Celebrities are an anomaly in the truest sense of the word. It’s because the world sees them only how they want to show themselves. Because apart from their reel-life persona, would you claim to know how they are in real life? Of course not!
The appeal of knowing about the lives of celebrities is always there, even if you aren’t that much of a fan. To see if they have an equally glamorous life off-screen or if they have the same harrowing ups and downs as you and the rest of the world. To get to know them intimately enough that it feels like you’ve solved a mystery. Well, there is one way they pour their heart out to everyone – through their memoirs!
Celebrity memoirs are definitely in vogue in 2023. From Barbra Streisand to Jennette McCurdy, every other celebrity seems to be putting their lives in print. Since there are a lot of famous personalities hopping on the trend, here is a handpicked list of seven celebrity memoirs you shouldn’t miss. These stories may be full of bad experiences and traumas, but they also tell you to have hope and to accept yourself!
-
Spare – Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex
Published: January 10, 2023.
2023 started with a bang when The Duke of Sussex told his story in his memoir, Spare. Released at the start of the year, the book talks about his childhood as the spare, second-born son of the royal family. In fact, Charles, his father, made it clear that Harry was born only in case the father needed any medical help. He also sheds light on his relationships with the royal family, as well as how devastating it was to lose his mother.
His teenage years were as rebellious as one can imagine, from losing his virginity in a field to doing drugs and getting wasted. The book gets even person, as Harry talks about his and his brother’s thoughts on Camilla, which are unsurprisingly negative. A chunk of his book is dedicated to his wife, Meghan Markle, giving an inside view of the very public controversy against their marriage.
His memoir, ghostwritten by J.R. Moehringer, is brutally honest, showing the functioning of the royal family in a new light. Even then, his tone is humorous, with subtle self-deprecation and creative storytelling visible on every page. He treats this book like his diary, recording his experience in hopes the readers will see him as the good guy. Though that is for each and every one of you to decide.
-
Love, Pamela – Pamela Anderson
Published: January 31, 2023.
The popular show Baywatch gave Pamela Anderson the kind of fame most people just keep wishing for. She quickly became the global sex symbol in the 90s, even appearing on Playboy covers from time to time. She chronicles her celebrity life, especially her vivid experiences of the 80s and 90s in Love, Pamela.
The memoir talks about her childhood at length, recounting the trauma she faced at the hands of strangers and loved ones. To escape this, she often lets herself disconnect from reality and jump into an imaginary world. Bad experiences after bad experiences stopped only after she became a Playmate in 1989, saving her from going downhill wholly. The life she recounts is eerily unglamorous, leaving the readers marvelling at how strong Anderson is.
The text familiarizes you with her personality – she is an art lover, supports refugee organizations and does everything to protect nature. Another thing that shines through is her creativity, as seen in the little verses sprinkled in the story. In fact, her entire memoir is crafted in a way that makes you experience her emotions more intensely.
Love, Pamela is Anderson’s way to break out of the box the world has squashed her in for so long. And it is absolutely worth reading!
-
Paris: The Memoir – Paris Hilton
Published: March 14, 2023
Paris Hilton has done it all, from modelling and acting to making a mobile game and experiencing a leaked sex tape. She is the original nepo baby, known for being famous for being famous. But how ever she may be, everyone can agree she knows how to play the media to make her businesses successful.
She dropped her memoir, simply named Paris: The Memoir, earlier this year, regaling the world with her life’s details. While there are diamonds, shiny dresses and celebrity parties, the book focuses on the difficult parts of someone with ADHD. She talks about a brief relationship with her teacher when she was in eighth grade, how she was raped by a stranger, and the abuse she faced in the boarding school. The memoir also shows how Demi Lovato’s documentary helped Hilton to open up about her boarding school experience. Or her decision to abort when she was with Jason Shaw.
These snippets are enough to let the readers know that one can never know what goes on in celebrities’ lives off-camera. But here is Hilton, opening up her heart in an attempt to tell everyone she’s a human. The memoir is confident, dramatic, and revealing, taking the readers on a wild ride!
-
Chita: A Memoir – Chita Rivera
Published: April 25, 2023.
Broadway musical fans already know Chita Rivera as Anita from West Side Story and Velma Kelly from Chicago. Three times Tony Award winner and the first Latina to get the Kennedy Center Honor, Chita is headstrong, fierce, and unapologetic. You can read about all these shades of her in her autobiography, Chita: A Memoir.
The book dives into the off-stage life of the actress, full of hurdles and wins, of gossip and drama, and of emotions and creativity. There’s a brief peek into her career as a dancer before she went on to command the stage with her mighty presence. We sit alongside her in the workrooms and enjoy the rehearsal with her and her celebrity co-stars. As you can imagine, many celebrities appear here, including Bob Fosse, Liza Minelli, Jerome Robbins, Judy Garland, and Paul Lynde.
Chita also divulges her vibrant heritage and her childhood, which has shaped her into who she is today. This hell of a colourful memoir is something you shouldn’t miss out on, especially if you are a Broadway or Chita fan!
-
Pageboy: A Memoir – Elliot Page
Published: June 6, 2023.
Elliot Page (formerly Ellen Page) is one of the best actors in the industry, with tons of accolades on his head. This Juno star recently published his own memoir, titled Pageboy: A Memoir, in June. It talks about intimate details about Elliot’s life, from secret love affairs to his experience of coming out as a trans man.
The memoir employs a nonlinear structure, with the narrative jumping back and forth in his life. It will make many of you confused, but this structure is deliberate. It combines similar experiences to make the story punch reactions out of you. And it will because it deals with very heavy themes, including homophobia, sexual assaults, violence, and an eating disorder. In fact, this book is a sum of trigger warnings, so only proceed if you can handle such topics.
Pageboy also documents genuine self-healing on his part; you can see he is actively working on his issues. Moreover, thanks to its unique narrative, it feels like Elliot is sitting beside you and calmly recounting his life. And it is heart-wrenchingly beautiful!
-
Worthy – Jada Pinkett Smith
To be published: October 17, 2023.
Jada Pinkett Smith is an actress, talk show host and, more importantly, the wife of Will Smith. There have been many speculations surrounding her marriage, including the suspicions of an open marriage, problematic parenting style, and the oh-so-famous Oscar slap. She opens up about all these issues in her memoir, Worthy, all set to release in October.
The book is a record of her life, from her rebellious youth to her deep romance with Tupac Shakur. The memoir also chronicles her life as the wife and mother of the Smith family. She gives her firm answers to the rumours and controversies surrounding them, effectively shutting them up! Jada also ventures into the time when she felt suicidally depressed and her battle to rise above her depression. She details her journey of spiritual and self-love, giving her experiences a hopeful ending.
The book paints the rawest image of Jada, showing how her life is not always bells and whistles. But she also assures that how hard your life may seem, you will make it! Who wouldn’t want to read a memoir as inspiring as that?
-
The Woman in Me – Britney Spears
To be published: October 24, 2023.
Britney Spears is a household name, having been in the spotlight since her teenage years. This Princess of Pop has gone through a lot, including the forced conservatorship on her for more than a decade. The struggle she had gone through is all memorialized in her book, The Woman in Me. Britney breaks her silence on her life – as a pop star, as a mother, and as a person treated wrongfully for years.
It is yet to be released, but in Britney’s own words, it is a story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope. While there are anecdotes that are remarkably humorous, the book also offers the unfiltered version of key events of the singer’s life. That includes the period of conservatorship, her fight to end it, her marriage and separation from Sam Asghari, and her motherhood.
The world has waited for so long for Britney’s truth. And now that it’s here, readers and fans have managed to make it Amazon’s top bestseller. Even before its publication!
Final Words
Prince Harry kickstarted the year with his memoir – and as you can see, it didn’t take long for other celebrities to follow him. These memoirs talk about triumph over hardships and, amidst it all, how important it is to stay true to yourself. This underlying message is also why readers gobble up celebrity memoirs so quickly!
