When someone of note opts to tell their story in the form of a biography or memoir, it’s little wonder that the public gets excited.

Still one of the most popular book genres, the memoir offers VIP access into the minds of the world’s most notorious, successful and fascinating people. If you’re looking for a non-fiction summer read that isn’t a self help book, the biography is a great place to start.

Whether scandalous, touching, fascinating or moving, we’ve picked out some of the best celebrity biographies of all time.

Dreams from my Father by Barack Obama

It seems somewhat superfluous to justify reading this book – after all, Barack Obama was the first and only African American president of the United States. But of his autobiographical works, this is perhaps one of the most intriguing, having first been published in 1995, way before he would realise his dream of leading the free world.

Long before the White House beckoned, Obama became the first black president of the Harvard Law Review and this book explores his life leading up to that point – growing up in Hawaii as a mixed race child, his estranged relationship with his father and educational journey.

£6.98 | Amazon | Buy it now

What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey

Oprah – a woman so successful that she only need be known by her first name. Part memoir, part advice manual, in What I Know For Sure, Oprah looks back on her staggering accomplishments – from being a talk show host, writer, actor, campaigner, CEO to becoming the US’ first black female billionaire – and expenses the wisdom she has gained along the way.

Whether you simply enjoy it as the story of one of the most successful people on the planet or use it as a guide to garnering more fulfilment in your own life, it’s one hell of a read.

£13.51 | Wordery | Buy it now

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Trying to break into a world even more dominated by men than the film industry is no mean feat, but that’s exactly what Tina Fey has done; ticking off comedy’s rites of passage – early days of improv groups and local stand-up - to become one of the most successful comedians of all time.

If you haven’t seen her tearing up the Saturday Night Live stage as Sarah Palin then you’ll have certainly laughed at her performance as the hapless Liz Lemon in 30 Rock, and, of course – who can forget the seminal teen drama Mean Girls, which she both wrote and starred in? As you’d expect, her life story is just as funny as her work – anyone who has been marginalised will appreciate the dry observational wit she uses to recall her climb to top.

£7.68 | Amazon | Buy it now

Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins by Rupert Everett

The problem with most celebrity biographies is that they can be a bit bland – small titbits are offered in the way of scandalous anecdote, but few actually shock. That’s where Rupert Everett’s autobiography comes in – crashing loudly with tales of his time spent with some of the most famous people in the world, from Julia Roberts to Andy Warhol and Princess Diana.

He was in New York during 9/11 and celebrating in Berlin when the wall came down – he truly is a man who has lived a thousand lives in one, making this one of the most riveting reads on the list.

£7.69 | Book Depository | Buy it now

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

One of the world’s most treasured poets, it’s highly likely that you will have seen a Maya Angelou quote memorialised in an Instagram post somewhere. The profound struggles she faced, growing up as an African American girl in the 1940s South – both a symptom and a hallmark of that troubled era – are articulated poignantly in this moving memoir-come-novel.

The first of seven autobiographical works, Angelou speaks of the childhood abuse and rape, teenage pregnancy and racial injustice that led her to become a celebrated artist and activist. It’s worth reading for her lyricism alone, and lines such as ‘there is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you’ will linger long after you’ve finished the book.

£6.29 | Amazon | Buy it now

Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham

Whether you like her or not, Lena Dunham’s self made success is impressive. The writer and star of Girls – HBO’s hugely successful coming-of-age series – Dunham has become one of the leading voices of twenty first century twenty-something women.

Though controversy has surrounded her in recent months – her story remains an interesting one. In this memoir, she returns to her childhood spent in a family of artists and the many guises she adopted as a child and adolescent before becoming comfortable in her own skin.

£6.48 | Amazon | Buy it now

I Can’t Make This Up by Kevin Hart

Growing up, the odds were stacked against comedian and actor Kevin Hart, who was born to a drug addict father and harsh mother, the latter of whom used to beat him with belts and saucepans. But due to sheer determination and a true sense of self, he was able to break free from a cycle that has doomed many others and rewrite his own path. Hart’s sheer positivity and garnered wisdom make this an easy to read memoir that is truly Hart-warming.

£7.99 | Amazon | Buy it now

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

One of the best things about reading a celebrity biography is the prospect of a scandalous revelation, though more often than not they fail to deliver. Luckily for us, that’s not the case with Carrie Fisher’s memoir, which details the making of a little known film called Star Wars.

After unearthing the handwritten journals she kept as a teenager on set, Fisher decided to release them ahead of the latest films of the saga in which she reprised the iconic role of Princess Leia. The biggest bombshell in the book is that she had an affair with the then-married Harrison Ford, but the rest is just as fascinating; offering a behind–the–scenes view of what it was like to star in one of the most famous films ever made.

£8.46 | Book Depository | Buy it now

The Soul of a Butterfly by Muhammad Ali and Hana Yasmeen Ali

Not only one of the greatest sportspeople of all time, Muhammad Ali was also widely respected for his activism and spiritual beliefs. A heavyweight boxing champion and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the highest honour awarded to contributors to world peace) he was as inspirational as he was controversial. Written just with his daughter before his death in 2016, this memoir explores anecdotes from his life that exemplify his moniker as ‘The Greatest’.

£9.18 | Amazon | Buy it now

Life by Keith Richards

Can it really be possible for Keith Richards – a drug taking, party-going, history-making rock’n’roll legend – to fit all of his remarkable life into one little book? Probably not, is the answer to that question, but he’s certainly had a go in Life, his autobiography. Starting with an arrest in the 1970s, the book covers the stratospheric fame of The Rolling Stones, Richards’ harrowing attempts to quit heroin cold turkey and his long-time rivalry with bandmate Mick Jagger. Though full of near misses, performance highs and brushes with death, the real bafflement of this book is how Richards’ actually managed to survive it all. His answer? ‘I used up my nine lives long ago, but here I am. I’m still playing and I’m still rocking and still rolling. And I survived to tell the tale.’

£8.40 | Wordery | Buy it now

The Secrets of my Life by Caitlyn Jenner

Another explosive biography, in this revelatory memoir Caitlyn Jenner leaves no holds barred. Formerly Bruce Jenner, Caitlyn lays bare her soul in this book, taking readers through her transition and the impact it had on her family, which just happens to be the Kardashians.

Revelations such as the secret account she used to buy women’s clothing and the fact that she was open about her cross dressing with Kris Jenner during their marriage come in thick and fast, with the media storm surrounding the release of the book adding extra fuel to the fire. Fame aside, Caitlyn’s courage and vulnerability are what makes this such a good read.

£14.99 | Amazon | Buy it now

Open by Andre Agassi

One of the most gifted tennis stars of our time, Agassi won several Grand Slams during his career and there is no denying the pain and dedication that goes into honing that kind of skill. In this memoir, Agassi takes the reader through his gruelling childhood training schedule and the emotional pitfalls of being made for one purpose – to win. What makes this book so gripping is the clarity and detail with which he recalls every pivotal match, making the reader feel as if they were right there on the court with him, about to hit the game winning serve.

£7.90 | Wordery | Buy it now

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