NEW YORK, N.Y. — Jenna Bush Hager, co-host of NBC‘s ‘Today‘ show and founder of the Read with Jenna book club, is expanding her literary influence with the launch of her own book imprint, Thousand Voices Books. The imprint, a partnership with the Random House Publishing Group, will debut in 2025 with six titles, including the first release, ‘Conform’ by Ariel Sullivan.
Bush Hager revealed the venture in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, explaining that the idea for the imprint took shape six months ago. “Because I’m so into it, it doesn’t really feel like work,” she said. “I mean, it is, but I’m just having such a great time.”
Thousand Voices Books builds on the success of her Read with Jenna book club, which has propelled 47 titles to the New York Times bestseller list. Bush Hager emphasized that her established credibility in the literary world and her built-in platform give her imprint a unique advantage. “Somebody had told me, ‘You don’t need to start an imprint. These are the reasons why it doesn’t work.’ And the truth is, all of the reasons why traditional, for lack of a better word, celebrity or influencer-led imprints don’t work, we have sort of a solve for,” she said.
Bush Hager’s passion for literature is deeply rooted in her family. Both of her grandmothers, Jenna Welch and Barbara Bush, were avid readers, and her mother, former First Lady Laura Bush, was a librarian. Barbara Bush, who championed literacy during her time as First Lady, even founded the nonprofit Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. Bush Hager recalled a childhood memory of reading ‘A Dog Called Kitty,’ a book recommended by her grandmother, which left a lasting impression on her. “I think I realized the power that books have to make us feel,” she said.
The launch of Thousand Voices Books coincides with a new era for Bush Hager’s media company, Jenna & Friends, following the departure of Hoda Kotb from the ‘Today’ show. The show has welcomed a rotation of A-list guest hosts, including Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Garner, who recently joined Bush Hager to discuss the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. “I honestly am so grateful that Reese and Jennifer came,” Bush Hager said. “They are going through [this]— they live in L.A. and their hearts are broken — and yet they showed up for me.”
Bush Hager also shared how books have provided her with solace during challenging times. “When we’re witnessing these horrific fires and people’s livelihoods and lives and everything that they own being burned and it’s this horrific moment in our history, this book I read — that I can’t tell you about yet — brought so much hope to me,” she said. “So I just think [books] do have this singular power, that is something I want to be part of.”
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