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Tabloids, anonymous sources, and paparazzi aside, there’s only so much we can know about our favorite celebrities — unless they decide to tell us more. After years (or decades) of having their stories told in the press, many celebs decide to set the story straight with a career-spanning memoir later on, reviewing highly-publicized incidents from their point of view and sharing intimate details only they could have known. So, no matter how much celebrity gossip you keep up on, memoirs are where the true secrets are revealed, and stars like Jessica Simpson, Demi Moore, and more have all made our jaws drop with their revelations in recent years.

To say that these celeb memoirs have rocked our world would be an understatement. From detailing sexual abuse or childhood abuse to opening up about struggles with addiction, rehab, or volatile relationships, these celebrities dug really, really deep, and even explained why they felt compelled to come forward. In short, most celebrities keenly remember a period of time in their lives when they felt lost, confused, and isolated — and they hope that, by speaking out about their own experiences, they can be a symbol of hope and solidarity to those struggling now.

It’s unimaginably brave for these celebrities to have shared all they did, and we’re so grateful they took the time to put it all down on paper. Read on for a complete list of celebrity memoirs that showed us a whole new side to Hollywood, fame, and growing up in the spotlight.

A version of this article was originally published in August 2020.