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Fall is filled with celebrity memoirs. Read tales from stage and screen

Petra Mayer
/
NPR

If you're a fan of Drew Barrymore, Will Smith, Kal Penn — or a number of other celebs — you're in luck. Some of the world's most famous people have memoirs out this fall. If you always wanted to know what it's like growing up headed for fame, there are many tales to read. Here's a look at some of the latest arrivals:

Hayley Mills: Forever Young: A Memoir

Here's a story about growing up as a young star when Hollywood was still "Tinseltown." Mills, known for her roles in the 1960 films The Parent Trap and Pollyanna, tells all about everything from being a Disney star to marrying a producer 30 years her senior. Publish date Sept. 7.

Gabrielle Union: You Got Anything Stronger?: Stories

After Union's first memoir in 2017, it seems people wanted more. This time, she shares stories about raising two young girls, the retirement of her husband (former pro basketball player Dwyane Wade), retiring and uplifting other voices. Publish date Sept. 14.

Dave Grohl: The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music

He's noted as one of the best rock musicians today, but Grohl was once a kid from Springfield, Va. In his first book, he shares stories about living out his wildest dreams, from rocking with Nirvana and the Foo Fighters to jamming with legends like Iggy Pop, Tom Petty and Joan Jett. Publish date Oct. 5.

Stanley Tucci: Taste: My Life Through Food

Beyond the award-winning actor's cookbooks, The Tucci Cookbook and The Tucci Table, he takes us behind the scenes and reflects on falling in love over dinner, creating meals with his wife, and growing up Italian American in Westchester, NY. Publish date Oct. 5

Sutton Foster: Hooked: How Crafting Changed My Life

Crafts are more than a hobby for Foster — she says they're lifesaving. The two-time Tony Award winner and star of Younger reflects on how crafts have helped manage stress, including around her relationship with her agoraphobic mother, being in the spotlight, and adopting her daughter. Publish date Oct. 12.

Ron Howard and Clint Howard: The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family

Ron is a big Hollywood director who stared on The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days, and Clint acted on Gentle Ben and Star Trek. For the first time, the brothers examine their life in show business and the importance of family through it all. Publish date Oct. 12.

Jamie Foxx: Act Like You Got Some Sense: And Other Things My Daughters Taught Me

He's won Academy Awards for his roles in Ray and Collateral. But Fox shares in his debut memoir (written with Nick Chiles) that he's most proud to play the role of dad to his daughters, Corinne and Anelise — and opens up about how each phase of his life has led him to his parenting journey. Publish date Oct. 19.

Evanna Lynch: The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting: The Tragedy and The Glory of Growing Up

Known for her iconic role as Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films, Evanna Lynch details her battle with disordered eating as a young girl and the lasting struggles with perfection and growing up. Publish date Oct. 19.

Billy Porter: Unprotected: A Memoir

Before he was on Broadway and starred in the hit show Pose, Porter was an outsider who grew up in Pittsburgh. Through his debut memoir, he shares his life story of growing up Black and gay in America and his everlasting determination that led him to where he is now. Publish date Oct. 19.

Alyssa Milano: Sorry Not Sorry

The Who's the Boss? and Charmed actress shares a collection of essays about growing up in front of the world, her marriage, and the political and social issues that matter to her. Publish date Oct. 26.

Drew Barrymore: Rebel Homemaker: Food, Family, Life

In Barrymore's first lifestyle and cookbook, she shares thirty-six recipes, photos and personal essays on how she learned to cook and celebrate life around the kitchen table. Publish date Nov. 2.

Kal Penn: You Can't Be Serious

This is a series of funny and defining moments in Penn's life — whether that be staring in the buddy stoner comedy Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle or being a White House staff member — or even falling in love with his partner. Publish date Nov. 2.

Emily Ratajkowski: My Body

The model and actress, most known for starring in Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" and Maroon 5's "Love Somebody" music videos, has written a book about the exploration of feminism, sexuality, and power. At the center, Ratajkowski shares the evolution of her thinking about "our culture's commodification of women." Publish date Nov. 9.

Will Smith: Will

He was once a West Philadelphia kid, then he took Hollywood by storm and is now one of the world's biggest stars. In Will, (written with co-author Mark Manson) Smith gets candid about the pressures of the entertainment industry and how he mastered his emotions. Publish date Nov. 9.

Raekwon: From Staircase to Stage: The Story of Raekwon and the Wu-Tang Clan

This is a story about how the legendary rapper struggled through poverty and turned his hobby into a lasting success. Fans will read about the story of the iconic hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, Raekwon's solo career, and how fatherhood and spirituality continue to inspire him. Publish date Nov. 30.

Mel Brooks: All About Me!: My Remarkable Life in Show Business

The legendary comedian, director and actor Mel Brooks shares for the first time his life in the show business — whether that be working with Gene Wilder and Alfred Hitchcock or tales struggle and camaraderie. Publish date Nov. 30.

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Mia Estrada
Mia Estrada is a 2021-2022 Kroc Fellow. She will spend the year rotating through different parts of NPR, including the Culture Desk, National Desk and Weekend Edition.