Ever wonder what your favorite celebrities are reading — whether it’s a timeless classic or the buzzy bestseller they can’t put down? Welcome to Page-Turners, where stars reveal the books that keep them hooked, inspired and up all night. Warning: your TBR pile is about to get a lot longer.
Dorit Kemsley loves returning to her favorite books at all different points in her life.
The “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star, whose favorite reads include Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist” and Eckhart Tolle’s “The Power of Now,” tries to glean something new every time she goes back to her favorite stories.
The reality star’s new book “Unburdened,” which is out now, covers the details of her personal life, including her split from Paul “PK” Kemsley and her terrifying 2021 home invasion.
“If readers take anything away from ‘Unburdened,’ I hope it’s the reminder that difficult chapters do not define you forever,” she told Page Six. “Sometimes the hardest experiences end up revealing who you really are and what you’re truly capable of overcoming.”
See below for Kemsley’s six must-read book recommendations.
“Tom Ford” by Tom Ford
“Of course, this book is visually stunning, but what stays with me most is the level of intention behind everything Tom Ford creates. You can feel the precision, the discipline, the ambition, and the absolute clarity of vision in every single page. He has a way of making glamour feel intelligent, elegant, and powerful rather than excessive, and I’ve always really admired that.
“What I love most is that beneath all the beauty and luxury, there’s an incredible amount of hard work, creative conviction, and attention to detail. To me, this book goes far beyond fashion. It’s really about identity, reinvention, trusting your instincts, and having the confidence to fully commit to your own point of view creatively. Every choice feels intentional and unmistakably his, which I think is such a rare thing. It’s inspiring whether you work in fashion or not.”
“The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz
“This is one of the most practical and impactful books I’ve ever read. The lessons are deceptively simple, but if you genuinely apply them, they can completely shift the way you communicate, process emotions, and move through relationships. ‘Don’t take anything personally’ is something I think about often because it’s so much easier said than done, especially in today’s world.
“What I appreciate most about this book is that it encourages self-awareness without feeling heavy or overly complicated. It’s really about learning how to protect your peace, communicate more honestly, and stop creating unnecessary suffering for yourself through assumptions, fear, or negativity. It’s one of those books that becomes especially meaningful during difficult chapters in life because it reminds you how important it is to stay grounded, clear-minded, and emotionally centered when everything around you feels overwhelming. I think it offers such valuable perspective not just in personal relationships, but in everyday life. It’s one of those books I recommend to almost everyone because the messages are timeless and genuinely helpful.”
“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho
“There’s a reason this book has become such a classic. It’s simple, beautiful, and full of wisdom about intuition, purpose, courage, and trusting the path you’re meant to be on, even when it doesn’t make sense at the time. Every time I read it, I take away something different depending on where I am in my life.
“What I love most is that it reminds you how easy it is to lose touch with yourself, your instincts, and the things you truly want because of fear, outside opinions, or the pressure of everyday life. At its core, it’s really about having the courage to keep moving toward what feels meaningful to you, even when the road is uncertain. It’s one of those rare books that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable at the same time.”
“The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle
“This is one of those books I find myself returning to during different chapters of my life because the message always seems to meet me exactly where I am. It’s such a powerful reminder to slow down, quiet the mental noise, and stop living entirely in the past or constantly racing toward the future. What I love most is that it doesn’t pretend life is easy or free of pain, but it offers a more grounded and peaceful way to move through difficult moments.
“I think so many of us spend our lives replaying situations, worrying about what’s next, or carrying anxiety we don’t even realize we’re holding onto. This book helped me become more aware of how important it is to stay present and connected to myself rather than getting consumed by everything happening around me. In a world that feels increasingly overwhelming and reactive, I honestly think this book has the ability to bring people a sense of calm, clarity, and perspective.”
“The Beautiful Fall” by Alicia Drake
“I absolutely loved this book because it’s so much more than fashion. It’s really about creativity, ambition, reinvention, rivalry, artistry, and an entire world that felt glamorous and chaotic all at once. The way Alicia Drake brings Paris in the 1970s to life through Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld is incredibly immersive. You feel the beauty, the excess, the pressure, the brilliance, and also the loneliness that can exist behind these larger-than-life worlds.
“What I found especially fascinating was the exploration of identity and the price of constantly creating and evolving yourself publicly. Beneath all the glamour, there’s so much emotion, insecurity, obsession, and vulnerability, which made it feel surprisingly human and relatable. I also just love books that transport you completely into a world and a moment in time, and this one absolutely does that. It’s intelligent, beautifully written, and impossible not to get swept up in.”
“Unburdened” by Dorit Kemsley
“Writing this book was one of the most emotional and transformative experiences of my life. What started as sharing my story became something much deeper: a chance to reflect honestly on the moments that shaped me, challenged me, broke me, and ultimately helped me grow. I wanted this book to go far beyond what people may think they already know about me. Not just the public moments or headlines, but the private emotions behind them, the fears, the resilience, the motherhood, the heartbreak, and the rebuilding.
“What surprised me most while writing it was how confronting it can be to revisit certain chapters of your life with complete honesty. There were moments that were incredibly difficult to put into words, but also moments that felt unexpectedly healing and freeing. More than anything, I wanted this book to feel human and relatable because no matter how different our lives may look on the outside, so many of us are navigating uncertainty, loss, reinvention, and the search for strength within ourselves.”
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