NEED TO KNOW
- Upon the release of his new memoir, Jay Ellis opened up about his relationship with books
- He hated reading as a child because he had to write book reports before going outside to play
- Now, he’s drawn to a wide range of writing, especially emotionally-charged memoirs and nonfiction
When he was a kid, Jay Ellis loathed reading.
The actor, 43, spent much of his childhood’s summer months writing book reports for his mother, he told Page Six, and wasn’t allowed to go outside and play until his allotted reading was complete. Though he initially resented the practice, Ellis grew to appreciate those stories and writing in time — and now books play a central role in his day-to-day life.
“[Books] are knowledge, they are entertainment, they are a vehicle for self-reflection and a playground for the imagination,” Ellis told the outlet, adding, “My love for books started as pure hatred.”
Ellis — whose memoir Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend (Or Just Me)? came out in paperback on Sept. 16 — has lately fallen into the pattern of reading nonfiction during the day and indulging in fiction during the evening. Check out his current top six favorite reads below.
‘The Creative Act: A Way of Being’ by Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin’s book helped Ellis embody creativity and art, he said, as The Creative Act encourages readers to “stop overthinking and let the magic happen.” It’s a freeing concept, if also a challenging one, Ellis said, but well worth the effort.
‘Eat a Peach’ by David Chang
David Chang’s memoir is “playful, bold, and unapologetically honest,” Ellis said, not unlike the celebrated chef-restauranteur’s cooking. Chang is candid about the less glamorous moments of his career, and “by the end, I was rooting for him like he’s my boy, even in the moments I couldn’t stand him,” the actor said.
‘Heavy’ by Kiese Laymon
Kiese Laymon’s memoir about Blackness and family dynamics is “brutally honest and still wildly hilarious,” Ellis said. Its tone — which vacillates between “a confession, a sermon and a roast” — is powerful as it breathes life into unexpected places.
‘Friday Black’ by Nana Swame-Adjei Brenyah
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s short story collection features tales “wild, funny and sharp enough to cut you,” Ellis said, likening them to Black Mirror with “more melanin and more heart.” The book loctes ordinary experiences within a fabric of wider social commentary and evokes a wide range of emotions, the actor said.
‘The Mamba Mentality’ by Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant’s memoir places valuable life lessons within the familiar context of basketball from the legend himself, Ellis said. The Mamba Mentality is “what it looks like to chase greatness without blinking,” he added.
‘Between the World and Me’ by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me is structured like a letter from father to son, “but with the weight of history … on every page,” Ellis said. Its elegant prose is heavy and impactful, he said. “This is the kind of book I underlined so much it felt like I was vandalizing it.”
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