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Amazon's Prime Day is in full swing and gearing up for the second day of major deals. In addition to sales on headphones, kindles, beauty products, and more, Amazon is also discounting tons of books. To us, summer is the perfect time to pick up a hard copy of a new book—whether you're bringing it to the beach, on a train or plane, or on a camping trip, you won't have to worry about losing battery or dealing with glare.
This year, there are tons of great deals on celebrity memoirs, from the salacious to the jaw-dropping to the truly inspiring. Take this as your opportunity to gain a new perspective on a celebrity in the spotlight—you might find empathy, compassion, joy, and more from these stories about their truths.
Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died is as impressive in form as it is in vulnerability. Beginning with a six-year-old McCurdy’s perspective on acting, art, and her mother, the voice ages up as the memoir unfolds to reveal dark, if not unsurprising, truths about life as a child actor.
Despite the shocking trauma it details, McCurdy’s relationship with her abusive and opportunistic mother is far from the main reason why this book is great—it’s touching because of how honestly the actor shares her experiences, her journey to independence, and how she found her passions after decades of working only to please others.
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The Celeb Chef Read
‘Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly’ by Anthony Bourdain
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The Celeb Chef Read
‘Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly’ by Anthony Bourdain
A brutally honest, hilarious, and crass recount of Bourdain's lifestyle sprinkled with life lessons of how to operate, both inside and outside of the kitchen. Kitchen Confidential is a super fun read about the good, the bad, and the ugly of restaurant culture.
It's been three years since we listened to this memoir (narrated by Simpson herself!) and there are still some juicy details that pop into our heads about once a month. It’s Simpson’s story (from her point of view, for once), plus lots of Hollywood and music biz gossip.
Released in 2016, The Princess Diarist is a memoir based on the diaries Carrie Fisher kept while filming the Star Wars trilogy. She makes some shocking revelations in the book, and ultimately details what it was like as a young actress working on one of the most famous movie sets of all time.
A top pick in Oprah's Book Club and a New York Times best-seller, Finding Me by Viola Davis is an exploration of both struggle and success.
Davis herself described the book like this: “In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life-changing decision to stop running forever.”
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For Marvel Fans
‘We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story’ by Simu Liu
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For Marvel Fans
‘We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story’ by Simu Liu
Liu is the star of Marvel's first Asian superhero movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and with that came a new level of fame. His first memoir details his family's journey from China, adjusting to life as a movie star, and ultimately finding his own way.
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Vulnerable and Funny
‘Baggage: Tales from a Fully Packed Life’ by Alan Cumming
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Vulnerable and Funny
‘Baggage: Tales from a Fully Packed Life’ by Alan Cumming
Alan Cumming's second book, Baggage, explores happiness, how you never really recover from your past, and his life in Hollywood.
Cumming writes, “But in everything, each failed relationship or encounter with a legend... in every bad decision or moment of sensual joy I have endeavored to show what I have learned and how I’ve become who I am today: a happy, flawed, vulnerable, fearless middle-aged man, with a lot of baggage.”
One of the most anticipated memoirs of all time, Prince Harry'sSpare is his opportunity to tell his own story—about being in the public eye, his mother's death, and the treatment of his wife, Meghan Markle. It's honest and drops many truth bombs.
In 2018, Michelle Obama published her critically acclaimed memoir, Becoming. In her own words, she describes writing the book as a “deeply personal experience” and hopes that her words can inspire and encourage readers to “find the courage to become whoever they aspire to be.”
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Perfect for Summer
‘Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)’ by Mindy Kaling
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Perfect for Summer
‘Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)’ by Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling's memoir is not your typical memoir—in a good way. Rather than a full accounts of her life and career, Kaling tells her story through short stories, essays, and photos. It's light, fun, and a good summer read.
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