heLLOOOOO hOLLyWOOd

HELLO HOLLYWOOD! HELLO HOLLYWOOD! HELLO HOLLYWOOD!

The Final Revival of Opal and Nev

Dawnie Walton

A Black singer and a British songwriter join musical forces in 1970s New York. On the cusp of stardom, an incident involving a Confederate flag and a rival band throw the band’s future into question. Decades later, a music journalist with some interesting ties to the story decides to write a book about the band, setting the stage for a really meta novel told in an oral history format!

Me

Elton John

Queue up your fave Elton playlist, because that’s all you’ll be listening to after devouring this one! THIS is exactly how a celebrity memoir should read. Elton is raw and honest, sharing a lot about his struggles with addiction and his sexuality. But he’s also funny and candid and drops tons of names about people he’s worked with and is friends with, from John Lennon to Lady Gaga!

The Housewives

Brian Moylan

I adore all things Bravo and Real Housewives. In fact, if you meet me and I don’t mention Bravo within the first five minutes of the conversation, check my pulse. In this history of the Housewives, Moylan (who covered the ‘wives for Vulture + New York mag!) mentions it all, from how much money cast members really make to the behind the scenes details of the franchise’s most infamous throwdowns.

Live From New York

James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales

If you like Saturday Night Live and/or oral history, then this pick is a must. I love SNL, both for the on-camera antics and the off-camera drama. This book covers the entire SNL experience from building the cast to the most iconic sketches. I loved how the authors talked to so many key players to build an incredibly comprehensive history of such an iconic show.

HELLO HOLLYWOOD! HELLO HOLLYWOOD! HELLO HOLLYWOOD! Whether it’s a juicy tell-all about my favorite show or a novel set behind the scenes on the set of a blockbuster, I can’t get enough of books that have a Hollywood or pop culture angle.

A Touch of Stardust

Kate Alcott

Julie, trying to make it in Hollywood, is given a major opportunity to work in the publicity office for David O. Selznick who is directing Gone With The Wind. Once on the set, Julie is enmeshed with Carole Lombard and Clark Gable as they try to hide their secret relationship. This one is juicy if you love old Hollywood because it namedrops some real-life legends.

Brat

Andrew McCarthy

I have been waiting for this book for my entire life and I’m not even being dramatic when I say that. I adore all things Brat Pack and John Hughes-related and was THRILLED when I saw Andrew McCarthy (aka Blaine from Pretty In Pink!) was releasing a memoir about his career in the 1980s, starring in some of our most iconic teen movies. Bonus: McCarthy is a fantastic writer!

The Comeback

Ella Berman

Grace, a Hollywood starlet on the cusp of award show success, has mysteriously disappeared from Hollywood. A year later, she re-emerges to reclaim her life and story after months of speculation. When she’s asked to present an award to Able, the director who controlled her for her entire career, she knows what she must do in order to feel whole again. This is a heavier read that skillfully covers the darker side of fame.

Wild and Crazy Guys

Nick de Semlyen

The 1980s were marked by a group of funnymen who changed the landscape of comedy as we know it. Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, John Candy, Eddie Murphy, and Rick Moranis were the faces starring in and the brains behind some of America’s most beloved films. This book chronicles their stories from Saturday Night Live to their first tastes of success to forays into more dramatic films.