Within the past week, all the buzz has been surrounding Matthew Perry’s candid memoir “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir.” While many people have been divulging into the “Friends” star’s book and questioning “Why on earth would he say this this way,” I’ve been asking myself a very different question: Why on earth have so many celebs released memoirs this year, and why have all of them managed to go viral??

In the spirit of this question, I will be discussing a few of the hit memoirs that have come out of 2022…

1. “I’m Glad My Mom Died” by Jennette McCurdy

This one was incredibly popular—especially among the Tik Tok community. With the morbid title aside, the memoir has received immense amounts of praise as it reinvents McCurdy as a former Nickelodeon starlet and chronicles her life within a toxic household and an equally as toxic show business.

The memoir even managed to make its way into the hands (and hearts) of some Royals. Among these readers was Charlotte Jordan ’23 who explained, “‘I’m Glad My Mom Died’ was very sad, but Jennette McCurdy’s dry sense of humor and engaging writing style made it a book I couldn’t put down; I am still thinking about it weeks after reading it.”

2. “Making a Scene” by Constance Wu

From her fabulous role as a con woman in “Hustlers” to her dreamy role in “Crazy Rich Asians,” Miss Wu never misses—especially not in this memoir. Like McCurdy’s, this memoir is also very talked about in the Tik Tok space—and for all the right reasons. The tell-all follows the aftermath of Wu’s experiences with sexual harassment on and off sets. Wu makes it her mission within the memoir to tell her story and show others that they too can do the same.

3. “Mean Baby” by Selma Blair

This one has built itself up to be a favorite amongst a slightly older crowd that is more familiar with Blair and her work. Nonetheless, Blair brutally and beautifully takes all of us through her toxic familial relationships and her struggles with addiction within the memoir. She also describes her struggles with her multiple sclerosis diagnosis and the “silver-lining” which has come out of it.

4. “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir” by Matthew Perry

I opened this article with it, so I obviously have to talk about the elephant in the room… While it is considered to be newly viral, Perry’s memoir has been nothing short of polarizing. It follows Perry’s addiction, love life, and his peak in stardom. While the addiction portion of the book is prevalent and impactful, many disagree with how Perry goes about discussing his relationships with women, co-workers, and even his own close friends in the industry.

Though I have yet to read the memoir, Rosary’s own Ms. Barclay ’94 has read it and chimed in on her feelings about it: “I thought the memoir was enjoyable. I didn’t know the full extent of Perry’s addiction issues or how close he was to death. Still, there was something unsettling about how angry he comes across. Maybe it’s because on the TV show, he’s so well known for being the lovable, funny guy, but I was surprised by that.”

I suddenly have an urge to buy ALL of these memoirs and binge read them during Thanksgiving Break. Just me? If you’re also thinking of reading one of these memoirs, or you have already read one or a few, feel free to comment your opinions down below!