Celebrities Worth Reading

Just came across this article on some books written by celebrities that may be worth reading!

Let me know if you have any celebrities you'd like me to keep an eagle eye out for!

Excerpt from the Online Universities Article here:

1.Ellen DeGeneres: After a long career as a comedian, actress, Academy Awards host and TV talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres now enjoys a large, loyal following of middle Americans and respecting colleagues, many of whom tune into her talk show Ellen everyday. Fans love DeGeneres for her quirky, self-deprecating sense of humor and her penchant for poking fun without being cruel. Her two books, My Point…and I Do Have One and The Funny Thing Is were written in 1995 and 2003 respectively, and mirror her signature comedy style. Readers will find jokes and commentary about the humor in everyday life, from parallel parking to the way we act in elevators.

2.Stephen Colbert: On his TV show The Colbert Report, host and writer Stephen Colbert is a silly anchorman who points out the absurdity of the day’s news. But beyond the jokes, Colbert is an intelligent man who mixes political commentary with comedy. He has won four Emmy awards, as well as other awards for work on his own show and The Daily Show. Colbert is also a New York Times best-selling author, thanks to his overwhelmingly popular satire I Am America (And So Can You!)

3.Ethan Hawke: During the late 1980s and 1990s, actor Ethan Hawke was slated to be the next hottest thing in Hollywood after appearing in movies like Dead Poets Society, White Fang and Reality Bites. But while the dark, sensitive actor continued to work regularly, he wasn’t interested in being a high-profile movie star. Instead, Hawke chose smaller roles, returned to theatre work, and even wrote two novels: The Hottest State in 1997 and Ash Wednesday in 2002. Both were critically acclaimed successes.

4.Henry Winkler: Happy Days star Henry Winkler continues to appear on TV shows and movies even today, but the Fonz is also a children’s book author. And while lots of celebrities, from Madonna to Spike Lee, have written kids’ books, Winkler drew on his own childhood struggle with dyslexia and school life to create the Hank Zipzer Collection of novels for the nine-to-twelve-year old set.

5.Woody Allen: Director, writer and actor Woody Allen’s life has been riddled with controversy and complexity, but he is nevertheless one of the most successful and influential filmmakers of the 20th century. Allen has been working steadily since the 1960s, and has written, directed, and/or starred in a number of films, including What’s New Pussycat?, Play it Again, Sam, Manhattan, Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and others. Allen has also written plays and short stories like "Side Effects" and the novel Without Feathers, which spent four months on the New York Times Bestseller list.

6.Carrie Fisher: While actress Carrie Fisher was once most well known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars movies in the 1970s, she is now more often cited as a successful novelist and screenwriter. She has written five novels, including Postcards from the Edge, which was also developed into a movie in 1990. Her sole work of nonfiction Wishful Drinking is an autobiographical story that was turned into a limited-run show on Broadway.

7.Steve Martin: Steve Martin has been a part of the entertainment industry since the 1960s, and a very public part since his appearances on TV with The Gong Show and Saturday Night Live in the 1970s. Now, Steve Martin continues to work regularly as a TV and film actor, awards show host, producer, musician and writer. Martin has written several screenplays and plays including 2001′s Shopgirl, which starred Claire Danes.

8.Hugh Laurie: House star Hugh Laurie has won countless awards, including Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe awards, for his work on American TV, and he also enjoyed a successful career on stage, TV and in films in Great Britain. The talented actor also experimented with novel writing and even submitted the book The Gun Seller to a publisher anonymously. His agent convinced him to admit that he was the author to help with publicity for the book, a thriller about a retired Army officer propositioned to assassinate an American businessman. Laurie has also written another novel, The Paper Soldier, which is currently unavailable.

9.Martin Scorsese: Film director Martin Scorsese is responsible for creating cinematic masterpieces like Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Cape Fear, Casino and The Departed, as well as documentaries and several short films. The award-winning filmmaker has also written and compiled several books and collections about cinema history, directing and the entertainment industry. Additionally, books like Casino reveal the original story created before the movie version.

10.Quentin Tarantino: Another cutting-edge American director on our list is Quentin Tarantino, the creative genius behind movies like Pulp Fiction, Sin City, Reservoir Dogs and the Kill Bill series. Tarantino and his projects have cult followings and have enjoyed widespread commercial and critical success, making him one of the most influential artists of his time. Besides directing films, Tarantino has also written many of his screenplays and book or comic book versions of his movies, like Grindhouse, Natural Born Killers and Inglourious Basterds.

Bookworm: The Fashionista Edition

Reading is so fun as a solitary act! But like all solitary hobbies, it can be more fun if accompanied with the right accessories and the perfect ambience.

Here are a bunch of feel-good sides that make for a perfect summertime reading haven. What are some of your must haves for your special reading nook? Feel free to pepper your thoughts in the comments!

A cute tote to carry your essentials...bright is a recurring theme

The Most Comfortable Couch Ever!! And that too in lovely orange...doesnt it just ask to be sunk into?

Yummy ginger float drinks to stay hydrated

Bright, juicy nail paint to make every page interesting as you flip through the pages.

Dream on Dreamer

Whenever talk of books and opinions come up, I'm always drawn back to one of the most inspiring books Reading Lolita In Tehran by Azar Nafisi. Set in Tehran under the "veil" of political tyranny, this character-based book makes you appreciate the value of free speech and democracy.

Especially as she narrates her experience using the four great books and writers: Lolita, The Great Gatsby, Henry James and Jane Austen, it paints such a vivid picture for the life and culture of the women in Tehran. As only a sensitive writer could, she draws parallels between the books and the characters in her life so vividly that you cant help but get lost between the pages of today and fiction.

I was even more excited when I got to see her address the students at Boston University a few years ago where she faced some questions regarding her political point of view, on being neoconservative and pushing the Bush propaganda. As Nafisi said it best (paraphrased)...my interests like in literature not politics. All I asked is to be allowed to read, what I want, when I want...too grand a dream for some?

On the Book Shelf

Some of the books we're planning on hitting up in the next couple of months:


Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner not to be confused with the movie with the same name starring Anna Paquin, who I personally think is a tad bit off...somewhat batty which probably adds to her appeal?! Anyways, off topic!

So Fly Away Home, summer reading at its best with intricate relationship drama, high-brow life of a politician's wife with tons of smart humor peppered in. Perfect no to gear up for the Real Housewives of D.C? The show incidentally also stars the famed White House gatecrasher in the red sari. Hello summer I love you so!!


The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Love debut books that turn into stellar success stories. You cannot help but want to encourage the budding writer. I mean, what would J.K. Rowling be today if not for her first wave of enthusiastic pre-teeners. A book teeming with good old-fashioned guilt, seeped in Southern tradition, and tons of smoking, drinking, women! Definitely high on the must-read list.

Two for two! Will circle back with more updates on the hottest book shelf in town.

Inspiring Jane Austen

What's a book club without a dash of Ms. Austen eh?! Oh wait since we're not in the 19th century and known to be spit fires ourselves...a dash of FightClub makes perfect sense!

Of New Beginnings

The idea of a book club is as old as the formation of society...well maybe not that old but definitely goes back to the days when people wanted to get together and talk through ideas, new ways of thinking, fresh perspectives and all the goodies associated with Renaissance living. Even if not super old, it definitely pre-dates Oprah's Reading Club which we will be sure to discuss in future posts.

Against overwhelming criticism of this book club being more of a "kitty party"?!!! (shudder! reminds me of yummy food and heavy set women who'd stare down their noses, pinch my cheeks and scare the living bezeejus out of me) the Book Clubbers book club has been launched.

You really have to say "Book Clubbers" in fast repetition multiple times to get what it means. And sadly no it doesn't really sound like Baklava like one very hungry member of this group imagined. The comments section is available for you to leave your take on what it stands for/means.

Well, this is just the start. We expect to have a lot of fun, animated discussions, passionate views and a lot of silliness mixed in.

While you may not get to actually be there in person to witness, we're hoping you can participate through this blog...share your views, give us suggestions and generally appreciate us for being as awesome as we are (Barney Stinson reference get it?)! :)

Talk soon lovely readers!