The Perfect Reading List! See Books Written By Your Favorite ‘Today’ Show Hosts

Hoda Kotb

Hoda Kotb has authored several adult books: 2010’s Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee, 2013’s  Ten Years Later: Six People Who Faced Adversity and Transformed Their Lives, 2016’s Where We Belong: Journeys That Show Us The Way, 2018’s I Really Needed This Today: Words to Live By, and 2020’s This Just Speaks to Me: Words to Live By Every Day.

Her children’s books are 2018’s I’ve Loved You Since Forever and 2019’s You Are My Happy.

‘HODA: How I Survived War Zones, Breast Cancer, and Kathie Lee’

In her memoir, beloved Today host Hoda Kotb takes us behind the scenes and lets us get to really know her. With stories from her conservative Egyptian upbringing (both in the US and abroad) as well as from the front lines of every major news story she’s covered, Hoda doesn’t hold back, even when it comes to her cancer battle and divorce (they happened in the same year!). Inspiring, informative, and uplifting, it’s safe to say that HODA reads just like, well, Hoda!

‘Ten Years Later: Six People Who Faced Adversity and Transformed Their Lives’

How do you face adversity? In Ten Years Later, Hoda talks to six people deep in the throes of hardship who chose to persevere — and then revisits them 10 years later. From a mother-of-two struggling with an abusive relationship to a 9/11 hero coping with loss in the aftermath, this book chronicles the journeys of people who, in their darkest hour, chose light. This book shows how adversity can lead to resilience, perseverance, and gratitude, and will encourage you to take your own first steps toward a brighter tomorrow.

‘Where We Belong: Journeys That Show Us the Way’

Hoda shares the stories of people who found their life’s purpose in the most unexpected ways, much to their own surprise. From an investment-banker-turned-minister to a once “no-kids” guy who now helps children all over the world, this book is a testament to those who fear that change and following your passions is impossible. Moving and motivational, let this book inspire you to find where you belong.

Kathie Lee Gifford

KLG has authored several adult books:  2009’s Just When I Thought I’d Dropped My Last Egg, 2018’s The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi Study Guide: Come to the Land Where It All Began and The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi: My Journey into the Heart of Scriptural Faith and the Land Where It All Began, 2020’s It’s Never Too Late: Make the Next Act of Your Life the Best Act of Your Life, 2021’s The Jesus I Know: Honest Conversations and Diverse Opinions about Who He Is and 2022’s The God of the Way: A Journey into the Stories, People, and Faith That Changed the World Forever.

Her children’s books include 2010’s Party Animals, 2011’s The Legend of Messy M’Cheany, 2018’s The Gift That I Can Give and 2020’s Hello, Little Dreamer.

‘Just When I Thought I Dropped My Last Egg: Life and Other Calamities’

Who says getting older means you have to slow down? In Just When I Thought I Dropped My Last Egg, Kathie Lee Gifford takes that notion and throws it out the window. Laugh-out-loud funny, and a celebration of the beauty that comes with aging, this book is an empowering reminder that being fertile isn’t just about babies — it’s also about your mind and creative spirit.

‘The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi’

In her latest book, The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi, KLG delves further into her spirituality than ever before. As a devout Christian, Kathie Lee has long spoken about her faith, and in this book, she takes you along on her travels as she ventures down the biblical paths of Israel in an effort to deepen her spiritual knowledge with some help from Messianic Rabbi Jason Sobel. Join Kathie Lee on her “journey into the heart of scriptural faith and the land where it all began.”

Jenna Bush Hager

The former First Daughter is the author and coauthor of several books: 2007’s Ana’s Story : A Journey of Hope, 2008’s Read All About It!, 2016’s Our Great Big Backyard, 2017’s Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life and 2020’s Everything Beautiful in Its Time: Seasons of Love and Loss.

‘Ana’s Story’

Jenna Bush Hager’s first book is inspired by the real life of a girl she met during her time working with UNICEF in Latin America. Ana, who was born with HIV transmitted from her mother, leads a rough life. Her mother dies when she’s young and she is left to maneuver throughout the world alone, shuffled from home to home, with abuse at every corner. But things change when she falls in love and becomes pregnant at 17, leading her on a treacherous and beautiful new journey. Ana’s Story is not just the story of one girl, but of many children around the world in need of basic care, and through the resources found at the end of the book, Jenna provides the reader with ways to help eradicate this ever-present problem.

‘Sisters First’

When it comes to political dynasties, the most prevalent of the last 30 years is the Bush family. As the world watched father and son become president, there were two other family members who had front row seats — Jenna and Barbara Pierce Bush. From the Texas countryside to inside the White House walls, to say the Bush sisters had an unconventional childhood is putting it mildly. In Sisters First, both sisters recount their childhood, their unwarranted time in the spotlight, and the sisterly bond that helped them through it all.

Katie Couric

Katie Couric has written four books: 2000’s The Brand New Kid, 2004’s The Blue Ribbon Day and 2011’s The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons From Extraordinary Lives and 2021’s Going There.

‘The Best Advice I Ever Got’

When thinking of the Today show, there’s one face that still comes to mind — Katie Couric. With an illustrious, almost 40-year journalistic career that includes reporting for all three major networks and her very own talk show, Katie has spoken with some of the best and brightest people of our time. Naturally, she’s amassed a treasure trove of advice from the time spent with these people and she’s put it all in this book. Filled with anecdotes from people like Malcolm Gladwell and Morgan Freeman, this book is more than just a motivational read, it’s the kick you need to take charge and live the life you’ve always dreamed of.

Barbara Walters

TV icon Barbara wrote two books: 1970’s How to Talk with Practically Anybody about Practically Anything and her 2008 memoir, Audition: A Memoir.

‘Audition: A Memoir’

If there’s one book on this list you won’t be able to put down (and there are many), it’s this one. Everyone knows Barbara Walters, but after reading her memoir, you’ll get to know her better than you ever thought you could. A trailblazer in a male-dominated business (she was the first female co-host for the Today show, after all) you’ll learn about her childhood, what drove her to strive for the greatness she ultimately achieved, and the pitfalls she had along the way, both professionally and personally. Barbara had a lot to prove in her career, seemingly auditioning for life every step of the way, and in this book, her final audition, she lays it all on the line, no holds barred.

Tom Brokaw

Tom Brokaw is the author of ten titles: 1998’s The Greatest Generation, 1999’s The Greatest Generation Speaks, 2001’s An Album of Memories,  2002’s A Long Way from Home: Growing Up in the American Heartland, 2006’s Galen Rowell: A Retrospective, 2007’s Boom!: Voices of the Sixties Personal Reflections on the ’60s and Today, 2011’s The Time of Our Lives: A Conversation About America, 2013’s Christmas from Heaven: The True Story of the Berlin Candy Bomber, 2015’s A Lucky Life Interrupted: A Memoir of Hope and 2019’s The Fall of Richard Nixon: A Reporter Remembers Watergate.

‘The Greatest Generation’

In his first book, legendary journalist Tom Brokaw coins the phrase we now associate with those who lived and fought during World War II. The book consists of profiles of the men and women who served their country, both abroad and upon their return home. Including interviews with everyone from Martha Settle Putney, one of the first black women to serve in the newly formed WACs, to Navy pilot and future president George H. W. Bush. The Greatest Generation is a riveting book full of stories of ordinary people in extraordinary times.

‘A Lucky Life Interrupted: A Memoir of Hope’

One of the most moving and riveting memoirs of the last five years comes from none other than one of America’s favorite journalists, Tom. Chronicling life both before and after his cancer diagnosis, Tom opens up and lets us into a world few would dare to share, essentially giving us a firsthand look into the personal journal he kept as he underwent treatment in 2013. Filled with memories from his incredible career as well as stories of the pain and struggle he experienced as he navigated his cancer, A Lucky Life Interrupted is not only a story of a man reflecting on his past while coming to terms with mortality, it’s one of a man who’s hopeful for the future and eternally grateful for tomorrow.

Al Roker

Weatherman Al Roker has written numerous books: 2000’s Don’t Make Me Stop This Car!, 2013’s Never Goin’ Back: Winning the Weight-Loss Battle For Good and 2016’s Been There, Done That: Family Wisdom for Modern Times and Storm of the Century: Tragedy, Heroism, Survival, and the Epic True Story of America’s Deadliest Natural Disaster — The Great Gulf Hurricane of 1900 and 2020’s You Look So Much Better in Person, to name a few.

He’s also the coauthor of the Billy Blessing novels: 2009’s The Morning Show Murders, 2010’s The Midnight Show Murders and 2011’s The Talk Show Murders.

‘Never Goin’ Back: Winning the Weight Loss Battle For Good’

Al Roker‘s weight loss story is one of the greatest in recent memory. After reaching 350 pounds, Al made a promise to his dying father that things were going to change, and after a life-altering gastric bypass surgery, he lost the weight and eventually made it down to 190 pounds. But that success didn’t come without struggle. Never Goin’ Back chronicles it all, from his childhood battles with weight to the fateful day he made the decision to save his life. An inspiring read, it serves as a reminder for anyone on a weight loss journey to “never lose faith in yourself, just inches.”

‘Storm of the Century: Tragedy, Heroism, Survival, and the Epic True Story of America’s Deadliest Natural Disaster — The Great Gulf Hurricane of 1900’

In his latest book, famed weatherman Al dives into the deadliest natural disaster in American history: The Great Gulf Hurricane of 1900. The storm — resulting in 8,000 deaths and destroying a city that served as a symbol of America’s maturity into modernity — awakened a nation to the destructive power of mother nature. This historical narrative combines a cast of electrifying characters and dramatic historical truths, putting a fresh spin on a story that seems all too familiar today.

‘Been There, Done That: Family Wisdom For Modern Times’

They are two of the most well-known journalists today who have covered every major story of the last 30 years. Now, Al and his wife, Deborah Roberts, are getting personal and sharing a heartfelt collection of lessons they learned over their 22 years of marriage, from everyone including their parents, grandparents, and a couple of famous friends, too. An incredibly candid read, the couple discusses the trials and tribulations faced within marriage, career, and family from a whole host of perspectives, giving any and every reader the chance to see themselves in it.

‘The Morning Show Murders: A Novel’

In his first novel, Today staple Al doesn’t stray too far from the newsroom with protagonist Billy Blessing. As a host of a popular cooking segment on the morning show Wake Up America!, Billy becomes a murder suspect after the poisoning of one of the network’s top bosses via Billy’s coq au vin. Billy knows he’s being framed, but with an international assassin and his pesky co-host on his tail, proving it is only half the battle.

Jane Pauley

Jane Pauley is the author of two books: 2004’s Skywriting: A Life Out of the Blue and 2014’s Your Life Calling: Reimagining the Rest of Your Life.

‘Skywriting: A Life Out of the Blue’

In her memoir, journalist and Today show veteran Jane Pauley tells the story of her journey from America’s heartland to the hearts of millions through their television screens. Beginning with her start in Indianapolis and later on her tenures on Today and Dateline, Jane delves into the highs and lows of her striking career. She gets candid along the way, sharing her insights on life, the American family, and the reward of rediscovering yourself in midlife.

‘Your Life Calling: Reimagining the Rest of Your Life’

If you’ve ever worried about aging holding you back from following your dreams, this book is for you. In Your Life Calling: Reimagining the Rest of Your Life, Jane examines life after 50 and all it can afford you. Fifty years ago, middle-aged meant preparing to slow down, but with those over 50 now being more vital than any previous generation, Jane explores what happens when the perspective on aging flips and adopts the age-old adage of, “the best is yet to come.” With stories from people featured in her award-winning Today show segment, “Life Reimagined Today,” as well as her own anecdotes, Jane presents all the wonderful places life can take you.

Willie Geist

This great book from Willie Geist (and his dad!) is a must-read: 2014’s Good Talk, Dad: The Birds and the Bees…and Other Conversations We Forgot to Have.

‘Good Talk, Dad’

It’s not uncommon to see a son follow in his father’s footsteps, but to reach the same height of success isn’t always an easy feat. However, this is the real-life story of Today and Morning Joe host Willie Geist and his father, longtime CBS: This Morning correspondent Bill Geist. The book is essentially a long-form heart-to-heart between father and son as they discuss everything from fatherhood and religion, to being on TV and driving lessons gone horribly wrong. Told in a unique back and forth “banter” style, this book is a hilarious and poignant story of a unique father-son dynamic, and as crazy as it may be, it’s quite normally rooted in one thing: a lot of love.

Natalie Morales

Natalie Morales has authored one book, so far: 2018’s At Home with Natalie: Simple Recipes for Healthy Living from My Family’s Kitchen to Yours.

‘At Home With Natalie’

In her first cookbook, Today alum and current Access Hollywood host Natalie Morales takes us into her home with an array of multicultural dishes from her life. Born in Taiwan to a Brazilian mother and Puerto Rican father, the busy mother-of-two lived all over as a child, including Panama, Spain, and Brazil. Thanks to her globetrotting childhood, she fell in love with the many different flavors of the world, and in At Home with Natalie, she puts a healthy spin on her favorite dishes that are bound to become favorites of yours, too.