Book picks similar to
Let's Talk About Pep by Sandy Denton
memoir
non-fiction
music
biography
In Pieces
Sally Field - 2018
Powerful and unforgettable, In Pieces is an inspiring account of life as a woman in the second half of the twentieth century.
With Love and Laughter, John Ritter
Amy Yasbeck - 2009
On September 11, 2003, John Ritter’s death from an undiagnosed aortic dissection, at the age of fifty-four, shocked and saddened not only his family and friends but also his millions of fans around the world. In this inspiring and enlightening memoir, Yasbeck reveals how she dealt with the loss and shock of losing John so unexpectedly. It is both a moving portrait of her husband, and an extremely relatable examination of the painful process of grieving. Enduring her grief with poise and patience, she is dedicated to preserving his name and With Love and Laughter, John Ritter is a wonderful and touching tribute to a man adored by the public and cherished by friends and family. Here are the unforgettable times she shared with a man who was adored for finding humor in everyday encounters, never failing to energize and entertain everyone around him. His philosophy was summed up by his favorite autograph for his fans, With Love and Laughter, John Ritter. Amy Yasbeck’s powerful story reminds us that love never dies . . . and the laughter doesn’t have to end.
This Will Only Hurt a Little
Busy Philipps - 2018
Her conversational writing reminds us what we love about her on screens large and small. From film to television to Instagram, Busy delightfully showcases her wry humor and her willingness to bare it all.I’ve been waiting my whole life to write this book. I’m just so grateful someone asked. Otherwise, what was the point of any of it?
A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages
Kristin Chenoweth - 2009
I'm not."You might know her as a Tony Award-winning Broadway star, who originated the role of Galinda the Good Witch in the smash musical Wicked and won a Tony for 1999's You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Or you may recognize her from her starring roles on TV—The West Wing, Pushing Daisies, Sesame Street...oh, and her Huge Hit Sitcom Kristin on NBC. (Huge hit. L.A. breast-implant huge. Ask either of the people who watched it.) Or maybe you saw her sexy spread in FHM magazine? Or her appearance on Pat Robertson's The 700 Club? Kristin is a wonderful collection of contradictions—but everyone who's ever met her remembers her as the little girl with the big voice. At four foot eleven, Kristin Chenoweth is an immense talent in a petite but powerful package.In this lively, laugh-out-loud book, Kristin shares her journey from Oklahoma beauty queen to Broadway leading lady, reflecting on how faith and family have kept her grounded in the dysfunctional rodeo of show biz. The daughter of an engineer and a nurse, Kristin was singing in front of thousands at Baptist conventions by age twelve and winning beauty pageants by age twenty-two. (Well, actually she was second runner-up almost every freaking time. But, hey, she's not bitter.) On her way to a career as a professional opera singer, she stopped in New York to visit a friend and went on a whim to an audition. Through a combination of talent, hard work, and (she's quick to add) the grace of God, Kristin took Broadway by storm. But of course, into every storm, the occasional drizzle of disaster must fall.Filled with wit, wisdom, and backstage insight, A Little Bit Wicked is long on love and short on sleep; it's essential reading for Kristin's legions of fans and an uplifting story for anyone seeking motivation to follow his or her dreams—over the rainbow and beyond.
Mother's House Payment
Ronnie Schiller - 2011
She learns that her mother has passed on a genetic illness as a parting shot, and she must adjust to growing up with Bipolar Disorder.As she approaches her 30th year, she works hard to pick up the loose threads of her life and tie them into a lifeline for her future. It is a tale of survival, endurance, and acceptance through understanding.
A Sick Life: TLC 'n Me: Stories from On and Off the Stage
Tionne Watkins - 2017
But backstage, Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins has lived a dual life. In addition to the balancing act of juggling an all-consuming music career and her family, Tionne has struggled with sickle-cell anemia since she was a young girl--a debilitating and incurable disease that can render her unable to perform, walk, or even breathe. A Sick Life chronicles Tionne's journey from a childhood spent in and out of the hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, and was told she wouldn't live to see 30 to the superstar musician who is still living out her life's dream of performing. For the first time, Tionne will tell her full life story--the diagnosis, the tumultuous rise to fame, the life in the spotlight, and the hard-fought advocacy work. Through Tionne's tough, funny, tell-it-like-it-is voice, you'll see how the extraordinary singer and advocate found the inner strength, grit, and determination to live her dream--despite her often unpredictable and demanding health issues. She dives deep into never-before-told TLC stories, including accounts of her friendship with Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopez and the tragedy of her death. Tionne's unvarnished discussion of her disease, unending strength, and ability to power through the odds is a story like no other.
Tha Doggfather: The Times, Trials, And Hardcore Truths Of Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg - 1999
Set against the mean streets of L.A.'s South Bay 'hoods, the book is populated by a cast of vivid characters, including Tupac Shakur, Snoop's one true friend and musical soulmate, cut down at the beginning of a brilliant career, and Suge Knight, whose Death Row Records brought street-level credibility--and gangland tactics--into the corporate suites of the entertainment industry.From the Crip gang members who recruited Snoop virtually off the playground to the pimps and players, whores and hustlers who formed his extended family on the streets and behind prison walls, Tha Doggfather offers a scathing, unexpurgated look at life on the edge in a modern urban jungle. Snoop's rise to the pinnacle of rap stardom is chronicled, along with his nearly career-ending arrest and trial for a murder he didn't commit.Raised to the pinnacle, brought to the brink, Snoop Dogg eventually found sanity and salvation in his relationship with Shantay Taylor, his high school sweetheart. Married in 1997, the couple started a new life with their two young sons, even as Snoop's career reached new heights in his creative collaboration with Master P and No Limit Records.
Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated
Alison Arngrim - 2010
Though millions of Little House on the Prairie viewers hated Nellie Oleson and her evil antics, Arngrim grew to love her character—and the freedom and confidence Nellie inspired in her.In Confessions of a Prairie Bitch, Arngrim describes growing up in Hollywood with her eccentric parents: Thor Arngrim, a talent manager to Liberace and others, whose appetite for publicity was insatiable, and legendary voice actress Norma MacMillan, who played both Gumby and Casper the Friendly Ghost. She recalls her most cherished and often wickedly funny moments behind the scenes of Little House: Michael Landon's "unsaintly" habit of not wearing underwear; how she and Melissa Gilbert (who played her TV nemesis, Laura Ingalls) became best friends and accidentally got drunk on rum cakes at 7-Eleven; and the only time she and Katherine MacGregor (who played Nellie's mom) appeared in public in costume, provoking a posse of elementary schoolgirls to attack them. Arngrim relays all this and more with biting wit, but she also bravely recounts her life's challenges: her struggle to survive a history of traumatic abuse, depression, and paralyzing shyness; the "secret" her father kept from her for twenty years; and the devastating loss of her "Little House husband" and best friend, Steve Tracy, to AIDS, which inspired her second career in social and political activism. Arngrim describes how Nellie Oleson taught her to be bold, daring, and determined, and how she is eternally grateful to have had the biggest little bitch on the prairie to show her the way.
The Pursuit of Porsha: How I Grew Into My Power and Purpose
Porsha Williams - 2021
Blue: The Color of Noise
Steve Aoki - 2019
The mix. His life. [A] passionate, introspective memoir. --Publishers WeeklySometimes I think my whole life can be seen through shades of blue... --Steve AokiBlue is the remarkable story--in pictures and words--of Steve Aoki, the superstar DJ/producer who started his career as a vegan straightedge hardcore music kid hellbent on defying his millionaire father, whose unquenchable thirst to entertain--inherited from his dad, Rocky Aoki, founder of Benihana--led him to global success and two Grammy nominations.Ranked among the top ten DJs in the world today, Grammy-nominated artist, producer, label head, fashion designer, philanthropist and entrepreneur Steve Aoki is an authentic global trendsetter and tastemaker who has been instrumental in defining contemporary youth culture. Known for his outrageous stage antics (cake throwing, champagne spraying, and the 'Aoki Jump') and his endearing personality, Steve is also the brains behind indie record label Dim Mak, which broke acts such as The Kills, Bloc Party, and The Gossip. Dim Mak also put out the first releases by breakout EDM stars The Chainsmokers and The Bloody Beetroots, as well as the early releases for Grammy-nominated artist Iggy Azalea, in addition to EDM star Zedd and electro duo MSTRKFT.In Blue, Aoki recounts the epic highs of music festivals, clubs and pool parties around the world, as well as the lows of friendships lost to drugs and alcohol, and his relationship with his flamboyant father. Illustrated with candid photos gathered throughout his life, the book reveals how Aoki became a force of nature as an early social media adopter, helping to turn dance music into the phenomenon it is today. All this, while remaining true to his DIY punk rock principles, which value spontaneity, fun and friendship above all else--demonstrable by the countless cakes he has flung across cities worldwide.
Finding Angela Shelton: The True Story of One Woman's Triumph Over Sexual Abuse
Angela Shelton - 2008
It is the journey of a young woman who discovers herself in the stories of other women who share her same name and coincidentally share experiences of violence and abuse that plagued her own childhood. Through her physical journey across the country she is thrust into her own emotional journey. She embraces each woman she meets, is strengthened by their connections, confronts the father that molested her, and ultimately finds faith, divine purpose, and wholeness.
Baby Bumps: From Party Girl to Proud Mama, and all the Messy Milestones Along the Way
Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi - 2013
But her son, Lorenzo, was never a mistake. When she and her boyfriend, Jionni, found out she was knocked up, they weren't married or engaged. She was only twenty-four and living with her parents—and she had zero baby experience. With a reckless, party girl TV persona to deal with, she had a lot to learn and discover in becoming a mother.In this funny and frank book, Nicole shares her experiences, everything from the first sonogram to the nipple-cracking shock of breastfeeding. In each chapter, she tells the unvarnished truth about pregnancy symptoms (“The High Price of Gas”), the ridiculousness of her baby registry (“Butt Paste and Boogie Wipes”) and the lowdown on postpartum life (“Shit Happens”). There's a ton of useful information, including a list of must-have baby products, MILF style tips, how to keep “I'm a whale” preggers bad body image in check, and how she got into the best shape of her life within six months of giving birth. Although Nicole had to give up partying, she's embracing motherhood the only way she knows how: with a fun-loving attitude—and lots of leopard print!
How Y'all Doing?: Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived
Leslie Jordan - 2021
On Instagram, his uproarious videos have entertained millions and have made him a global celebrity. Now, he brings his bon vivance to the page with this collection of intimate and sassy essays.Bursting with color and life, dripping with his puckish Southern charm, How Y’all Doing? is Leslie doing what Leslie does best: telling stories that make us laugh and lift our spirits even in the darkest days. Whether he’s writing about his brush with a group of ruffians in a West Hollywood Starbucks, or an unexpected phone call from legendary Hollywood start Debbie Reynolds, Leslie infuses each story with his fresh and saucy humor and pure heart.How Y’all Doing? is an authentic, warm, and joyful portrait of an American Sweetheart— a Southern Baptist celebutante, first-rate raconteur, and keen observer of the odd side of life whose quirky wit rivals the likes of Amy Sedaris, Jenny Lawson, David Rakoff, and Sarah Vowell.
Marley and Me: The Real Bob Marley Story
Don Taylor - 1994
Since that terrible day the myths and legends which surround his life have continued to grow. Only one man knows the real truth. That man is Don Taylor, Bob Marley's manager, friend and confidant. Now, in this astonishing and brilliantly written book, Don Taylor tells:
How he and Bob were shot down and left for dead by gangsters wielding Uzi submachine guns.
Of Bob's love affairs with scores of women, including a beautiful princess and former Miss World Cindy Breakspeare.
The secret of the millions of pounds Bob placed around the world.
How Bob foiled a plot to kidnap Mick Jagger.
How Rita Marley was able to sign Bob's signature on checks for huge sums of money.
How Bob secretly carried guns or knives and threatened to kill those who crossed him.
The bizarre and curious circumstances which led to Bob Marley's death.
All these stories, and hundreds more, are told with deep affection and a simple, direct honesty which makes this book indispensible for anyone who is interested in this towering figure of world music.
Shang-a-lang: Life as an International Pop Idol
Les McKeown - 2003
It is a remarkable story of extremes, and a no-holds barred account of Rollermania.From the Trade Paperback edition.