 2000, the first episode of Gilmore Girls aired, forever changing the television landscape and pop culture as a whole. On that night, fans were introduced to the bookish Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel), her young, impulsive mom Lorelai (Lauren Graham), and the cozy, warm atmosphere of Stars Hollow, the fictional town (based on real small towns in Connecticut) where the series is set.
Though so many early fans watched every episode week-to-week, thousands more would come to the show later, marathoning it with joy, tears, and very strong opinions about the women's love lives. (At the end of Season 7, I was Team Logan with the full knowledge that Team Jess was end-game once they both grew up a little. And yes, I refuse to believe that the A Year in the Life "sequel" miniseries is canon.) I know people who dive into the series every autumn, sinking into the show's comforting vibes with a mug of coffee. As Lauren Graham quipped onstage at the 2025 Emmy Awards: “25 years ago, a show called Gilmore Girls premiered, and apparently took the season of fall hostage.”
It's wild to think we've had this show and its characters for a quarter of a century, and that it continues to influence cultural discourse. The portrayal of two strong, compelling, and yes, sometimes deeply flawed women—set in an always-autumn collage of dreamy small-town surroundings—has now enchanted us for more than two decades. And I predict that it's bound to accompany us for decades longer.
I leave you with these words from Rory Gilmore's very literary graduation speech: “I live in two worlds. One is a world of books. I've been a resident of Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha County, hunted the white whale aboard the Pequod, fought alongside Napoleon, sailed a raft with Huck and Jim, committed absurdities with Ignatius J. Reilly, rode a sad train with Anna Karenina and strolled down Swann's Way. It's a rewarding world, but my second one is, by far, superior. My second one is populated with characters slightly less eccentric, but supremely real, made of flesh and bone, full of love, who are my ultimate inspiration for everything.”
So, as you start your anniversary rewatches, be sure to check out these audiobooks to pair with your marathon. After all, it's what Rory would have wanted.
Audiobooks performed by the stars of Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls wasn't Kelly Bishop's first big role. She won a Tony for her star turn in A Chorus Line and later played Baby Houseman's mother, Marjorie, in Dirty Dancing. But it was Gilmore Girls that made her a household name, with an instantly recognizable voice. Bishop portrayed Emily Gilmore, Lorelai's complicated mother, whose role in the show was foundational to the central themes of mother-daughter dynamics and generational healing. In her memoir, Bishop tells her life story, from marriages to marching for women's rights to the show that would change everything.
Read in the deeply familiar voice of Lorelai Gilmore herself, actress Lauren Graham's latest collection is not to be missed. In this gem, she tells stories from her life, from her early, pre-big-break days waitressing in New York City, to what it's actually like to act every day on the job, to the struggle to cope with the strange social politics and physical expectations of Hollywood. Graham is an absolute hoot, bringing her candid and bold persona to these tales of her real life, and her warm insights will be cherished by any Gilmore fan. (And if you haven't listened yet, Graham's first memoir, Talking as Fast as I Can is an total delight that demands to be heard—ideally, with a giant coffee in hand.)
Ironically, Tuck Everlasting was one of the few modern classics Rory Gilmore didn't read on the show. But I like to imagine she no doubt picked it up at some point. Gilmore's Rory, played by Alexis Bledel, broke out onto the acting scene with her performance as young Winnie Foster in the 2002 adaptation of this book. Here, she lends her voice to the story itself, regaling listeners with the story of Winnie, who discovers a family (and a boy) who are immortal and must decide if she too wants to live forever. This 50th anniversary edition also comes with an afterword from Natalie Babbit's daughter, making this listen a true can't-miss for longtime fans of the book and Gilmore Girls alike.
The late Edward Hermann wasn't just an icon of the small screen, where he played Gilmore patriarch Richard and had memorable roles in shows—including MASH and St. Elsewhere—he was also a prolific audiobook narrator with skills that earned him a spot in Audible's inaugural Narrator Hall of Fame class. Honed by a number of history documentaries, Hermann's voice is perfectly primed to breathe life into Unbroken. This narrative nonfiction classic tells the dramatic story of a former Olympian-turned-soldier who crashed into the Pacific Ocean during WWII. He then floated in a flimsy life raft, the prospect of becoming a POW in his future—if he made it out alive. (And as Richard Gilmore 100 percent would have read this book, it only feels right that Hermann narrates.)
Whether you're Team Jess, Team Logan, or Team Dean, there's one thing we can all agree on: Milo Ventimiglia, who played Luke's rough-around-the-edges nephew Jess on Gilmore, has one heck of a voice. In this fast-moving thriller, Daniel can move objects, control animals, and shape-shift, all with just the power of his mind. He uses that power to protect the earth and hunt the assassin who killed his parents. When Daniel finally cracks the code that will lead him to enact his vengeance, nothing can stop him. This is a fast-paced firecracker of a listen: sit back, unwind, and let Jess himself bring every moment to life.
This is a young adult contemporary classic, and I certainly remember the cover from school libraries back in the day! It's stood the test of time for good reason: Keiko Agena, who played Rory's best friend Lane Kim on Gilmore Girls, unravels the story of Millicent Min, an 11-year-old high schooler whose grades singlehandedly shift the curve. Her high marks draw the disdain of her fellow students, all of whom are many years older. She's a genius without any friends or a place to belong, since being in high school alienates peers her own age. That is, until she meets Emily, who doesn't yet know Millie's reputation.
Peruse Rory Gilmore's library
A relatable character for all my fellow bibliophiles, Rory Gilmore loves little more than curling up with a good book. Throughout the series, she's seen with her nose buried in one volume or another, ranging from classics to acclaimed contemporary novels, and is so infrequently seen without a paperback that she once mused, "I just take a book with me everywhere. It's just a habit." Want to listen like Rory? Read on for a peek at some of the books she's read over the show's seven seasons.
Read by the critically acclaimed actress Maggie Gyllenhaal.
When Esther Greenwood wins an internship at a New York fashion magazine in 1953, she is elated, believing she will finally realise her dream to become a writer. But in between the cocktail parties and piles of manuscripts, Esther's life begins to slide out of control. She finds herself spiralling into depression and eventually a suicide attempt as she grapples with difficult relationships and a society which refuses to take women's aspirations seriously.
Sylvia Plath's groundbreaking semiautobiographical novel offers an intimate, honest and often wrenching glimpse into mental illness. The Bell Jar broke the boundaries between fiction and reality and helped cement Sylvia Plath's place as an enduring feminist icon. Celebrated for its darkly humorous, razor-sharp portrait of 1950s society, it continues to resonate with readers today as a testament to the universal human struggle to claim one's rightful place in the world.
Winner: Audible's Best of 2016 - Classic
"Anna Karenina is one of my favorite books. But when I agreed to read it for Audible, I had no idea how much work it would be, how intense it would be, and how deeply I would fall in love with it. There were places where I thought 'if I don't give Alexey Alexandrovitch the respect that he deserves in my reading of this scene, a critical part of the book will be ruined. If I don't give EVERYONE the utmost respect and understanding, I'm not doing justice to this brilliantly compassionate book.' But at the same time, I also wanted to have a light touch in the way I played the different characters, so that the magnificence of the novel could shine through. I feel like performing this novel is one of the major accomplishments of my work life - it was so challenging and so deep, a real pleasure." (Narrator Maggie Gyllenhaal)
Leo Tolstoy's classic story of doomed love is one of the most admired novels in world literature. Generations of readers have been enthralled by his magnificent heroine, the unhappily married Anna Karenina, and her tragic affair with dashing Count Vronsky. Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Dark Knight, The Honourable Woman) cites Tolstoy's epic as one of her favorite books of all time, and her love for the literature permeates her performance. Anna Karenina is a masterpiece not only because of the unforgettable woman at its core and the stark drama of her fate but also because it explores and illuminates the deepest questions about how to live a fulfilled life.
Golden Globe nominee Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation, Girl with a Pearl Earring) brings a palpable sense of joy and exuberance to her performance of Lewis Carroll's enduring classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. From the White Rabbit and Mad Hatter to the Cheshire Cat and Queen of Hearts, she imbues each madcap character with a distinct voice and personality that will leave a lasting impression long after the adventure is over.
One hundred and fifty years after its original publication, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland remains one of the most widely read, deconstructed, referenced, and reinterpreted works of Western fiction. It tells the story of the young and imaginative Alice, who grows weary of her storybook, one "without pictures or conversations", and follows a hasty hare underground - to come face to face with a host of strange and fantastic characters.
More listens from Rory's library
