Biographies that expose the darker sides of celebrities and public figures have always been fascinating. These “poisoned pen” books, whether motivated by revenge, financial gain, or a desire to reveal the truth, often become cultural sensations. Sometimes, the authors are family members, like Christina Crawford, who penned the shocking Mommie Dearest about her adoptive mother, Joan Crawford. Other times, they’re seasoned professionals like Kitty Kelley, known for her controversial biographies of figures ranging from Frank Sinatra to the British royal family.
While these juicy tell-alls are sometimes met with skepticism, they also tend to captivate fans and journalists alike. Here are 10 of the most famous poisoned pen books that stirred up significant controversy.
Bette Davis: My Mother’s Keeper
It may be hard to imagine Bette Davis as a mom, given her tough public image. However, the 1985 book My Mother’s Keeper by Davis’s daughter, B.D. Hyman, presents a disturbing behind-the-scenes portrait. Hyman alleges that Davis removed her from school at age eleven to be her personal assistant and punished her children by staging suicides.
While Hyman distinguished My Mother’s Keeper from Mommie Dearest—written about Davis’s rival Joan Crawford—comparisons were inevitable, especially given Davis’s alleged heavy drinking and troubled relationship with her daughter. While Hyman stated that Davis did not abuse her, she published the book before Davis died, allowing Bette to respond to the claims made against her.
Davis addressed the book at the end of her own memoir, including a letter to her daughter discrediting the claims and accusing her of a “glaring lack of loyalty.” Hyman further discussed her relationship with Davis in her 1987 spiritually themed memoir, Narrow Is the Way.
Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography
Andrew Morton, known for his revealing biographies about the British royal family, stirred up controversy with his 2008 biography, Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography. Cruise and the Church of Scientology fought hard to prevent its publication.
The book alleges that Katie Holmes was required to “audition” to be in a relationship with Cruise and that she signed a contract specifying that “if she or any of her children were ever to suffer from mental or terminal illness, they must turn only to Scientology’s treatments.”
The book also explores Cruise’s marriage to Nicole Kidman, with one source claiming that Cruise constantly kept tabs on Kidman. These claims, along with allegations related to his involvement in the Church of Scientology, led to Cruise and the Church reportedly considering a $100 million lawsuit, refuting the allegations and attacking Morton’s credibility.
Life with My Sister Madonna
Madonna, known for her unconventional persona, faced more criticism with the 2008 memoir Life with My Sister Madonna by her brother, Christopher Ciccone. Having worked for Madonna for 20 years, Ciccone was in a unique position to share intimate details about his sister.
Co-authored with Wendy Leigh, the book portrays Madonna as a cold, disagreeable, and controlling narcissist. Ciccone describes her using drugs and recounts incidents, such as Madonna, somewhat intoxicated and covered in candle wax, being escorted out of a post-Grammy party.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: Jackie Oh!
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, an iconic American first lady, has been the subject of numerous biographies. Kitty Kelley’s 1978 book, Jackie Oh!, was her first biography and became a huge bestseller. It painted Jackie as a spoiled, shallow diva and exposed secrets, including Kelley’s claim that John F. Kennedy had her committed to a hospital for electroshock therapy.
Becoming Beyoncé: The Untold Story
Beyoncé, who has been in the spotlight since childhood, had a side that remained hidden until J. Randy Taraborrelli’s 2015 book, Becoming Beyoncé: The Untold Story. It explores the infamous elevator incident involving her sister Solange and Jay-Z and speculates about Beyoncé faking her pregnancy with Blue Ivy.
The book also delves into the lawsuits against Beyoncé and the ambitious actions of herself and her father in the music industry.
Martha Stewart: Just Desserts: The Unauthorized Biography
Before Martha Stewart’s imprisonment for obstruction of justice, Jerry Oppenheimer’s 1997 book, Martha Stewart: Just Desserts: The Unauthorized Biography, exposed a different side of the domestic TV host. It portrayed Stewart as a petty, shrewish, ruthlessly ambitious woman and a tyrannical boss.
Readers learn about Stewart’s divorce, her difficult relationship with her daughter, and the destruction of many friendships. This tell-all may have disillusioned fans but also gratified those who felt they could never live up to her standards.
His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra
Kitty Kelley’s 1986 book, His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra, was particularly courageous, considering Sinatra’s connections to notorious figures. Kelley offered evidence of Sinatra’s ties to organized crime, drawing on government documents related to the mafia. She also wrote about his philandering and temper.
Kelley painted him as a violent bully who allegedly pushed a woman through a plate-glass window. Sinatra attempted to stop the publication with a $2 million lawsuit, which he later dropped.
Poison Pen: The Unauthorized Biography of Kitty Kelley
In a twist of fate, Kitty Kelley became the subject of an unflattering biography in 1991, titled Poison Pen: The Unauthorized Biography of Kitty Kelley. George Carpozi argued that Kelley’s sensationalistic books were based on lies, casting her as a gossipmonger and alleged thief. Barbara Howar said Kelley stole a manuscript from her house during a garage sale and sold it to Washingtonmagazine.
The book also claims that Kelley fabricated an interview date with Peter Lawford for her Sinatra bio and made up a conversation between Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis and Pete Hamil for Jackie Oh!. Despite the outrageous stories, Carpozi’s impartiality was questioned, with the Los Angeles Times describing Poison Pen as “a book so hostile that if it were a person, its name would be Moose, and he would be holding a gun.”
The View Cast: Ladies Who Punch
Ramin Setoodeh’s book, Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of The View, reveals that the off-screen behavior of The View co-hosts was even more shocking than their on-screen discussions. The book describes incidents and contentious relationships between the co-hosts.
Rosie O’Donnell had trouble getting along with co-hosts and producers, including Barbara Walters. O’Donnell perceived Whoopi Goldberg to be as mean to her as anyone she ever interacted with on TV. Jenny McCarthy admitted she sometimes hid from Walters, who was critical of her wardrobe.
The book recounts Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s tantrums, like the time she ripped up her note cards and stormed off stage after being lectured by Walters during a segment.
Joan Crawford: Mommie Dearest
Joan Crawford, known as an ideal mother, faced shocking allegations in her eldest adopted daughter Christina’s 1978 memoir, Mommie Dearest. The memoir portrays Crawford as a vicious, controlling, unhinged alcoholic whose violent rages could be set off by trivial things.
Christina claimed that Crawford choked her during one confrontation when she was 13 years old. In addition to being a fascinating exposé, Mommie Dearest brought the subject of child abuse to the forefront. The 1981 film adaptation, starring Faye Dunaway as Crawford, became even more famous than the book.
These ten books are famous for their revealing and often unflattering portrayals of celebrities and public figures. Whether motivated by a quest for truth or other factors these biographies have left a lasting impact on popular culture.
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