6 unusual celebrity books you may not have heard of
If you’re a big reader, then you’ve probably read celebrity-authored books in your time. Just about anyone who’s ever appeared in a movie, or played a professional sports game has their own dedicated book, it seems.
Yet some of them break away from the traditional ‘all about me’ narrative. These celebrity books cover other topics, some interesting, some downright crazy.
If you feel like learning how top celebs play poker, losing yourself in a dystopian landscape, or simply feeling like an eight-year-old again, then let the following famous writers show you the way.
Serena Williams – The Adventures of Qai Qai
When Serena Williams gave birth to her daughter, she found it tougher than any tennis match she’d ever been in during her career of over 1,000 matches. The star said that she nearly died due to complications following an emergency C-Section birth and was bed-ridden for six weeks.
The trauma has made her appreciate life in a new way, and much of it includes precious time spent with her daughter Alexis Olympia and her doll Qai Qai.
The child loves her doll so much that Serena decided to write a book about her, one in which the toy takes center stage and embarks on a series of adventures. Qai Qai even has an Instagram account (run by Serena) and has accumulated a large following.
Who knows, if Qai Qai is half as energetic as her sporty creator, then we might see a sequel or two soon.
Molly Bloom – Molly’s Game
The thing that sets traditional poker, roulette, and blackjack apart from online casino games are the characters you meet around the table. Former professional athlete-turned-poker host Molly Bloom met so many she decided to write a book about them.
But it wasn’t just regular players that you find in any poker room: Molly’s clientele happened to be A-list celebrities, including Leo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, and Tobey Maguire – many of whom made fascinating poker players.
Maguire, for example, had a desire to win at any cost, according to Molly, and was often mean to her and other players. At one point, the pot stretched into millions of dollars, which made for a white-hot atmosphere.
Molly had already had an interesting life as a professional skier before her spell as a high-stakes host, but this memoir hits new heights.
Kendall and Kylie Jenner – Rebels: City of Indra: The Story of Lex and Livia
Watching an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, with all of its strange moments, feels like peering into a dystopian future for many people; so much so that two of its biggest stars decided to write a novel about a futuristic world.
Kendall and Kylie Jenner write about two young heroines, twins Lex and Livia Cosmo, based on themselves, who embark on a series of adventures in the fictional city of Indra. It’s a future in which the Earth is dying, forcing cities to be self-sustainable.
While the theme might be topical, the plot doesn’t make much sense, according to reviews. Still, if you’d like to see how well reality TV stars can write, then this might be the celebrity book for you.
Tyra Banks – Modelland
Tyra Banks made her name on the most prestigious catwalks on the planet in a career that began at the age of 15. She’s experienced many highs and lows in that time, some of which she channels through her character Tookie De La Cremé in Modelland.
The plot focuses on Tookie’s time at model boarding school, where she meets models of all shapes and sizes. After several trials and tribulations, they form a bond as they attempt to change the school’s repressive nature.
The celebrity book has been described as ‘warped’, ‘nonsensical’ and ‘tacky’ by critics, which suggests that we might not see many more literary efforts from Tyra or, at least, ones worth reading.
LeVar Burton – Aftermath
As Lt.Commander Geordi LaForge in Star Trek, LeVar Burton is used to acting out scenes set in the distant future. His 1997 book Aftermath deals with a more immediate future, though – in fact, one that’s already passed.
In the novel, the USA of 2019 has just suffered a huge earthquake, economic depression, and an assassinated black President, which has caused the second civil war in the nation’s history. It centers on four characters, all flawed personalities, who have the potential to save the country. But can they do it?
Fans of science fiction may enjoy reading this book, which portrays a world disturbingly closer to this nightmarish scenario than 25 years ago.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – Mycroft Holmes
Did you know Sherlock Holmes had an older brother? Mycroft Holmes isn’t talked about anywhere near as much as his famous sibling, but he does appear in several of the detective’s novels.
It’s something that intrigued NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabber; so much so that he decided to write a novel about this ‘older, smarter character’, who works in the highest levels of the British government as Secretary of State for War.
Kareem was keen to show another side to the character shown in the original Sherlock novels, which might appeal to celebrity books fans interested in a different take.