The 20 best books written by celebrities

Eddie Huang’s Fresh off the Boat: A Memoir is notably the basis for the hit sitcom Fresh off the Boat. The book, like the later series, explores what it was like for Huang to be raised as a first-generation American (his parents are immigrants from Taiwan). Huang certainly doesn’t pull any punches in his prose, and in his provocation, he clearly means for his reader to think differently about the immigrant experience in the United States. It is also quite funny, so it’s easy to see why it became the basis for a sitcom.

Billy Porter has been a steadfast presence on the stage and screen for several decades, but it wasn’t until he starred in Pose that he really catapulted to superstardom. In Unprotected, he writes about the many contradictions of his life and upbringing, particularly the way that his religious upbringing inculcated his love for performance, even though his church was deeply homophobic. In Porter’s beautiful voice, his life story comes to life in a way that is powerful, bracing, and, above all, a portrait of a truly remarkable artist.

Elliot Page bares his soul in Pageboy, his memoir, published in 2023. Though it is not told chronologically, the book nevertheless shines valuable and brutal insight into Page’s journey, particularly as it concerns his trans identity. This is one of those books that is truly evocative, and the prose draws the viewer in and doesn’t let go. It can be, at times, a difficult read, but this is precisely what makes it so necessary and what gives Page’s story its extraordinary and inspiring power.

Viola Davis is one of the most acclaimed actresses of her generation, having achieved success on film, stage, and television. Davis pulls no punches when it comes to her discussion of the racism that is such an endemic part of both America and the entertainment industry. Davis also recorded the audiobook version of her work. When one hears her voice deliver the extraordinary story of her life, it takes the emotional power of this memoir to an entirely different level. This is a book that, once read, is never forgotten.

Like many other actresses from the 1990s, Pamela Anderson has had to endure quite a lot of unpleasant media scrutiny. Nevertheless, she has repeatedly proved to be a survivor, and in Love, Pamela, she bares her soul to the reader. At long last, after having so many others control the narrative of her life, she gets the chance to give her perspective. It’s a very frank and vulnerable book, and it gives the reader a renewed appreciation for Anderson’s remarkable talents.

In I’ll Have What She’s Having, Chelsea Handler brings her trademark wit and scathing humor to her life. The book is filled with various stories and anecdotes of her life, both before and after she made it to Hollywood. It’s one of those rare celebrity books that is actually honest, which is very much in keeping with Handler’s approach to stardom. It’s precisely Handler’s refusal to follow the formula for books of this type that makes it so refreshing and very enjoyable.

Matthew McConaughey has certainly had a fascinating career in Hollywood, and he has repeatedly shown himself to be remarkably versatile, appearing in everything from rom-coms to science fiction. In Greenlights, he treats the reader to a collection of stories, poetry, and philosophy, and while some of it can be a bit cringey (particularly the poetry), it’s also clear that this was a project that was near and dear to his heart. The audiobook version of the story is particularly enjoyable because McConaughey narrates himself.

Thanks to her roles in such beloved films as Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, Julie Andrews remains one of her generation's most beloved musical stars. In Home: A Memoir of My Early Life, she invites readers into some of the darker and more disturbing aspects of her childhood. There’s a power and poignant honesty to Andrews’ words, and reading about her life and her struggles and joys gives one a renewed appreciation of the remarkable performances that she has given throughout her career.

Leah Remini has made no secret of her antipathy toward Scientology, the faith in which she was raised. In Troublemaker, she pulls no punches, and it’s extraordinary to read the account of someone who was a major proponent of the religion before leaving it in a very public way. Given the enormous influence and power of the Church of Scientology, Remini’s decision to publish it is even more extraordinary, and a brave and powerful and unsparing voice, she shows readers the many aspects of the faith that the Church would much rather keep hidden.

In addition to being one of the most successful female recording artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Britney Spears has been famous (or infamous) for her struggles with mental health. In The Woman in Me, she finally gets to speak her own truth and her own experiences. Among other things, it allows the reader to get a better, fuller picture of both her experiences as a child star as well as her various struggles with mental health over the years. It’s thus a necessary corrective to the dominant media conversation around her career. 

The title of Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime stems from the fact that interracial marriages were illegal in South Africa when he was born. It’s a beautifully written and starkly honest book, one that doesn’t shy away from some of the more unpleasant aspects of Noah’s upbringing but also has moments of joy and tenderness. In particular, it’s worth reading for the remarkable esteem and respect in which Noah holds his mother, who clearly exerted a very strong influence on her son’s life and later career.

No one does comedy quite like Tina Fey, and her trademark wry humor is very much evidenced in her book, Bossypants. The book, particularly the audiobook version, is trademark Fey, filled with wit and her observations about the entertainment industry and the place of women, particularly herself, in it. Fey’s skills as a writer are much evidenced in the book, and it’s one of those books that is both a pleasure to read and a pleasure to listen to, showcasing Fey’s many different talents. 

In Pieces is a rare celebrity book that was written by its subject rather than by a ghostwriter. As a result, the book has remarkable power and poignancy, and it says a great deal about Field and that she is able and willing to be so vulnerable on the page. Like other books in the genre, it gives the reader a more nuanced and rich appreciation of her performances, and it’s easy to see why she remains such a beloved presence on the screen.

Few musicians have had quite the career that Elton John has had. His career, spanning from the 1970s to the present, has produced numerous albums, philanthropic efforts, and no small number of spats and feuds with fellow musicians. John bares it all in the suitably titled Me, and he is remarkably forthright about some of his less palatable personality traits. The book is a fascinating portrait of an artist who has had more than his fair share of struggles, even it also sheds light on his musical genius and his productive partnership with his lyricist, Bernie Taupin.

Matthew Perry was undoubtedly a giant when it came to comedy, thanks in no small part to his starring role on Friends. There’s a powerful and raw honesty to Perry’s prose, in which he writes about both his professional life and personal relationships as well as, notably, his frequent struggles with addiction. Though he would die just a year after the book’s 2022 release, his memoir stands as a testament to his warmth and generosity of spirit, as well as his unparalleled ability to engage in self-reflection. 

Few celebrity books have been as hard-hitting as I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. As one might gather from the title, much of the book focuses on McCurdy’s deeply fraught relationship with her mother, who abused her daughter in an attempt to gain the fame that she so desperately craved. In addition to reflecting McCurdy’s own struggles in the toxic environment of Hollywood, it also demonstrates the extent to which the industry far too often victimizes young people, robbing them of their agency.  

The late Carrie Fisher had a legendary career. Like many other stars, she was Hollywood royalty, but she was also no stranger to struggles, particularly when it came to substance abuse. The Princess Diarist,  her third and final autobiography, is frank and honest, particularly about her affair with a much older Harrison Ford. The fact that Fisher died the same year the book was released (2016) grants it an extra layer of poignancy, and one can’t help but admire her honesty, authenticity, and vulnerability.

Barbra Streisand is, by any measure, a true entertainment legend, having achieved success on screen, in music, and on the stage. In the sprawling book My Name is Barbra, published in 2023, she offers reflections and behind-the-scenes glimpses of her remarkable career. Among other things, readers learn about fashion, her adoration of baked potatoes, and her relationships and dynamics with her various co-stars. This celebrity memoir is far more than just a bit of self-aggrandizement; instead, it is genuinely revealing. 

Jane Fonda has had both a remarkable life and a remarkable career. A member of Hollywood royalty, she has nevertheless charted her own path, including her noted (and sometimes notorious) activism. My Life So Far, published in 2005, gave readers the chance to hear from Fonda herself. It’s a remarkably self-reflective book, demonstrating the extent to which Fonda, still going strong well into her 80s, is one of the most thoughtful and talented actresses of her generation.

Few public figures are quite as beloved as former First Lady Michelle Obama. Reading her book, Becoming, it’s easy to see why. The book has a refreshing and sometimes bracing honesty, and it’s revelatory to see Obama stepping out from her husband’s shadow and speaking her own mind. It’s also a book that gives the reader hope in America and the American experiment, and it is arguably one of the best books to have been written by a First Lady.