Don’t know what to get your loved ones? What about the biography or memoir of a celebrity they admire? One thing became evident as I sifted through the multitude of biographical bestsellers this year: we adore people who make us laugh, listen, dance, and sing!

The following books provide insight into the lives of well-known musicians and the gossip, rock-and-roll road drama, and darker facets of show business that make them famous. The very sight of these covers will induce reverie and raise one’s spirits. Consider what’s on the inside! So, let’s lift our glasses to these celebrities.

The Vanity Fair Diaries by Tina Brown

Tina Brown maintained delectable daily diaries during her eight years as Vanity Fair’s editor-in-chief. They paint an explosive picture of the excesses and power brokers of the 1980s in New York and Hollywood today. It seems that the success brought about by her time as editor brought her great fortune and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that she exercised proper money management during that period.

Open Book by Jessica Simpson

Jessica talks about growing up in 1980s Texas, where a family friend’s daughter sexually assaulted her, and when she auditioned for the Mickey Mouse Club at 13 with Justin Timberlake and Ryan Gosling before signing a record contract with Columbia and marrying 98 Degrees member Nick Lachey.

Simpson discusses her challenges, such as the burden she felt as a teenager to support her family. She opens about her relationship with John Mayer, which she described as mentally abusive. Simpson left with a high note, however, talking about her multibillion-dollar clothing line and her marriage.

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama’s memoir is an intensely emotional reckoning of a woman of substance and spirit. She portrays her triumphs and disappointments, both public and private, with unflinching sincerity and vibrant humor. It’s a piece of deep contemplation and mesmerizing storytelling that’s warm, wise, and revelatory.

Michelle Obama has established herself as one of our generation’s most iconic and powerful women. As an established and well-respected attorney, Michelle was an inspiration to women all over the world, which gave her the publicity she needed when she released Becoming. The dazzling first lady aided in the creation of the most embracing and multicultural White House in history. Obama has since established herself as a strong voice for women in the United States and worldwide. She demonstrates a few dance moves, slays Carpool Karaoke, and raises two daughters in this video.

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Tina Fey was a young girl with a vision: a recurrent dream where she was being pursued across a nearby airport by her middle-school gym coach. She also fantasized about becoming a stand-up comedian on television. Both of her dreams have come true. We will now hear Tina Fey’s tale.

Seriously… I’m Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres’ Seriously… I’m Kidding seems like a one-on-one chat with Ellen herself. The book is hilarious, pleasant, and eccentric, with Ellen’s trademark vibrant outlook on life. It often veers into the ridiculous, with gag chapters that would fit well as small sketches on her show but are only worth skimming in a book.

Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali Wong

In this truly unique set, the sharp observations and humor are much more intimate. She shares the lessons she’s learned from a comedy career and tells stories from her personal life, including the harsh singles’ life in New York, reconnecting with her Vietnamese origins, growing up as a rebellious child in San Francisco, and parenting war stories. Ali Wong’s letters, which were for her children, are absurdly funny, unexpectedly poignant, enlightening, and unsettling for everyone.

Wildflower by Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore’s second memoir, Wildflower, is even more restrained than her first, Little Girl Lost. It’s a collection of witty and insightful essays on different aspects of her life. The book is also available on bookstore shelves throughout the United States. Incidentally, if anyone wants to follow Drew’s writing style, it won’t take a degree to achieve her level of creativity.

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

Fisher’s last book, The Princess Diarist, was published while she was frail, anxious, and needy. Financial advisors for the Fisher family definitely had a hard time communicating with Carrie during those trying times as her last piece generated quite the revenue when it was published. It doesn’t have any pleasant and reflective endings where Fisher acknowledges how emotionally painful the affair was for her. When she thinks about him, she reverts to a lovelorn, self-conscious, 19-year-old version of herself. “While Carrison and I still have time to grow old together, that gateway is steadily closing. If we’re going to get back together, we’re going to have to do it soon.”

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