Natalie Portman is proud to share her love of reading!
The A-list actress helms the aptly-named Natalie’s Book Club, an online book club for literature lovers worldwide. Each month, Portman announces a new read, and chats with the author in a recorded conversation for followers.
“I try to find books that deepen our understanding of ourselves and of the world around us,” Portman says of her selection process on the book club’s website.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“I believe that reading books is one of the first ways we start practicing empathy,” Portman continues. “We feel for characters in stories as we might for ourselves or our own friends. Whenever we imagine someone else’s life — their hopes and fears, their feelings and thoughts — we are practicing empathy.”
See below for all of Portman’s 2025 book club selections, so far.
July: ‘A Different Kind of Power’ by Jacinda Ardern
The cover of ‘A Different Kind of Power’ by Jacinda Ardern.
In this powerful memoir, Ardern details how she made history as the 40th Prime Minister of New Zealand at age 37, also becoming the then-youngest female head of government. She also reflects on navigating motherhood for the first time amidst her political career.
June: ‘The English Understand Wool’ by Helen DeWitt
The cover of ‘The English Understand Wool’ by Helen DeWitt.
The 17-year-old girl who narrates this novel was raised by a French mother and English father in Marrakech, who provided a staunch set of rules for her to follow. But during the family’s annual Ramadan trip abroad, she finds her worldviews put to the test.
May: ‘Consider Yourself Kissed’ by Jessica Stanley
The cover of ‘Consider Yourself Kissed’ by Jessica Stanley.
Riverhead Books
Coralie, an Australian transplant in London, feels lost in her new home until she meets Adam and his young daughter. This humorous and heartfelt novel traces a decade in the couple’s life together — and Coralie’s own journey toward self-discovery.
April: ‘Autocracy, Inc’ by Anne Applebaum
The cover of ‘Autocracy Inc.’ by Anne Applebaum.
This nonfiction account from the Pulitzer-prize winning writer analyzes 21st century autocratic states worldwide, and how democracies can best organize underneath them.
March: ‘Saving Five’ by Amanda Nguyen
The cover of ‘Saving Five’ by Amanda Nguyen.
AUWA
Amanda Nguyen’s life was permanently altered when she was raped while attending Harvard in 2013. After she decided to file her rape kit anonymously, however, Nguyen learned that she had mere months to press charges before her case was destroyed. This probing memoir tells that story, along with Nguyen’s path forward as an activist.
February: ‘The Coin’ by Yasmin Zaher
The cover of ‘The Coin’ by Yasmin Zaher.
The narrator of this novel is a young Palestinian teacher, who strives to find a place for herself in New York City. As she becomes involved in a Birkin bag-reselling scheme, and her childhood memories become enmeshed with her present, her unraveling becomes the heart of this captivating story.
January: ‘Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock’ by Jenny Odell
The cover of ‘Saving Time’ by Jenny Odell.
The bestselling author of How to Do Nothing takes on productivity culture in this probing book, which asks how we can reclaim our free time in a demanding world.