Kit Harington reveals his favourite books and why they matter to him

Kit Harington has been open about his passion for reading, and in his latest interview, he revealed four of his all-time favourite books.

Putting 1984 by George Orwell first, the Game of Thrones star said he read it when he was young.

And “It made me intensely paranoid as a teenager and made me really truly believe that the world that he describes there is one that was just around the corner.

He told Bustle, “If you get really paranoid, you think, ‘Are we already in it?’ It politically activated me as a young person.”

Harington also learned a concept from the book called Doublethink, which he thinks has gained currency in today's political communication.

He explained, "Doublethink is used all the time in our world right now, and it’s gotten worse, and I do think that the saying of one thing when the opposite is true and calling it the truth is terrifying."

Moving away, the Marvel then listed his second book, Flesh by David Szalay.

A Booker Prize winner, the actor said the book, in his view, presents masculinity honestly.

“There’s something about it that I think really spoke to me as a man,” he said, adding, "It's written in such a male way, but a really beautiful, unapologetic male way, which I loved.”

Afterward, Harington picked Any Human Heart by William Boyd.

This book, The Star, is credited with making him cry that often too, which, he said, is probably difficult.

I find it very hard to cry at things. Speaking of British upbringing, it’s the way we’re raised. It gets difficult on set — I just can’t push the tears out,” he joked.

Last but not least, there is Harry Potter. Harington shared the book series helped him sleep at night after he got sober nearly a decade ago.

“About eight years ago I got sober, and I noticed once I got sober, I’ve always had this problem about going to bed,” he shared.

"And so when I stopped drinking, I had to find a solution to this. And the solution was I listened to Harry Potter before going to bed.”

Meanwhile, Harington's connection to Harry Potter will remain, as he is set to play Gilderoy Lockhart in season two of the upcoming series based on the books.