The celebrity memoir has been having a moment this year. The juicy, gnarly and often unexpected aspects of well-known names has always made for entertaining writing, proving to us that more often than not, famous people are just as human and complicated as us. If you spent the summer reading Lena Dunham’s Famesick, here is a look at other memoirs from well-known names this year that you don’t want to miss.
The Audacity of Being by Shefali Shah
Calling itself a ‘sort of memoir’, the actor behind Monsoon Wedding, Dil Dhadakne Do and Delhi Crime takes us behind the scenes. In these essays, she reflects on her younger self as a young actor trying to make it in Bollywood with no connections.
Just Being by Romila Thapar
Romila Thapar has undeniably shared India’s understanding of its own past and history. As a historian, she maps out her own life growing up in the British Raj, her travels abroad to study and laying the foundation for the Centre for Historical Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Famesick by Lena Dunham
Of course, the 2026 memoir list would be incomplete without this mammoth of a memoir by Girls showrunner, director and lead actor, Lena Dunham. We follow her life in Hollywood as she unpacks what it was like to become famous at the tender age of 23, fall very sick very often, and have no choice but to keep going.
Walk Like A Girl by Prabal Gurung
One of the largest designers from South Asia, who has displayed his garments on an international stage several times, Prabal Gurung’s memoir is as evocative as ever. His artistry has guided his journey over the past many years, and still continues to be the focus of everything he works on. Read our in-depth interview with him here.
Kids, Wait Till You Hear This by Liza Minelli
Hollywood royalty Vincent Minnelli and Judy Garland’s daughter Liza Minelli, who created a brilliant career for herself in music and dance in Hollywood, shows us her life. She speaks of substance abuse problems, broken marriages, miscarriages and the struggles that marked her journey. Through it all, her life was always wrapped in laughter.
Biting Off More Than I Can Chew: A Maverick Chef Remembers by Rahul Akerkar
One of India’s first culinary rebels, Rahul Akerkar writes a biting, humorous narration of his life in Biting Off More Than I Can Chew. Long before celebrity chefs were a thing, Akerkar was feeding Mumbai’s curious and cool bold, ingredient-driven cooking, with warm, no-nonsense hospitality.
An Unexpected Life by Gloria Steinem
In her final memoir, the legendary writer and activist looks back at the experiences that shaped her life and work. From a childhood spent travelling with her itinerant father to her years as a journalist and her involvement in the women’s rights movement, she traces her own unlikely journey.
Not Quite Family: An Intimate Memoir of Bollywood by Khalid Mohamed
Veteran journalist and film critic Khalid Mohamed takes us behind the scenes of Bollywood, drawing on decades spent reporting on and befriending some of Hindi cinema’s biggest stars. From Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor to Smita Patil, Rekha and Dharmendra.
You with the Sad Eyes by Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate gets unflinchingly candid about a life spent in the spotlight, from growing up on Hollywood sets and finding fame on Married...with Children to navigating motherhood, cancer and her multiple sclerosis diagnosis. The memoir looks beyond the celebrity image to the painful, complicated experiences that shaped her.
Words Platform Desk
Date 24.9.2026