Reese Witherspoon on Marian Wright Edelman's 'The Measure of Our Success: A Letter to My Children and Yours'

In the first episode of the "Book Shook" series, Reese takes a trip down memory lane and thanks author Marian Wright Edelman for her inspiring book, The Measure of Our Success: A Letter to My Children and Yours.

She shares that she first read the book on her way to college, and it forever changed her life. Reese's takeaway from the novel is that as a mother, your job isn't to only be a mother to your own children but to advocate for all children.

Yara Shahidi on James Baldwin's 'The Fire Next Time'

Actress and activist, Yara Shahidi, explains why James Baldwin's book The Fire Next Time inspired her. Yara mentions that her first tattoo, the number 63, was inspired by the release date of the book, which is 1963, a pivotal year in the civil rights movement. Yara says:

"Why I recommend reading it — especially for people who are looking for a touchpoint, if you're trying to understand what's happening right now — not only is it a great history lesson, it also makes it a personal conversation, and you can't help but recognize that we're talking about people's lives."

Jameela Jamil on Roxane Gay's 'Hunger'

Actress and advocate Jameela Jamil discusses Roxane Gay's memoir, Hunger, and how it helped her recover from her past trauma. Jameela shares that she was a victim of sexual violence as a child and as an adult. She explains how Roxane Gay's memoir helped heal her and made her feel less alone.

Subscribe to the Youtube series here.