With summer just around the corner, it will soon be time to relax on the beach or by the pool with a good book. Looking back on the past few books I’ve read, they all have one thing in common: all of them were written by famous people. I have always been curious about the lives of celebrities. How did they get to be so successful? Where did they grow up? What is their typical day like? Even though they live most of their lives under a microscope, there is so much more that we don’t see. From the glamorous to the not so glamorous, I find it all fascinating. Here are a few of my favorite books written by celebs:
1. Bossypants by Tina Fey
Tina Fey has been one of my favorite celebrities ever since I found out she grew up just minutes from my house. We all know her from Saturday Night Live and movies such as Baby Mama, Mean Girls, and Date Night, but the road leading up to all of these wasn’t easy. Bossypants starts off talking about her childhood, and then goes into her college life, improv classes, and SNL days. It finishes with her life as a mom, a writer, and where she wants her career to go in the future. Just about every chapter has a crazy story that will make you LOL. I just started reading Yes Please by her BFF Amy Poelher, who is mentioned throughout the book.
2. Style by Lauren Conrad
This book is a staple for every girl that loves fashion. LC has been a major style icon since her days on Laguna Beach. If you are a girl that wants some help in the fashion department, this is the perfect book for you. It’s divided into three sections: Fashion, Beauty, and Lifestyle. Lauren discusses the essential items every girl should have in her closet as well as giving tips on how to dress for certain occasions. If you like this book, check out her new book Celebrate, where she gives tips on how to plan a party your friends will never forget.
3. Seriously…I’m Kidding by Ellen Degeneres
After watching The Ellen Show religiously for about five years, I think it’s safe to say I am an Ellen super-fan (I even have her name and famous quote “Be kind to one another” tattooed on my arm”). So naturally, I had to read her book. The thing that stands out the most in this book is that when you’re reading it, it sounds like she’s reading it to you. It’s written in the tone of stand-up comedy and it is absolutely hilarious. This book has everything from tales of her childhood to life advice, even a poem. If you are an Ellen fan, which I’m sure you are, I highly recommend this book.
4. Directing Herbert White by James Franco
We all know James Franco as the funny guy who’s best friends with Seth Rogan, but one thing you may not know is that he earned his MFA in writing from Columbia University. Just by watching him in various interviews made me want to know more about him. Directing Herbert White is a collection of abstract poems mostly about his life in the spotlight. A lot of people have reviewed this book as “strange” and even “cringe-worthy”, but others find it artistic and endearing. The great thing about this book is that it is meant to make you think. It’s up to the reader on how they interpret the writings and the air of mystery that makes this book a must-read.
5. Down the Rabbithole by Holly Madison
The whole concept of Playboy has always seemed strange to me. An old man who always has at least six 20-something year old girlfriends that live with him in a giant mansion was not something that I was interested in knowing more about. To be completely honest, I probably wouldn’t even have looked at this book if the cover wasn’t bright pink, but I’m glad I did. A lot of you probably know Holly Madison as Hef’s #1 girlfriend and star of the E! show “Girls Next Door”. This memoir tells Holly’s experiences as a Playboy bunny as well as her career after. Some of the stories from her time at the mansion with Hef are alarming and sometimes just downright abusive. If you’re curious to know more about what happened behind the scenes, definitely check this book out.