We’re sure you’ve heard about Daisy Jones & the Six by now. The book by Taylor Jenkins Reid became a smash hit when it was published in 2019, and it’s obvious why. The story follows the rise and fall of a beloved 70s rock band, told through interviews with the members 20 years later.
Loosely based on Fleetwood Mac, you can imagine the book reflects a lot of the secret relationships, addiction, and, of course, the glorious music that surrounded the Rumours creators.
Recently adapted into an Amazon Prime mini-series of the same name, the original novel has garnered an even bigger crowd of fans. Praised for its perfect casting, Riley Keough (Elvis Presley's granddaughter! is as Daisy Jones as anyone could ever hope to be, especially with her long legs and free-flowing red hair.
The rest of the band/cast stars: Sam Claflin (Love, Rosie) as Billy Dunne, Camila Morrone as Camila Alvarez, Will Harrison as Graham Dunne, Suki Waterhouse as Karen Sirko, Josh Whitehouse as Eddie Roundtree, and Sebastian Chacon as Warren Rojas. The book also follows the band through the impassioned creation of their first album “Aurora,” which comes to real life in the show and can be listened to on all music platforms.
Whether you’ve read the book or binged all the episodes, you know your favorite character. And we’ve got just the book for you to fill your post-Daisy Jones blues. Here are seven books to read based on your favorite Daisy Jones & the Six character, filled with just as much passion, heartbreak, and rock and roll.
Daisy Jones
Daisy Jones is a force to be reckoned with. She is a powerhouse both on stage and off. With a free spirit and strikingly good looks, she can't help but turn heads in every room she enters. But she’s also misunderstood and falls in love with guys she knows she can’t have.
Embodying the tragic life of fame of many 70s rockstars before her, she’s sex, drugs, and rock and roll on legs. Songs in Ursa Major will ring a familiar tune if you love Daisy's character.
Songs in Ursa Major
Jane Quinn grew up surrounded by music, thanks to her mother's budding career as a songwriter, and hopes to follow in her footsteps. Her life seemingly changes overnight when folk legend Jesse Reid discovers Jane singing and kickstarts her career. Their relationship becomes about more than just the music though, as they begin an enthralling love affair.
Jane's band joins Jesse on tour, but they keep their relationship a secret. When she uncovers the dark truth behind Jesse's music, her world comes crashing down all around her. This novel will further immerse you in the vibrant music scene of the early 1970s, exploring themes of love, sex, and the often-fatal price for success.
Billy Dunne
Billy Dunne is your charismatic rockstar heartthrob. He’s the frontman, and rightfully so; his passion is the sticking glue for the band’s success and sound. As confident as he outwardly appears, inwardly he’s struggling with staying sober, being a good father and husband, and achieving the fame he always wanted.
While his relationship with his wife Camila is beautiful in its own way, he can’t deny the electric chemistry he has with Daisy. His internal battle makes him seem like a grumpy douchebag at times, but real fans know he has a heart of gold who got a bad deal at life. If your favorite character is Billy, try Nocturnes and fall for more tortured musicians.
Nocturnes
In this short stories collection from Kazuo Ishiguro, we witness five stories that follow different musicians whose lives brim with emotion, heartbreak, and of course, music. The collection follows a former superstar singer who abandons his passion, a music enthusiast who thinks his opinions on music are fact, a songwriter whose work ruins his marriage, a jazz musician who believes he must change his physical appearance to succeed, and a gifted young cellist whose tutor has an interesting way of nurturing his talent.
Each story is a poignant exploration of the complexity and beauty of innate musical talent, the price for fame, and loneliness at the top.
Camila Alvarez
Camila Alvarez is the classic girl-next-door and wife to Billy Dunne. Though she makes it clear: she’s not just the wife of a rockstar. Camila is an integral part of the band often playing the mom of the group and looking out for everyone. When the band moves to California, Camila tags along and photographs the band's climb to fame.
Although she’s caught in a love triangle between Billy and Daisy, she’s not a weak person. She’s strong-willed in making sure the band keeps succeeding and Billy stays true to her. If you loved Camila for her passion for photography and her friends, check out Groupies.
Groupies
Faun has a deep love for photography, especially when it comes to capturing the essence of musicians and being a groupie for a 70s rock and roll band. Faun becomes the on-tour photographer for the band Holiday Sun.
However, as Faun's own photography career begins to flourish, her inhibitions begin to disappear, leading her into the seedy underbelly of the music world.
Graham Dunne
Graham Dunne is Billy’s little brother, who shares his intense passion for making it out of the Pittsburgh suburbs and becoming a rock and roll legend. It was Graham who had the initial idea to start the band, ultimately propelling them all to stardom.
As the lead guitarist you’d expect him to be a heartbreaker, but he ends up getting his heart broken most of the time. His unrequited love for Karen Sirko is complicated and messy. In the post-interviews, he comes across as the sentimental type, longing for the good ole days. If you loved Graham for his sappy, thoughtful side, check out Love is a Mixtape for a similar vibe.
Love is a Mixtape
At its core, this memoir is a celebration of two great loves: music and a departed spouse. Rob Sheffield, a renowned rock and culture critic for Rolling Stone, chronicles his lifelong fascination with music and the profound impact it had on his relationship with his beloved wife. Through their shared passion for music, the couple exchanged countless mix tapes, each carefully curated for a specific occasion.
Using these tapes as a guide, Rob recounts the ups and downs of their love story, which was tragically cut short. This is a powerful tribute to the lasting power of music and the remarkable bonds it can create.
Karen Sirko
Karen Sirko is the epitome of the cool-girl archetype. She knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. Originally from London, she’s hopped from different rock bands and across the pond to chase her dreams. As the band’s keyboardist, she, like Daisy, is one of the first women in the overwhelmingly male world of rock and roll.
Caught in a fling with lead guitarist Graham Dunne, she makes it clear they’ll never be anything serious. She’d rather travel the world than be tied down by a man. If you love Karen Sirko’s all-about-the-music attitude and lust for life, try out Utopia Avenue.
Utopia Avenue
Utopia Avenue is the sickest British band you wish was real. Their music emerged from the psychedelic scene in London in 1967, with the unique vocals of frontman Elf Holloway, the soulful bass of Dean Moss, and the mesmerizing guitar of Jasper de Zoet. The band's rise to fame was swift, starting from the gritty clubs of Soho to sudden chart-topping success.
They experienced wild highs in Amsterdam and crushing lows with a stint in a Roman prison. Their journey took them on tour in America in ‘68, when they explored the vibrant music scenes of the Chelsea Hotel, Laurel Canyon, and San Francisco. The band's story is a magical and unforgettable quest for rock-and-roll fame across state lines and onto the biggest stages.
Eddie Roundtree
Eddie Roundtree is the fiery bassist who wishes he was Billy Dunne. And more than that, he wishes Billy’s wife Camila was his. He’s had a crush on her since they were kids and blames Billy for taking her away from him.
His passion and pride often make it difficult for him to take the backseat, causing riffs between him and the band. Odds are your favorite character probably isn't Eddie, but if it was, try out The Commitments for more big egos and greed.
The Commitments
The Commitments follows a group of young Irish kids with an unlikely love for the music of Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. They set out on a mission to bring soul and heart to Dublin’s music scene.
Roddy Doyle's masterful writing is infused with a fan's passion for their favorite bands and a local's familiarity with Ireland. The book displays the complex facets of the rock experience, from ambition and materialism to self-absorption, as well as the exhilarating fulfillment of creating music.
Warren Rojas
Warren Rojas is the fun-loving, comedic center of Daisy Jones & the Six. Unlike his bandmates, he never lets the fame get to his head and manages to just enjoy the ride. As the band’s drummer, he’s the core piece of the band who never lets things get too serious.
Always dressed in eccentric prints and furs, he’s 70s rock and roll in every sense. If you adored Warren for his funny and down-to-earth nature, check out High Fidelity.
High Fidelity
High Fidelity is a must-read that combines wit and humor with a candid exploration of relationships and music's impact on our lives. The story is set in the 1990s and follows the ups and downs of the main character, Rob, as he tries to make sense of a devastating breakup by revisiting his past relationships.
Rob is flawed, at times frustratingly selfish, but always authentic in his questionable decisions and refusal to fully become an adult until he has no other choice.
Featured still from "Daisy Jones & The Six" via Amazon Prime
