THE SKINNY CONFIDENTIAL BOOK CLUB: MY LATEST READS

Did you know that there’s a The Skinny Confidential Facebook Group that’s dedicated to a book club? You have to join the main group on Facebook, then just search The Skinny Confidential book club & join.

Books are such a theme on this blog. Reading is such an important part of my life. When my mom passed away, reading really got me through it. I would immersed myself in books & it was this form of escapism I guess.

We’ve been traveling a lot lately. Right now we’re in New York, next week we are going to Mexico & then later this year we’re going overseas. That means lots of books. There’s nothing better than kicking back with a book. You know I LOVE long flights because it’s a time to disconnect, sip some champagne, & read a book without any distractions. Not going to lie, I kind of like when the wifi is spotty- gives me an excuse to read.

So let’s get into the latest:

Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life by Steve Martin

I just started this one & haven’t finished it yet, but so looking forward to diving deep into the life of comedian, Steve Martin. This book is all about his early beginnings working at the Disneyland Magic Shop when he was 10, his rise to comedic stardom, how & why he quit it all, how he loves to write. Can’t wait for this one. Have any of you read it yet?

The Art of the Pimp: One Man’s Search for Love, Sex, and Money by Dennis Hoff

If you listen to The Skinny Confidential podcast then you know that we just interviewed the highest paid, legal sex worker, Alice Little from The Bunny Ranch. Michael & I decided to actually go to The Bunny Ranch to interview her in her element. After I saw The Bunny Ranch, I wanted to learn everything & anything about it. I found out that the owner, Dennis Hoff, had passed a way a couple years ago so I did a deep dive into his life. His girlfriend was Heidi Fleiss, the “Hollywood Madam.” Heidi Fleiss wrote Pandering ( such a good read ) & used to arrange high-class escorts for celebrities. Anyways, Dennis’ life was so interesting & colorful & unique. I couldn’t put this book down- it explains everything from his perspective about how it is to be a legal pimp. I like to see things from other people’s perspectives instead of judge. It’s nice to see life through their eyes. This book kept me interested & curious. The how, why & his logic to why he got into is in this book too. I’m not saying I agree with it, I’m just saying it’s a unique perspective.

Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of “The View” by Ramin Setoodeh

Ok guys, you have to check out this book, especially if you ‘ve ever watched The View. This book is by an award-winning journalist & he takes us behind the scenes of the show. It’s soooooooo good & JUICY. He talks about Rose O’Donnell, Barbara Walters’ career ( why she is single ), Debbie Matenopoulos being the youngest person on The View, & Star Jones’ rise to celebrity. It’s just one of those books that you can’t stop reading. I would stay up til 4 am reading it, which isn’t good- Must’ve needed some more CBD that night. It’s explosive. The author is so good & really takes you through the whole story of The View which has been around for 22 years. This is a great book to gift to your girlfriend or your mom.

Jackie, Janet & Lee: The Secret Lives of Janet Auchincloss and Her Daughters Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill by J. Randy Taraborrelli

You know I’m obsessed with The Kennedys & Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. & if you don’t know this, definitely check out my post on her perfume & this book club post, featuring The Other Man ( who she had an affair on JFK jr. with ). This book is a biography of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, her mother Janet Lee Auchincloss, and her sister, Princess Lee Radziwill. These women are iconic & it was so interesting to see where they came from & the inner workings of their family. Jacqueline married JFK ( obviously ) & went on to marry shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. It’s all about how these women personified beauty, style & fashion. Their mother always taught them to go for “power & money”, so that’s just what they did.

Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis

This is my favorite book that I’ve read all year. I’m trying to convince anyone & everyone to read it. It’s the autobiography of Anthony Kiedis who is the lead singer of The Red Hot Chili Peppers. This book is so beautifully written that you truly fall in love with Anthony Kiedis. Out of all the books listed here, I would start with this one. It’s so good because it shows you every facet of his life – a horrendous drug addiction, living on the streets, all the women he’s been with, inner workings of the band, & why he is the way he is. If I ever write a memoir when I’m like 50, I hope it’s as beautifully written as this one. It’s probably one of the best written autobiographies or biographies that I’ve ever read. & that’s saying a lot because I’m an autobiography whore. It’s such a great story of the world of rock, success & excess.

Be sure to join the book club on Facebook guys! Would love to know what you’re reading right now. As you can tell, I love autobiographies. There’s just something about getting so deep into someone else’s life that gets me off.

So if you have juicy recommendations let me know.

Happy reading.

x, lauryn

+ for more amazing book recs: tsc book club | the master list | books for business

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