
Did your favourite celebrity memoir make the list?
The love I have for a celebrity memoir knows no bounds. There's something so fascinating about delving into their lavish worlds and learning more about the stars of our favourite TV shows, the actors in award-winning movies, and the singers we listen to on repeat every day.
There are a LOT of celebrity memoirs out there, but we've put together a list of our favourite six, and they're the perfect books to read over the Christmas holidays. If you've grown tired of watching Christmas movies, then why not pick up one of these books from your local bookshop and delve into it over the holidays?
Quite by Claudia Winkleman
The Traitors and Strictly Come Dancing presenter penned quite the witty and charming memoir back in 2021, and it's a book I think about a lot. There's something so endearing and warm about Winkleman's writing in Quite. Claudia invites us all into her world. She shares her observations on topics such as the importance of melted cheese, why black coats are vital, how it’s never okay to have sex with someone who has an opinion on your date outfit, how nurses are our most precious national treasure, and why colourful clothing is only for the under 10s (if you’re reading this sporting a bright red jumper and you’re 9, great! If you’re older, sorry).
The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop
Gilmore Girls has always been my number one comfort show. It always makes me feel reassured and calm, so hearing Kelly Bishop had penned a memoir was like music to my ears. Emily Gilmore is an iconic character in pop culture, but the woman behind the character is even more legendary.
Bishop reflects on her remarkable life and looks towards the future, sharing some of her greatest stories and the life lessons she has learned. From her early transition from dance to drama, to marrying young to a compulsive gambler, to the losses and achievements she experienced – among them marching for women’s rights and losing her second husband to cancer – Bishop offers a rich, genuine celebration of her life.
She also opens up about her charming friendship with her on-screen husband, Edward Herrmann, which is the true highlight of the book.
Buy the Kindle version here.
My Thoughts Exactly by Lily Allen
If there's one celebrity memoir that hooked me from the very first page, then it's got to be Lily Allen's.
Now is the perfect time to read Lily Allen's brutally honest memoir. Following the success of West End Girl, you'll appreciate her honesty even more in this eye-opening memoir.
It is both witty and heartbreaking, and incredibly real, and one celebrity memoir that you won't forget about, even long after reading the final page.
'So, this is me. Lily Allen.
'I am a mother, and I was a wife. I'm also a singer and a songwriter. I have loved and been let down. I've been stalked and assaulted. I am a success and a failure. I've been broken and full of hope. I am all these things and more.
'I'm telling my truth because when women share their stories, loudly and clearly and honestly, things begin to change - for the better.
'So, this is my story. These are my thoughts exactly.'
Becoming by Michelle Obama
With 17 million copies being sold worldwide, this is one celebrity memoir you simply can't miss out on.
This is a mesmerising and beautifully honest book from the former First Lady of the United States.
In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerising storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her -- from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world's most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it -- in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations -- and whose story inspires us to do the same.
Rememberings by Sinéad O'Connor
One memoir we're so very grateful to have.
In her bestselling memoir Rememberings, O'Connor told her story - the heartache of growing up in a family falling apart; her early forays into the Dublin music scene; her adventures and misadventures in the world of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll; the fulfilment of being a mother; her ongoing spiritual quest - and through it all, her abiding passion for music. Rememberings is intimate, replete with candid anecdotes and full of hard-won insights. It is a unique and remarkable chronicle by a unique and remarkable artist.
Home Work by Julie Andrews
Home Work by Julie Andrews takes away the rose coloured glasses of Hollywood and shows you what life was really like for the legendary actress.
With her trademark charm and candour, Julie reveals behind-the-scenes details and reflections on her impressive body of work - from the incredible highs to the challenging lows. She shares her professional experiences and collaborations with giants of cinema and television, and also unveils her personal story of adjusting to a new and often daunting world. This included dealing with unimaginable public scrutiny, being a new mother, embracing two stepchildren, adopting two more children, and falling in love with the brilliant and mercurial Blake Edwards.
Buy the Kindle version here.