Best and Most Shocking Celebrity Memoirs You Can Read Right Now

‘Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman’ by Brooke Shields

After her documentary Pretty Baby, Brooke Shields got candid about getting older and society’s expectations of her in her memoir, Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman. 

“At fifty-nine, she feels more comfortable in her skin, more empowered and confident than she did decades ago in those famous Calvin Kleins,” the description reads. “Now, in Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old, she’s changing the narrative about women and aging.”

“This is an era, insists Brooke, when women are reclaiming agency and power, not receding into the shadows,” it reads. “These are the years when we get to decide how we want to live―when we get to write our own stories.”

‘Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While also in an Actual Cult!)’ by Bethany Joy Lenz

In addition to being one of the stars of One Tree Hill, Bethany Joy Lenz has been through a lot. When she was young, she joined a cult named The Big House Family and shaped her whole life around it. 10 years in, she finally said goodbye to her community and began building her new life. 

“After nearly a decade (and with the unlikely help of a One Tree Hill superfan), she finally managed to escape the family’s grip and begin to heal from the deep trauma that forever altered her relationship with God and her understanding of faith,” the description of her first-ever memoir reads. 

‘From Here to the Great Unknown’ by Lisa Marie Presley & Riley Keough

In one of the most unique memoirs in this list, From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough tells the posthumous life is Lisa Marie, Elvis Presley’s only daughter. 

“This extraordinary book is written in both Lisa Marie’s and Riley’s voices, a mother and daughter communicating—from this world to the one beyond—as they try to heal each other,” the description reads. “Profoundly moving and deeply revealing, From Here to the Great Unknown is a book like no other—the last words of the only child of an American icon.”

‘Entrances and Exits’ By Michael Richards

While this book isn’t out just yet, Michael Richards’ Entrances and Exits, out June 4, will surely be a page-turner. 

In the candid book, the Seinfeld star will open up about his family, his biggest struggles and his career, including his rocky time in the award-winning sitcom. 

“I felt every week during Seinfeld I was never really satisfied with my performance and that I could always do better,” Richards said in an excerpt obtained by People. “And as the stakes got higher, the pressure to always be good was difficult.”

“And to accept myself even when my audiences were loving me and the awards, accolades and all the offers were coming in — it felt almost impossible sometimes, way too overwhelming,” he added.

‘Life’s Too Short: A Memoir’ By Darius Rucker

While we all know his songs, singer Darius Rucker is showing a whole new side to himself in his memoir, Life’s Too Short. 

“Set against the soundtrack of his life, Darius recounts his childhood as the son of a single mother in Charleston, South Carolina,” the description reads. “He traces the unlikely ascent of his band and shares wild tales of life on the road—but he also faces his missteps, defeats, and demons.”

‘Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me’ By Whoopi Goldberg

While many of us may think we know Whoopi Goldberg well, the actress and TV host shared a whole new side of herself in her memoir, Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me. 

“Growing up in the projects in New York City, there were trips to Coney Island, the Ice Capades, and museums, and every Christmas was a magical experience,” the description reads. “To this day, she doesn’t know how her mother was able to give them such an enriching childhood, despite the struggles they faced–and it wasn’t until she was well into adulthood that Whoopi learned just how traumatic some of those struggles were.”

‘Rebel Rising: A Memoir’ By Rebel Wilson

Before Rebel Wilson’s memoir Rebel Rising was even released, the Australian actress was already stirring up some major drama with her former co-star Sacha Baron Cohen. 

But as Wilson’s announcement said at the time, her book is much more than that one bad experience. In her words, Wilson opens up about her “painful relationship with her father, weight gain and loss, a late-in-life sexual awakening and fertility issues” and much more. 

‘Men Have Called Her Crazy: A Memoir’ by Anna Marie Tendler

Men Have Called Her Crazy: A Memoir by Anna Marie Tendler is a powerful memoir that talks about how men have affected women’s mental health, and the anguish they give them. She announced the news on her Instagram, saying, “Men Have Called Her Crazy, my memoir, will be published by @simonbooks on August 13, 2024. I have been writing this book for two years. More accurately though I have been writing it for close to four decades. I have never been more proud of any work. It is a story about mental health; about being a woman; about family. And finally, about the endless source of my heartbreak and rage—men. Men Have Called Her Crazy is now available for pre-order…”

‘Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself’ by Crystal Hefner

Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself by Crystal Hefner follows her life once she entered the Playboy mansion, to her debilitating time as Hugh Hefner’s wife, and then finding her identity after losing it during her time in the spotlight. 

‘My Name Is Barbra’ by Barbra Streisand

The most recent celebrity to have her own memoir is none other than the icon Barbra Streisand! In My Name Is Barbra, the singer and actress looks back at her upbringing in Brooklyn, her rise to fame through her singing, and even her longtime marriage to husband James Brolin. “The book is, like Barbra herself, frank, funny, opinionated, and charming,” the description says. 

‘Down the Drain’ by Julia Fox

Fashion risk-taker and actress Julia Fox let fans into her life in her recent memoir titled Down the Drain. “Ever since I was a kid I always wanted to be a writer & after writing every single word in this book, it’s safe to say I AM ONE!!!!” she wrote on Instagram.

‘Worthy’ by Jada Pinkett Smith

After keeping her personal life away from the spotlight for years, Jada Pinkett Smith opened up about it all in her newly-released memoir, Worthy. Among her revelations were her separation from Will Smith, the reaction to Will’s iconic Oscars slap, her battle with alopecia and much more. 

‘If You Would Have Told Me’ by John Stamos

John Stamos, our eternal Uncle Jesse in Full House, finally let fans into his life’s biggest victories and challenges in his memoir, If You Would Have Told Me. Among the revelations was his relationship with co-star Lori Loughlin, his messy divorce from Rebecca Romijn and his struggles with alcohol addiction. 

‘No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality’ by Michael J. Fox

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at the young age of 29, Michael J. Fox has been open about his struggles with the disease and the challenges it has caused in his personal life. In this memoir, Fox takes a deep dive into his unrelenting optimist amid some incredible challenges. “In No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality, Michael shares personal stories and observations about illness and health, aging, the strength of family and friends, and how our perceptions about time affect the way we approach mortality,” the description reads.

‘Making It So’ by Patrick Stewart

Although Sir Patrick Stewart has forever immortalized himself as an incredible actor in productions like Star Trek and X-Men, fans of his finally got to know him on a personal level in his memoir, Making It So. “[The memoir is] a revealing portrait of an artist whose astonishing life—from his humble beginnings in Yorkshire, England, to the heights of Hollywood and worldwide acclaim—proves a story as exuberant, definitive, and enduring as the author himself,” the description says. 

‘The Woman in Me’ by Britney Spears

The Woman in Me, also known as Britney Spears’ long-awaited memoir, is finally here and it takes fans on a journey. We finally get answers to so many things such as the details of her conservatorship, her past relationships, and so much more. 

‘Thicker than Water: A Memoir’ by Kerry Washington

A memoir packed with life lessons and self-discovery, Kerry Washington’s Thicker than Water is set to take fans on her journey where she asks herself questions like: “Who am I?” and “What is my truest and most authentic self?” It gives us all the questions and answers we’ve been dying to know for years, all with a vulnerable touch.

‘The Weight of Beautiful’ by Jackie Goldschneider

The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Jackie Goldschneider’s memoir The Weight of Beautiful talks about her body dysmorphia, eating disorder, and how she’s bravely recovered in a collection of vulnerable stories.

‘Leslie F*cking Jones’ by Leslie Jones

From her time on Saturday Night Live to bravely opening up about three abortions, Leslie Jones’s newly released memoir Leslie F*cking Jones is all about telling it like it is. Jones talks about her fight to the top as a “tall-*ss Black woman” in comedy, and reminds fans to never give up. It just released, and we know it’s on everyone’s TBR list!

‘Behind the Shoulder Pads: Tales I Tell My Friends’ by Joan Collins

Joan Collins has released a few memoirs in the past, but nothing like this! In Behind the Shoulder Pads: Tales I Tell My Friends, she tells fans all the juicy stories she normally kept for her friends, from her life with her husband Percy to hilarious tales from her early career. This book will be released on Oct 23. 

‘Flip Your Life: How to Find Opportunity in Distress―in Real Estate, Business, and Life’ by Tarek El Moussa

HGTV superstar Tarek El Moussa is sharing a side of himself to the world that goes in depth on how he’s dealt with issues in his businesses and personal life. Both a telling memoir and self-help staple, El Moussa’s upcoming book is sure to be a must on everyone’s shelves who want to “flip” their lives like him.

It will be released Feb 6, 2024.

‘Tell Me Everything’ by Minka Kelly

Minka Kelly, an actress who’s lived a relatively private life in the public eye, is opening up about her life in her upcoming memoir Tell Me Everything. According to Page Six, Kelly opens up about all the ups and downs in her life, including her abusive mother, her toxic first boyfriend, and her abortion at just 17 years old.

‘Spare’ by Prince Harry

Making it one of the most talked-about memoirs ever, Prince Harry released his first-ever tell-all book, Spare, in January 2023. In the book, the royal wasn’t afraid to tell his story, including how he and his brother Prince William physically fought about Meghan Markle, and how he lost his virginity.

‘Love, Pamela’ by Pamela Anderson

“I just wanted there to be a true authentic real record of my life and I really felt like it was really important for me to write it all down,” Pamela Anderson told People of her memoir Love, Pamela. “It started like a long poem, I just wrote my first memory, my second memory, my tenth memory,” she recalled. “I wanted to make sure it was from the heart.” Her memoir was released on Jan 31.

‘Have I Told You This Already?: Stories I Don’t Want to Forget to Remember’ by Lauren Graham

Gilmore Girls alum Lauren Graham’s newest, vulnerable set of essays takes fans on a journey from her early tales in Hollywood when waitressing to aging gracefully in Hollywood. She leaves out no details in this humorous and raw take on life, love, grief, and success.

‘No Filter: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful’ by Paulina Porizkova

Beauty and fighting ageism icon Paulina Porizkova is ready to bare her entire soul to her fans, taking them on a journey from her childhood to her self-love journey in adulthood. With a series of enlightening essays about womanhood, everyone can learn something about the former supermodel and themselves in No Filter: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful. 

“Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir” by Matthew Perry

Described as both intimate and eye-opening, Friends alum Matthew Perry’s memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir discusses everything from finding fame in the 1990s, addiction, recovery, and everything in between. (And it has a foreword by BFF and former co-star Lisa Kudrow!)

“Making a Scene” by Constance Wu

Constance Wu’s highly-anticipated memoir-in-essays Making a Scene gives fans raw accounts of the biggest moments in her life, from finding childhood theater to sexual assault and harassment. She’s letting everyone know a deeper side to the actress. 

‘Live Wire’ by Kelly Ripa

In Kelly Ripa’s debut book Live Wire, she talks about everything from motherhood to marriage. In the honest and witty collection of short stories, Ripa is leaving nothing behind and giving fans all of her wisdom.

‘You Should Sit Down for This: A Memoir about Life, Wine, and Cookies’ by Tamera Mowry-Housley 

Tamera Mowry-Housley‘s debut memoir You Should Sit Down for This: A Memoir about Life, Wine, and Cookies is all about the pressures of being a teenage star, balancing family and career, and more. This empowering read is set to be released on Oct 4, 2022, and we know everyone is going to love what Mowry-Housley has to say.

‘I’m Glad My Mom Died’ by Jennette McCurdy

Described as both heartbreaking and hilarious, iCarly alum Jennette McCurdy’s bluntly titled memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died gives fans a glimpse into her life like never before. McCurdy talks about her abusive mother, who pushed her to be a child star, and all of the grueling details. It talks about her dark time on Nickelodeon and how she reclaimed her power.

‘Don’t Stop Believin” by Olivia Newton-John

Both humorous and heartwarming, Don’t Stop Believin‘ by Olivia Newton-John gives fans an inside look into the legendary actress and singer’s life. This beloved memoir dives into her successful career, her struggles with her cancer diagnosis, and every step of her journey. And it made everyone (including us) love her even more.

‘Mean Baby’ by Selma Blair

Both fierce and powerful, Selma Blair’s memoir Mean Baby shows her journey. From the dark moments of her life to her addiction to alcohol, Blair wants the world to know her journey and how she came out on the other side. Many celebrities have been talking about the book on social media, praising Blair for her honesty and vulnerability. 

‘Out of The Corner’ by Jennifer Grey

Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey unveils a more vulnerable side of her and her story to fans in this explosive memoir. From what happened in that car crash that rocked the world to her past relationships, Grey doesn’t hold back. Out of the Corner takes fans through her early life and inspiring work, showing a deeper side of her extremely public career.

‘Rise: My Story’ by Lindsey Vonn

Lindsey Vonn became a fixture in American sports as soon as she hit the slopes. The Olympic gold medalist recounts her personal struggles, professional successes, and more in her debut memoir. Rise: My Story recounts Vonn’s rise to fame and insecurity under the spotlight. Chronicling her battle with depression and breaking down barriers to become the most decorated female skier of all time, Vonn goes deep and takes readers along for the ride. 

‘The Beauty of Living Twice’ by Sharon Stone

Sharon Stone became a Hollywood icon and a household name after her role in Basic Instinct, and in 2021 memoir The Beauty of Living Twice, she finally reveals the vulnerability behind her fearless persona. She was tricked into that famous shot in Basic Instinct, ill-equipped for fame when it came to her, and routinely taken advantage of in the male-dominated film industry. She opens up too about childhood sexual abuse, her 2001 stroke, and how hard she’s fought for the legacy she now has.

‘Incomparable’ by Brie and Nikki Bella

The Bella twins’ bestselling joint memoir Incomparable dug deep into Brie and Nikki’s past: their childhood trauma, loved ones’ struggles with addiction, Brie’s early experience of loss, their past relationships, and how they took the steps that led them to WWE stardom and successful careers. 

‘Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics’ by Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton looks back at over 60 years of songwriting and explores her own words and shares what she was going through while writing over 175 of her songs.

“My songs are like my children,” Parton said in a video message. “I expect them to support me when I’m old. And across my life I’ve written thousands of songs, but here, for the first time ever we’re spotlighting two hundred of my favorites in my new book.” 

“Not only will you be able to revisit the lyrics but I’ll tell you never-before-heard stories behind the songs, and we’ve even dug up never-before-seen pictures and handwritten lyrics, too. A songteller is what I am, and I’m so excited to share my new book, Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics.”

‘Full Disclosure’ by Stormy Daniels

Full Disclosure by Stormy Daniels tells a truly unique story: That of the adult film star who had a 2006 affair with now-President Donald Trump, accepted a $130,000 payment from lawyer Michael Cohen to stay quiet about it, and later found herself the source of national headlines when the story came out. Find out how it all went down in the star’s own words. 

‘The Meaning of Mariah Carey’ by Mariah Carey

The notoriously private Mariah Carey is finally ready to speak out. In her memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, the singer starts at her childhood and writes her way through her career, unfiltered: her ups and downs, triumphs and betrayals, heartbreaks and humbling moments.

‘Raising Trump’ by Ivana Trump

Ivana Trump’s 2017 memoir about raising Trump kids Ivanka, Donald Jr., and Eric focused on her experience as a mom, including breastfeeding challenges, custody battles, limo service to private school, and so much more you really have to read to believe.

‘Greenlights’ by Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey’s upcoming memoir Greenlights details the actor’s personal life philosophy, which he calls “catching greenlights,” a method of “how to get relative with the inevitable.” The actor looked back on forty years worth of diaries and compiled his musings, as True Detective-ly spellbinding as you’d expect, and this memoir is the result.

‘Tina Turner: That’s My Life’ by Tina Turner

Following her 2018 memoir Tina Turner: My Love Story, the icon has put together another autobiography focusing on imagery, including never-before-seen candid photos, handwritten letters, and other irreplaceable mementos of her fabulous life.

‘The Answer Is…’ by Alex Trebek

Alex Trebek is one of the most legendary figures in TV history, and he’s got a lot to say about behind-the-scenes life on Jeopardy!, his relationship with his fan base, and lessons he’s learned along the way.

‘Live in Love’ by Lauren Akins

Lauren Akins’ life looks like a fairy tale — she married her childhood best friend Thomas Rhett, a huge country star, and they’re raising a beautiful family together — but when it looks like you’ve got it all figured out, the drive to find real purpose is bigger than ever. Akins reveals new details we never knew behind her and Rhett’s love story, and how she found her personal drive.

‘I Would Leave Me If I Could’ by Halsey

Halsey’s talent for dark, evocative, and highly personal lyrics translates key for key into her debut poetry collection, a series of haunting works exploring the artist’s relationship with mental illness, sexuality, and those closest to her.

‘Let Love Rule’ by Lenny Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz grew up always knowing he was different, or so he says in Let Love Rule, a sprawling exploration of the many people and places that made Kravitz into the extraordinary musician he is today. “My life is all about opposites,” he writes. “Black and white. Jewish and Christian. The Jackson 5 and Led Zeppelin.”

‘I Promise’ by LeBron James

LeBron James’ inspiring children’s book I Promise teaches kids about building change and a better future through making promises to our community and ourselves today.

‘I Have Something to Tell You’ by Chasten Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg made history with his run as Democratic presidential candidate, and husband Chasten was right there by his side, reckoning with his own lifetime of standing up for his identity in a world that didn’t always accept him. This memoir gets into Chasten’s Midwestern upbringing and how he transformed into a champion for embracing your true identity.

‘Everything Is Beautiful in Its Time’ by Jenna Bush Hager

Jenna Bush Hager’s moving memoir about grandparents George and Barbara Bush gives a deeply personal look at one of the biggest political families in America’s history, pairing her signature wit and perspective as a mom of three to define who these figures were as family, and what they meant for this one granddaughter.

‘Open Book’ by Jessica Simpson

Jessica Simpson’s moving 2020 memoir details never-before-heard stories of her childhood sexual abuse, addiction struggles, and relationship problems over the years. It’s a whole new side to one of America’s best-known faces, and her message of working through trauma is seriously inspiring.

‘Inside Out’ by Demi Moore

Demi Moore hasn’t had the easiest path, settling into stardom at a young age and dealing with the judgment of being in the spotlight all her life. This new memoir details her addiction struggles, body image struggles, and how she raised a family through it all. 

‘There Is No F*cking Secret: Letters From a Badass Bitch’ by Kelly Osbourne

Kelly Osbourne knows how to capture your attention, and her memoir is no exception. Her life as the child of Ozzy Osbourne is predictably wild, but her frankness about her addiction struggles and finding a new place of confidence will inspire you.

‘Little Girl Lost’ by Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore’s 1990 memoir detailed how she had her first drink at 9, smoked pot at 10 and was snorting cocaine by 12. Some nude photoshoots and rehab stints later, she made it out the other side in one piece.

‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ by Holly Madison

As the late Hugh Hefner’s main girlfriend (and one of his infamous Girls Next Door), Holly Madison had a front-row seat to Hef’s shenanigans and detailed them in her book. Revealed were tidbits like how all the girlfriends were expected to have sex with him and each other but he’d always finish himself off, that he offered the girls quaaludes, that his sons shared a bedroom with one of the girlfriends, that he pitted the women against each other constantly, that he paid for plastic surgery and that he instituted a strict 9 p.m. curfew.

‘Brave’ by Rose McGowan

Charmed actress Rose McGowan released a memoir, Brave, that not only detailed the emotional abuse she suffered on set but also her alleged sexual assault by Harvey Weinstein. The memoir is raw and honest, and it doesn’t hold back any details.

“My life, as you will read, has taken me from one cult to another,” McGowan writes of the book. “Brave is the story of how I fought my way out of these cults and reclaimed my life. I want to help you do the same.”

‘High on Arrival’ by Mackenzie Phillips

It was common knowledge that this former TV star lost her career because of her drug use. What no one knew — and what shocked both the world and her family — is that she was involved in what she described as a consensual incestuous sexual relationship with her father, John Phillips of the group The Mamas and the Papas, for over a decade. 

In the book, she reveals the abuse and that it only ended after she had an abortion, because she didn’t know if her father or her boyfriend had gotten her pregnant.

‘This Is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today’ by Chrissy Metz

This Is Us star Chrissy Metz details her childhood struggles, including a physically abusive parent, and lifelong “humiliation” over her weight — all the way up to the revelation at age 30 that she calls the turning point of her life. 

‘Coreyography’ by Corey Feldman

If you’re thinking of sending your kid to Hollywood, read this first. 

Feldman’s tell-all makes the top of our list. He details not only his own abuse at the hands of his parents but also the sexual abuse suffered by his best friend, Corey Haim, and other child stars and an environment full of hard drugs being pushed on young teens.

‘Growing Up in the Jackson Family’ by LaToya Jackson

In her all-encompassing memoir, LaToya Jackson accused her father of abusing all the Jackson kids and her mother allowing it to happen. Plus, she claimed her brother Jackie had an affair with Paula Abdul, and when his wife found out, she tied her to a chair to interrogate her, and that Phil Spector basically tried to kidnap her. 

But the ish really hit the fan when LaToya alleged that her father, Joe, sexually abused both her and her sister, Rebbie — a charge she later recanted, saying her husband at the time forced her to make the claims to drive book sales.

‘All That Is Bitter and Sweet’ by Ashley Judd

When Naomi Judd said her family put the “fun” in “dysfunction,” she wasn’t kidding, as her daughter Ashley revealed in her memoir. Naomi’s relationship with an abusive heroin addict and her habit of deserting her kids for days at a time and Ashley’s three sexual assaults, depression that left her so debilitated she contemplated suicide, incest, and living without basics like electricity and running water are all fodder for this revealing look into the actor’s childhood.

‘Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass’ by Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey’s poetry collection is a moody, musical exploration of art, sex, love, fame, ideas — all of Lana’s favorite topics. “They are eclectic and honest and not trying to be anything other than what they are and for that reason I’m proud of them, especially because the spirit in which they were written was very authentic,” the singer says of the book.