Pop Culture

The Complete Reading List for Everyone Who is Seriously Missing Glee

Allison Russell May 12, 2018

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Allison Russell

Staff Writer

Writer. Reader. Watcher of exorbitant amounts of television. Allison is a Michigan native with an MA in professional writing from Carnegie Mellon. She earns her living writing for other people and then writes for herself at night. She currently lives outside Pittsburgh with her beloved dog Gulliver, who is kind of a jerk. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonPageRuss or on Instagram @read_write_and_be_merry.

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They sing, they dance, they act, they… write? You might not know that many cast members from Fox’s musical teen drama are actually quadruple threats. That’s right. A ton of Glee stars and guest stars have penned their own novels, memoirs, and self help books, so if you’re missing the beautiful disaster that was Glee, I’ve got you covered. Here’s a complete list of books by Glee actors.

Chris Colfer

Chris Colfer, who portrayed Glee’s beloved Kurt Hummel, is definitely the most prolific writer of the Glee squad. He hasn’t acted much since Glee, instead launching a pretty successful career as an author. His works include The Land of Stories series for children, and more recently a YA novel called Stranger Than Fanfiction. And in case you didn’t know, he actually wrote an episode of Glee! Check out “Old Dog, New Tricks” (season 5, episode 19) to get a taste of his writing talent.

Lea Michele

Lea Michele, AKA Rachel Berry, has written two books post-Glee. Her memoir, Brunette Ambition, tells the story of her life-long career in show business, along with memories of her time with Glee, and especially memories of her late boyfriend and costar Cory Monteith. Her follow-up book, You First: Journal Your Way to Your Best Life, is chock full of lifestyle tips and journaling prompts.

Jane Lynch

If you’re wondering whether Jane Lynch is anything like the morally ambiguous Sue Sylvester, you need look no further than her writings. Her memoir Happy Accidents focuses on her journey to self-acceptance, while her picture book Marlene, Marlene, Queen of Mean, written with A.E. Mikesell and Lara Embry, combats childhood bullying.

Naya Rivera

The sassy Santana Lopez would no doubt appreciate Naya Rivera’s memoir, Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes, and Growing Up. In true Santana fashion, it’s full of the juiciest gossip. If you’re looking for all the Glee-era dirt, this is the book for you.

Jenna Ushkowitz

Jenna Ushkowitz’s book Choosing Glee: 10 Rules to Finding Inspiration, Happiness, and the Real You (written with Sheryl Berk) delivers on everything we loved from Tina’s storyline in Glee. It’s all about finding yourself and gaining self confidence, illustrated with photos and keepsakes from Ushkowitz’s life.

And that’s just the main cast. Plenty of Glee’s recurring characters and guest stars have written their own books as well. See the complete, star-studded list below.

NeNe Leakes (swim coach Roz Washington)

Never Make the Same Mistake Twice: Lessons on Love and Life Learned the Hard Way

Stephen Tobolowsky (former glee club director Sandy Ryerson)

Whoopi Goldberg (Carmen Tibideaux, Dean of Vocal Performance and Song Interpretation at NYADA)

Sugar Plum Ballerinas Series

Whoopi’s Big Book of Manners

Kristin Chenoweth (McKinley High Alumna April Rhodes)

A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages, with Joni Rodgers

Gwyneth Paltrow (substitute teacher turned glee club director Holly Holliday)

It’s All Easy: Delicious Weekday Recipes for the Super-Busy Home Cook

It’s All Good, with Julia Turshen

Notes from My Kitchen Table

My Father’s Daughter: Delicious, Easy Recipes Celebrating Family & Togetherness

Kate Hudson (NYADA dance instructor Cassandra July)

Demi Lovato (waitress, musician, and temporarily Santana’s girlfriend Dani)

Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year

Peter Facinelli (Rupert Campion, director of the Broadway revival of Funny Girl)

After the Red Rain, with Barry Lyga and Robert DeFranco
Protocol Orphans, with Michael Alan Nelson

Sarah Jessica Parker (Vogue executive Isabelle Wright)

She’s not exactly an author, but Sarah Jessica Parker is the Editorial director of SJP for Hogarth, a new imprint of Penguin Random House!

Britney Spears (Britney Spears fantasy)

Heart to Heart, with Lynn Spears
A Mother’s Gift, with Lynn Spears

Shirley Maclaine (New York Socialite June Dolloway)

Out on a Limb

The Camino

Sage-ing while Age-ing

Don’t Fall Off the Mountain

Dancing in the Light

It’s All in the Playing

My Lucky Stars

What If . . .: A Lifetime of Questions, Speculations, Reasonable Guesses, and a Few Things I Know for Sure

Dance While You Can

Out on a Leash: How Terry’s Death Gave Me New Life

Olivia Newton John (Olivia Newton John)

Livwise Cookbook: Easy, Well-Balanced, And Delicious Recipes For A Healthy, Happy Life

Perez Hilton (Perez Hilton)

The Boy with the Pink Hair

Perez Hilton’s True Bloggywood Stories: The Glamorous Life of Beating, Cheating, and Overdosing, with Jared Shapiro
Red Carpet Suicide: A Survival Guide on Keeping Up with the Hiltons, with Jared Shapiro

Andrew Rannells (Andrew Rannells)

Rannells is set to publish a so-far-unnamed memoir in 2019, but in the meantime you can read his Modern Love essay, “During a Night of Casual Sex, Urgent Messages Go Unanswered.”