Books Like Shopgirl

The lives of television and movie stars can be pretty hectic, but they also tend to have more free time than the average person. Some celebrities use this free time to indulge in their other passions, such as writing. Apart from the myriad of children’s books written by celebrities, there are a few who have tried their hand at more serious fare, such as novels. For example, Shopgirl by Steve Martin, is about an aspiring artist who captures the attention of a wealthy, lonely businessman. Critics described it as elegant, bleak, and desolatingly sad, which was surprising for an actor who found fame in comedic roles such as Three Amigos, Little Shop of Horrors, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Father of the Bridge, and Cheaper by the Dozen. Of course, it is debatable how much input celebrities actually have in their novels versus what ghostwriters do, but there is definitely some entertainment to be found. For more novels written by film or television stars, check out the following celebrity-written books like Shopgirl. The Gun SellerBy Hugh LaurieThe Gun Seller is a novel by Hugh Laurie, whose long list of acting credentials includes roles in Sense and Sensibility, The Man in the Iron Mask, Blackadder, and most famously, House. The Gun Seller is his first novel and was released in 1996. It follows the adventures of Thomas Lang, a retired army officer who makes ends meet as a mercenary. However, Lang doesn’t murder people, so when he is offered a fortune to assassinate an American businessman he decides to warn the target instead. Unfortunately, this act leads him to become entangled in an international conspiracy and the sights of both the Ministry of Defence and the CIA. Holy CowBy David DuchovnyHoly Cow is written by David Duchovny, who before he shot to fame as FBI agent Fox Mulder on the hit show, The X-Files, completed a B.A. in English literature from Princeton and an M.A. in English Literature from Yale. Apart from his television work in Twin Peaks, The X-Files, Aquarius, and Californication, Duchovny also has a successful film career. Holy Cow: A Modern-Day Dairy Tale is his debut novel which was released in 2015. The story is about a cow named Elsie Bovary who is happy spending her long, lazy days on the farm with her best friend Mallory. However, their lives change one night when they sneak out of their pasture and see the farmer’s family watching television. In the process the two cows learn about something called an “industrial meat farm” and immediately set out to form a crew and escape to a better, safer world. A Vision of FireBy Gillian AndersonA Vision of Fire is the first novel in the Earthend Saga, by Gillian Anderson. Anderson rose to fame as FBI agent Dana Scully in The X-Files, but also played roles in Princess Mononoke, The Last King of Scotland, Johnny English Reborn, Robot Overlords, and many more. She co-authored A Vision of Fire, which is her first novel, with Jeff Rovin and it was released in 2014. The story features Caitlin O’Hara, a renowned child psychologist who finds her world upturned when she begins investigating an outbreak of strange behavior among young people around the world. Caitlin believes that there is a supernatural link between all the seemingly unrelated cases, but with Asia on the cusp of nuclear war, Caitlin is in a race against time to figure out the truth.Uncommon TypesBy Tom HanksUncommon Types is a 2017 collection of short stories by Tom Hanks, known for his roles in movies such as Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Toy Story, Saving Private Ryan, and The Da Vinci Code. The stories were inspired by his typewriter collection, so in each one a typewriter plays a part. The stories range from a World War II veteran who has to deal with the emotional and physical scars of his ordeal to four friends who want to travel to the moon in a rocket ship that they built in the backyard. Hanks went on to publish his debut novel, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, in 2023.Ash WednesdayBy Ethan HawkeEthan Hawke published his first novel, The Hottest State, in 1996 to a mixed reception. However, his 2002 novel, Ash Wednesday, was much better received. The actor, who made his breakthrough in Dead Poets Society, starred in several films, including Training Day, Boyhood, Before Midnight, Gattaca, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, and The Northman. Ash Wednesday is a novel about love, marriage, and renewal. The story is about Jimmy, a man who goes AWOL from the army to go on a trip with his girlfriend, Christy, who is pregnant with his child. Christy is determined to head home to Texas to face up to her past and prepare for the future, and Jimmy has a choice between accompanying her or staying behind. The two end up traveling across America in a souped-up Chevy Nova while also embarking on a journey of self-discovery. Deadly GameBy Michael CaineDeadly Game is the first novel by Michael Caine, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in films such as The Italian Job, Jaws: The Revenge, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Cider House Rules, Batman Begins, Children of Men, and Inception, to name a few. Deadly Game is an international thriller starring, DCI Harry Taylor, a man with no respect for red tape or political regulators. Harry is great at catching criminals though, and along with his unconventional team from the Met, has to deal with a very unusual case. A metal box of radioactive material is found at a dump in London but is then stolen in a violent raid before the police can arrive. With two very different suspects on his radar, an aristocratic art dealer and an oligarch, Harry must solve the case before the missing uranium is put to use.