Question. Is it really reading if you opt to listen to the audiobook instead? Fast consumption is a necessity for the person on the go, but there’s nothing like etching out an hour or two in your schedule to actually relax on the couch and crack open a physical book. The benefits can be exponential — you can gain greater reading comprehension and exposure, appreciate details such as artwork and credits, and feel the ultimate accomplishment of finishing something from beginning to end.
In the latest edition of The MouthSoap Book Lurking, we give bookworms and curious Georges and Georginas the scoop on five books by women authors on the radar in the world of lit memoirs this fall season. Turn the page below.
Worthy – Jada Pinkett Smith
Nearly two years after her husband Will Smith released his memoir Will, Jada Pinkett Smith documents her human existence in Worthy, a 416-page memoir chronicling the life of the superstar actress and family woman. The autobiography goes into depth about some of her most intriguing experiences, including inquiries into her style of parenting and the infamous “slap.”
A synopsis states, “Worthy chronicles her life—from a rebellious youth running the Baltimore streets as an observer and participant in the drug trade, to the deep bond she shared with Tupac Shakur from the moment they met, to her move to Los Angeles and the successful career she built on her own terms, to becoming the wife of superstar Will Smith and mother to Jaden, Willow and bonus-mom to Trey.”
Walk Through Fire: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Triumph – Sheila Johnson
Robert Johnson, the former owner of BET Networks, and his protege Debra Lee, former Chief Executive of BET, have memorialized their legacies in tell-all literary works. But, there’s always three sides to a story… Now, Johnson’s former wife and business partner is telling her side in Walk Through Fire: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Triumph where she explores her Illinois roots and ultimate ascension into entrepreneurial success, all while navigating a tumultuous marriage and esteem issues.
RELATED STORY: 7 More Empowering Lessons From ‘I Am Debra Lee,’ A Powerful Memoir From Former BET CEO Debra Lee (Part II)
A synopsis states, “A cofounder of Black Entertainment Television, she became an entrepreneur and philanthropist at the highest levels. But that success came at a painful personal cost. Sheila grew up in a middle-class family that encouraged her love of the arts and music. But her idyllic childhood ended at age sixteen when her beloved father announced he was leaving for another woman… She vowed she’d never be in her mother’s position—dependent on a man for her sense of self-worth and for financial security. Yet when she was barely out of her teens, Sheila married a man who would take her right down that same unfortunate path.”
‘Walk Through Fire’ Is Available Now
The Woman in Me – Britney Spears
Britney Spears has come a long way — from her height of popularity and charting records to the ills of being a Hollywood obsession. In The Woman in Me, readers get the full story in Spears’ own words. For the first time ever, Spears gives fans a candid account of her journey from pop star to the woman she’s become today.
A statement reads, “The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.”
Find Out More About ‘The Woman in Me’
Thicker than Water: A Memoir – Kerry Washington
We know her from Save the Last Dance and Scandal, but Kerry Washington is not just an actress with a fairy tale story. In her new book, Thicker than Water: A Memoir, the multifaceted television and film mogul delves into her past and shocking family secrets as she searches for her truth.
One critic writes, “Throughout this profoundly moving and beautifully written memoir, Washington attempts to answer the questions so many have struggled with: Who am I? Washington gives readers an intimate view into both her public and private worlds—as a mother, daughter, wife, artist, advocate, and trailblazer. Chronicling her upbringing and life’s journey thus far…”
Check Out ‘Thicker Than Water’
Leslie F*cking Jones – Leslie Jones
Comedian and actress Leslie Jones has a story to tell and readers can find it in her new memoir Leslie F*cking Jones, a harrowing tale about her “hazy” memories as a Black female raised in the South to her subsequent rise as a comedian beating all the odds. Now in her 50s, Jones reflects on the ups-and-downs of being a confident woman in a competitive industry and reveals some of her most controversial moments.
Jones shares in a statement, “It’s not easy being a woman in comedy, especially when you’re a tall-*ss Black woman with a trumpet voice. I have to fight so that no one takes me for granted, and no one takes advantage. These are the stories that explain why.”
