Michelle Obama, Mindy Kaling Elliot Page and More Celebrities Who’ve Penned Books

Credit: Brian Ach/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Michelle Obama, Mindy Kaling Elliot Page and More Celebrities Who've Penned Books

Putting pen to paper! Whether it be a memoir, children's book or something in between, celebrities — including the Kardashian sisters, Michelle Obama and Mindy Kaling — have all taken their talents outside of the realm of Hollywood by becoming successful authors. The Mindy Project alum made her authorial debut in 2011 when Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) hit shelves, followed by Questions I Ask When I Want to Talk About Myself: 50 Topics to Share With Friends in 2013 and Why Not Me? in 2015. Her 2020 essay collection, Nothing Like I Imagined (Except for Sometimes), explored her identities as an Indian woman, an actress and a single mom. "I think I am so used to labels. The labels have been the center stone of my entire career. And sometimes they're useful because it separates me from other people," the Never Have I Ever producer told NPR in October 2020. "But I don't think I would get far in this business if I had a thin skin about labels because for me — and it's not just those. It's, like, not traditionally thin, like, dark-skinned, like, not your Bollywood — so I've had these since — pretty much since I had my own show, I was sort of inundated with how other I was and really quickly. I think I'm pretty comfortable with them. And actually as I've gotten older, I've learned to embrace them a little bit." Kaling welcomed her daughter, Katherine, in 2017, and her son, Spencer, made a surprise arrival three years later. Dating as a single mother has been "complicated," she wrote in her 2020 book. [jwplayer G5dPyv8m-zhNYySv2] "Sometimes it's the most liberating and lucky feeling in the world," she explained. "Sometimes I am just so grateful to be an independent woman doing what I want, when I want, that I could cry with gratitude. ... I save a truly staggering amount of time not having to run my parenting decisions by another person. Good or bad, I can just, like, quickly make a decision and move on with my day." While the Office alum chose to go into detail about her current lifestyle, Obama delved deeper into her upbringing in her 2018 memoir, Becoming, which sold more than 2 million copies in two weeks, breaking the record for the year's highest-selling book. In 24 chapters, the former first lady describes how her childhood in Chicago led her to where she is now. Obama embarked on a nationwide tour to promote the book, sitting down with an accomplished and diverse group of guests in front of sold-out crowds. In 2020, the Princeton University grad earned the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for her reading of the audiobook and released a Netflix documentary based on her memoir. "So little of who I am happened in those eight years [in the White House]," she said in the film's trailer. "So much more of who I was happened before. ... We can't afford to wait for the world to be equal to start feeling seen." Scroll down for a recap of some of the most successful stars-turned-authors: [podcast_block]

Credit: Brian Ach/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Michelle Obama, Mindy Kaling Elliot Page and More Celebrities Who've Penned Books

Putting pen to paper! Whether it be a memoir, children's book or something in between, celebrities — including the Kardashian sisters, Michelle Obama and Mindy Kaling — have all taken their talents outside of the realm of Hollywood by becoming successful authors. The Mindy Project alum made her authorial debut in 2011 when Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) hit shelves, followed by Questions I Ask When I Want to Talk About Myself: 50 Topics to Share With Friends in 2013 and Why Not Me? in 2015. Her 2020 essay collection, Nothing Like I Imagined (Except for Sometimes), explored her identities as an Indian woman, an actress and a single mom. "I think I am so used to labels. The labels have been the center stone of my entire career. And sometimes they're useful because it separates me from other people," the Never Have I Ever producer told NPR in October 2020. "But I don't think I would get far in this business if I had a thin skin about labels because for me — and it's not just those. It's, like, not traditionally thin, like, dark-skinned, like, not your Bollywood — so I've had these since — pretty much since I had my own show, I was sort of inundated with how other I was and really quickly. I think I'm pretty comfortable with them. And actually as I've gotten older, I've learned to embrace them a little bit." Kaling welcomed her daughter, Katherine, in 2017, and her son, Spencer, made a surprise arrival three years later. Dating as a single mother has been "complicated," she wrote in her 2020 book. [jwplayer G5dPyv8m-zhNYySv2] "Sometimes it's the most liberating and lucky feeling in the world," she explained. "Sometimes I am just so grateful to be an independent woman doing what I want, when I want, that I could cry with gratitude. ... I save a truly staggering amount of time not having to run my parenting decisions by another person. Good or bad, I can just, like, quickly make a decision and move on with my day." While the Office alum chose to go into detail about her current lifestyle, Obama delved deeper into her upbringing in her 2018 memoir, Becoming, which sold more than 2 million copies in two weeks, breaking the record for the year's highest-selling book. In 24 chapters, the former first lady describes how her childhood in Chicago led her to where she is now. Obama embarked on a nationwide tour to promote the book, sitting down with an accomplished and diverse group of guests in front of sold-out crowds. In 2020, the Princeton University grad earned the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for her reading of the audiobook and released a Netflix documentary based on her memoir. "So little of who I am happened in those eight years [in the White House]," she said in the film's trailer. "So much more of who I was happened before. ... We can't afford to wait for the world to be equal to start feeling seen." Scroll down for a recap of some of the most successful stars-turned-authors: [podcast_block]

Credit: Brian Ach/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Joanna Gaines

The Magnolia Network star announced her latest book in August 2022, noting that she began "jotting down memories" and stories from her past earlier in the year. "Half of my life is behind me and I've been longing for clarity about what I should carry forward and how I could hold this next chapter well," the Fixer Upper alum began in the caption of an Instagram photo of a black folder filled with pages and labeled with the text's title.

"At some point, I realized I was writing a story — my story. The bits and pieces that shape who I am," Gaines continued. "It was messy and winding and beautiful, and graciously revealed about a million wonders. Some of it broke my heart — and some of it pieced it back together."

The former HGTV star noted that she was feeling "nervous, excited, vulnerable but mostly hopeful" about the book's upcoming release. "That any part of my story might shine a light on the fullness of yours," she concluded.

The TV personality's previous books include The Magnolia Story (which she cowrote with husband Chip Gaines), Magnolia Table and Homebody, plus two children's books: We Are the Gardeners and The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be.

In a follow-up post, Gaines showed off her memoir's cover, which features a black-and-white shot of the designer smiling with the line, "Every piece of your story matters."

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Sam Heughan

The Outlander actor, who coauthored two books with costar Graham McTavish, geared up to release his memoir Waypoints in 2022. "Along the journey I reflect on stories from my life, with personal insight plus my hopes, dreams and plans for the future," he teased via Instagram. "I can't wait to share this personal journey with you."

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Julia Fox

In March 2022, the Uncut Gems actress revealed that she's working on her first book. “It was like a memoir at first, but now it’s just like my first book, you know?” she told Variety. “So, yeah, that’ll be coming out soon.” She didn't want to offer additional details because she was "superstitious" about it success, but she added, "So far, it’s a masterpiece, if I do say so myself.”

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Sam Heughan

The Outlander star began his writing career with 2020's Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other, which he cowrote with fellow Scottish actor Graham McTavish. They followed up the road trip book with the companion piece, The Clanlands Almanac: Seasonal Stories from Scotland, in 2021.

The following year, Heughan revealed that he'll write solo for the first time with his memoir, Waypoints, due out in fall 2022 from publisher Little, Brown and Company.

"I wanted to tell the stories and share the experiences that have shaped me, but to do that I needed to challenge myself and spend some time in my own company, away from the distractions of everyday life," he said in a statement when the autobiography was announced in March 2022. "And for me there's no better place to reflect than in the wild Scottish Highlands."

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Constance Wu

While marking her 40th birthday in March 2022, the Fresh Off the Boat alum unveiled the cover of her memoir, Making a Scene. " I had two babies over the pandemic. ... The first baby I had is a human kind of baby, I had a daughter. And the second baby I gave birth to is a book baby," she teased in the announcement. Per Entertainment Weekly, the book will hit shelves in fall 2022.

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Elliot Page

The actor confirmed in February 2022 that his book, Pageboy, would be published the next year. "The memoir will delve into Page’s relationship with his body, his experiences as one of the most famous trans people in the world, and will cover mental health, assault, love, relationships, sex and the cesspool that Hollywood can be," Flatiron Books explained in a press release.

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Simu Liu

The Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings actor announced in February 2022 that he wrote a memoir, We Were Dreamers, which hits bookshelves in May 2022. “From Harbin to Hollywood, We Were Dreamers is a hilarious and heartfelt tale about coming of age in a foreign land, struggling to find your footing and ultimately learning to seize your moment and own your greatness,” Liu tweeted. “This book is my whole heart and soul. It has been a nearly three-year journey to write this story of our little family of dreamers, and I absolutely cannot wait to share it with you!”

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Carlos and Alexa PenaVega

The Spy Kids star and the Big Time Rush alum wrote a memoir titled What If Love is the Point? Living for Jesus in a Self-Consumed World. 

"We wrote a book!!!!" the couple shared via Instagram in November 2021. "We are so excited to be able to share this sneak peek of our cover with you! This has been a dream of ours for years now and @harpercollinschristian and @thomasnelson was crazy enough to give us that opportunity!!! We laughed, we cried, this book was basically one big therapy session."

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Cynthia Erivo

The Tony Award winner wrote a children’s book, Remember to Dream, Ebere, in which she called the writing process a “dream come true” via an Instagram post on its September 2021 publication date.

“It’s here!! My children’s book Remember to Dream, Ebere is out today,” Erivo wrote. “Thank you to everyone who has helped me make this dream come true. I hope you’ll love the book and story as much as I do. ✨”

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Rebel Wilson

The Pitch Perfect star wrote her first children's book, Bella the Brave, about "overcoming shyness." The book will be released on October 2021 and takes inspiration from Wilson's childhood.

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Hannah Brown

The former Bachelorette announced in September 2021 that her memoir, God Bless This Mess: Learning to Live and Love Through Life's Best (and Worst) Moments, will hit bookstores in November 2021. The book will cover Brown’s life from her pageant days to joining Bachelor Nation to overcoming a “life-threatening health crisis” and of course, her romantic life.

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Priyanka Chopra Jonas

The Quantico alum released her memoir, Unfinished, in February 2021. The nonfiction book chronicled her life as a child growing up in India, her professional career and her marriage to Nick Jonas.

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Sharon Stone

Stone released her memoir, The Beauty Of Living Twice, in March 2021. Per the official book summary, the actress chronicled "her efforts to rebuild her life" as she discussed her "slow road back to wholeness and health." In the candid text, she discussed her pivotal roles, life-changing friendships, disappointments and accomplishments.

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Evanna Lynch

The Harry Potter actress' memoir, The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting: The Tragedy and The Glory of Growing Up, is set to hit shelves in October 2021. Lynch's story is "about the tragedy and the glory of growing up – and everything in between," she explained via Instagram in August.

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Lil Nas X

The "Old Town Road" crooner wrote a children's book, C Is For Country, which was released in January 2021." C Is For Country goes out to every amazing kid out there who sang along to ‘Old Town Road’ on repeat and helped change my life forever," the musician said in a statement. "I hope this book inspires them and makes learning the alphabet a thousand times more fun. I’m so happy with how it turned out, and I can’t wait for the world to see it.”

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Julianna Margulies

The ER alum released her memoir, Sunshine Girl: An Unexpected Life, in May 2021, telling her personal story from childhood and her eventual Hollywood career.

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Jamie Foxx

The Ray star's memoir, Act Like You Got Some Sense, will debut in October 2021. He announced the book in June 2021 via Instagram, writing, "Yoooo I cannot wait for you to read a book that is so special to My heart mind and soul… A book about the relationships between two of the most important people in my life… My beautiful daughters… @corinnefoxx and Anelise Foxx… while writing this book I discovered feelings and emotions that I didn’t even know existed… There would be times that I would break out laughing and also times that I would shed tears…"

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Meghan McCain

"Excited, nervous, all of the emotions as I prepare to release Bad Republican which is by far the most personal, intimate and raw project I’ve ever worked on," McCain announced via Instagram in August 2021. "The past four years have been a time of growth, pain, elucidation, awakening and evolution both personally and politically. I really can’t wait for you to hear it."

The memoir, which will be released in October 2021, will explore "awkward moments, final conversations, motherhood and more," according to Audible.

This will be the second memoir for the former View host, who previously penned Dirty Sexy Politics in 2010.

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Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen

Five months after kicking off their "Renegades" podcast in February 2021, the dynamic duo announced that they would be continuing the story in a new book "about the stories we told and the people and places that shaped us."

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Prince Harry

The Duke of Sussex will release a memoir in 2022, he announced in July 2021. “I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become,” he said in a statement. “I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story — the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned — I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think.”

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Viola Davis

The Oscar winner will release Finding Me, her memoir, in April 2022. “I believe that our stories, and the courage to share them, is the most powerful empathetic tool we have,” she said in a statement. “This is my story … straight no chaser.”

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Tyler Cameron

“I cried way more than I thought I would while writing my book, You Deserve Better,” the Bachelorette alum admitted to Us Weekly exclusively in June 2021 one month before the release of You Deserve Better: What Life Has Taught Me About Love, Relationships, and Becoming Your Best Self. 

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Lala Kent

The Vanderpump Rules star became a USA Today Bestseller with her May 2021 memoir, Give Them Lala. “I wrote it because I thought people would be that interested in my life story. I feel like since I signed on to Vanderpump, there was like a microscope on me that I was not used to,” Kent told Us exclusively ahead of her memoir’s release. “And I kept feeling like I needed to explain certain things.

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Kelly Ripa

The Live with Kelly and Ryan host’s first book will detail her life thus far. “Surprising, at times savage, a little shameless and always with humor, Live Wire shows Kelly as she really is offscreen — a very wise woman who has something to say,” her publisher, Dey Street Books, a HarperCollins Publishers imprint, teased. Ripa’s memoir is due out in 2022.

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Mindy Kaling

In four years, the Office alum produced three books that reflect her humor and relatability. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? was released in 2011, followed by Questions I Ask When I Want to Talk about Myself: 50 Topics to Share with Friends in 2013 and Why Not Me? in 2015.

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Ginger Zee

The Good Morning America meteorologist wrote a memoir titled Natural Disaster in 2017. She followed up the success of her first with a children’s book Chasing Helicity in 2018 set to encourage kids to chase their dreams.

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Reese Witherspoon

The Sweet Home Alabama actress’ highly-anticipated memoir, Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits, was released in 2018.

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Chrissy Teigen

Fans and fellow celebrities alike went wild for Teigen’s first cookbook Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat in 2016, inspiring her to pen a second, Cravings: Hungry for More, which was released in 2018.

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Jessie James Decker

The “Flip My Hair” singer released a tell-all Just Jessie: My Guide to Love, Life, Family, and Food in 2018 filled with intimate stories and photos from her life.

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Justin Timberlake

The former boybander reflected on his childhood, his career, and his family with Jessica Biel in Hindsight, released in 2018. The book also included photos that showcase the journey to his life now.

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The Kardashians

The trio collaborated to release Kardashian Konfidential in 2010. The book includes relationship advice, candid photos of the reality stars and more. Years later, Khloé wrote a solo memoir titled Strong Looks Better Naked focusing on positive body image in 2015. That same year, Kim released a coffee table book Selfish, which included a collection of her personal photos.

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Michelle Obama

The former first lady revealed in September 2018 that she was embarking on a 10-city tour for her new memoir, Becoming. "Over this time that I’ve been out of the White House, I’ve had time to think and reflect for the first time in a long time and I spent some time really thinking about the people and the stories and the experiences that have shaped me and helped me become the person I am today, and I am proud of what I’ve created," she said in an Instagram video. "I’m proud because it’s candid, it’s totally and utterly me. So I’m also a little frightened because it’s candid and honest and open, but I can’t wait to share it with the world."

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Sarah Palin

The former Alaska governor's first book, Going Rogue: An American Life, sold over two million copies since its Nov. 2009. Her next book, America By Heart, will hit stores Nov. 23.

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Kate Gosselin

Gosselin's third book, I Just Want You to Know, bombed after its April 13 release this year, selling just over 10,000 copies its first 14 days in stores. By contrast, the mom of eight's first two books, Multiple Blessings and Eight Little Faces sold 523,000 copies in 2009.

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Britney Spears

Spears sat down with her mom, Lynne, in 2000 to put together Heart to Heart, featuring photos and stories from the singer's early days. Lynne's second book, a memoir on "her backseat role in Britney's path to fame" called Through the Storm, was released eight years later.

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Chelsea Handler

E!'s resident funny lady has three humor titles to her name, including her most recent release, Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang. "Chelsea writes like Judy Blume, if Judy Blume were into vodka, Ecstasy, and sleeping with midgets and nineteen-year-olds," chick lit author Jennifer Weiner says of Handler.

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Tori Spelling

Spelling has penned three successful memoirs, but now she's trying out a new genre: children's books! Presenting...Tallulah hits stores Sept. 21, but the actress already counts her own children, Liam and Stella, as fans. "I love reading to my kids," she has said. "It's our special time together."

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Paris Hilton

Hilton added New York Times best-seller to her resume in 2004, when she came out with her autobiography, Confessions of an Heiress. Her second book, Your Heiress Diary, a user friendly, fill-in-the-blank style book with short stories from Hilton, was released in 2005.

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Nicole Richie

Richie's first book, The Truth About Diamonds, hit shelves in 2005 and chronicled the struggles of a young woman adopted by a famous musician -- from backstabbing socialite friends to drug and alcohol abuse. The mom of two will release her second book, Priceless, Sept. 28.

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Kendra Wilkinson

The former Girl Next Door dished about life at the Playboy mansion and a serious drug addiction in her just-released autobiography, Sliding Into Home. "When they told me I was No. 4 [on the New York Times best-seller list], I was just like, 'What, there are only four books out?'" she joked to Us.

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Lauren Conrad

Like Conrad's life, L.A. Candy follows a 19-year-old girl who moves to Hollywood and finds fame as a reality star. L.A. Candy, optioned for the big screen, and Conrad's second book, Sweet Little Lies, will be followed up with Sugar and Spice on Oct. 5.

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Jennifer Love Hewitt

Hewitt's relationship advice book, The Day I Shot Cupid, came out on the heels of her breakup from comedian Jamie Kennedy. Bad timing? "It's not the ideal situation, but...I never say in the book that I know how to find perfect love or how to be in the perfect relationship," she has said.

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Madonna

In 1992, Madonna caused a stir with the release of her racy coffee-table book, Sex. Nearly 20 years later, the mom of four has focused her energies on a new genre of writing: children's books. The most recent book in her series about London schoolgirls known as the English Roses, came out last year.

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Jenny McCarthy

The actress has been writing about her experiences as a model and mom for over a decade, releasing her story of motherhood in Belly Laughs and Louder Than Words, inspired by her own son's struggle with autism.

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Kathy Griffin

The comedian opens up in her memoir, Official Book Club Selection, released in June 2010. And the comic's not the only one in her family adding "author" to their resume: Her mom, Maggie, also released a memoir, Tip It!, in June.

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Tyra Banks

Banks will release a young adult trilogy, Modelland, in 2011. Marketed under the host's Bankable Books imprint, the books are set in a fantasy world for model-teens. "'Intoxibellas' are drop-dead beautiful, kick-butt fierce and, yeah, maybe they have some powers too," Banks says of her characters.