Bravolebrities and books seem to go hand-in-hand. I wouldn’t dare suggest that every Bravo star is a gentleman (or woman) and a scholar. But some Bravolebrities have really stepped out of their comfort zones to put pen to paper and write about their life experiences, in books that are genuinely worth reading. It’s not that we fans really needed to deep dive into why they are the way we are, but some, I dare say, could be literary classics.
Andy Cohen: “Most Talkative: Stories from the Front Lines of Pop Culture”
Honestly, I forgot the Bravo kingpin penned a book back in 2012, but it wasn’t half bad. The man behind the Real Housewives franchise knew one thing: he loved reality TV. After graduating from Boston University, Andy Cohen had a love affair with pop culture, which isn’t surprising since he has become a pop icon in his own right. The proud St. Louis native really made the pages come to life as he shared his life from a young child to Bravo king.
Between stories and antidotes, fans learned that Andy’s passion really blossomed after he interviewed Susan Lucci for his college newspaper. Andy goes on to tell pretty funny stories about his 10 years with CBS News and encounters with A-D-list celebs. Fans can get a one-of-a-kind glimpse into Andy’s world, which is great for any Bravo fanatic.
Teresa Giudice: “Turning the Tables”
No one can tell me differently that Teresa Giudice flipping the table in Season 1 of the Real Housewives of New Jersey wasn’t iconic. So it makes perfect sense that the mother of four would use her moment to catapult her into a best-selling book. I’m not ashamed to say I’ve read it, and even though I knew most of the drama, the book pulled me in.
The book was Tre’s first tell-all memoir. She shares what it was like to grow up in an Italian-American family, dealing with reality TV, and finally admitting she went to prison instead of saying she “went away.”
The book featured scans from her personal prison diary and captured some of the shocking moments of her stay in federal prison. The sentence was less than a year, but she learned about prison sex, glam behind bars, and that family is everything. Hopefully, she also learned to read everything ever put in front of her from now on.
Brandi Glanville: “Drinking & Tweeting”
If you’re a housewife who finds herself almost always getting into trouble on social media after a glass of red wine, writing an advice book about it makes total sense. Brandi Glanville has had more than one online feud, so the bad girl of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills decided to write a memoir about it.
In my opinion, the book is a breath of fresh air since she is brutally honest. It also might be an interesting read since she has been back in the headlines for accusing Andy of sexual harassment.
After her ex-husband left her to marry LeAnn Rimes, readers could understand why Brandi would get so heated since it seemed she was gaslit a lot when she was married. My only complaint was that, at first, the hashtags were cute. Then they were a little grating. By the end, it made me want to get on a plane, fly to Beverly Hills, knock on her door, point to one of her hashtags, and glare in disappointment. #JustSaying. But I also get the concept since her book was about tweeting. All in all, it made me sympathize with her plight a bit more.
Carole Radziwill: “What Remains”
I always liked Carole Radziwill, and it wasn’t just because she made for a perfect Real Housewives of New York City star; it was because she was, first and foremost, a fabulous journalist. Clearly, I looked up to her, so when she released her memoir about life and death, I had to read it. The stunning and tragic story about her time with John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette, and his cousin Anthony Radziwill really stuck with me.
She lost her best friend Carolyn in the plane crash and only three weeks later lost her husband, Anthony, to cancer. Carole tells a magical story of old-world Europe after marrying her literal Prince Charming, but the story begins and ends with loss, so grab the tissues.
There was never any doubt in my mind that Carole wrote this book, even though some of her RHONY castmates accused her of having a ghostwriter. The story was carefully and intentionally crafted in a way that celebrity memoirs typically aren’t. While Carole’s story would have been compelling on its own, it’s clear that her love of language and telling stories guided this book.
TELL US: HAVE YOU READ ANY OF THESE BRAVOLEBRITIES’ BOOKS? IF SO, WHAT WERE YOUR FAVORITES?
