Given that the likelihood of international travel is slim to none, there’s a good chance that our holidays will be spent curled up with a good book.
And for those who may be sick of fictional escapism, there’s one genre of books that is sure to keep you both inspired and entertained—celebrity memoirs.
The beloved celebrity tell-all offers an unusually candid portrayal of the “real person” behind the famous figure, and more often than not, doesn’t skimp on the dirty details.
Whether you’re a pop culture fanatic or not, there’s something about diving into the lives of the A-list that can feel both grounding and enthralling, and luckily, there’s a myriad to choose from.
From Reese Witherspoon’s southern traditions to Ali Wong’s letter to her daughters, there are a number of celebrity memoirs worthy of your precious reading time.
Below, we’ve rounded up the best of the genre to add to your reading list for the holidays.
Becoming by Michelle Obama
If you want to get to know Michelle Obama on a personal level, look no further than her memoir, Becoming. Selected by Oprah’s Book Club, this memoir dives deep into the former First Lady’s personal life experiences, her roots and how she found her voice, as well as her time in the White House, her public health campaign, and her role as a mother. After this read, it’ll feel as if you and Michelle are best friends.
Buy it here.
The Meaning of Mariah Carey by Mariah Carey
While Mariah Carey strays toward a more private lifestyle, her memoir The Meaning Of Mariah Carey offers the most honest look into the musician’s life. From the racism she experienced as a child to her tumultuous first marriage to Tommy Mottola—leading to her “breakdown” in 2001—her memoir and self-narrated audiobook is full of personality and endless singing.
Buy it here.
Wildflower by Drew Barrymore
The opposite of Barrymore’s first memoir Little Girl Lost, which she wrote when she was 14, Wildflower finds an older and more assured version of herself. Looking back at her eventful career and existence as a whole, Barrymore dives into how her emancipation from her parents helped her to forge her own path in life. Summarising the book in one line, she writes: “I wanted to rescue myself. And I did.”
Buy it here.
My Life So Far by Jane Fonda
For fans of comedies like Grace & Frankie or classics like Barbarella, Jane Fonda’s My Life So Far is a retelling of her life that is sure to leave you glued to the couch. While her protests for climate change and ethical fashion choices show us a strong, self-assured woman, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the 82-year-old actress. Having once felt uncomfortable in her own skin and desperate for validation from others, Fonda artfully and dutifully re-examines how her career and her mindset have evolved astronomically since then.
Buy it here.
Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon
According to Witherspoon’s grandmother, Dorothea, the phrase Whiskey in a Teacup is exactly what Southern women are: beautiful on the outside, but strong-willed and assertive on the inside. In her best-selling memoir, the actress explores what growing up in the south meant to her, as well as sharing her favourite southern traditions and some of her grandmother’s most famous recipes.
Buy it here.
True Love by Jennifer Lopez
While most know Jennifer Lopez for her music and her foray in 2000s romantic comedies, the musician opens up about the hurdles she jumped to get where she is today. From watching Something’s Gotta Give to help her get through her divorce from Marc Anthony to being booed at her own concerts, the memoir is a story of love and its complexities. Lopez dives into how she faced her greatest challenges, overcame her biggest fears and how she emerged a stronger person than she’s ever been.
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Before Liz Lemon, Tina Fey was a young woman who dreamt of becoming a famous comedian on TV. And through her best-selling memoir Bossypants, she dives into her youthful days as nerdy student to her iconic career on Saturday Night Live. Expect to hear about her struggle with female beauty standards and her imperfect experience as a mother, but most importantly, how being called “bossy” was the best thing to happen to her.
Buy it here.
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
Aptly released right after the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, Barack Obama’s latest memoir is sure to please, whether you’re a political aficionado or not. The former President covers his journey from being a young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, taking readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to becoming the first African American to hold the nation’s highest office. He opens up about how living in the White House affected his wife and daughters and how it made him unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment.
Buy it here.
This Will Only Hurt A Bit by Busy Philipps
Just like Busy Philipps herself, her memoir is raw and unsparingly honest. Her book-turned/diary discusses all the ups and downs of what it’s like to be a young, comedic actress in Hollywood. Philipps’ memoir spares no detail and dives into the details behind her surprise wedding, James Franco’s questionable motives on Freaks and Geeks, natural childbirth and how she creates her fan-favourite Instagram Stories.
Buy it here.
Dear Girls by Ali Wong
Having gained fame from her hilarious Netflix stand-up specials, there’s something about Ali Wong’s comedic prowess that makes you wish you knew her in real life. A compilation of letters addressed to her two daughters, the book dives into her wildest stories and the lessons she learned along the way. Prepare for the wisdom, the heartbreak and, of course, the laughter.
Buy it here.
Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
A hilarious book of essays, Mindy Kaling’s Why Not Me? covers everything you need to know about life, love and how to look natural on camera. Kaling shares her ongoing journey to find fulfilment and adventure in her adult life, be it falling in love at work, seeking new friendships in unlikely places, or attempting to be the first person in history to lose weight without any behaviour modification whatsoever.
Buy it here.
Over The Top by Jonathan van Ness
While we all know and love Jonathan van Ness from Queer Eye, there’s much more to the beauty guru than gymnastics and his love for cats. In his memoir, van Ness dives into his difficult childhood in midwest America, discovering his sexuality and his journey to becoming the model of self-love and acceptance that Jonathan is today. He shares never-before-told secrets and reveals sides of himself that the public has never seen, there’s much more to him than meets the Queer Eye.
Buy it here.
Life Will Be The Death Of Me by Cheslea Handler
Chelsea Handler might be one of the most playful and rambunctious women in Hollywood, but her journey to self-love wasn’t as chirpy as you’d think. In her memoir, she looks back on her year of self-sufficiency. Meeting her match in an earnest, brainy psychiatrist, she describes her time in therapy, preparing to do the heavy lifting required to look within and make sense of a childhood marked by love and loss and to figure out why people are afraid of her. Her memoir also dives into her newfound political activism and how having difficult conversations and energising her base has become her priority.
Buy it here.
Fresh Off The Boat by Eddie Huang
Eddie Huang, the celebrity chef behind New York’s Baohaus restaurant, his memoir is far from glamorous. Offering an unapologetic and real look into his upbringing, Huang dives into his childhood in a hardworking and often strict Chinese-American family. Fresh Off The Boat is a radical retelling of his exhilarating story as an American outsider who finds his destiny in the margins.
Buy it here.
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
Fans of Parks and Recreation, look out. Amy Poehler’s book of essays, Yes Please, is a hilarious collection of stories, thoughts, ideas and haikus drawn from her life and mind. The memoir finds Poehler riffing on everything from sex and love to motherhood, family, friendship and plastic surgery, and is jam-packed with great jokes and sage advice.
Buy it here.
Naturally Tan by Tan France
Another Queer Eye alumni, Tan France’s heartfelt and touching memoir tells his origin story for the first time. Including his trademark wit and humour, Tan reveals what it was like to discover his sexuality in a traditional South Asian family, and as one of the few people of colour in South Yorkshire. He illuminates his winding journey of coming of age, finding his voice and happily marrying the love of his life—a Mormon cowboy from Salt Lake City.
We’re Going To Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union
In the spirit of the title, grab yourself a glass of wine and get cosy for Gabrielle Union’s memoir, We’re Going To Need More Wine. A powerful collection of essays about gender, sexuality, race, beauty, Hollywood, and what it means to be a modern woman, she shares astonishingly personal and true stories about power, colour, gender, feminism, and fame. From beauty standards and competition between women in Hollywood, to growing up in white California suburbia and spending summers with her black relatives in Nebraska, her genuine words offer a complex and courageous story of self-doubt and self-discovery.
Buy it here.
Just Kids by Patti Smith
Smith’s National Book Award–winning memoir is a portrait of a place and time—New York in the summer—and a love letter between poet and musician Patti Smith and late photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. The memoir follows the pair’s trials and tribulations as they journey through Brooklyn, Coney Island, and Times Square, before settling at the infamous Chelsea Hotel. Smith has admitted that she didn’t write the book for cathartic purposes, but to fulfill a vow she made to Mapplethorpe on his deathbed.
Buy it here.
Open Book by Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson, AKA America’s Sweetheart, shares her journey in the spotlight, from her relationship struggles to her stereotype as a walking blonde joke. She uses her memoir to share the wisdom and inspiration that she’s learned along the way and shows the real woman behind all the pop-culture cliché’s. Open Book is an opportunity to laugh and cry with a close friend, one that will inspire you to live your best, most authentic life, now that she is finally living hers.
Buy it here.
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
From the Academy Award–winning actor, Greenlights is an unconventional memoir filled with sharp stories, outlaw wisdom and certain lessons learned the hard way. Incredibly honest and surprisingly candid, Matthew McConaughey’s book invites readers to grapple with the lessons of his life as he did—and to see that the point was never to win, but to understand why it happened in the first place.
Buy it here.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
