20 Best Celebrity Memoirs

By Andre Agassi

Agassi may have been the best tennis player in the world but he hated tennis. Groomed to be an elite tennis player from the time he was just a small child, Agassi grew up in the sport but also grew to resent it, as well as the money and fame it brought. He writes (with the the help of a fantastic ghost writer) very candidly and his story is both moving and insightful.

The contrast between Agassi's public success and his private struggles was eye opening and I've returned to passages in his book time and again. One of my all time favorite memoirs!

By Viola Davis

Wow! This book blew me away! From a childhood of extreme poverty to a celebrated acting career, I loved this memoir. It's a brilliant and strikingly honest account of a life riddled with hardship (racism, sexual assault, alcoholism) and a true testament of Davis's resilience and spirit. I highly recommend this celebrity memoir!

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Author

By Stanley Tucci

I definitely have a celebrity crush on Stanley Tucci and this audiobook only encouraged it. He's funny, he cooks, he acts, and he's adorable. I loved hearing about his childhood growing up in an Italian-American family, his acting career, and especially all the food!

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Author

By Jessica Simpson

This book surprised me in the best way! I only knew Jessica Simpson from her show Newlyweds and I wasn't a big fan. But, like most people, there's so much more to her story.

In Open Book, she has a lot to say about fame, about the men that defined her for so much of her life, and about the appropriation of female bodies. She's been the preacher's daughter, the music industry's "sexy barbie," and television's blonde airhead, but in this memoir, Jessica is a brave and honest truth teller. 

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Author

By Rosie O'Donnell

This is not a typical celebrity memoir but it was absolutely gripping! During the time that her talk-show was at its peak, Rosie O'Donnell connected with an abused and pregnant teen and tried to help her through a difficult time. But, as Rosie's friends and family kept warning, something about the situation seemed off. Rosie takes readers through her own past to help explain how she ended up in such a tricky situation with a troubled person. O'Donnell is both vulnerable and introspective and I was very moved by this unique memoir.

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Author

By Prince Harry

I was so excited about this celebrity memoir that I started the audiobook (read by Prince Harry!) the day it released and I loved every single minute of it. Interestingly, Harry worked with the same ghostwriter as Andre Agassi, and both are phenomenal memoirs.

Also, Harry sings in the audiobook version and it will melt your heart!

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Author

By Lauren Graham

I'm a big Gilmore Girls fan, but even if I wasn't, I think I would have loved this celebrity memoir. Lauren Graham is so charming! It's lighthearted, witty, and a delight to listen to on audiobook.

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Author

By Lisa Brennan-Jobs

This is more celebrity-adjacent, because the author isn't the celebrity but her father, Steve Jobs, was. This is an excellent memoir about growing up with a Silicon Valley superstar and a complex father-daughter relationship.

By Will Smith and Mark Manson

I grew up watching Fresh Prince and I've always been a Will Smith fan! This memoir is AMAZING as an audiobook because it includes lot's of music and is refreshingly introspective. I absolutely loved this one and highly recommend it.

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Author

By Michelle Obama

Follow Michelle through her childhood, law school, meeting Barack, motherhood, and eight years in the White House. Her story is so powerful and I loved getting to see how she balanced motherhood, marriage, and career. This book has sold over 10 million copies, so you don't need me to tell you it's amazing!

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Author

By Barack Obama

You may not think that a presidential memoir could be riveting, but I promise you, this is a truly captivating book! I listened to the former president read it on audiobook and I thought it was beautifully done.

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Author

By Trevor Noah

I listened to this one on a long drive and it was the best company - it had me laughing out loud over and over again. It begins with his childhood in South Africa and how he found his way into a career in comedy. I highly recommend this fun memoir!

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Author

By Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey

I have mixed feelings about The Office, but only love for this fun book. If you're a fan of the show, and even if you're not, this is a really enjoyable behind-the-scenes memoir.

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Authors

By George Takei, Justin Eisinger, & Steven Scott | Illustrated by Harmony Becker

This celebrity memoir is a graphic novel and it's phenomenal! George Takei, best known for his role in Star Trek, tells about his childhood experiences in a Japanese internment camp in 1942 and how it played a role in his later life and acting career.

By Tom Felton

Tom is so funny, down-to-earth, and likeable in this memoir that I kept forgetting that he played Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter's arch nemesis. Very fun to listen to on audiobook.

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Author

By Anthony Bourdain

Having never worked in the restaurant world, I had no idea just how gritty it is! Sex, drugs, food and it's all riveting. I read a paperback version of this, but I've heard the audiobook is excellent too.

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Author

By Julia Child and Alex Prud'homme

I love Julia Child! This is a really interesting look at the Cold War, the Cordon Bleu, and how a lot of failure led to Julia's ultimate success.

By Alan Cummings

This is an incredibly vulnerable memoir about growing up with a controlling and abusive father and how Cummings learned to overcome that abuse. It's a powerful memoir that digs deep. Highly recommend this one!

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Author

By Hillary Clinton

The 2016 election was shocking and unexpected to many, but especially to Hillary Clinton. This is her account of what happened and how she felt. I loved it!

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Author

By Patti Smith

This National Book Award winner takes readers on a wild ride through the 1960s and 70s. Admittedly, I knew nothing about Patti Smith or her music before reading this, but it was captivating anyway.

Excellent Audiobook Read by the Author