Top 10 Celebrity Biographies, Autobiographies and Memoirs

Top 10 Celebrity Biographies, Autobiographies and Memoirs

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Get ready for the very best “tell-all” tales and dirty little secrets the stars have to offer. Join MsMojo as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Celebrity Biographies, Autobiographies and Memoirs. For this list, we’re looking at the juiciest and/or most satisfying books that take us inside the lives of celebrities and other well-known individuals. They can be sports figures, musicians, actors or TV personalities… they just need to be famous. The only celebrities we’re excluding are comedians - considering “books written by comedians” have gotten particularly popular in recent years, they warrant a list of their very own.

#10: “Little Girl Lost” (1990) Drew Barrymore with Todd Gold

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In Tinseltown, there’s no shortage of lost childhoods. The life of a child star comes at the expense of many formative experiences every kid should get to have. “Little Girl Lost” isa testament not only to the wild world of showbiz, but also the fact that no one is immune, not even a little girl. Published in 1990, when Drew Barrymore was just 15 years old, it makes for a shocking read. The 7-year-old girl who stole hearts in “E.T.” was smoking and drinking two years later at the age of 9, before moving on to marijuana at 10 and cocaine at 12. This book was for many young girls in the ‘90s what the movie “Thirteen” was for teens in the 2000s.

Scar Tissue? This book could’ve easily been called “Death Wish”. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have always been known for their wild antics on and off-stage, but no amount of rambunctious behavior can mentally prepare readers for the harsh realities of Anthony Kiedis’ life of substance abuse as documented here. Every successful rehabilitation is followed by relapse. Not even the loss of his friend and fellow founding Chili Pepper, Hillel Slovak, to heroin could keep the frontman clean. Like with Drew Barrymore, “Scar Tissue” revealed Kiedis to have had a very adult childhood and a very drug-fuelled childhood. This memoir adds all new layers of meaning and weight to Kiedis’ lyrics and is a must read for any fan.

#8: “I, Tina” (1986) Tina Turner with Kurt Loder

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Many call her the “Queen of Rock n’ Roll”, and it’s a title she’s more than earned. Tina Turner may have taken her last name from her musical partner and abusive husband, Ike Turner, but her stardom by far eclipses the man with whom she once shared her life. In “I, Tina” she doesn’t shy away from discussing the abuse. She presents it to readers with absolute honesty, acknowledging that at times, she feared him, while simultaneously refusing to paint herself as a victim. The autobiography also chronicles Tina’s comeback and rise to superstardom as a solo artist in the 1980s. The bestselling book was adapted into the critically acclaimed film “What’s Love Got To Do With It” in 1993.

#7: “Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography” (2011) Rob Lowe

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Most teen idols experience a massive fall from grace at some point, but few manage to come back from it. It may have taken Lowe years to recover from the sex tape scandal- a scandal at a time when sex tapes didn't translate to reality TV shows- but he eventually did. “Stories I Only Tell My Friends” is an incredibly appropriate title, considering what life in Malibu was like for an up and coming, good-looking and charming actor in the 1980s. From his childhood in Ohio to his role as a founding member of the Brat Pack, to his more humble adult life as a family man, Rob Lowe’s transformative life story makes for one hell of ride.

#6: “Not That Kind Of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's ‘Learned’” (2014) Lena Dunham

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Lena Dunham isn’t that kind of celebrity author. A successful actress, writer, producer and director, Dunham’s early film work foreshadowed the type of material she’d later explore in her hit series “Girls” - the life of contemporary twenty-somethings presented in the most unglamorous, self-critical of lights. Dunham’s career has been marked by her staunch refusal to adopt the role Hollywood loves to prescribe to young women. Her book is a reflection of that individuality. It’s stirred up a fair amount of controversy, including allegations of sexual assault and her own experience exploring sexuality at the age of seven with her younger sister. But Dunham has rarely avoided controversy, she consistently prioritizes artistic examinations of real life, and this book continues that refreshing form of expression.

In 2004, Bob Dylan released volume one of his planned three-part memoir. But in a very George R.R. Martin-like move, he has kept fans waiting much too long for the next instalment. Although every few years, he clarifies that it is still in the works, over a decade later, the odds aren’t looking good. Had it been another forgettable celebrity biography, it wouldn’t be such a big deal. But “Chronicles” provided tons of new information and insight into the life of the notoriously private musician. And while his experimental prose poetry book “Tarantula” may have been a little alienating for the average reader, the writing in “Chronicles” was met with widespread praise. In fact, it was included on the list of finalists for the National Book Critics Circle Award.

#4: “Not My Father’s Son: A Memoir” (2014) Alan Cumming

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Scottish actor Alan Cumming is a true thespian. While his mainstream movie roles tend to be light-hearted performances, appearing in the likes of “Spy Kids” and “X2: X-Men United”, he has more than earned the respect of his peers in the theater and film industry, with dozens of awards to his credit. In “Not My Father’s Son”, Cumming delves into a childhood filled with psychological abuse and physical violence at the hands of his father. Asked to appear on a television series exploring genealogy, Cumming was later forced to revisit the childhood he has long left behind, and with it, came startling revelations. Cumming is a charming, incredibly intelligent man, and even when sharing the darkest aspects of his past, he manages to find warmth.

Tennis... it’s not exactly the kind of sport you equate with excess, the rockstar lifestyle or bad boys. But the combined antics of Nick Kyrgios, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and the great Andre Agassi, certainly prove otherwise. Agassi was once the world’s No. 1 tennis player, and has been called one of the greatest in the sport’s history. In “Open”, which was co-written by J.R. Moehringer, he reveals his life as one centered around a singular conflict - a tennis-based life,and his deep, lifelong hatred of the game. He takes the reader through a childhood of brutal training, an adolescence of rebellion and shockingly, crystal meth use, and baldness at the height of his career. It’s a harrowing journey that hits you with the same ferocity as Agassi’s legendary returns.

#2: “Life” (2010) Keith Richards with James Fox

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People have joked about Keith Richards’ apparent immortality for decades. Considering the legendary Rolling Stones guitarist has spent most of his adult life tempting fate, it’s particularly funny that he chose to the word “life” as the title for his work. But that’s what makes this such a great read… Keith Richards may have led an unbelievably intense, and often self-destructive life, but there are few who can claim to have done more “living” than him. As much as the book explores his tumultuous life, it gives equal, if not greater, attention to his true passion and calling - music. This uninhibited memoir conveys one simple truth: few have loved making music as passionately as this man. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “My Life So Far” (2005) Jane Fonda “Diary of a Mad Diva” (2014) Joan Rivers “My Story” (1974) Marilyn Monroe “Coreyography: A Memoir” (2013) Corey Feldman “Cash: The Autobiography” (1997) Johnny Cash with Patrick Carr “No Lifeguard on Duty: The Accidental Life of the World's First Supermodel” (2002) Janice Dickinson “Elvis and Me” (1985) Priscilla Presley with Sandra Harmon “Diana: Her True Story” (1992) Andrew Norton

A true pioneer in the world of journalism, Barbara Walters fought to make a name for herself working for an NBC affiliate in the 1950s and became one of the greatest journalists in the history of the industry. In “Audition,” Walters revealed that she quit an early job as a producer due to pressure to marry the boss, talked about Frank Sinatra's 35 year hatred of her, and the political disagreements between The View hosts that led to Rosie O'Donnell's departure. Walters has interviewed the world's most important leaders, musicians, actors and notorious criminals over the years, but found it was always an uphill battle - a life of auditioning for everything she ever wanted. From one of the most captivating individuals to ever step in front of the camera, it’s a fascinating read. Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite book to ever take a look inside the life of a celebrity? For more “tell all” top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.