Celebrities have long made a few extra dollars about putting the secrets of their lives down on paper (or paying a ghost writer to do it). But the modern trend goes far beyond that. Now only are celebrities telling us how they live their lives, but not they are telling us how to live ours with self-help advice.
Surely the most famous celebrity self-help guru wannabe is Gwyneth Paltrow with her website GOOP, but she is far from the only ones. Here are seven celebrities that have recently published self-help books, which may or may not change your life.
(Note – we haven’t included any of Oprah’s books on our list… she may be one of the biggest celebrities in the world, but she is also a bona fide self-help guru. Check out her stuff.)
Jessica Alba – The Honest Life
Jessica Alba is a successful actress, apparently happy mother, and indisputably one of the most beautiful women in the world. But rather than telling us how to get her good looks and gorgeous style, Alba tells us about how to live a non-toxic life and avoid using products that are dangerous to us and the environment. Of course, she is also the owner of the Honest product line which specialises in selling non-toxic products. Hmmm… interesting…. Though in reality, the book is less preachy and selly and more interesting that it might initially appear.
Russell Brand – Recovery
British comedian, actor and activist Russell Brand (not to mention the former flame of Katy Perry), has been open about his struggles dealing with substance abuse. Brand has impressively put these problems behind him, and is now using his platform to help others do the same. His self-help book Recovery is all about overcoming addition and is based on the 12-step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous. But Brand brings his typical funny but no-nonsense approach to the problem, cutting through the BS.
Cameron Diaz – The Body Book
Cameron Diaz, known for her incredibly body, first got on the self-help bandwagon with The Body Book in 2013 which is all about how to use genuine scientific knowledge about how the body works to take better care of yourself, and appreciate your body more. She followed this up in 2016 with The Longevity Book, which took the same approach but looks at the aging process. Diaz does seem to be one of the new Hollywood celebrities that seems willing to age gracefully and naturally in the public eye.
Anna Faris – Anna Faris is Unqualified
Far from crawling up in a ball and crying Faris made the most of her famous split from actor Chris Pratt by revealing the secrets of their private lives and giving people advice based on her experienced. It started as a podcast in 2015, which became a memoir, self-help book in 2017 called Anna Faris is Unqualified. Well at least she is honest about her credentials and upfront about the fact that she is simply sharing her opinions and perspectives.
Jane Fonda – Being a Teen
Jane Fonda has been telling us how to live or lives for longer than others with her hugely popular workout videos. And few can argue with her results (though we wonder how much of her physique is down to her workout programme, and how much to her team of personal trainers). Anyway, she has now turned her attention from our bodies to our minds and she has written a book, Being a Teen, designed to help teenagers deal with issues such as sexuality, self-esteem and relationships. Does Fonda even remember being a teen?
Lauren Graham – In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It
Lauren Graham as made a career by being one of the most loveable people on television. Best known as the mother on Gilmore Girls, she almost always plays someone who has their heart in the right place and their compass pointed in the right direction, even if it takes her a while to get there. She wrote her book, In Conclusions, Don’t Worry About It, based on a commencement speech that she gave at her former high school in 2107. The advice she gave gathered so much attention that she decided to expand it into a book about growing up, pursuing your dreams, and living your life in the here and now.
Kate Hudson – Pretty Happy
Like many people, especially women, Kate Hudson is balancing a hectic career and a demanding family life. In this book, she shares her secrets for finding time for herself and prioritizing self-care when everything else seems so important. Hudson decided to write the book as she was constantly asked about her diet and exercise in interviews and was unhappy with how the snippets that emerged misconstrued what she wanted to say. So she decided to take control and share in her own words.