Taylor Swift by the Book: The Literature Behind the Lyrics, from Sappho to Sylvia Plath

From a Robert Frost poem on her debut album to the myth of Cassandra on The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift’s lyrics are filled with literary connections.

Make sure you’re catching them all with this expert guide to the novels, poems, and plays that influence her songwriting.

Let a literature professor and a musical theater artist guide you through the Taylor Swift canon--from Shakespeare to the Brontë sisters to Daphne du Maurier!

• Learn what ＂New Romantics＂ has to do with the old Romantics
• Get to know the Gothic monsters haunting Midnights
• Spot Taylor’s many Great Gatsby references
• Discover what Taylor Swift and Emily Dickinson have in common
• And find your new favorite tortured poet!

Packed with fun facts, entertaining analysis, and literary-themed playlists that fans will love, Taylor Swift by the Book will turn anyone from a Taylor Swift lover into a Taylor Swift scholar.

With full-color illustrations highlighting the literary eras of Dr. Swift (yes, she has an honorary PhD), it’s a perfect gift for the Swiftie in your life.

Rachel Feder holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Michigan and is an associate professor of English and literary arts at the University of Denver. She is the author of The Darcy Myth: Jane Austen, Literary Heartthrobs, and the Monsters They Taught Us to Love; Harvester of Hearts: Motherhood Under the Sign of Frankenstein; and Birth Chart, a poetry collection. With McCormick Templeman, she is the coauthor of AstroLit: A Bibliophile’s Guide to the Stars. Rachel also edited the Norton Library’s edition of Dracula.

Tiffany Tatreau is an actor, singer, educator, and writer born in Southern California. She has starred in various musicals in theaters across the country including Chicago, Atlanta, New York City, and more. She is best known for her portrayal of Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg in the viral hit musical and original cast album Ride the Cyclone. Her debut solo concert Sad Girl Songs was streamed around the world (and, of course, included a Taylor Swift song). She has a BFA in musical theater from Roosevelt University and currently resides in New York City.