The time for beach chairs and poolside lounging has arrived and you find yourself lacking a summer book. You could read the entire Harry Potter series again, but I challenge you to go beyond your comfort zone. In these newly-released celebrity autobiographies, stars share the good, bad and the ugly that has marked their claims to fame in various fields.
The Rainbow Comes and Goes, Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt
You know Anderson Cooper for his distinguished journalism career and most recent news show on CNN, Anderson Cooper 360°. His mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, is a famous actress, artist and model, not to mention heiress to the Vanderbilt family fortune. Despite these glaring accomplishments, the famous mother-son duo strays from their established pedigree in this memoir. An apothecary, the book depicts a year-long correspondence between the mother and son on issues of life, love and loss. The emotional and humorous interplay between the two gives the reader a glimpse of the undeniable bond that has resonated despite their hectic careers.
My Voice, Angela Martinez
Known as the “Voice of New York” for her careers as a rapper and radio personality, Angie Martinez tells the story of her rise to the acclaimed status of hip-hop icon. Working her way up from answering hot lines at the age of 16 to conquering the radio waves on stations like Power 105.1 and New York’s Hot 97, an eager Martinez quickly mastered the ins and outs of radio. Sharing some of her best kept secrets after conducting controversial interviews with the biggest names in music, My Voice chronicles Martinez’s role in sustaining urban radio culture.
Every Little Step, Bobby Brown
After years in the limelight as the subject of public gossip and speculation, R&B and hip-hop artist Bobby Brown has finally decided to tell his own story. His autobiography follows the peaks and pits that have characterized Brown’s career alongside distressing life experiences, such as the heart wrenching loss of his daughter and public relationship with Whitney Houston.
Boys in the Trees, Carly Simon
Bronx born singer and songwriter Carly Simon reflects on her progression from performing folk songs with her sister to recording 13 Top 40 US hits, namely the #1 song “You’re So Vain.” In recalling her childhood, she reveals familial and romantic entanglements that acted as inspiration for many of her songs. By baring her soul as she does in this memoir, Simon symbolizes the raw humanity that underlies stardom.
My Journey, Donna Karan
Long Island raised fashion designer Donna Karan shares the intimate details of her life beyond the showroom. Karan was born into the fashion industry, her father a tailor and mother a model, yet her successful launch of the Donna Karan label did not come easy. Read about Karan’s tumultuous triumphs and downfalls that make her a professional and personal role model for women aspiring to achieve their wildest dreams.
Why Not Me?, Mindy Kaling
Following the success of her bestselling book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy Kaling explores the need to find excitement and pleasure in her adult life. Her collection of essays humorously criticize Hollywood’s picture perfect expectations, reveal personal relationship spoilers and acknowledge her own anxieties surrounding her progression through adulthood. Kaling motivates readers to power through life’s most awkward transition stages.
M Train, Patti Smith
After winning the National Book Award for Just Kids, singer-songwriter and poet Patti Smith depicts her life as she travels through a series of social hubs, ranging from hole-in-the-wall cafés to subway stations. Her travels bring her all over the globe to places like Mexico and Iceland, while also focusing on her intimate relationship with New York (including a special Long Island shout out to a seaside bungalow in Far Rockaway that she inhabited just before Hurricane Sandy). By depicting her day-to-day, Smith invites readers into the thought processes behind her literary craft.
Shoe Dog, Phil Knight
For the first time ever, Nike founder and board chairman Phil Knight discusses the uprising of his multi-national corporation that changed the face of athletic apparel. Knight shares his ambitions as a young business school graduate, the inception of Nike’s concept and each of the fundamental relationships that helped build the brand along the way. Learn of the company’s early days and the mystical man that hid behind the swoosh…until now.
Stay tuned for the following autobiographies soon to be released by Long Island raised celebs:
Nevertheless, Alec Baldwin
The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo, Amy Schumer
I Hate Everyone Except You, Clinton Kelly