8 Celebrity Memoirs You'll Want To Listen To On Audiobook

The magic of celebrity memoir lies in how it pulls back the curtain to offer a rare glimpse into the lives of people we usually only see on screen. The beauty of the genre in today's digital age is that it can transcend the page, offering us a whole new layer of connection through audiobooks. Many are delivered straight from the voices of the stars who lived them, with all the emotion, humor, and authenticity you might expect from a one-on-one conversation.

Audiobooks surged in popularity during the pandemic (including celebrity-read audiobooks), as more people began to see the merit in their immersion and convenience. They're a lifeline for those who prefer not to sit down and concentrate on the page for long periods of time. For those with packed schedules, they can fit seamlessly into busy lives. With just a few clicks, you can download and start listening immediately. And great news: Research from UC Berkeley has found that listening to audiobooks activates the same cognitive and emotional areas of the brain as traditional reading.

There's a reason Michelle Obama's "Becoming" sold more than 10 million copies in just five months. It is fascinating to see a woman who never sought power and openly disliked politics — something she makes abundantly clear in this memoir — find herself at the center of it all.

Michelle casts her story in a new light, recounting her early days as Michelle Robinson, a young girl, and then young woman, navigating life in Chicago's South Side during the challenges of the white flight. The story continues to her evolution into the composed, inspirational former First Lady we see today. Structured into three sections — "Becoming Me," "Becoming Us," and "Becoming More" — her memoir marries the personal with the political, just as she has done her whole life. Themes of identity, ambition, and resilience are explored with honesty and grace. Her reflections on systemic challenges are poignant and thought-provoking, without ever falling into an overly didactic tone — a problem often found in political narratives.

At 19 hours long, "Becoming" requires some stamina from its listeners. But as the Obama administration recedes further into history, it's to Michelle's credit that her voice gains even greater depth and resonance in this memoir. For eight years, she was a steadfast presence by her husband's side. In "Becoming," it is refreshing to see that same husband now playing a supporting role.

If you think seeing her plastered over all the tabloids means you know Paris Hilton, her tell-all memoir assures you: You don't. The girl who once framed her diamanté-clad life through rose-tinted glasses finally lifts the veil on the darker chapters of her youth in "Paris: The Memoir." As a teen, Paris was sent, against her will, to behavior correctional facilities — part of the so-called "troubled teen industry." The abuse she suffered at the hands of staff is chilling and unforgivable, and her account of it feels just as harrowing.

For those who came of age with Paris, this memoir taps into millennial nostalgia: Juicy Couture tracksuits, unbridled partying with flip phones instead of smart ones, and the reign of "The Simple Life." But it also serves as an urgent reminder: We cannot return to the days when young women were shamed for the abuse they endured, framed by the same invasive media machine that perpetuated it.

Many critics bashed the book upon its release, though Hilton is likely numb to such backlash by now. After all, she describes in detail the lengths to which paparazzi went in order to invade her privacy and spin their own narratives about her life — while also revealing how she strategically leaned into their spectacle to turn the tables in her favor. It's clear that she's always been savvy, but, 20 years on, this memoir confirms she's learned how to channel her unique gifts as an adult.

Jack of all trades, master of none? Not this actress, singer, TV personality, podcast host, and Virgo. Keke Palmer's "Master of Me" is as multifaceted and endearing as the woman herself, promising not only the story of her life, but also practical guidance to help readers steer through their own challenges. Like Michelle Obama before her, Keke organizes her memoir into three central themes. This time, it's "Performance," "Power," and "Purpose." These pillars guide readers through her journey, from early stardom and family life to her career evolution, motherhood, personal boundaries, and faith. Her warm, bubbly narration brings the audiobook to life in a way few could replicate. That's why she's a star. Her voice is a perfect match for a personality so beguiling and magnetic, drawing listeners in with an infectious charm that makes it impossible not to root for her.

Patti Smith is the it girl's it girl — a paragon of creative cool, and the woman so many of our favorite stars look up to. Her memoir, "Just Kids," regularly tops celebrity reading lists, with fans like Dua Lipa, Taylor Russell, Suki Waterhouse, and Laufey — to name but a few — all singing its praises. This is an uncompromisingly candid coming-of-age story, hinging on her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe during their years of young love in New York City. Set against the backdrop of rock and roll's halcyon days, Smith's journey from a young poet to an artistic icon reveals a gritty tenacity and unyielding spirit that feels special and rare today.

Smith's narration is one you won't want to pause, and one you'll likely revisit over the years. Perhaps it's because the '60s and '70s endure as an era so endlessly fascinating to reflect on (who wouldn't be captivated by tales of Warhol's Factory, Brooklyn's bohemian enclaves, and cameos by luminaries like Allen Ginsberg and Harry Smith?). Or maybe it's Patti's hypnotic prose that makes "Just Kids" unforgettable. Her words, laced with the same addictive energy that earned her a place in the Grammy Hall of Fame, remind us, above all, just how beautiful it is to yearn.

Kelly Bishop is one of the greats. She's a classically trained ballerina, she won a Tony Award for her role in the original Broadway cast of "A Chorus Line," and she played Jennifer Gray's mother in "Dirty Dancing." But it's her iconic portrayal of the "Gilmore Girls" family matriarch that inspired the title of her memoir, "The Third Gilmore Girl." Winner of the Goodreads Readers' Choice Memoir Award 2024, it's every bit as fabulous as we'd expect from our beloved Emily.

Drawing from the unflinching honesty she credits to her own mother, Bishop shares an unfiltered account of her life. She traces her illustrious career and unpacks a colorful romantic life, from a first marriage that left her drained emotionally and financially to her nearly 40-year love story with TV host Lee Leonard. With the sharp wit and indomitable spirit of Emily Gilmore, she also uses her voice to take aim at the systemic sexism she faced in Hollywood, as well as the Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. In the book, she addresses the young women of America as her little sisters, and one can't help but feel she's the cooler, older, wiser sister everyone wished they had.

After years of being infantilized — socially, sexually, emotionally, financially — Britney Spears finally reaches for womanhood with her bestselling memoir, "The Woman in Me." It's a book that exposes several lifetimes of sadness, and the toll of her rise and fall, by way of a 13-year conservatorship. Though actress Michelle Williams narrates the audiobook — its author is not fully healed from the trauma it chronicles — Britney's voice is apparent throughout. And despite all the hurt, she practices radical compassion for those who hurt her the most.

Like Paris Hilton's memoir, Britney's "The Woman in Me" stands as a powerful warning against returning to the exploitative, misogynistic culture of the late '90s and early 2000s. Both Y2K icons reference each other in their respective memoirs, creating a sense of rewarding full-circle intimacy for those who read both. We who watched their lives unfold can feel these revelations as a shared journey. In uncovering the painful truths of their past and subsequent maturation, we too find ourselves growing alongside them.

Since the golden rule is to always read (or, in this case, listen to) the book before watching the movie, you'll want to get this one while it's hot. Universal Pictures has already snapped up the rights to adapt Britney's memoir, with "Wicked" visionary Jon Chu set to direct, no less.

If you've reached adulthood in a state of bewilderment, wondering where the life manual is, you're not alone. Miranda Hart asks that same question in her memoir, "I Haven't Been Entirely Honest With You." After starring in her own TV comedy show, playing a fan favorite in "Call the Midwife," and stealing scenes in blockbusters "Spy" and "Emma," she fell away from the public eye, her body forcing her to trade the limelight for a battle with Lyme disease (another in a list of celebrities openly living with chronic disease).

Miranda's voice, as she narrates her memoir, feels like a warm hug, especially when she addresses you as her "dear listener chum." It's this comforting tone that helps make her memoir such a wonderful read, even as she confides in us about the realities of chronic illness and its impact on her life and career. Though she tackles difficult topics, her lovable jocularity offers a gentle balm to cut through darkness with light. In a world saturated with wellness trends and self-help books, Hart brings a dose of genuine comfort and practical solace during trying times.

In "Unprotected," Billy Porter bares his soul in a way only he could. For fans of "Kinky Boots" and "Pose," in which he delivered truly breathtaking performances, this memoir offers a behind-the-scenes look at these groundbreaking productions. But it's equally compelling in its revelation of the immense personal obstacles Porter overcame. This is an eye-opening text that tracks his traumatic upbringing and the journey towards healing. With an unguarded voice, Porter takes readers from his childhood in the 1970s, growing up gay and facing societal rejection, through the devastating years of the AIDS epidemic, and into the emotional cost of living through the first Trump presidency.

On stage and on screen, Billy Porter's personality is a full-hearted force of nature. We can hear this, too, as he narrates his book. He is an essential voice of today, and we are fortunate to have his truth documented in this gem of a memoir.

With so many great celebrity memoirs on shelves today, it can be overwhelming to find the ones worth investing in. We cherry-picked titles that not only stand as good works in their own right, but are further complemented by their audiobook forms. Each one tells the author's life in a new, insightful way, bringing forward fresh perspectives that illuminate parts of their lives both familiar and lesser-known. We also chose narratives that are not only compelling, but likely to resonate with our own readership. Like us, we hope these memoirs make you feel as though you're hearing a friend's story for the first time.