9 celebrity novels that are actual must-reads

Tatler Asia

2 days ago

2. 'The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece' by Tom Hanks
Above 'The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece' by Tom Hanks
Leave it to Tom Hanks, America's dad, typewriter hoarder and certified history geek, to write a novel about making movies that's less gossipy tell-all, more literary homage. The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece (2023) is a sweeping multigenerational story about a comic book adaptation turned mega-budget film, complete with a fictional comic insert and a rotating cast of quirky creatives.
It's ambitious—maybe too ambitious, critics murmured—but undeniably sincere. Hanks has long moonlighted as a writer (his short story collection Uncommon Type was a bestseller), and here, he leans all the way in. Yes, there's some indulgent insider baseball, but there's also real heart in how he renders the weird, wonderful world of making art in America.
In case you missed it: From clothes hangers to taxidermied animals: 8 celebrities and their eccentric collections 3. 'Someday, Someday, Maybe' by Lauren Graham
Above 'Someday, Someday, Maybe' by Lauren Graham
Before Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life revived the Stars Hollow-verse, Lauren Graham dropped a debut novel that read like a nostalgic hug for every twenty-something dreamer. Someday, Someday, Maybe (2013) follows Franny Banks, a struggling actress in '90s New York trying to make it big before her self-imposed deadline runs out.
It's smart, self-deprecating and semi-autobiographical, but never saccharine. Graham has a knack for internal monologue, and Franny's anxiety about career, love and rent feels as relevant as ever. While it didn't make the Pulitzer shortlist, the book sold well and was optioned for TV.
Graham's turn as a writer shouldn't be surprising. She studied English at Barnard before her MFA at Southern Methodist University. She's also published a memoir, but Someday remains her most beloved piece of fiction. 4. 'Today I Feel Silly' by Jamie Lee Curtis
Above 'Today I Feel Silly' by Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis, it turns out, is a literary stealth icon. She's written over a dozen children's books, each one witty, rhythmic and deeply human. Today I Feel Silly (1998) is her best-known title, and it's not just cute—it's a tiny revolution. The story follows a young girl navigating big emotions with humour and honesty, giving kids permission to feel all the feelings. It topped The New York Times children's books list and became a go-to for teachers and therapists alike.
Curtis isn't just stamping her name on someone else's rhymes; she crafts the verses herself (with illustrator Laura Cornell) and often draws from parenting experiences. In a market saturated with moralising bedtime tales, her work is fun, funky and unpretentiously wise. 5. 'Postcards from the Edge' by Carrie Fisher
Above 'Postcards from the Edge' by Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher's Postcards from the Edge (1987) is one of those rare celebrity novels that became a literary landmark. Loosely based on her own life after rehab, the novel chronicles the tumultuous life of Suzanne Vale, a rising actress recovering from drug addiction and a fraught relationship with her mother. Sound familiar?
But it's not just autobiographical therapy in prose form. Fisher's voice is sardonic, whip-smart and heartbreakingly honest, a precursor to the confessional tone that would later dominate memoirs and podcasts alike. The book became a bestseller, a Meryl Streep film and a reminder that Fisher was always more than Princess Leia.
Fisher would go on to write more celebrity novels ( Surrender the Pink , Delusions of Grandma ) and brilliant memoirs. But Postcards remains her most poignant piece of fiction. 6. 'The Gun Seller' by Hugh Laurie
Above 'The Gun Seller' by Hugh Laurie
Best known for his sardonic Dr House, Hugh Laurie's 1996 debut, The Gun Seller, took readers by surprise: not just because it was wildly funny and stylish, but because it was legitimately good. Think Graham Greene meets Douglas Adams. Here, a cynical espionage romp where ex-soldier Thomas Lang gets caught up in a weapons conspiracy far beyond his pay grade.
The book sold briskly and was critically adored—so much so that fans begged for a sequel (he promised one, The Paper Soldiers , but it's yet to appear). With razor wit and a surprising amount of plot acrobatics, Laurie proved he could write with as much bite as he delivered onscreen. 7. 'Shopgirl' by Steve Martin
Above 'Shopgirl' by Steve Martin
You can't say terrific celebrity novels without thinking of the Father of the Bride . Before Only Murders in the Building gave him a second act on screen, Steve Martin quietly conquered the literary world. A card-carrying member of Mensa with a taste for Nabokov and noir, Martin's debut novella Shopgirl was released in 2000 to near-critical swooning. It was adapted into a film (which he also wrote and starred in) five years later.
The story centres on Mirabelle, a lonely glove counter attendant at a luxury department store in Beverly Hills, and her melancholic, emotionally stunted relationship with a much older man. Equal parts delicate and devastating, the novel is a masterclass in restraint: dry, elegant and whisper-soft in its cruelty.
Martin studied philosophy, wrote witty essays for The New Yorker and has since authored other celebrity novels, memoirs and plays. But Shopgirl remains his most haunting piece of fiction: the kind that sneaks up on you, like a perfume sample you didn't expect to linger. 8. 'The Land of Stories' by Chris Colfer
Above 'The Land of Stories' by Chris Colfer
While many celebrity novels come and go with the same fleeting flash as a red carpet cameo, The Land of Stories has become something far more lasting: a bona fide literary franchise. Chris Colfer, once known to millions as Kurt Hummel from Glee , didn't just write a children's fantasy novel for kicks; he built a six-book series (plus spin-offs, graphic novels and a film deal with 20th Century Studios) that turned into a publishing juggernaut.
The premise? Twins Alex and Conner tumble into a magical realm where classic fairy tales collide with fast-paced adventure, cheeky political allegory and a touch of Broadway flair. Think The Chronicles of Narnia if Narnia were more into tea parties with Goldilocks and revolutions led by Red Riding Hood.
Colfer, a lifelong reader and self-proclaimed fantasy nerd, wrote the first book in his early 20s and immediately landed on the New York Times bestseller list. 9. 'My French Whore' by Gene Wilder
Above 'My French Whore' by Gene Wilder
Gene Wilder is forever etched in film history as the eccentric genius behind Willy Wonka and Young Frankenstein , but few realise he was also a novelist of surprising literary grace. My French Whore (2003) tells the story of a timid British soldier in World War I who switches identities with a French spy. It is a premise ripe for farce, but handled with unexpected tenderness and humour. The novel's blend of romance, wartime tension and Wilder's trademark wit creates a charming, bittersweet narrative that's as layered as his film roles.
Though better known for his physical comedy and screenwriting, Wilder's literary foray was met with warm critical appreciation, revealing a contemplative artist whose creativity extended far beyond the silver screen.