2023 brought the release of memoirs from Britney Spears, Prince Harry, and Paris Hilton, to name a few. Each year the celebrity memoir business continues to grow rapidly. Of course, not always for the better. Is it necessary for every celebrity to have a memoir published?
Memoirs tend to be a major cash grab, especially for celebrities who have passed the prime of their career. These books can be used to make their way into headlines and still be considered relevant. After all, a celebrity’s memoir is destined to interest the press whether it’s positive or negative attention.
Now, how likable or talented one may be does not determine the quality of their memoir. Readers do not want to read a bunch of nonsense that sounds like someone’s uncensored and unedited diary. Take Barbra Streisand, an American singer and actress, who decided to write a 992-page book about every little detail of her life and her feelings on each aspect of her career. Only extremely dedicated fans will give up their time to read such a drawn-out account of her life. Streisand’s memoir is an excellent example of how some prominent figures need a ghostwriter to stay focused and produce quality work, or else their book will end up being a jumbled mess.
On the other hand, not all celebrity memoirs are a failure. One of the best ones I, along with many others, read last year was Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died. McCurdy wrote a deeply personal and honest account of her life growing up as a child actor, shoved into the spotlight by her mother. She achieved this all without the help of a ghostwriter. McCurdy also strayed from using basic titles in her memoir. Most celebrities either use some cheesy phrase or include their name in the title. The purpose of using their name as a title displays an ethical appeal to the consumers.
Overall, celebrity memoirs have become an over-saturated and overwhelming business. Not every celebrity has a story to tell that deserves an entire book. Some should instead save it for their Instagram posts, or better yet, just their diary.
