My Story - Marilyn Monroe

By Marilyn Monroe

 


Written at the height of her fame but not published until over a decade after her death, this autobiography of actress and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) poignantly recounts her childhood as an unwanted orphan, her early adolescence, her rise in the film industry from bit player to celebrity, and her marriage to Joe DiMaggio. In this intimate account of a very public life, she tells of her first (non-consensual) sexual experience, her romance with the Yankee Clipper, and her prescient vision of herself as "the kind of girl they found dead in the hall bedroom with an empty bottle of sleeping pills in her hand."

The Marilyn in these pages is a revelation: a gifted, intelligent, vulnerable woman who was far more complex than the unwitting sex siren she portrayed on screen. Lavishly illustrated with photos of Marilyn, this special book celebrates the life and career of an American icon―from the unique perspective of the icon herself.

Reviews:

"Marilyn's autobiography poignantly recounts her childhood as an unwanted orphan, her early adolescence, her rise in the film industry from bit player to celebrity, and her marriage to Joe DiMaggio. . . .It’s beautiful & reading it you can almost hear Marilyn’s voice inyour head telling the story." — Fraser Penney, Immortal Marilyn

"Above all, you can 'hear' Marilyn’s voice in these pages. . . .This is not an autobiography, covering Marilyn’s life from birth to that last summer. It is a collection of anecdotes, rambling thoughts, and Marilyn Monroe’s own take on specific events up to the year 1954. . . .Like Marilyn herself, the book ends far too soon." — David Marshall, Marilyn Geek

Marilyn Monroe with Ben Hecht. Taylor Trade, $ (208p) ISBN 978-1589793163

Looking back on the glitz and glamour of Old Hollywood can make you nostalgic for days past. Unlike today when Hollywood actors live their lives on social media and tabloid pages, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the stars were more of a mystery. These fascinating memoirs give us a peek into their private lives and inner thoughts, from their childhoods to the height of their stardom and beyond. You won't find these personal details anywhere else.
 
From a funny man who has led a remarkable life in show business to a beloved actress who was on the scene at the very start of television, here are five exceptional memoirs by Old Hollywood icons.
 
 

All About Me!: My Remarkable Life In Show Business by Mel Brooks


NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • At 95, the legendary Mel Brooks continues to set the standard for comedy across television, film, and the stage. Now he shares his story for the first time in “a wonderful addition to a seminal career” (San Francisco Chronicle), “infused with nostalgia and his signature hilarity” (Parade).

Filled with tales of struggle, achievement, and camaraderie (and dozens of photographs), readers will gain a more personal and deeper understanding of the incredible body of work behind one of the most accomplished and beloved entertainers in history. 

“Laugh-out-loud hilarious and always fascinating, from the great Mel Brooks. What else do you expect from the man who knew Jesus and dated Joan of Arc?” — Billy Crystal

“This marvelous book by the great man himself will give you a mega-dose of sheer reading pleasure. It’s the personal, delightfully revealing life story of a giant comic talent. All About Me! delivers a much-needed, therapeutic supply of full-out laughter.” — Dick Cavett

 

Just As I Am: A Memoir by Cicely Tyson


Just as I Am is my truth. It is me, plain and unvarnished, with the glitter and garland set aside. In these pages, I am indeed Cicely, the actress who has been blessed to grace the stage and screen for six decades. Yet I am also the church girl who once rarely spoke a word. I am the teenager who sought solace in the verses of the old hymn for which this book is named. I am a daughter and a mother, a sister and a friend. I am an observer of human nature and the dreamer of audacious dreams. I am a woman who has hurt as immeasurably as I have loved, a child of God divinely guided by his hand. And here in my ninth decade, I am a woman who, at long last, has something meaningful to say.” — Cicely Tyson

“A parting gift to readers and chronicles an incredible life, lived fully.” — USA Today

“This grand tale of her immense talent and desire to live out loud will resonate with anyone who has a dream.” — O, the Oprah Magazine

 
 

Forever Young: A Memoir by Hayley Mills


NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • Iconic actress Hayley Mills shares personal memories from her storied childhood, growing up in a famous acting family and becoming a Disney child star, trying to grow up in a world that wanted her to stay forever young.

With her regrets, her joys, her difficulties, and her triumphs, this is a compelling read for any fan of classic Disney films and an inside look at a piece of real Hollywood history.

"As charming on the page as she's ever been on the screen. Her memoir touches on growing up in a family of performers, thoughtfully considers life as a child star, and finds honest, often very funny, ways to examine what it means to live in and around the spotlight...Delightful." ― Town & Country

 
 

My Story by Marilyn Monroe

 


Written at the height of her fame but not published until over a decade after her death, this autobiography of actress and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) poignantly recounts her childhood as an unwanted orphan, her early adolescence, her rise in the film industry from bit player to celebrity, and her marriage to Joe DiMaggio.

"It’s beautiful & reading it you can almost hear Marilyn’s voice in your head telling the story." — Fraser Penney, Immortal Marilyn

 

Here We Go Again: My Life In Television by Betty White

 


A memoir of Betty White's first five decades on television—as irreverent and irresistible as the beloved actress herself—filled “with inspiring cheerfulness” (The New York Times).

Betty White first appeared on television in 1949 and went on to have one of the most amazing careers in TV history. She was one of the hardest-working actresses of any era, and her sense of humor and perennial optimism carried her through decades of industry changes and delighted millions of fans.

"[An] entertaining and insightful autobiography.” — Library Journal

Laughter is the best medicine and these comedians know it! For National Humor Month, recognize the therapeutic value of laughter with some of the funniest women to grace stage and screen. Not only will these memoirs make you laugh, you'll get an insight into what it takes to be a woman in the world of comedy, which is no cakewalk. In these collections of essays, anecdotes, and personal stories, the authors impart their wisdom, as well as their sense of humor, on readers.

Bonus: Each of the authors on this list narrate their audiobook, so you can have the pleasure of hearing them share their stories in their own voice, literally.

From Saturday Night Live alums to stars of blockbuster comedy films, here are five hilarious memoirs by funny ladies to read this National Humor Month.

 

Hello, Molly! by Molly Shannon

A candid, compulsively readable, hilarious, and heartbreaking memoir of resilience and redemption by comedic genius Molly Shannon.

Witty, winning, and told with tremendous energy and heart, Hello, Molly!, written with Sean Wilsey, sheds new and revelatory light on the life and work of one of our most talented and free-spirited performers.

"[An] incredibly charming memoir...For every story of loss, of striving, and of doubling down in Hello, Molly!, there is also a determination to find joy and pleasure, to foster community, and to laugh." — Time 

 

Bossypants by Tina Fey 

Spirited and whip-smart, these laugh-out-loud autobiographical essays are "a masterpiece" from the Emmy Award-winning actress and comedy writer known for 30 Rock, Mean Girls, and SNL (Sunday Telegraph).

Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've always suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.

"I hope that's not really the cover. That's really going to hurt sales." ― Don Fey, Father of Tina Fey

 

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

#1 New York Times Bestseller • The much anticipated first book from comedic genius, actress, media darling, star of Parks and Recreation, alum of Saturday Night Live, and all around awesome lady, Amy Poehler. Honest, personal, real, and righteous, Yes Please is full of words to live by.

“Demonstrates the skill of this excellent comic actress, a funny woman who roots hilarity in specifics.” — Washington Post

 

Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick

The New York Times bestselling collection of humorous autobiographical essays by the Academy Award nominated actress and star of Up in the Air and Pitch Perfect.

"This A-list firecracker does it all—blockbusters, indies, dramas, musicals, and, now, a memoir—with sleight-of-hand dexterity and fearsome wit. . . . Scrappy Little Nobody is a fizzy, funny collection of personal essays that very successfully approximates what it’s like to spend time with Kendrick (long a Twitter fave, now to more than 5 million) and, as such, seems likely to have extremely widespread appeal." — ELLE 

 

The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From stand-up comedian, actress, and breakout star of Girls Trip, Tiffany Haddish, comes The Last Black Unicorn, a sidesplitting, hysterical, edgy, and unflinching collection of (extremely) personal essays, as fearless as the author herself.

By turns hilarious, filthy, and brutally honest, The Last Black Unicorn shows the world who Tiffany Haddish really is—humble, grateful, down-to-earth, and funny as hell. And now, she’s ready to inspire others through the power of laughter.

"I can't get enough of Tiffany. Whatever God gave her in the energy department needs to be bottled up and sold so everybody can instantly feel good. Once you hear her story and her approach to life you literally feel like you can do anything."  ― Charlamagne Tha God

 

The Last Black Unicorn

By Tiffany Haddish

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From stand-up comedian, actress, and breakout star of Girls Trip, Tiffany Haddish, comes The Last Black Unicorn, a sidesplitting, hysterical, edgy, and unflinching collection of (extremely) personal essays, as fearless as the author herself.

Growing up in one of the poorest neighborhoods of South Central Los Angeles, Tiffany learned to survive by making people laugh. If she could do that, then her classmates would let her copy their homework, the other foster kids she lived with wouldn’t beat her up, and she might even get a boyfriend. Or at least she could make enough money—as the paid school mascot and in-demand Bar Mitzvah hype woman—to get her hair and nails done, so then she might get a boyfriend.

None of that worked (and she’s still single), but it allowed Tiffany to imagine a place for herself where she could do something she loved for a living: comedy.

Tiffany can’t avoid being funny—it’s just who she is, whether she’s plotting shocking, jaw-dropping revenge on an ex-boyfriend or learning how to handle her newfound fame despite still having a broke person’s mind-set. Finally poised to become a household name, she recounts with heart and humor how she came from nothing and nowhere to achieve her dreams by owning, sharing, and using her pain to heal others.

By turns hilarious, filthy, and brutally honest, The Last Black Unicorn shows the world who Tiffany Haddish really is—humble, grateful, down-to-earth, and funny as hell. And now, she’s ready to inspire others through the power of laughter.

Reviews:

"I can't get enough of Tiffany. Whatever God gave her in the energy department needs to be bottled up and sold so everybody can instantly feel good. Once you hear her story and her approach to life you literally feel like you can do anything."  -- Charlamagne Tha God

"Tiffany Haddish is a force as a comedian. My girl demands to be heard and respected. I love you girl! Congratulations on all your success and continue to strive for greatness. You can do it!" ― Kevin Hart

The Last Black Unicorn is an inspiring story that manages to be painful, honest, shocking, bawdy and hilarious.”  ― The New York Times Book Review

"As raw and real as her stand-up act."  ― PEOPLE

"[A] harrowing and unforgettable memoir." ― The New Yorker

"This inspiring memoir will have you crying, laughing and wishing she was your BFF." ― USA Today

"The book is, no surprise, every bit as rowdy as the movie." ― The New York Times Book Review

"It’s 100% in her voice and feels like her telling you these stories, many heartbreaking, at a bar." ― Book Riot

"A bawdy, laugh-out-loud tell-all with a liberal dose of heart."  ― Library Journal

"Tiffany Haddish has become known for her unabashed honesty, and continues to keep it 100 in new memoir, The Last Black Unicorn." ― EBONY.com

"The Last Black Unicorn is an entertaining and engaging, must-read page-turner." ― Philadelphia Tribune

"Juicy, hilarious, and jaw-dropping." ― Chicago Tribune

"Haddish is a hilarious, badass, and magical woman, and her memoir, The Last Black Unicorn, is further proof of it. This book will have you ugly-crying with laughter as the actress delves deep into the (very) intimate details of her personal life, using the same incredible sense of humor and fierce, unflinching honesty that won our hearts in the first place." ― Shondaland.com

"Brutally honest and hilarious." ― InStyle.com

"We love a good story of overcoming adversity and Tiffany Haddish is a true testament of that sentiment." ― BET.com

"Readers will love discovering how Tiffany turned her passion for comedy into a full-time career." ― RealSimple.com

“This book is exactly what you would expect from Tiffany Haddish—funny, crazy, surprising and magical.”  ― Michigan Chronicle

"Each story is told like a good joke with a solid setup and punchline." ― Man Repeller

"Haddish is an author that demands to be heard and respected, but she never has to work hard to do that and more. If you liked Yes, Please by Amy Poehler or Bossypants by Tina Fey, this is right up your alley." ― The Odyssey

"Actress Tiffany Haddish truly is a unicorn. Fierce, funny, and full of heart, this extremely personal essay collection should not be missed." ― FastCompany.com

"The Last Black Unicorn is a hilarious and observant collection of personal essays, filled with truly jaw-dropping twists and turns on Haddish's road to breakout stardom." ― Bustle

"A joyful read in which her charismatic voice comes through even if you don’t listen to the audiobook." ― Vulture

"Haddish’s best-selling memoir is just as frank, revealing, and hilarious as you’d expect from the Girls Trip star. At a minimum, it’ll keep you entertained." ― Entertainment Weekly

Tiffany Haddish. Gallery, $26 (288p) ISBN 978-1501181825

Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick

Scrappy Little Nobody 

By Anna Kendrick

The New York Times bestselling collection of humorous autobiographical essays by the Academy Award nominated actress and star of Up in the Air and Pitch Perfect.

Even before she made a name for herself on the silver screen starring in films like Pitch PerfectUp in the AirTwilight, and Into the Woods, Anna Kendrick was unusually small, weird, and “10 percent defiant.”

At the ripe age of thirteen, she had already resolved to “keep the crazy inside my head where it belonged. Forever. But here’s the thing about crazy: It. Wants. Out.” In Scrappy Little Nobody, she invites readers inside her brain, sharing extraordinary and charmingly ordinary stories with candor and winningly wry observations.

With her razor-sharp wit, Anna recounts the absurdities she’s experienced on her way to and from the heart of pop culture as only she can—from her unusual path to the performing arts (Vanilla Ice and baggy neon pants may have played a role) to her double life as a middle-school student who also starred on Broadway to her initial “dating experiments” (including only liking boys who didn’t like her back) to reviewing a binder full of butt doubles to her struggle to live like an adult woman instead of a perpetual “man-child.”

Enter Anna’s world and follow her rise from “scrappy little nobody” to somebody who dazzles on the stage, the screen, and now the page—with an electric, singular voice, at once familiar and surprising, sharp and sweet, funny and serious (well, not that serious).

Reviews:

"This A-list firecracker does it all—blockbusters, indies, dramas, musicals, and, now, a memoir—with sleight-of-hand dexterity and fearsome wit. . . . Scrappy Little Nobody is a fizzy, funny collection of personal essays that very successfully approximates what it’s like to spend time with Kendrick (long a Twitter fave, now to more than 5 million) and, as such, seems likely to have extremely widespread appeal." — ELLE

"Scrappy Little Nobody lets readers feel like they have spent an afternoon chatting with their closest friend." — Booklist

"Of the pantheon of funny, smart, strong screen women to write a memoir, Anna Kendrick’s is a welcome, entertaining and endearingly honest installment." — The Guardian

"Kendrick writes essays about her life in the witty, self-deprecating voice that's made her a must-follow on Twitter." — Time

"Kendrick has won legions of fans for her movies and her quips on Twitter, and her wit continues in this collection of autobiographical essays recounting some of the most memorable, charming, and even relatable moments of her life—from growing up in New England suburbia to working her way up to become one of Hollywood’s darlings." — Buzzfeed

“[Kendrick] writes an honest, effortlessly funny and alternatively relatable and aspirational reflection on her personal and professional life to date. Her essays jump from grade school reminiscences to Louis Vuitton Oscar parties to the typical highs and lows of adult dating life, revealing the witty, talented and disarmingly real girl behind the Hollywood name.” — Harper’s Bazaar

The Pitch Perfect star can sing, act, and write hilarious tweets. Fortunately she’s imbued the pieces in Scrappy Little Nobody with that same humor.” — Entertainment Weekly

Anna Kendrick. Touchstone, $27 (304p) ISBN 978-1-5011-1720-6