Serena Williams didn’t become the greatest of all time by accident. Yes, there were serves, sprints, and sweat—but behind the trophies and the grit is a sharp, hungry mind that never stops learning. Off the court, Serena is a quiet bookworm, turning to stories, ideas, and voices that challenge her to think bigger, push harder, and protect her peace.
Her 2025 book list isn’t just about “good reads.” It’s a curated playbook on mental toughness, reinvention, joy, money, motherhood, and power—the same themes she’s lived in real time under the brightest lights in the world. If you’ve ever wondered what fuels a woman who’s rewritten history more than once, these are the pages she’d nudge you toward.
You don’t have to hold a racket to think like a champion. You just have to turn the right pages.
Alright, let’s step into Serena’s mental gym—drop the first book and we’ll dive straight in.
From the Ground Up: A Journey to Reimagine the Promise of America by Howard Schultz
Category: Memoir, Business, Leadership, Social Impact
What It’s About
In From the Ground Up, former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz traces his journey from growing up in a Brooklyn housing project to building one of the most recognizable brands in the world. But this isn’t just a “how I built my company” story.
Schultz reflects on poverty, dignity, opportunity, and what it means to build a business that actually cares about people—from baristas to customers to communities. He weaves together personal history, corporate decisions, and tough questions about fairness, responsibility, and the American dream.
Why You Should Read It
If you’ve ever felt like where you start in life limits where you can go, this book is a direct challenge to that belief. It’s especially powerful if you’re ambitious but also care deeply about values—because Schultz doesn’t separate the two. You’ll come away thinking differently about leadership, work culture, money, and what it really means to use success as a force for good. It’s part inspiration, part mirror: what would you build if you refused to settle for the status quo?
Serena’s Take
“From the Ground Up will resonate with anyone who knows what it’s like to overcome adversity. Howard Schultz’s dream to make the world more fair and welcoming for everyone is truly a breath of fresh air.”
It’s easy to see why this speaks to Serena—a woman who’s spent her entire career breaking barriers, challenging unfair systems, and widening the lane for those coming after her. This isn’t just a business book on her shelf; it’s a values book.
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
Category: Psychology, Personal Development, Performance
What It’s About
In Grit, psychologist Angela Duckworth explores why talent alone doesn’t explain success—and why the real magic lies in a blend of passion and perseverance over time.
Through stories of athletes, artists, students, CEOs, and high achievers in all fields, she breaks down how “grit” is built: consistent effort, long-term commitment, and the willingness to keep going when things stop being shiny and start being hard.
Why You Should Read It
If you’ve ever felt “not talented enough,” this book flips that script. Duckworth shows that you don’t need to be the most gifted person in the room—you need to be the one who stays. It’s incredibly validating if you’re in a long, slow season of growth: training, building a business, healing, studying, parenting—anything that requires you to show up again and again when no one’s clapping yet.
Serena’s Take
Serena’s legendary career embodies this concept. She attributes her success not solely to natural talent, but to her unrelenting commitment and hard work over many years. Duckworth’s research on cultivating grit strikes a chord with anyone striving for long-term success in the face of adversity—and there are few people on the planet who understand that better than Serena. This isn’t just a book she’d recommend; it’s basically her life in theory form.
On the Line by Serena Williams
Category: Memoir, Sports, Identity, Resilience
What It’s About
On the Line is Serena Williams telling her story in her own words—before the documentaries, before the farewell tour. She traces her journey from the public courts of Compton to Centre Court at Wimbledon, sharing what it was really like growing up in the Williams family, training under intense pressure, navigating racism and sexism in tennis, and shouldering the expectations of an entire generation.
She talks about family, fame, fear, failure, and what it costs to be the best in the world at something.
Why You Should Read It
If you’ve ever watched Serena lift a trophy and wondered what it took off camera to get there, this book is your answer. It’s not polished PR—it’s honest and vulnerable. You see the nerves, the doubt, the heartbreaks, and the constant decision to keep showing up anyway. Beyond sports, it’s a story about owning your story, surviving scrutiny, and learning where your worth really comes from. Whether you’re an athlete or not, there’s a blueprint here for pushing through limits and still holding on to yourself.
Serena’s Take
This is Serena looking back at her life at a pivotal moment and saying, “Here’s what it really felt like.”
On the Line captures the mindset behind the game: the rituals, the rage, the joy, and the unshakeable belief that she had more to give—even when others decided they were done with her. If Serena’s game changed tennis, this book shows you the inner work that changed her.
Get Book: On the line!Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
Category: Biography, War History, Survival, Inspiration
What It’s About
Unbroken tells the astonishing true story of Louis Zamperini—a former Olympic runner turned WWII airman whose plane crashes into the Pacific. After surviving weeks adrift at sea, he’s captured and imprisoned in brutal Japanese POW camps.
What follows is a staggering journey of physical endurance, psychological torment, and ultimately, spiritual and emotional healing. Hillenbrand’s storytelling is vivid, cinematic, and emotionally relentless.
Why You Should Read It
This is one of those books that leaves you staring at the wall afterward. It shows the absolute limits of what a human being can survive—starvation, torture, despair—and still somehow find a way back to hope. If you’re looking for a story that redefines “tough,” Unbroken sets a new standard. It’s perfect if you’re in a hard season and need living proof that broken isn’t the same thing as finished.
Serena’s Take
Serena Williams finds deep inspiration in Zamperini’s unbreakable spirit and refusal to give in. His story highlights the human potential to triumph over extreme suffering through grit, faith, and relentless perseverance. For Serena, Unbroken is more than a war story—it’s a powerful reminder that even in our darkest moments, we carry a greater capacity for resilience than we think.
Get Book: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand!Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes
Category: Memoir, Personal Growth, Confidence, Creativity
What It’s About
In Year of Yes, TV powerhouse Shonda Rhimes (creator of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, Bridgerton producer vibes, etc.) decides to do something terrifying: say yes to everything that scares her for one full year. Public speaking, media appearances, tough conversations, self-care, boundaries—nothing is off the table. What starts as a challenge becomes a full-on transformation in how she shows up in her body, her work, her relationships, and her joy.
Why You Should Read It
This book is warm, funny, and wildly relatable. It’s especially powerful if you’re the “high-functioning, hiding” type—killing it on the outside but quietly shrinking on the inside.
Shonda doesn’t pretend the fear disappears; she shows you how to move with it. You’ll finish feeling braver about taking up space, owning your voice, and saying yes to the version of you that you’ve put on pause.
Serena’s Take
Serena’s world has been full of big, scary yeses: yes to turning pro as a teen, yes to coming back after injuries, yes to motherhood in the spotlight, yes to retirement on her terms. Year of Yes mirrors that same energy—choosing expansion over comfort. It’s the kind of book that fits right into her 2025 blueprint: bold women rewriting their own rules and giving everyone watching permission to do the same.
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
Category: Spirituality, Mindfulness, Personal Transformation
What It’s About
In The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle explores one core idea: your real life is only ever happening in the present moment. He explains how most of our suffering comes from being trapped in the past (regret, resentment) or the future (fear, anxiety), and how learning to anchor yourself in the “now” can bring peace, clarity, and real inner freedom. Through simple teachings, reflections, and practical exercises, Tolle invites readers to step out of mental noise and into awareness.
Why You Should Read It
This is the kind of book you don’t just read—you work through it. If your mind is always racing, if you replay old mistakes or panic about what’s next, The Power of Now gives you tools to step out of that spiral. It’s especially powerful in high-pressure seasons: big exams, big launches, big transitions, big emotions. It helps you build a calm center that isn’t shaken by every thought or feeling that comes up.
Serena’s Take
This is a book that has greatly influenced Serena. Its focus on staying present—rather than letting past regrets or future anxieties take over—is especially powerful for athletes like her. On court, one loose point, one bad call, one flash of anger can spiral a whole match. Tolle’s teachings about presence, awareness, and emotional control are deeply aligned with the mental discipline Serena is known for. The Power of Now isn’t just a spiritual classic on her list—it’s part of the inner toolkit that helps champions reset, refocus, and rise point after point.
Get Book: The Power of Now!Final Thoughts:
Serena’s 2025 book list isn’t just a stack of titles—it’s a mindset training program in disguise. These are books about grit, presence, healing, risk, rebuilding, and saying a loud yes to the life you actually want. They reflect exactly how she’s moved through the world: determined but human, powerful but vulnerable, fierce yet deeply thoughtful.
If you’ve ever wondered how to think sharper, stand taller, and bounce back stronger, this is your blueprint. Start with one book. Dog-ear pages. Take notes. Apply the ideas in real life—on the court, at work, in your relationships, in your own head.
You don’t need Serena’s serve to live like a champion.
You just need the courage to turn the page and keep going.
