3.Jul.2009 at 3 | jspeyton
BTT: Memoirs of the Rich and Famous
This is definitely a late Booking Through Thursday, but well, it’s me – late is my middle name.
This week’s Booking Through Thursday question asks:
Suggested by Callista83:
Do you read celebrity memoirs? Which ones have you read or do you want to read? Which nonexistent celebrity memoirs would you like to see?
Uh, well… no? I don’t have anything against celebrity memoirs, it’s just that… okay, well I do kind of have something against celebrity memoirs. In this case, I’m afraid to say, I’m a snob. Whenever I encounter celebrity memoirs in the bookstore, I turn my nose up at them and look the other way. Mostly, because I have serious doubts about whether a person can write just because they’re a famous actor, or singer, or basketball player. And if they aren’t really the ones doing the actual writing well, then what’s the point?
Plus – and, I guess this is where the snobbery comes in – I just don’t care. I don ‘t care about the life-styles of the rich and famous. So you’re in a few movies I like or sing a few songs I enjoy. That doesn’t mean I care what parties you attend or what your marraige is like or how you raise your children just because you’re a celebrity. I read memoirs. I enjoy reading memoirs. I just need more of a reason for doing so outside of mass popularity.
Having said that, there is one celebrity memoir which I have considered reading: Audition by Barbara Walters. Audition came to my attention when Barbara Walters did a very interesting and revealing interview with NPR when the book was first released. It seemed that much of Walters’ memoir was about being a pioneering woman in television journalism and the sexism she had to overcome in order to attain the respect and notoriety she eventually received. Now that is something I might be interesting in.
In addition to that, despite my snooty reaction to books penned by celebrities, I try to remain open-minded. I’m of the opinion that every genre has something for everyone to read. The trick is finding it. I just haven’t found the celebrity memoir for me, but perhaps I will one day soon.
Finally, for those of you in the States, I’m wishing you a Happy Independence Day tomorrow. May it be filled with great food, beautiful fireworks, and cooperative weather. For the rest of you, have a great weekend! And, as always, happy reading.
P.S. I probably won’t be posting tomorrow (when do I ever?), but I’ll definitely be around from 8 am to 8 pm on Sunday doing Round #2 of my Bloggiesta of One (BOO), wherein I tackle the rest of the items on my blogger to-do list. Feel free to join me if you want! We could make it a BOT, a Bloggiesta of Two… or Three. 
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I don’t read celebrity memoirs either. I feel that I get enough exposure to celebrities’ foibles through the magazines at the doctor’s office. Plus I see lots of celebrities around town (L.A.), and either it’s a non-event, or it’s a nuisance, as when paparazzi are following them and making life more difficult for the rest of us. That said, I saw Carrie Fisher’s one-woman show Wishful Drinking, and it was really funny, and made me want to read the book. So maybe I’ll start there. Or maybe not
I love memoirs, but rarely read celebrity memoirs. I do have Kathleen Turner’s in my TBR pile, though.
I love a good memoir, but I never really jumped on the celebrity memoir bandwagon either, for the same reasons you listed. Especially, why should I care about the ins and outs of someone’s life just because they’re famous? And who’s to say that just because you can act/sing/play a musical instrument/etc. you can also write? I’m not utterly opposed to reading a good celebrity memoir, but I have to say that I don’t quite get the fascination with them that so many people seem to have. Oh well, I usually make a hypocrite of myself when I lay claim to such fierce snobbery – it remains to be seen.
Happy 4th of July to you as well!
I’m with you on the celebrity memoirs. I just don’t find their lives particularly interesting. Normally when I pick up a memoir it’s because the person who wrote it is extraordinary and world-changing in some way, however small. I don’t think most celebrities qualify, and as you say, many of them struggle to write their own works. Barbara Walters is someone who did change the face of journalism for women, so I’d consider reading her book, but probably not the dozens constantly put out by various celebrities every year. They seem even more prominent here in the UK – I can’t figure out why I should care.