Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion

Use this space to discuss books you're reading or that might fit the twelfth Read Harder task.

I plan to read Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology. I like Leah's acting & want to know more about her.

Going to read The Princess Diarist because I love Carrie Fisher

Still Woman Enough: A Memoir by Loretta Lynn or Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated by the woman who played Nellie Oleson on the Little House TV show.

Year of Yes by Shonda Rimes

The Last Black Unicorn. The audiobook was on sale when this list came out which made the decision for this prompt pretty easy.

The super salacious Late, Late at Night has been on my shelf for a while.

I'm gonna go a different way with this one, I think. I have Madeleine Albright's memoir, Madam Secretary: A Memoir, and I'd like to read that.

I'm considering Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen or Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between by Lauren Graham.

I'm reading The Autobiography of Gucci Mane and I am super excited about it! I'm not the biggest fan of his music, but I love a comeback story and Roxane Gay gave this book a glowing review.

I'm wondering if Spaceman: An Astronaut's Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe would count towards A Celebrity Memoir category since he's been on Big Bang Theory and late night talk shows.

I'm reading Natural Disaster: I Cover Them. I am One.. I have narcolepsy as well, so I'm excited about this one.

Candace wrote: "I'm reading The Autobiography of Gucci Mane and I am super excited about it! I'm not the biggest fan of his music, but I love a comeback story and Roxane Gay gave t..."

Ahh, I am on the hold list for this at the library and I forgot. I think I will be reading lots of things this year that would fit this prompt.

Does Vladimir Nabokov count as a celebrity ;p?

I already have We're Going to Need More Wine: Stories checked out, so this is easy!

Marloes wrote: "Does Vladimir Nabokov count as a celebrity ;p?"

Going by Wikipedia's definition of a celebrity, I'm leaning no, but as always it's up to your personal interpretation:

"Celebrity refers to the fame and public attention accorded by the mass media to individuals or groups or, occasionally, animals, but is usually applied to the persons or groups of people (celebrity couples, families, etc.) themselves who receive such a status of fame and attention. Celebrity status is often associated with wealth (commonly referred to as fame and fortune), while fame often provides opportunities to earn revenue.

"Successful careers in sports and entertainment are commonly associated with celebrity status, while political leaders often become celebrities. People may also become celebrities due to media attention on their lifestyle, wealth, or controversial actions, or for their connection to a famous person."

Marloes wrote: "Does Vladimir Nabokov count as a celebrity ;p?"

Not in any world, though I expect he would have had a very active Twitter account if he lived now.

I'm going with Brave by Rose McGowan.

@Kate & @Bonnie

Yes, I figured it would be a stretch. I agree on the Twitter thing though.

I already own both I Don't Know What You Know Me From by Judy Greer and Where Am I Now? by Mara Wilson so it will be either of those.

Wishful Drinking. Was thinking of Princess Diarist, but I think I might like this one more. Definitely missing Carrie Fisher, either way. :,(

I think this is going to be the hardest task for me. It has been years since I've willing picked up a biography of any sort. Watching this list quite eagerly

I can't speak highly enough of This Is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare by Gabourey Sidibe. I've never seen anything she's acted in but it was hilarious and poignant and I love her now.

Also enjoyed A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston. Parts of it come off a bit pretentious but overall it was really interesting.

I think celebrity memoirs are best consumed in audiobook format, and they are my favorite type of audiobook. They're usually read by the author, and actors are usually pretty good readers.

As for me, I plan to read Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain by Portia de Rossi for this task.

I quite like celebrity memoirs and usually read a couple most years. For this I'm consideringWe're Going to Need More Wine: Stories by Gabrielle Union, Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick or Dear Mr. You by Mary Louise Parker. Or possibly BRAVE by Rose McGowan.

Celebrity memoirs I've read in the past and would recommend for people looking for something to fill this category include Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling, Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah, Where Am I Now? by Mara Wilson, Yes Please by Amy Poehler, Bossypants by Tina Fey, Suck It, Wonder Woman!: The Misadventures of a Hollywood Geek by Olivia Munn, Hungry: A Young Model's Story of Appetite, Ambition, and the Ultimate Embrace of Curves by Crystal Renn and Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More or Surpassing Certainty: What My Twenties Taught Me by Janet Mock. Oh, and Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes.

For a very different vibe, Patti Smith's Just Kids is amazing and would definitely count.

For people who aren't so interested in reading about celebrities,
In the Country We Love: My Family Divided by Diane Guerrero is a memoir by a celebrity but not about being a celebrity. Instead, she focuses on growing up as the daughter of undocumented immigrants and what happens when her entire family is deported and she's left in the US as a teenager.

Riah wrote: "I quite like celebrity memoirs and usually read a couple most years. For this I'm consideringWe're Going to Need More Wine: Stories by Gabrielle Union, Scrappy Little Nobody.

I love Patti Smith, and have since I was 14, but I think you can love these books even if you are not a fan.

Bonnie wrote: "Riah wrote: "I quite like celebrity memoirs and usually read a couple most years. For this I'm consideringWe're Going to Need More Wine: Stories by Gabrielle Union, [book:Scrappy Li..."

I am pretty neutral on her music, but I absolutely love her writing!

I loved Bossypants. Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris was also very entertaining.

Will Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography work for this?

Just finished 18 and Life on Skid Row by Sebastian Bach - checking this one as done!

I'm going to read There Was a Little Girl: The Real Story of My Mother and Me. I'm looking forward to it. I always liked her and it will be interesting to hear her talk about her mother.

Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood has been on my TBR list since it was published and now I have it in 4 categories across 2 reading challenges! (I think this also works for #5 BRICS)

JessicaJ wrote: "Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood has been on my TBR list since it was published and now I have it in 4 categories across 2 reading challenges! (I think this also..."

Born a Crime was one of my favorite books of 2017 I highly recommend the audiobook if you get a chance it's like Noah telling a story

I'm going with Born A Crime by Trevor Noah.

I have Born a Crime as well as Bossypants on my Kindle. I may use Born a crime for this one, but Bossypants for the cover I hate.

Aw, I just finished Moby's Porcelain on audio. It was great, but done in 2017!

Clothes Clothes Clothes Boys Boys Boys Music Music Music by Viv Albertine (of the band The Slits) was fantastic.

Riah put a great list together - I'd add Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living by Nick Offerman, I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons by Kevin Hart, and You're Never Weird on the Internet by Felicia Day to that list! I always try to listen to the audiobook version of memoirs, I just love listening to the authors tell their own story.

I'm going to read This Is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare.

Crystal wrote: "Clothes Clothes Clothes Boys Boys Boys Music Music Music by Viv Albertine (of the band The Slits) was fantastic."

That has been on my list for a few years. Maybe this is the moment ... but there are so many good options!

I loved Born a Crime in audio—just adding my voice to everyone else who recommended it for this task! His story would be compelling in any format, but the added layer of his own voice really took the book to the next level for me!

Samantha wrote: "I loved Born a Crime in audio—just adding my voice to everyone else who recommended it for this task! His story would be compelling in any format, but the added layer of his own voice really took t..."

I really regreted reading it instead of listening to it. Not that I regreted reading it!

I think I'll go for the Nick Offerman book.

Guilty interest... Love, Loss, and What We Ate: A Memoir by Padma Lakshmi. (Watching "Top Chef" now.)

I have started reading The Broadway Sound: The Autobiography and Selected Essays of Robert Russell Bennett, but I don't know if a Broadway orchestrator would be well-known enough to be considered a celebrity.

I am also considering The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini, which has been on my TBR list for a long time, but I'm not sure if that author would be considered a celebrity either, since he lived before the days of mass media.

For the purposes of this category I will probably end up reading Boy Wonder: My Life in Tights, by Burt Ward. It also happens to be on my bookshelf and looks like a quick, entertaining read.

I am considering two options. Being Australian, one is "Reckoning" by Magda Szubanski. The other is "Revolution" by Emmanuel Macron

John wrote: "I am considering two options. Being Australian, one is "Reckoning" by Magda Szubanski. The other is "Revolution" by Emmanuel Macron"

Hi John! Also a fellow Australian. I'm thinking of reading With Nails by Richard E Grant ... handy since I have it hard copy on my shelves! Love your choices.

Bobby wrote: "I have started reading The Broadway Sound: The Autobiography and Selected Essays of Robert Russell Bennett, but I don't know if a Broadway orchestrator would be well-known enough to b..."

Celebrities existed before mass media... so if Cellini was famous in his time, I'd say it counts!

Hello,

How do you define “Celebrity”? Would an autobiography of a soccer player count for this task?

Thank you for your help! 😊

I've had a book on my shelf for a while that I have been meaning to get to...The Dress Doctor by Edith Head (with help from Jane Kesner Ardmore). Is it safe to assume that the fact she had help writing her autobiography doesn't disqualify this as a memoir? I would assume a lot of celebrities get assisted or ghost writers?

Yrinsyde wrote: "John wrote: "I am considering two options. Being Australian, one is "Reckoning" by Magda Szubanski. The other is "Revolution" by Emmanuel Macron"

Hi John! Also a fellow Australian. I'm thinking of..."

Thank you, Yrinsyde!

Okay, would Priestdaddy: A Memoir by Patricia Lockwood? … I know, maybe not a widely recognized celebrity but…?

Gloria wrote: "Okay, would Priestdaddy: A Memoir by Patricia Lockwood? … I know, maybe not a widely recognized celebrity but…?"

Yep that would count

Rainey wrote: "Gloria wrote: "Okay, would Priestdaddy: A Memoir by Patricia Lockwood? … I know, maybe not a widely recognized celebrity but…?"

Yep that would count"

Why would that count? My neighbor write two books almost no one read, and though he is a nice guy I would not think to call him a celebrity, even on the block.