Why Celebrity Business Books Are Having a Moment Again
Celebrity business books and glossy pop-culture memoirs are resurging, but this new wave is more hands-on than humblebrag. Instead of simply retelling fame stories, the best memoirs 2026 is serving up double as entrepreneurship reads and career toolkits. For Malaysian readers juggling inflation, side hustles and the creator economy, that matters: a book has to deliver more than a famous name. Two titles in particular—Emma Grede’s mindset-first guide to work and life, and Andy Cohen’s deep dive into two decades of Bravo—capture this shift. One is a playbook from inside billion-dollar brands; the other is a visual history of reality TV’s most addictive universe. Together, they show how personality-driven publishing can speak to aspiring founders, content creators and reality TV fans alike, while still offering practical value on creativity, resilience and building a distinctive personal brand.
The Emma Grede Book: A Playbook from Inside Skims and Good American
Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work & Life, the breakout Emma Grede book, has climbed to the #5 spot on Amazon Charts, powered by her track record with Skims, Good American and Off Season. Grede doesn’t position the book as a victory lap; it’s closer to a mindset manual than a traditional memoir, making it one of the more compelling celebrity business books on shelves right now. She traces her journey from a chaotic East London childhood, leaving school early and navigating a “boys’ club” business culture, to becoming a founding partner in Kim Kardashian’s shapewear powerhouse and the first Black female investor on Shark Tank. Each chapter ends with prompts—“What are you avoiding?” or “What are three things you wish you did more of last year?”—inviting readers to apply her ideas directly. For Malaysians eyeing entrepreneurship reads that go beyond hype, Grede’s insistence on questioning everything and “making” equity rather than waiting for it lands as unusually actionable advice.
Inside Andy Cohen’s New Book: A Coffee-Table Bible for Bravo Fans
If Grede’s book is a workbook, the Andy Cohen new book is a scrapbook—literally. Andy’s Bravo Scrapbook, due out on 20 October, is billed by Cohen as “the ultimate Bravo coffee table book” and “photo album.” It pulls together roughly 600 photos from his personal archive, spanning 20 years of Bravo history, most of which he shot himself. For Bravo superfans, that alone makes it a must-have collectible. Cohen says he has effectively been working on this sixth book for two decades, drawing from over 100 reunion shows and countless behind-the-scenes moments with the Bravolebrities viewers love. Instead of dense text, readers can expect candid images, reflections on his time at Bravo and an insider’s look at how the network’s culture-shaping reality franchises are made. Malaysian fans who follow Real Housewives clips or Watch What Happens Live online will find this less an instructional entrepreneurship read and more a richly nostalgic, pop-culture artefact.
Who in Malaysia Should Read These—and How to Buy Smart
For Malaysians, these books serve different needs. Aspiring founders and side-hustlers will likely get the most from Start With Yourself. Its journaling prompts, focus on replacing “Old Thoughts,” and candid discussion of dyslexia, class and gender barriers make it a rare celebrity business book that could actually reshape how you work. Bravo devotees, on the other hand, will gravitate to Andy’s Bravo Scrapbook as a coffee-table centrepiece and fan reference. Both titles should be available to Malaysian readers via major global retailers that ship internationally, in hardcover first, with potential e-book editions offering a cheaper, faster-access option. When deciding what to buy, ask: Does this book teach me a repeatable mindset or skill (Grede), or mainly deepen a fandom I already love (Cohen)? If you want strategic inspiration and exercises, start with Grede. If you want glossy nostalgia and insider gossip, Cohen’s scrapbook earns its place on your living-room table.