6 Celebrity Memoirs Coming Out In 2026 You'll Want To Get Your Hands On

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Celebrities writing memoirs is nothing new. In fact, the first celebrity memoir appears to have been written by Julius Caesar and published somewhere between 58 and 49 BCE. Entitled "Commentaries on the Gallic War," it was about his personal experience fighting in the — you guessed it — the Gallic War. Over the years, other famous people have released their own memoirs, including Sarah Bernhardt, who is regarded as the first actress to do so with "My Double Life," which was published in 1907.

Although celebrity memoirs used to be few and far between, these days, basically every famous person on the planet has written about their life. While there are memoirs by non-celebrities with important stories to tell, it's the rich and famous who seem to corner the memoir market. "The audience for [celebrities] is quite broad," biography expert Rutger Bruining told CNN in February 2023. "Obviously, a certain level of interest in the memoirist's area of focus — whether they're an actor, or an athlete, a trauma victim, or a royal — is going to have an impact on whether a reader picks up the book, but I think it's less important than for other categories or genres."

Because celebrity memoirs are such a big business — it's speculated Prince Harry got a $20 million advance for "Spare"— that also means they're not going anywhere. As we say adieu to 2025 and look toward 2026, some of the best things to come are the celebrity memoirs that are scheduled to be released. From Brandy to Cher to Jennie Garth, you'll want these books on your TBR list.

There's no denying that Lena Dunham has made an indelible mark on pop culture. As a voice of her generation, as her character Hannah Horvath so aptly put it in the first episode of "Girls," Dunham has never been afraid to be too candid, too raunchy, or even downright offensive. "[A] voice of a generation was always meant to be a joke," Dunham told MetroUK in July 2025. "A generation isn't a monolith, and something I love about my generation is the diversity of perspective."

When Dunham announced in September 2025 that she'd written another memoir to be released in April 2026 — her first, "Not That Kind of Girl," was published in 2014 — it wasn't surprising. As we saw with her recent Netflix series, "Too Much," Dunham isn't done talking about herself or sharing topics that some might find cringe-inducing. It's these qualities that helped catapult her collection of personal essays to number two on the New York Times bestseller list.

In "Famesick," Dunham doesn't just talk about the international fame that came with "Girls," but how it coincided with her chronic illness. Dunham, who's one of the celebrities advocating for adequate endometriosis care, struggled for years before she was finally diagnosed with the disease that would ultimately lead to her hysterectomy at 31. "It took a long time to have the perspective to tell this story with honesty, humility, and the appropriate dose of humor," Dunham told People in September 2025, adding that she'd been working on the book for seven years. Considering how well Dunham can tell a story, this memoir is going to be a good one.

Did the world need a memoir by Sue Ellen from "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead" star Christina Applegate? You better believe it. While younger generations may know Applegate from "Dead to Me," she's actually been in the entertainment industry ever since she was a kid. In other words, she has more than a few stories to share — and not all of them are going to be happily ever after.

In 2021, Applegate was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, something that pushed her toward writing the memoir. "I decided to write this book when I was forced to slow down," Applegate told The Hollywood Reporter in July 2025. "I've had a career in TV and film since I was 3 years old, and I loved it. But with MS, all the things I thought were important shifted. For a long time, it felt impossible to find the meaning in everything I've been through, but for the first time in my life, I've been able to stop and reflect."

Applegate explained that "You With the Sad Eyes," set to be released in March 2026, is filled with both humor and grief, adding that the decision to write a tell-all was scary. But it was also necessary. "I wrote this because I truly believe that books can make people feel less alone," Applegate told THR. And she's absolutely right. While this is likely to be a tear-jerker, with all of Applegate's ups and downs, and medical issues — she was also diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and underwent a double mastectomy — the topics are going to be relatable for many. 

In September 2025, singer and songwriter Brandy announced that her memoir, "Phases," would be published in March 2026. "I am so excited to finally share my full story in book form," Brandy told People in January 2025. At that time, the book was originally due to be published in the fall of that year. "This memoir is the result of countless hours of reflection, work, and healing. I hope readers will find comfort and inspiration in these pages."

Now 46, the memoir will cover the life and career of Brandy, from her very humble beginnings in Mississippi, to the release of her 1994 debut album, "Brandy," which came out when she was only 15, the massive stardom that followed thanks to both her singing and acting pursuits, and of course, her personal relationships. As she explained in an Instagram post about the memoir, "Life has taken me through so many highs and lows, twists and turns, and each phase has shaped who I am today," adding again that she hopes readers will identify with her story, because everyone, whether they're a celebrity or not, has had their fair share of tough times. Brandy's "Phases" is about the resilience within us all and the phases of life that test us.

As the daughter of Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli has been in the spotlight since the moment she was born. Then, when she followed in her mother's footsteps, pursuing acting and singing, and her private struggles became very public, Minnelli became fodder for gossip — as was the case with Garland when she was alive. Although Minnelli didn't have much interest in writing about her life and career, she felt that she had to do it because everyone else was getting her story wrong. 

"A recent miniseries that just didn't get it right ... All made by people who didn't know my family, and don't really know me," Minnelli told People in August 2024. "Finally, I was mad as hell! Over dinner one night, I decided, it's my own damn story. I'm gonna share it with you because of all the love you've given me." 

Minnelli had been asked to write her memoir for decades, but always passed on the opportunity, explaining to People that her philosophy was that the story of her life and career could all be told when she was gone. But since so many have tried and failed to accurately tell her truth, as well as that of her family, especially her mom, Minnelli decided there's no time like the present to set the record straight. "Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!" comes out in March 2026.

If you've been wondering what Jennie Garth, who became famous as Kelly Taylor on "Beverly Hills 90210" in the 1990s, has been up to, you can put that wonder to bed. On top of a steady stream of TV roles over the past few decades, in 2024, Garth launched a QVC clothing brand. As she told People in July of that year, when she turned 50, she was unsure where to take her career. "I decided that I would like to focus on trying to help people or spread some positivity," Garth told People. "And that's the message behind the brand, Me by Jennie Garth." That same year, Garth launched a podcast called "I Choose Me," which just so happens to be the name of her memoir, too.

According to People, "I Choose Me" is partially a memoir, but also meant to motivate and inspire women to put themselves first through self-care and other ways of healing. "I wanted to share the messy, beautiful truth of what it takes to rediscover yourself — through motherhood, heartbreak, aging, and reinvention," Garth said in a statement to People. Ultimately, Garth hopes to create a whole movement where women prioritize themselves. So if you feel like your life needs a little pick-me-up from 90210's Kelly Taylor, "I Choose Me" comes out in April 2026.

In 2024, it was announced that Cher was finally writing her memoir. But because it's Cher, her story couldn't possibly fit into just one book. So "Cher: Part One" came out in November 2024, and now "Cher: Part Two" is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2026.

Before the official announcement of the two-book deal, Cher appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," where she revealed that she was working on her memoir. "I just totally chickened out. I didn't put in some things that need to be in, and they're not comfortable," Cher told Fallon about her writing process. "But they need to be put in, so I have to go back and man up ... I've lived too long and done too much, and so it's like it should be the encyclopedia." 

If you already read part one and have been going crazy waiting for part two to drop — it was supposed to be published in 2025 — then know you don't have too much longer to wait. If you haven't read the first memoir, now's the time to get on that before "Cher: Part Two" hits the shelves. Similar to Liza Minnelli, when you've lived through the decades as they did, you know there are going to be some really wild stories in there.