Melissa Rivers

The daughter of Joan Rivers presents an inspiring and intimate tribute to the iconic comedienne that shares insights into her life out of the spotlight, detailing their complicated but loving relationship and the lessons the author learned from her mother throughout their years together.

Tales of Mirth, Mischief, and Manipulation

The Book of Joan

Tim Vandehey

Be ready the next time the spotlight is on you! She’s interviewed “glamazons,” watched stars shine (Sharon Stone in a Gap T-shirt at the Oscars) and bomb (Jennifer Aniston in dreadlocks, Cher in an Egyptian headdress), and witnessed many a celebrity rise to the top only to come crashing down a mere year later. And she’s both reveled in kudos and despaired over criticism of herself. As the daughter of Joan Rivers and with years of face time with the Hollywood elite, Melissa has learned far more than your average person about what it takes to be a star—not just on the red carpet, but in life. For the first time, she shares the lessons she’s learned along the way and teaches you how to embrace your big moments, be it a graduation, a first date, a job interview, a prom, or a wedding. Pulling from inspirational and humorous tales from her probing chats with red-carpet royalty and episodes in her own life, she lays out nine essential rules to seize momentous times with graciousness, fun, preparedness, confidence—and, of course, drop-dead gorgeous style that flatters you. (Hint: It’s not always the top designer brand that’ll scream stardom.) The walk down the red carpet, as Rivers so colorfully relates, can teach us all some basic but essential lessons in fashion and in life. With miles of red carpet under her belt, Melissa Rivers has seen it all, from the biggest oops! moments to those unforgettable times when a star truly did shine. She knows exactly what it takes to be a star—both on the red carpet and in life. Based on her insider knowledge and her personal experience under Hollywood’s glare, Melissa shares tips and techniques for embracing your momentous times and being at your best when the focus is on you, including: • The simple trick to being the hit of every party • How to escape from a date that’s become a train wreck • The celebrity secret to looking radiant, rain or shine • A success strategy that beats pure talent every time • The one rule about people even the superstars are afraid to break • How to apologize or run into your ex and keep your cool

Secrets for Making the Most of Any Moment You're in the Spotlight

Red Carpet Ready

If you think Joan Rivers said funny, outrageous, and ridiculous things ONSTAGE, wait ’til you read the funny, outrageous, and ridiculous things she said OFFSTAGE…things that will make you laugh out loud…and keep Melissa in therapy for the foreseeable future. The only thing my mother loved more than making people laugh was lying…or as she’d say, “embellishing.” Her motto was: “Why let the truth ruin a good story?” This book contains some of those stories. ***************** “When Joan told a story, the truth disappeared faster than I did.” — Jimmy Hoffa “If you thought Dante’s Inferno was hot, read Lies My Mother Told Me; it’s a five-alarmer.” — Dante’s second wife, Allie “Twelve of my twenty-six personalities loved this book.” — Sybil “The words on the page absolutely crackle and spark; I burned my fingers reading it!” — Annie Sullivan “The Bible may be the good book, but Lies My Mother Told Me is way funnier.” — Matthew 2:14 The Jets. 7 “Lies My Mother Told Me is the feel-good book of 2022.” — Torquemada “All’s not well that ends well. I’ve had massages with happier endings.” — Wm. Shakespeare “Melissa, I don’t care what your mother said in this book, I LOVE your bangs.” — Mamie Eisenhower “Lies My Mother Told Me is so funny even those ‘woke’ m***********s will laugh.” — Lenny Bruce

Tall Tales from a Short Woman

Lies My Mother Told Me

Scott Currie

Joan Rivers is an enduring icon of the 20th century, and her wildly popular humor has appealed to generations of fans. With a career that began in the late 1950s, Joan kept mementos over the course of her entire working life, and Joan Rivers Confidential is a compilation of never-before-seen personal archives. Assembled by her daughter Melissa with Scott Currie, the book contains scripts and monologues, letters from famous friends, exchanges with fans, rare photographs, as well as classic and never-before-heard jokes—many simply scribbled on everything from hotel stationery to airplane boarding passes. Touching on subjects from her 50 years in show business (The Tonight Show, Las Vegas, Elizabeth Taylor, Heidi Abromowitz, the red carpet, and Fashion Police), this is a revelatory and humor-filled insider look at the popular, multitalented comedian.

Melissa Rivers

Books

Your next favorite book is out there