Arts & Literature
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Tell Me Everything: A Memoir
"A timely, urgent portrait of working-class American women."
―Gabrielle Union
In her highly anticipated memoir Tell Me Everything, Minka Kelly shares a story as powerful as it is page-turning.
Fans know her as the spoiled, rich cheerleader Lyla Garrity on Friday Night Lights or as the affluent, mysterious Samantha on the HBO megahit Euphoria. But as revealed for the first time in these pages, Minka Kelly's life has been anything but easy.
Raised by a single mother who worked as a stripper and struggled with addiction, Minka spent years waking up in strange apartments as she and her mom bounced around the country, relying on friends and relatives to take them in. At times they even lived in storage units. She reconnected with her father, Aerosmith's Rick Dufay, and eventually made her way to Los Angeles, where she landed the role of a lifetime on Friday Night Lights.
Now an established actress and philanthropist, Minka takes this next step in her career as a writer. She has poured her soul into the pages of this book, which ultimately tells a story of triumph over adversity, and how resilience and love are all we have in the end.
―Gabrielle Union
In her highly anticipated memoir Tell Me Everything, Minka Kelly shares a story as powerful as it is page-turning.
Fans know her as the spoiled, rich cheerleader Lyla Garrity on Friday Night Lights or as the affluent, mysterious Samantha on the HBO megahit Euphoria. But as revealed for the first time in these pages, Minka Kelly's life has been anything but easy.
Raised by a single mother who worked as a stripper and struggled with addiction, Minka spent years waking up in strange apartments as she and her mom bounced around the country, relying on friends and relatives to take them in. At times they even lived in storage units. She reconnected with her father, Aerosmith's Rick Dufay, and eventually made her way to Los Angeles, where she landed the role of a lifetime on Friday Night Lights.
Now an established actress and philanthropist, Minka takes this next step in her career as a writer. She has poured her soul into the pages of this book, which ultimately tells a story of triumph over adversity, and how resilience and love are all we have in the end.
Editorial Reviews
"An intricate portrait . . . vulnerable, self-aware and admirably introspective."
―The Washington Post
"I'm struck by how Minka manages to preserve an intelligent curiosity even when describing moments of the most egregious neglect. This generous tone allows the reader to see Minka the girl and Minka the woman together on the page at the same time, and to observe the triumph of her struggle. It's a space of hard-won clarity, a grace-filled investigation of all that she and her mom endured. I feel lucky to have read this book."
―Lacy Crawford, author of Notes on a Silencing
"[A] heart-stopping debut…suffuse[d] with gratitude and humility…An immensely moving story of one woman's unconquerable spirit."
―Publishers Weekly, *starred*
"Minka Kelly seeks and destroys any preconceived expectations we may have over who she is and where she came from. Tell Me Everything is an epic tale of survival, family, and love; a Little Red Riding Hood fable set deep in the heart of strip clubs, garage apartments, rock stars, of a brave little girl trying to not get eaten by the big bad wolves."
―Peter Berg, writer, director, and creator of Friday Night Lights
"Tell Me Everything is a timely, urgent portrait of working-class American women, told through the emotionally gripping story of a mother and daughter you will fall in love with. A brave and necessary book that shows you how to survive, overcome, and ultimately heal from the universal hardships facing women today. A must-read."
―Gabrielle Union, New York Times bestselling author of We're Going to Need More Wine and You Got Anything Stronger?
"Tell Me Everything is a powerful and passionate tale about Minka Kelly's unlikely path from childhood trauma and neglect to a life of resilience, wonder, and hope. Against all odds, Minka rose above the ashes of her past and soared like a phoenix, heading straight toward the light. This is exactly the kind of book we need right now."
–Mira B...
―The Washington Post
"I'm struck by how Minka manages to preserve an intelligent curiosity even when describing moments of the most egregious neglect. This generous tone allows the reader to see Minka the girl and Minka the woman together on the page at the same time, and to observe the triumph of her struggle. It's a space of hard-won clarity, a grace-filled investigation of all that she and her mom endured. I feel lucky to have read this book."
―Lacy Crawford, author of Notes on a Silencing
"[A] heart-stopping debut…suffuse[d] with gratitude and humility…An immensely moving story of one woman's unconquerable spirit."
―Publishers Weekly, *starred*
"Minka Kelly seeks and destroys any preconceived expectations we may have over who she is and where she came from. Tell Me Everything is an epic tale of survival, family, and love; a Little Red Riding Hood fable set deep in the heart of strip clubs, garage apartments, rock stars, of a brave little girl trying to not get eaten by the big bad wolves."
―Peter Berg, writer, director, and creator of Friday Night Lights
"Tell Me Everything is a timely, urgent portrait of working-class American women, told through the emotionally gripping story of a mother and daughter you will fall in love with. A brave and necessary book that shows you how to survive, overcome, and ultimately heal from the universal hardships facing women today. A must-read."
―Gabrielle Union, New York Times bestselling author of We're Going to Need More Wine and You Got Anything Stronger?
"Tell Me Everything is a powerful and passionate tale about Minka Kelly's unlikely path from childhood trauma and neglect to a life of resilience, wonder, and hope. Against all odds, Minka rose above the ashes of her past and soared like a phoenix, heading straight toward the light. This is exactly the kind of book we need right now."
–Mira B...
Readers Top Reviews
Teresa Barsantibr
Not your typical celebrity memoir. She's honest and vulnerable and her ability to tell her story without focusing on judgement is incredible.
MicheleTeresa Bar
I enjoyed Minka’s memoir. Powerful reflections and amazing growth. I was inspired. I highlighted so much I want to remember or take time to process.
iraMicheleTeresa
I saw her being interviewed on The View. I got this book the same day and read it in 24 hours. She went through a tough childhood, came to terms with her trauma, and thrived. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
KLS1987iraMichele
This is the first book in a long time I sat down and read cover to cover in one sitting. I saw an interview about her book where she talked about abuse and knew I needed to read this. For some reason this book really hit me. I share a lot of similar feelings about my past and childhood. I struggle with the fallout of abuse and this book was refreshingly honest and gives me hope that we can rise above and make something better out of our lives. Minka is a classic case of not judging a book by its cover. Always thought she lived a pampered life. She had a tough start in life but has really made something of herself!
RFKLS1987iraMiche
This is not the book I thought it was going to be. It's clear from this story, Minka Kelly is so much more than she appears to the eye, and the world and media have done her a great injustice by reducing her to her looks and the men she's dated. I was struck deeply by the level of vulnerability she poured into her writing, sharing deeply painful and traumatic memories while deftly maintaining a forgiving and healing adult perspective. She captures both the failings and the nuance of why her mother fell short of the caretaker needed when she was a child, and while many circumstances Minka experienced were harrowing, it is made clear she was also deeply loved. The exploration of her mother's lack of tools to find stability, safety, and healthy relationships and how that led to the patterns in the author's own life are profound -- women are often left with no choice and we owe each other grace and empathy, not judgement. I openly wept at parts, so tough are some of these stories to hear, but in the act of sharing herself, Minka Kelly helps us see ourselves and our own potential, and encourages a path of healing and connection that made me pick up the phone to my own mother, a difficult task. Read this book, know this woman, know yourself.
