Did Rory Actually Read This?

My friends and I have taken upon ourselves to read all the books that Rory Gilmore read on the emotional rollercoaster of a TV show known as Gilmore Girls. We are doing splendidly as we have read exactly zero. I found lots of lists on the interwebs to guide our journey. However, I wanted to know how each book was mentioned because I don't want to be reading something only casually referenced in an aside as opposed to something that laid the intellectual foundation for Lorelai Gilmore III. This is not to say I shall never read a referenced-by-the-Gilmores book, but they should be bonus to the Rory Gilmore Challenge, not obligatory. There's no need to plow through Carrie simply because pigs blood was mentioned in one of the Gilmore girls' famous quippy conversations. They could have just watched the movie. Thus, here is a list compiled largely with the help of Black, White, and Read books, crazy Internet people and other resources. I have tried to hyperlink most texts to the website that supplied that information.

References are in purple, books read are in blue. Books for school assignments are blue because, well, it's Rory. Movie references masquerading as book references are marked with the scarlet letter. For shame, masquerading movie references, for shame.

SEASON ONE

Pilot (1.1)

On the Road, Jack Kerouac – mentioned by Lorelai in the diner when a man tells her, as he is hitting on her, that he's been on the road. He doesn't get the reference.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain – The last book and the last assignment Rory has at Stars Hollow High.

Moby Dick, Herman Melville – Not on the list.

Rosemary's Baby, Ira Levin – Rory and Dean's first meeting (eeeeee!).

Rory: God! You're like Ruth Gordon just standing there with the tannis root. Make a noise!

Dean: Rosemary's Baby.

Rory: Yeah.

Dean: That's a great movie. You have good taste.

Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert – Dean sees Rory reading this book outside of school and admires her concentration, as he tells her later.

The Little Match Girl, Hans Christian Anderson – Since Lorelai and Rory are fighting (as they often do), they are standing outside of the grandparents' house before Friday night dinner stalling in silence. Rory says, "Do we go in or do we just stand here reenacting The Little Match Girl?"

The Lorelai's First Day at Chilton (1.2)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Victor Hugo – When the Lorelais arrive at Chilton, they stare at the ominous, imposing building and when Lorelai tilts her head and Rory asks what she's looking at, Lorelai remarks, "I'm just trying to see if there's a hunchback up in that bell tower."
War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy – This is mentioned in a discussion in Rory's English class during a question and answer portion in which Paris speaks up with all the answers. Classic Paris.
Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, Little Dorrit, Charles Dickens – All were major influences on Tolstoy as mentioned in the same class discussion. Dickens was Tolstoy's favorite author.
Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling – Miss Patty is having her dancers walk around with copies on their heads. "Now, walk smooth. That's the new Harry Potter on your heads. If they should drop, Harry will die, and there won't be anymore books."
The Shining, Stephen King – "Well, we like our Internet slow, okay? We can turn it on, walk around, do a little dance, make a sandwich. With DSL, there's no dancing, no walking, and we'd starve. It'd be all work and no play. Have you not seen The Shining, Mom?"

Kill Me Now (1.3)

Peyton Place, Grace Metalious – Referenced by Richard when Rory tells him the gossip on the green.
A Mencken's Chrestomathy, H.L. Mencken – Richard calls Rory to tell her he found the book they had been talking about on their golfing outing. She will probably read this since she was interested in it enough to tell her grandfather about it.
My Life as Author and Editor, H.L. Mencken – Richard finds this and shows Rory. Knowing Rory, she will probably read this.

Richard: Rory, I have a surprise. Not only did I find that copy of Mencken's "Chrestomathy" we discussed, I also found a first edition of his memoirs as well.

Rory: You're kidding?

Richard: It's in my office if you'd like to see them.

Rory: Oh my God, I totally would.

The Deer-Hunters (1.4)

The Comedy of Errors, William Shakespeare – Rory studies for the big Shakespeare test and is quizzed on when this particular work was written.
King Richard III, William Shakespeare – Ibid.
The Sonnets, William Shakespeare – Ibid. 154 poems of 14 lines except for #126 which is 12 lines. All written in iambic pentameter except for 145 which is in tetrameter.

Cinnamon's Wake (1.5)

A Room of One's Own, Virginia Woolf – Rory is seen reading this at the bus stop right before Dean gets on the bus with her.
Valley of the Dolls, Jacqueline Susann – When Lorelai sees Babette's medicine cabinet chock full of cat medicine, Lorelai remarks: "It's like a scene from a kitty version of Valley of the Dolls."

Rory's Birthday Parties (1.6)

Edith Wharton – When Emily goes all out for Rory's birthday she asks Lorelai what she thinks. Lorelai responds, "I think Edith Wharton would have been proud, and busy taking notes."

Kiss and Tell (1.7)

The Crucible, Arthur Miller – Lorelai references the movie version of this classic play.

Luke: I'm not gonna say you look concerned.

Lorelai: I'm not gonna talk about how good you'd look dressed like one of the guys from 'The Crucible.'

Luke: Fair enough.

Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes – With an angry look at Dean, Lorelai tells Luke, "That Lothario over there has wormed his way into my daughter’s heart and mouth, and for that he must die!" Lothario is one of the characters in Don Quixote.

Love and War and Snow (1.8)

Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen – Dean is holding Northanger Abbey when he meets Rory and Lane at the bench. Rory wouldn't have Dean read a book she hadn't read herself.

Dean: Here.

Rory: Oh, how'd you like it?

Dean: Well, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

Rory: Aha! You liked it, you liked Jane Austen. I knew you would. Lane, Dean likes Jane Austen.

Hunter S. Thompson – Dean wants Rory to read Hunter Thompson in return for him reading Austen.
Charlotte Bronte – Dean asks how he can repay Rory for bringing him rocky road cookies. She suggests that he do so by reading Charlotte Brontë. He has other ideas.

Rory's Dance (1.9)

A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams – Referenced by Lane.

Rory: He’s not my boyfriend. Lane: What is he then? Rory: He’s my gentleman caller. Lane: Okay, Blanche.

The Group, Mary McCarthy – Rory is reading this while she waits in line to buy tickets to the dance.

The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton –

Rory: And these kids at my school -- awful. Have you seen The Outsiders?

Dean: Yeah, I have.

Rory: Just call me Ponyboy.

The Portable Dorothy Parker, Dorothy Parker – At Miss Pattie’s, Dean pulls this book out of the bag Rory has brought with her to the dance.

Forgiveness and Stuff (1.10)

The Miracle Worker, William Gibson – Referenced by Rory.

Lane: Let me guess. You and Lorelai haven’t made up yet?

Rory: Nope. Things are still Miracle Worker at my house.

The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka – Rory plans to give this to Dean as a Christmas gift.

Paris is Burning (1.11)

Swann's Way, Marcel Proust – Lorelai admires the book on Max Medina’s shelf; he tells her to take it; she later tries to give it back to him as a way of breaking up with him. Rory mentions she had to renew this book 10 times to get it finished.
Timeline, Michael Crichton
The New Poems of Emily Dickinson, Emily Dickinson – Mr. Medina tells the class to read some of Emily Dickinson’s poems for homework....and Rory does:

Double Date (1.12)

The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath 1950-1962, Sylvia Plath – Rory is reading this outside Stars Hollow High while she waits for Dean.

“Anything in there about me?”

“I don’t know. Your name wouldn’t happen to be lithium, would it?”

Concert Interruptus (1.13)

Carrie, Stephen King –

When Lorelai says about Paris, Madeline, and Louise: “Well, I think you’re actually making some friends here,” Rory responds, “Let’s not get a ahead of ourselves. They’ve basically just moved off the plan to dump the pig’s blood on me at prom. That’s all.”

Macbeth, William Shakespeare –

Rory: Double, double toil and trouble.

Lane: Well, it should make for an interesting afternoon.

Rory: With the pricking of my thumb, something wicked this way comes.

Lane: You’re doing very well in the Shakespeare class aren’t you?

That Damn Donna Reed (1.14)

A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams – Lorelai names the bird Rory has brought home to study Stella. When the bird is lost, she does the famous Brando impression we've all been waiting for.
Don Quixote by Cervantes *repeat* – ?

Christopher Returns (1.15)

All the lists say none, but actually Rory says her dream book right now is The Compact Oxford English Dictionary, which is, in fact, a book. Too bad Christopher's credit card was declined so he couldn't buy it for her.

Star-Crossed Lovers and Other Strangers (1.16)

Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy –

RORY: So? DEAN: It's depressing. RORY: It's beautiful. DEAN: She throws herself under a train. RORY: But I bet she looked great doing it. DEAN: I don't know. I think maybe Tolstoy's just a little over my head. RORY: No, that's not true. Tolstoy wrote for the masses, the common man. It's completely untrue that you have to be some kind of genius to read his stuff. DEAN: Yeah but… RORY: Now I know it's big. . . DEAN: Very big. RORY: And long. . . DEAN: Very, very long RORY: And many of the Russian names tend be spelled very similar, making it confusing… DEAN: Every single person's name ends with 'ski'. Now how is that possible? RORY: But it's one of my favorite books. And I know that if you just give it a try you... DEAN: All right. I'll try again. RORY: Really? DEAN: Yeah. RORY: You won't be sorry.

The Mourning Bride, William Congreve – Referenced by Louise.

PARIS: I can't get to my locker. LOUISE: I'm sure they'll move if you ask nice. You know, dangle a hotel key in front of their faces. PARIS: This is a school. You don't do this in a school. LOUISE: Not unless you've got a boyfriend like Tristin. Then you do it anywhere you can. MADELINE: Street corner. LOUISE: Shopping mall. MADELINE: Phone booth. LOUISE: Starbucks. PARIS: Thank you for the "where to make out" list, I just need to get my books. LOUISE: Hell hath no fury.

Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell – The next lines in the dialogue are:

PARIS: [walks over to her locker] Excuse me. You're in my way. Hey, spawn in front of somebody else's locker please. RORY: I'm assuming your locker's in there somewhere also. PARIS: Yup. Right behind Belle Watling.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning – This wasn't on the list even though it's a literary reference just as legit as many others on this list (Nietzche, Thoreau, etc.)

TRISTIN: Oh, yes I will. Ah. To be young and in love. [Walks away]. PARIS: What a shame Elizabeth Barrett Browning wasn't here to witness this. She'd put her head through a wall.

The Breakup, Pt. 2 (1.17)

Nancy Drew 33: The Witch Tree Symbol, Carolyn Keene – Read by Lorelai

LORELAI: Honey, he did not plan an entire romantic evening complete with dinner and a junkyard, which we’ll get back to later, and then suddenly decide to dump you for no reason. RORY: How do you know? [as she pulls out a box from her closet.] LORELAI: Because I have read every Nancy Drew mystery ever written. The one about the Amish country, twice. I know there’s more to the story than what you’re telling me.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Edward Albee – Stars Hollow Elementary School is putting on a production of this classic.

LORELAI: Rory what’s the matter? RORY: Nothing, I just want to get started. I made a list of all the things we say we’re going to do on the weekend but then when the weekend comes around you say they’re too boring to actually do one a weekend day, so then you say we’ll do them during the week, which of course we never do. So I think that we should get them all out of the way today once and for all. And to make it interesting, we should come up with like a reward system so once we’re done with everything on the list we could go get manicures or we could go to the Swiss place for fondue for dinner or we could stuff our purses full of sour patch kids and milk duds and go see the Stars Hollow elementary school production of ‘Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolfe.’

The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath – Referenced by Lorelai.

LORELAI: You’re going to a Chilton party? RORY: Yes I am. LORELAI: Honey, why don’t you just stay home and read The Bell Jar? Same effect.

The Art of Eating, MFK Fisher – Rory brings this to Madeline's house party.

The Third Lorelai (1.18)

David Mamet – Referenced by Lorelai.

EMILY: I have to get out everything she’s ever given us. 35 years worth of fish lamps and dog statues, lion tables and stupid naked angels with their...butts!

LORELAI: Whoa! Stupid naked angel butts? What, did David Mamet just stop by?

Friedrich Nietzsche – Referenced by Rory.

MADELINE: Those who simply wait for information to find them, spend a lot of time sitting by the phone. Those who go out and find it themselves, have something to say when it rings. RORY: Nietzsche? LOUISE: Dawson.

Hamlet, William Shakespeare – Trix tells Lorelai, "Shakespeare once wrote ‘Neither a borrower nor a lender be.’"

Emily in Wonderland (1.19)

To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee – When Sookie suggests that Lorelai let Jackson's cousin Rune stay at the potting shed at the Independence Inn, Lorelai replies, "That's where Rory and I lived when she was a baby. It has memories and little rosebud wallpaper. I don't want Boo Radley touching my rosebud wallpaper."
The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck – Referenced by Emily.

EMILY: (Opens fridge) Oh my god. There's nothing in here. RORY: I know, it's a little sparse. EMILY: It's The Grapes of Wrath.

P.S. I Lo... (1.20)

Ulysses, James Joyce –

Out of Africa, Isac Denison – Read by Rory.

LORELAI: Good. Okay, last week we were talking about Meryl Streep and the whole accent thing and Rachel said that she loved "Out of Africa" but she'd never read the book, remember? LUKE: Nope. LORELAI: Okay, so I was like, "Are you crazy? Isak Dinesen is amazing, I love her." Which is kind of crap because I'd never read the book either, but Rory told me it was amazing, so I felt pretty confident in my recommendation of "Out of Africa".

The Art of Fiction, Henry James – Semi-assigned reading at Chilton. Rory wasn't paying attention during Mr. Medina's lecture and half-assigning of The Art of Fiction; however, she could have gotten the notes from someone else after the fact. Mr. Medina did assign a book by James to be read by each, and since we don't know which one she picked The Art of Fiction will have to suffice.

MAX MEDINA: If we read his works in order we can see his progression from a narrative of clear simplicity to one of one of rich complexity. Now this is not homework but I strongly urge you, if you have not already read "The Art of Fiction", read it. It's a remarkable manifesto that contains basic trues that still apply to fiction in any form.

Love, Daisies, and Troubadours (1.21)

John Muir and Henry David Thoreau – Authors referenced by Luke.

LUKE: Some guys are just naturally loners. LORELAI: Yes, lonely guys. LUKE: Independent guys. LORELAI: Sad guys. LUKE: Maverick guys. LORELAI: Lee Harvey Oswald. LUKE: John Muir. LORELAI: The unibomber. LUKE: Henry David Thoreau.