Take a Tour of Cleo Wade's Personal Library in 'Shelf Portrait'

Writer Cleo Wade gave Marie Claire a tour of her bedroom bookshelves in the latest episode of Shelf Portrait, our video series in which celebrities, influencers, and famous bookworms show off their personal libraries.

'Remember Love: Words for Tender Times'

As writers, it's only natural Wade and her partner have a huge collection of books, but Wade likes to keep their collection coordinated. "I'm actually a non-professional, but I feel professional, bookshelf accessorize-er," she says pointing to her art-filled, color-sorted shelves. A few stand-out titles on her shelf include Black Women Writers at Work by Claudia Tate, which she calls the "best book on writing you'll ever read;" Human Design by her friend Jenna Zoë; a first edition of Toni Morrison's Beloved; and a book she recommends to all activists, On the Other Side of Freedom by DeRay Mckesson.

Another standout title on Wade's shelf is her own new book, Remember Love. Made up of poetry and prose, Remember Love is all about rebuilding yourself through moments of darkness. "It's kind of about how to find steadiness when the world around you is just spinning with change, and you're just trying to find your way and get back to yourself," she explains. "A lot of this book also has to deal with heartbreak."

To learn more about Wade's favorite genres and authors, watch Wade's full Shelf Portrait video, above, then order some of her favorite books for yourself, below.

'Black Women Writers at Work'

'Human Design'

'Beloved'

'On the Other Side of Freedom'

Brooke Knappenberger is the Associate Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she specializes in crafting shopping stories—from sales content to buying guides that span every vertical on the site. She also oversees holiday coverage with an emphasis on gifting guides as well as Power Pick, our monthly column on the items that power the lives of MC’s editors. She also tackled shopping content as Marie Claire's Editorial Fellow prior to her role as Associate Commerce Editor.

She has over three years of experience writing on fashion, beauty, and entertainment and her work has appeared on Looper, NickiSwift, The Sun US, and Vox Magazine of Columbia, Missouri. Brooke obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism with an emphasis on Magazine Editing and has a minor in Textile and Apparel Management.