Here are 70 books that A Girl's Got to Breathe fans have personally recommended if you like
A Girl's Got to Breathe.
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My husband of 35 glorious years died of Pancreatic cancer in 2020. In two months, as COVID slammed, we had to put our beloved dog down, my husbandâs lesson horse went hooves up, my husband died, I replaced two HVAC units and a water heater. I am a writer/journalist whose style is conversational. Writing about my grief maelstrom as if telling a friend focused me on the dark humor. My book Horse Sluts and articles in Horse Nation and other equine and/or mature-focused magazines are written in the same, âIâm no expert, but this is my experienceâ POV. I know the tone that helps.
âBat shit is patient.â Simple, clear, dead on to describe the crazy life-clowns that leap from dark corners as I fend off grief... loss.
I Was Better... may not be a âgriefâ book, per se, but Fierstein dances us through the fears, struggles, and losses in his journey to live a life he wants. His quote, âLook back, but donât stareâ felt as though he quoted it for me to help deal with many joyous and painful memories of my husband.
I Was Better... is a tropical island where I could escape the squalls of my life of loss. I relished his musicals, strode the flamboyant streets of New York, and was embraced by Fiersteinâs poignant and dearly funny honesty. His rage against the night was mine too. He and I kept dog paddling â together.
NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER â˘Â A poignant and hilarious memoir from the cultural icon, gay rights activist, and four-time Tony Awardâwinning actor and playwright, revealing never-before-told stories of his personal struggles and conflict, of sex and romance, and of his fabled career
Harvey Fiersteinâs legendary career has transported him from community theater in Brooklyn, to the lights of Broadway, to the absurd excesses of Hollywood and back. Heâs received accolades and awards for acting in and/or writing an incredible string of hit plays, films, and TV shows: Hairspray,  Fiddler on the Roof, Mrs. Doubtfire, Independence Day, Cheers, La CageâŚ
It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.
The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to runâŚ
I am a writer and historian, specialising in the early-Medieval period and the fractious but fruitful encounter between the Christian and Islamic worlds. My fiction is informed by my non-fiction work: itâs a great help to have written actual histories of Northumbria in collaboration with some of the foremost archaeologists working on the period. I regard my work as the imaginative application of what we can learn through history to stories and the books I have selected all do this through the extraordinarily varied talents of their authors. I hope you will enjoy them!
The final sentence of The Mask of Apollo has haunted me for decades since I first read the book in my teens. When I read it again, many years later, I discovered that the story is as moving as I remembered. Renault weaves a fascinating re-creation of classical Greek theatre with Platoâs attempt to tutor a true philosopher king in the kingdom of Syracuse. But itâs the final chapter, after Platoâs death, that raises the book to the level of tragedy. For then we meet the young Alexander, already almost god-like in his charisma, a fire seeking fuel for its burning. Alexander burns through the world seeking it, but what he is looking for in the world has already left it: a broken Plato has already died.
Set in fourth-century B.C. Greece, The Mask of Apollo is narrated by Nikeratos, a tragic actor who takes with him on all his travels a gold mask of Apollo, a relic of the theatre's golden age, which is now past. At first his mascot, the mask gradually becomes his conscience, and he refers to it his gravest decisions, when he finds himself at the centre of a political crisis in which the philosopher Plato is also involved. Much of the action is set in Syracuse, where Plato's friend Dion is trying to persuade the young tyrant Dionysios the Younger toâŚ
As a brainy, bullied Queer theater kid, I was 14 before I ever saw anyone like myself onstage or onscreen. ThenâWhamâin June of 1980 I sawA Chorus Lineon Broadway and Fame at the movies. But there werenât any books that showed the theater life as it was actually lived. When I published my love letter to my high school theater friends in 2004, no one had written a novel about our kind. Today, as someone whoâs managed to make a living as a writer-director of musicals, I strive to share the whole truth with the young artists I mentor.Â
If youâve ever seen Billy Porter werk the red carpet, you know he doesnât hold anything back. His memoir is no exception. And while the challenges heâs faced as a Black, Queer person are as unique as his talent, every theatrer-maker can identify with his dreams, his passions, and his disappointments. I so admire his courage in calling out hypocrisy in our business while simultaneously demonstrating the grace to call in for healing.Â
From the incomparable Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner, a powerful and revealing autobiography about race, sexuality, and art
It's easy to be yourself when who and what you are is in vogue. But growing up Black and gay in America has never been easy. Before Billy Porter was slaying red carpets and giving an iconic performance in the celebrated TV show Pose; before he was the Tony Award-winning star of Broadway's Kinky Boots; and before he was an acclaimed recording artist, actor, playwright, and all-around diva, Porter was a young boy who didn't fit in. At five years oldâŚ
A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.
Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother hadâŚ
Just your friendly neighborhood thriller novelist. When people find out I write books, they inevitably enquire, âReally? Have I read anything of yours?â Well, funny you should ask! Iâve been cranking out stories since I was sixteen but took a couple of decades to finally land a publishing deal for my debut novel Hammerjackand its sequel Prodigal(Bantam Spectra). A lifelong Star Trekfan, Iâve also published the novella âRevenantâ in the collection Seven Deadly Sins (Gallery Books). My latest is the high-tech thriller Candidate Z, available on Amazon.
I have zero fascination with celebrities, but remain a sucker for a showbiz memoir as told by a true raconteur. And though you might never have known it from the pretty-boy reputation cemented firmly by his 80âs era film oeuvre, Rob Lowe ranks right up there with George Hamilton in both his having known pretty much everybody in Hollywood, but also having a great story to tell about each one. At turns self-deprecating, deeply touching, brutally honest, and laugh-out-loud funny, Loweâs Storiesdoesnât dish any dirtâso if thatâs what youâre looking for, you might want to look elsewhere. But if youâd like an inside peek at Hollywood as told by a Gen-X icon in his own words (no ghostwriters here!), you canât go wrong here.
A wryly funny and moving account of an extraordinary life lived almost entirely in the public eye.
Teen idol at fifteen, international icon and founder of the Brat Pack at twenty, and one of Hollywood's top stars to this day, Rob Lowe chronicles his experiences as a painfully misunderstood child actor in Ohio uprooted to the wild counterculture of mid-seventies Malibu, where he embarked on his unrelenting pursuit of a career in Hollywood.
The Outsiders placed Lowe at the birth of the modern youth movement in the entertainment industry. During his time on The West Wing, he witnessed the surrealâŚ
I began my professional life as an actress and have skittered around the edges of theatre ever since, in various capacities. While I havenât been on a stage for nearly forty years and I wouldnât venture onto one at the point of a gun, I have always found the life of the actor fascinating. Iâm old enough to have witnessed huge changes in the theatre over the decades, and it is intriguing to discover how much has changedâabsconding managers are pretty well a thing of the past these days, and todayâs actors donât drink as muchâyet how much the adaptability and single-minded passion of actors remain the same.
I had no idea before I read this book that Jerome K Jerome started his working life as an actorâor rather a would-be actor, as his acting days didnât last long. This is a highly entertaining account of his days trying to woo corrupt agents and indifferent theatre managers, and how his own lofty perceptions of his talents as an actor were dashed by absconding producers. His experiences of life at the bottom of the acting ladder are also reflected in other actorsâ memoirs, some (but not all) of whom went on to bigger things. A must-read for any parent who wants to dissuade their offspring from taking up a life âon the boardsâ.
This book contains Jerome K. Jerome's 1891 monograph on stage productions, entitled "On the Stage and Off". Within this work, Jerome reflects on his personal experiences - both good and bad - working as an actor in the late-nineteenth century. A fascinating and insightful text, "On the Stage and Off" is highly recommended for those with an interest in the development of theatre, and would make for a great addition to collections of related literature. The chapters include: "I Determine to Become and Actor", "I Become and Actor", "Through the Stage Door", "Behind the Scenes", "A Rehearsal", "Scenery and Supers",âŚ
In 2008, I accidentally started watching The West Wing, and it changed my lifeâleading me ultimately to start writing seriously and then to move to DC, where I lived for ten years. I would not have ever guessed that a TV show could have such an impact, but I repeatedly met people in DC who had similar stories. I wrote an essay about the fandom for my literary journalism class during my MFA, and that became the starting point for my anthology. I interviewed dozens of fellow fans, many of whom had moving stories of the showâs impact on their lives. It was a really special experience.
In my opinion, the character of Amy in The West Wing is vastly underrated. Obviously, I wanted Josh to end up with Donna, but itâs undeniable that Bradley Whitford, who plays Josh, has electric chemistry with Mary-Louise Parker. As well as being a fantastic actor, Parker is a brilliant writer.
This memoir is a collection of letters to important men in her lifeâfrom a taxi driver who picked her up on a difficult day to a teacher at drama school, as well, of course, as some love interests. By turns tender, witty, and almost unbearably sad, itâs a beautifully written book.
The bestselling, wonderfully unconventional, âwarmly conspiratorialâŚseriously goodâ (The New York Times) literary memoir from the award-winning actress that has received fabulous and wide praise. âThere is no one else quite like Mary-Louise ParkerâŚFunny, heartbreaking and profoundâ (Elle).
An extraordinary literary work, Dear Mr. You renders the singular arc of a womanâs life through letters Mary-Louise Parker composes to the men, real and hypothetical, who have informed the person she is today. Beginning with the grandfather she never knew, the letters range from a missive to the beloved priest from her childhood to remembrances of former lovers to an homage toâŚ
The Duke's Christmas Redemption
by
Arietta Richmond,
A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.
Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man sheâŚ
Iâve been fascinated by crime ever since I was a junior reporter working on a daily newspaper and covered a huge number of court cases. Iâve written all my working life and turned to crime writing after reaching the final of a UK TV channelâs Search for a New Crime Writer competition. Iâve built up contacts within the police force during my career which has enabled me to write Storm Deaths, the first in a series of police procedural crime novels. Iâve seen so many films and TV shows that donât follow the proper procedure, so I ensure that all my writing is as authentic as possible.Â
Few characters in crime fiction are as charismatic as Charles Paris, a struggling actor whose career has more ups and downs than a seesaw. Simon Brett presents us with a fascinating character, a middle-aged man who is endearing even though he is a drunk and a womaniser.Â
There is always a murder whether Paris is acting in weekly rep or has a cameo role in a film. So Much Blood involves Paris appearing at the world-famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Brett skilfully weaves in the drama of putting on a show and the dynamism of the Scottish city with Parisâ occasionally amateurish sleuthing as he tries to uncover who committed the crime. Excellent entertainment.
Appearing in his own one-man show on Thomas Hood at the Edinburgh Festival, middle-aged actor Charles Paris finds himself falling for a gorgeous young girl with navy-blue eyes. He also finds himself being dragged into a complex murder investigation involving the death of a fading pop star, a bomb scare in Holyrood Palace and a suicide leap from the top of the Rock.
Iâve been obsessed with studying the artistic process for over 25 years since I got my degree in Studio Art and Art History at Vanderbilt University. After getting my MFA in Creative Writing, I headed out to Hollywood to produce national television for over twenty years. Iâve worked with many of the greatest actors, filmmakers, and writers of our time and written my own bestselling novels about artists. I read as many books on the artistic process as possible. My mission has always been to ensure that every person knows that they, too, can be artists â creating art isnât just for the âgreatâ, itâs for everyone.
This is probably the most challenging read here, but so worth the effort if you want to dive deep into one of the most unique artistic minds of our time. If youâre not a trained actor, you might not understand all of the nuances here â Mamet is a definite theater guy and doesnât stop down to explain every detail here -- but any artist can learn Mametâs biting, witty, shocking creative tips. I recommend just letting this one wash over you the first time, but if you give yourself to this text and to Mamet, it is sure to give you a new perspective on the way we all create art and hopefully inspire you to delve into some creative expression that you were always too scared to try.Â
The Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, director and teacher has written a blunt, unsparingly honest guide to acting. In True and False David Mamet overturns conventional opinion and tells aspiring actors what they really need to know. He leaves no aspect of acting untouched: how to judge the role, approach the part, work with the playwright; the right way to undertake auditions and the proper approach to agents and the business in general. True and False slaughters a wide range of sacred cows and yet offers an invaluable guide to the acting profession.
I'm a London-based critic, author, and host whose love affair with film began after seeing The Lion King in the cinema as a kid. I trained as a journalist because I wanted to talk about the world. Since then Iâve been covering film and culture for the likes of Empire Magazine, Time Out, and IGN. I co-host MTV Movies and the weekly film reviews podcast Fade to Black; co-founder of The First Film Club event series and podcast, and am a member of London's Critics' Circle. I'm a voice for gender equality, diversity, and inclusion in the entertainment industry and an advocate for MENA representation as a writer of Tunisian heritage.
Carrie Fisher is a phenomenal writer whose Hollywood upbringing and career makes her insightful voice when it comes to the experience of women in film.
Turning the diaries she kept while shooting Star Wars â playing the iconic Strong Female Character, Princess Leila â into a memoir offers and eye-opening perspective about life as an actress working in a male-dominated world.
Itâs full of humour, self-deprecation, and real vulnerability, as well as juicy tidbits about the production.
When Carrie Fisher discovered the journals she kept during the filming of the first Star Wars movie, she was astonished to see what they had preserved - plaintive love poems, unbridled musings with youthful naivete, and a vulnerability that she barely recognized. Now her fame as an author, actress, and pop-culture icon is indisputable, but in 1977, Carrie Fisher was just a teenager with an all-consuming crush on her co-star, Harrison Ford. With these excerpts from her handwritten notebooks, The Princess Diarist is Fisher's intimate and revealing recollection of what happened on one of the most famous film sets ofâŚ
This book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom as he narrates encounters with 12 distinguished American men over 80, including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the worldâs most famous heart surgeon.
In these and other intimate conversations, the bookâŚ
When the society, culture, and world we live in become unrecognizable and untenable, the genre of literature that best quells anxiety is satire. As the author of Satire State, I believe laughter is essential to survival and sanity. The tightly woven fabric of a society unravels slowly and then suddenly through a consecutive series of multiple actions by malignant forces. All the while, historical memory is gradually erased, and the new fabric is the only one recognized. Satire is the only way to chronicle the malignancy and force people to think hard. The following five books of satire that address urgent issues made me laugh, cringe, think, and mutter âtoo realâ under my breath.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ⢠NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER ⢠âA shattering and darkly comic send-up of racial stereotyping in Hollywoodâ (Vanity Fair) and adeeply personal novel about race, pop culture, immigration, assimilation, and escaping the roles we are forced to play.
Willis Wu doesnât perceive himself as the protagonist in his own life: heâs merely Generic Asian Man. Sometimes he gets to be Background Oriental Making a Weird Face or even Disgraced Son, but always he is relegated to a prop. Yet every day, he leaves his tiny room in a Chinatown SRO and enters the Golden Palace restaurant,âŚ
