by Henry Cavill may be best known for portraying Superman on the big screen, but off camera, he’s quite the bookworm. When he’s not filming action movies or building computers, Cavill enjoys settling down with a good book. The British actor is well-read in several genres from sci-fi epics to historical fiction. Over the years, he’s revealed intriguing tidbits regarding his literary tastes and personal reading recommendations. So for fans eager to read what’s on Cavill’s shelves and e-readers, here’s an in-depth exploration into the star’s top book picks spanning fantasy adventures, war biographies, chess strategy guides, and even classic literature.
The Witcher Novels – Cavill’s Fantasy Obsession Becomes His Breakout Netflix Role
Without a doubt, Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher Saga remains closest to Cavill’s heart. Long before he portrayed the white-haired monster hunter Geralt of Rivia on Netflix, Cavill was a devoted fan of Sapkowski’s novels. The Witcher video games further fueled his passion. Enamored by the series complex characters and grim world, reading The Last Wish collection of short stories convinced Cavill he was destined to play Geralt.
In interviews, Cavill repeatedly brings up his love of the books mentioning “The Last Wish” and “Sword of Destiny” compilations as well as “Lady of the Lake.” Beyond relating deeply to Geralt, Cavill praises Sapkowski’s exceptional imagination and fantastical monsters like strigas and bruxae. The detailed fight scenes throughout the saga also appeal to his preferences for gritty, grounded fantasy elements over squeaky clean Fairyland.
Of all the Witcher books, Cavill calls “The Last Wish” his favorite given the way Sapkowski constructs the nonlinear narrative and concludes emotional story arcs. Furthermore, the collection introduces fan-favorites like the steadfast Ciri and cunning Yennefer. Meanwhile “Lady of the Lake” receives acclaim as the saga’s grand finale with Ciri’s fate revealed during the explosive Battle of Brenna. Unsurprisingly, Netflix tapping him to play Geralt left Cavill overjoyed and eager to faithfully adapt his beloved Witcher books for television.
Non-Fiction – Expanding His Chess and War History Knowledge
Beyond fantasy fiction, Cavill harbors a keen interest in academic non-fiction. In between Witcher seasons, he continues honing his chess skills. Consequently, studying chess strategy guides comprise part of his reading list. Specific books he’s mentioned include:
“Bobby Fischer Goes to War” – This biography by David Edmonds and John Eidinow dissects chess prodigy Bobby Fischer’s fame culminating in the 1972 World Chess Championship against Russian master Boris Spassky. Occurring at the Cold War’s peak, their match evolved into a geopolitical battle of minds between America and the Soviet Union. Edmonds and Eidinow examine the psychological pressures both geniuses endured along with analyzing their nail-biting games.
“My System” – Authored by Aron Nimzowitsch and first published in 1925, this chess instructional continues instructing students today. It explains fundamental opening strategies and tactics centered on controlling the game’s center with one’s pieces and pawns. Cavill likely appreciates Nimzowitsch’s teachings about maintaining chess position advantages.
“Think Like a Grandmaster” – Former World Chess Championship candidate Alexander Kotov delves into essential thinking processes for chess mastery within this classic guide. Using examples from historic games, Kotov explores visualization methods, planning techniques, and calculation speed to determine optimal moves.
Beyond chess, Cavill reads extensively about military history. Interviewers often catch him quoting anecdotes from obscure wars and battles. Some favorites include sharing operational details about the French Char B1 tank’s role during the Battle of France in 1940. It reflects both his tactical mind and one interviewer joking Cavill missed his calling lecturing at West Point.
Science Fiction & Fantasy – Immersing Himself in Genre Classics
Despite fame playing the Man of Steel, Cavill’s sci-fi and fantasy literary tastes prove quite eclectic beyond Superman comics. In interviews, he frequently references revered genre authors and novels that sparked his imagination growing up.
The Blade Itself – For British fantasy readers, Joe Abercrombie’s gritty The First Law trilogy holds exalted status. Asked about reading preferences during The Witcher’s early promotion, Cavill named Abercrombie his favorite fantasy author. Regarding The Blade Itself specifically, he dubbed it the “grittiest fantasy I’ve ever read.” No doubt the cynical and bloody exploits of war hero turned torturer Sand dan Glokta appealed to Cavill’s affinity for moral ambiguity in fiction.
Dune – Frank Herbert’s seminal Dune reshaped 1960s science fiction with its sprawling cosmic setting and themes about ecology and colonialism. Cavill cites liking the first book during a fantasy recommendations interview. Given its allegorical references to oil and the Middle East, he possibly connected to elements echoing recent wartime events. Dune’s extensive world-building and dynastic characters like nobleman Paul Atreides also provide engaging narrative elements.
Hyperion – Dan Simmons’ 1989 award-winning novel Hyperion receives high acclaim from Cavill as well for its original world-building. He recommends the opening book in Simmons’ Cantos series as fantastic sci-fi storytelling. Set centuries into the future, Hyperion unfolds a galaxy on the brink of apocalyptic war. Along the way, poetic references and thematic mysteries surrounding the Time Tombs keep readers speculating alongside the epic pilgrimage retold by seven unique characters.
Classic Literature – Revealing His Love for Jane Austen’s Wit
While fantasy and sci-fi dominate his bookshelves, Cavill’s taste occasionally wanders back in time to classic historical literature. Most surprisingly, he once admitted enjoying Jane Austen’s nineteenth century social commentaries like Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park. When interviewers raise eyebrows about his Austen appreciation, Cavill points towards her humor and understanding of human interactions as brilliant, regardless of gender. Specifically, Mansfield Park stands out to him over Austen’s more romantic works given its protagonist Fanny Price lacks confidence and agency early on.
The evolution of Mansfield Park’s core relationships from childhood bonds into adult tensions offers great drama that Cavill finds more appealing than straightforward love stories. Beyond Austen, he names House of Cards creator Michael Dobbs his favorite historical fiction author though doesn’t cite any specific book recommendations. Perhaps Dobbs’ Heavyweight trilogy detailing Winston Churchill’s early political career intrigues Cavill most alongside Austen’s Victorian era novels.
5 Must-Read Genres According to Cavill
In summary, Henry Cavill’s intense love of fantasy, sci-fi classics, military history, chess guides, and selected classic literature spotlight his diverse reader profile. While dabbling across genres, several core themes emerge for identifying his top book picks:
- Gritty Fantasy Novels – Books like The Witcher Saga and Joe Abercrombie’s cynical hero fiction rank among Cavill’s fantasy recommendations for their dark tones and complex characterization.
- Sci-Fi Space Operas – Epic science fiction spanning time and space clearly fascinate Cavill based on his Dune and Hyperion praise. He favors imaginative world-building and high-stakes conflict.
- Military History & Biographies – Cavill’s enthusiasm for discussing battlefield tactics and obscure leader biographies proves he loves immersing himself in military history analysis through books.
- Chess Strategy Guides – Given his chess passion stemming from The Witcher’s Geralt playing, reading chess greats like Bobby Fischer’s biography and coaching fundamentals by Nimzowitsch or Kotov help Cavill master the game away from the board.
- Classic Literature Studies – While not an expert here by any means, Cavill shows occasional appreciation for respected authors like Jane Austen and her shrewd understanding of social hierarchies and relationships during historic periods like the 1800s Victorian era.
The Takeaway – Find Your Perfect next Reads by Checking Cavill’s shelves
Henry Cavill rescues books as easily as playing superheroes rescuing civilians. Beyond brawny good looks, his literary tastes run surprisingly deep through fantasy, sci-fi, historical fiction, classic literature, and non-fiction realms. Both iconic novels and insightful chess guides populate the Superman star’s packed bookshelves at home.
So whether you seek epic fantasy questing across continents, thought-provoking classics critiquing social mores, or expanding your military history knowledge, choices abound based on Cavill’s own favorites mentioned over the years. Realistically, no mere mortal possesses enough free time to conquer every great fiction saga and essential non-fiction selection out there. But by cross-referencing your personal interests with books and genres Cavill endorses himself, uncovering your next enthralling read that you won’t be able to put down becomes that much easier.
