Autobiographies provide a candid look at celebrities

everybody’s favorite words, beginning in the selfish toddler stage,

persisting through adulthood and into doddering dotage.

These pronouns also characterize a favorite literary genre, the

autobiography. It may take an ego to tell a story, but it also takes

talent and something more to sell it to the public. Publicity doesn’t

hurt, but sometimes success happens simply because of our yearning to

step into a celebrity’s shoes or to just eavesdrop on events we would

never witness.

The Newport Beach Public Library always has an up-to-date

selection of books, especially the autobiographies of people you see

on the news and in the reviews.

The biggest splash this year was created by Bill Clinton’s

much-anticipated “My Life.” Just short of 1,000 pages, Clinton’s

chance to settle scores and set the record straight requires marathon

stamina but gives the reward of an authentic voice -- Bill wrote this

one all by himself. You’ll recognize his turns of phrase in the

details, telling the story of a boy from Arkansas who defied the odds

and attained the ultimate post in government, putting his liberal

principles to the test.

Another Bill, this one named Buckley and espousing a decidedly

conservative viewpoint, has written “Miles Gone By: A Literary

Autobiography.” Buckley’s childhood is a sharp contrast to Clinton’s.

Wealthy, aristocratic, urbane, privileged and gifted are just a few

of the adjectives that come to mind in describing the Yale-educated

intellectual credited with revitalizing conservatism as a political

force.

If your taste runs to high-profile, popular entertainers, then try

the tell-all tale of former child actress Tatum O’Neal, “A Paper

Life.” Fame, cocaine, heroin and a dysfunctional family of fellow

actors (notably Ryan O’Neal, her father and costar in “Paper Moon”)

round out this bombshell bundle of revelations, which also stars many

of Hollywood’s famous faces.

Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan has finally decided to set the record

straight with a truthful account of his origins in “Chronicles, Vol.

1.” The enigmatic man of music, an icon of the 1960s, waffles between

country retreats and New York City. In fact, the book opens and

closes in the same locale, mirroring the man’s life.

If you favor the posh life with East Coast socialites to match,

try Gloria Vanderbilt’s romance memoir, “It Seemed Important at the

Time: A Romance Memoir.” Of course, Vanderbilt is famous for her line

of jeans in the 1970s, but has gained renown recently as the mother

of CNN news commentator Anderson Cooper. Famous in her own right, she

regains the spotlight and names names -- famous names -- all the

while employing a breathless, steamy prose style.

Real life, right from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. And it’s all

true because they were there, and they wouldn’t tell a lie, would

they?

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is written by June Pilsitz. All titles

may be reserved from home or office computers by accessing the

catalog at https://www.newportbeach

library.org. For more information on the Central Library or any of

the branch locations, please contact the Newport Beach Public Library

at (949) 717-3800, option 2.