5 Best Celebrity Memoirs, According To Readers

In the glittering world of fame and fortune, where the line between public personas and private lives often blurs, celebrity memoirs offer an unfiltered glimpse into the lives of the stars we adore. These candid tales, filled with triumphs, tribulations, and untold stories, reveal the human side of the icons we see on stage and screen. Whether it’s a rock legend recounting the wild adventures of their heyday, an actor sharing the struggles behind the scenes, or a trailblazing artist unveiling the secrets of their creative journey, the best celebrity memoirs captivate us with their honesty, humor, and heart. Dive into our curated list of the best celebrity memoirs that not only entertain but also inspire and enlighten, giving you a front-row seat to the real stories behind the spotlight. Let us know if we missed a favorite of yours in the comments below!

1. “Open Book” by Jessica Simpson

From her singing career to her fashion line and everything in between, many of us know Jessica Simpson by her work. But in “Open Book,“ Simpson reveals the personal battles, victories, and lessons she’s learned behind the scenes. “I went into Open Book expecting a light, fun read from one of my favorite reality stars of all time,” remarks a Vogue reviewer. “Instead, I was blown away by an honest, funny, and touching memoir, which is so rarely the case with celebrity ‘tell-alls.’”

“No one predicted that a pop star turned fashion mogul would deliver one of the most barn-burning books of 2020, but with Open Book, Jessica Simpson defied expectations,” Esquire claims. “When Simpson hit rock bottom on Halloween 2017, deep in the grips of an addiction to alcohol and sleeping pills, she turned inward, sorting through decades of diaries to make sense of her personal history. Something in Simpson broke open that day, inspiring her to write this achingly honest memoir of fame, fortune, and heartbreak.”

Simpson’s memoir reflects both on her time in the spotlight and her inner struggles, meaning everyone can find a takeaway within its pages. “In ‘Open Book,’ Jessica Simpson recounts her highly public past with honest, raw, and sometimes painful self-reflection,” notes Business Insider. “Once the focus of countless tabloids, Simpson opens up about the lifelong personal struggles she faced while subjected to ridicule about everything from her body to her past relationships.”

2. “Greenlights” by Matthew McConaughey

Whether you know Matthew McConaughey for his long list of starring movie roles or for his now famous car commercials, his catalogue makes him difficult to miss. But in “Greenlights,” McConaughey steps into a different role as the writer of his own story. “The Texas native spent 52 days in the desert while writing the book,” says IndieWire. “‘Greenlights’ invites readers to travel through the honest and remarkably candid stories and insight learned during McConaughey’s life.”

“Matthew McConaughey has kept journals for most of his life and, before writing this memoir, sat down with his collected memories and found a central theme of accepting life’s inevitable challenges and ‘catching greenlights,'” explains Business Insider. “This memoir is both an inspirational and inspired collection of McConaughey’s greatest life lessons and advice, narrated with his signature charm.”

His method for writing the book makes it even more intriguing to read. “Only Matthew McConaughey could have written Greenlights, a brain-bending blend of memoir, poetry, music, self-help, and journals, all assembled during a 52-day solitary confinement,” claims Esquire. “When the pandemic struck, McConaughey locked himself away to write as much as 21 hours a day. The result was Greenlights, a rollicking account of ‘fifty years of my sights and seems, felts and figured-outs, cools and shamefuls.'”

3. “I’m Glad My Mom Died” by Jennette McCurdy

With a title like that, it’s unsurprising that Jennette McCurdy’s first book skyrocketed to the top of the charts. The book chronicles McCurdy’s years as a beloved child star with her abusive mother, and it is far from a fluffy read. “This bestselling memoir is hardly lighthearted fare, revolving as it does around child star McCurdy’s years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her fame-obsessed mother,” warns a Vogue reviewer. “But the rush to purchase it was no empty fanfare; it really is that good.”

Adds Esquire, “this gutsy memoir by a former Nickelodeon actress burned up the bestseller list in 2022.” If you’re ready to commit the time and bandwidth to dive into this book, reviewers say it’s well worth the journey. “This isn’t a memoir filled with celebrity gossip but rather an exposé of the parental and industry abuse Jennette kept hidden from the world until now,” Business Insider says.

4. “Finding Me” by Viola Davis

Newly inducted into the ever-exclusive EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) club, acting legend Viola Davis opens up like never before in Finding Me. “One of our most soulful performers delivers an intimate story of grit and grace, tracing her life all the way from her poverty-stricken upbringing to her Oscar and Tony-winning success,” says Esquire.

“A Rhode Island childhood marked by trauma and abuse gives way to an adulthood in the spotlight as one of the most recognizable actresses in Hollywood, and Davis relays the topsy-turviness of her life’s circumstances with a compelling mix of emotional honesty and grace,” Vogue notes. “It outlines her path to self-love in a world determined to change her and the power of discovering who we are without the labels society places upon us,” adds Business Insider.

“In Finding Me, [Davis] explores the duality between overcoming her struggles and carrying that broken little girl inside her, now and always,” Esquire says. “It’s a work of startling strength, resilience, and wisdom, chronicling how one of the best actors of our time became who she is. As Davis writes, ‘I knew my life would be a fight, and I realized this: I had it in me.'”

5. “The Office BFFs: Tales of The Office from Two Best Friends Who Were There” by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey

If you’re looking for a lighter read, “The Office BFFS” is the book for you. Taking you behind the scenes of one of the world’s most beloved sitcoms, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey are every bit as heartwarming and hilarious as ever. “The Office stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey may have been rivals on the show, but in real life, their sweet and silly bestie-dom is contagious, making this recollection of working on one of history’s most popular sitcoms a genuine pleasure to read,” comments a Vogue reviewer.

“In this nonfiction read, real-life best friends Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey (Pam and Angela, respectively) recount intimate and exclusive behind-the-scenes memories of the show, its iconic cast, and their lasting friendship,” Business Insider says, “Handsomely designed, it feels like a lavish, uber-cheerful yearbook. In fact, it’s based on the podcast, “Office Ladies” that Fishcer and Kinsey co-host. But as an add-on, it’s a gem, a must for anyone that cares about The Office,” adds Esquire.

Sources used to create this list

• Vogue
• Esquire
• SheKnows
• Business Insider
• Cosmopolitan
• Hello!
• Beyond the Bookends
• NPR
• IndieWire
• BestLife

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