Described by Sir Elton John as “the greatest songwriter on the planet,” Rufus Wainwright has recorded ten albums, including this year’s Unfollow the Rules, as well as two classical operas. He has also popped up in several movies, including The Aviator and Heights. From show tunes to opera, from the songs of Judy Garland to Shakespeare’s Sonnets, Wainwright is a musical chameleon who draws inspiration from history, sexuality, and his own great lineage as the son of Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle. “I am a self-sustaining, vibrant, long-term artist, and I’m not going away,” he once said. Who could doubt him?

Below are Rufus Wainwright’s favorite books, available to purchase as a set or individually.