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Truly: An Inspirational Journey Through the Life of a Musical Legend
The long-awaited memoir of legendary Lionel Richie.
As a storyteller second to none, Lionel Richie is ready to tell it all. In this intimate, deeply candid memoir, Lionel revisits hilarious and harrowing events that seek to inspire all who doubt themselves or feel their dreams don’t matter. Lionel chronicles lessons learned in the course of his most unlikely of success stories—from a painfully shy, “tragically” late bloomer to his dramatic transformation into a world-class entertainer and composer of love songs that have played as the soundtrack of our lives.
Funny, warm, insightful and candid, Lionel takes us from his childhood in Tuskegee, Alabama, where he grew up on its university campus during the heyday of the Civil Rights movement—to raucous adventures as a member of The Commodores, to coming-of-age in Harlem where that band took off, to culture shock playing gigs on the French Riviera, to the big break of being signed to Motown, to his meteoric solo career that included an Olympics performance witnessed by 2 billion around the globe, all the way through to We Are the World and his current multi-generational stature as a judge on American Idol. With an unparalleled number of awards and hits, the Grammy-, Oscar-, and Golden Globe-winning superstar who has sold over 125 million records has delivered a memoir for the ages, reminding us of the power of love to elevate our own lives and our world.
As a storyteller second to none, Lionel Richie is ready to tell it all. In this intimate, deeply candid memoir, Lionel revisits hilarious and harrowing events that seek to inspire all who doubt themselves or feel their dreams don’t matter. Lionel chronicles lessons learned in the course of his most unlikely of success stories—from a painfully shy, “tragically” late bloomer to his dramatic transformation into a world-class entertainer and composer of love songs that have played as the soundtrack of our lives.
Funny, warm, insightful and candid, Lionel takes us from his childhood in Tuskegee, Alabama, where he grew up on its university campus during the heyday of the Civil Rights movement—to raucous adventures as a member of The Commodores, to coming-of-age in Harlem where that band took off, to culture shock playing gigs on the French Riviera, to the big break of being signed to Motown, to his meteoric solo career that included an Olympics performance witnessed by 2 billion around the globe, all the way through to We Are the World and his current multi-generational stature as a judge on American Idol. With an unparalleled number of awards and hits, the Grammy-, Oscar-, and Golden Globe-winning superstar who has sold over 125 million records has delivered a memoir for the ages, reminding us of the power of love to elevate our own lives and our world.
496 pages, Hardcover
Published September 30, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 514 reviews
February 26, 2026
Five stars. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Pure soul. Pure inspiration.
What an incredible journey I just finished. Lionel Richie’s Truly was everything I needed and more. He’s been one of my all-time favorite artists since childhood and this music was the soundtrack of our home. I can still see my parents slow dancing in the living room, glasses of cognac and wine in hand, Lionel spinning on vinyl. Sighhh. This memoir? Whew. It’s rich with history, heart, and honesty. From Tuskegee roots to stories about his family knowing Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver was just incredible. Hearing Lionel talk about navigating life, music, and identity in an industry that tried to box him in… and still finding his own way with grace? That hit deep.
He doesn’t shy away from his mistakes or the lessons learned along the way. But what I loved most, more than the fame, awards, or success was how much he values his family, faith, and simple joy. A man who’s proudest of making his family proud. A gardener at heart.
And let me tell you, I’m not crazy about Blair Underwood, but I pretended it was someone else and absolutely chef’s kiss. 🎧
What an incredible journey I just finished. Lionel Richie’s Truly was everything I needed and more. He’s been one of my all-time favorite artists since childhood and this music was the soundtrack of our home. I can still see my parents slow dancing in the living room, glasses of cognac and wine in hand, Lionel spinning on vinyl. Sighhh. This memoir? Whew. It’s rich with history, heart, and honesty. From Tuskegee roots to stories about his family knowing Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver was just incredible. Hearing Lionel talk about navigating life, music, and identity in an industry that tried to box him in… and still finding his own way with grace? That hit deep.
He doesn’t shy away from his mistakes or the lessons learned along the way. But what I loved most, more than the fame, awards, or success was how much he values his family, faith, and simple joy. A man who’s proudest of making his family proud. A gardener at heart.
And let me tell you, I’m not crazy about Blair Underwood, but I pretended it was someone else and absolutely chef’s kiss. 🎧
November 3, 2025
A memoir from the music legend, my guy, Lionel Richie. Is this a great memoir, no. Is it entertaining and full of people who have impacted the last 75 years of pop culture? Yes. Yes, it is. I did actually appreciate some of the storytelling choices, but overall thought the book was way too long and wasn’t nearly as strong in the back half as it was at the start. His childhood through the early years of stardom were really compelling and engaging, but by the 90’s there wasn’t much there there. Also, the book could’ve been juicier. He plays it safe and avoids the gossip. If you love Lionel Richie this is a big yes, otherwise I’m not sure you’ll be as taken by it.
November 7, 2025
Lionel Richie‘s music takes me back to when I was young and just makes me happy. That was why I chose to listen to this book which was read by Blair Underwood. I had no idea that it would be the best memoir I’ve read! For someone so incredibly successful and famous, Lionel Richie is extremely humble. There were so many great nuggets of wisdom in this book. I really really enjoyed hearing about his life and his path.
October 16, 2025
The best book I've read in a long time!! You forget how many hits Lionel has with the Commodores & as a solo artist (& I've seen both in concert). I had to stop a few times to listen to songs & watch the We Are the World video :) HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
October 29, 2025
Lionel Richie’s Truly is more than an autobiography—it’s a masterclass from a man whose developed the ultimate gift of the gab. His storytelling flows Easy Like Sunday Morning, full of inspiration, humor, and heart.
October 22, 2025
4.5 stars. Great book. I really enjoyed it throughout. As a Gen Xer, I knew every song and every reference, so it was great to see behind the scenes. Who knew he really just fell into his career? Of course, so many of his songs have just become timeless. As a creative person, I came away with things I can put into practice. Since I’ve watched him on American Idol, I can hear him in my head narrating. recommend!
October 20, 2025
Truly
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚 Memior
🎶 You Are - Lionel Richie (my fav LR song)
One sentence synopsis:
Lionel Richie’s memoir the covers his time in The Commodores, the civil rights movement, going solo, We Are The World and now with American Idol.
Book Review:
This was pretty good! I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a Lionel Richie fan but growing up I knew who he was. I knew a lot of his songs. And so I figured why not read this.
I found his life story pretty interesting. I really liked hearing how certain songs came to be and his relationships with so many other amazing artists. I truly had no idea how integrated he was in the music scene back in the day. He was bigger than I thought he was!
He really is a very positive and uplifting person. And that comes off in the way he describes all of his experiences, even the hard ones. The one part that did give me pause was his personal relationship/friendship with Michael Jackson because it didn’t really touch on a lot of the controversy surrounding him there. But then again, maybe that wasn’t his story to tell. But I guess it also kind of brings up that he seems to fluff up a lot of drama that happened in his life. I appreciate memoirs that can show you the whole person and I really kind of feel like we only got the side that he wanted you to see.
My favorite part though was his little story about taking a car ride with Stevie Wonder in the driver seat 👀😅.
✨Thank you @harperone for my #gifted copy!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚 Memior
🎶 You Are - Lionel Richie (my fav LR song)
One sentence synopsis:
Lionel Richie’s memoir the covers his time in The Commodores, the civil rights movement, going solo, We Are The World and now with American Idol.
Book Review:
This was pretty good! I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a Lionel Richie fan but growing up I knew who he was. I knew a lot of his songs. And so I figured why not read this.
I found his life story pretty interesting. I really liked hearing how certain songs came to be and his relationships with so many other amazing artists. I truly had no idea how integrated he was in the music scene back in the day. He was bigger than I thought he was!
He really is a very positive and uplifting person. And that comes off in the way he describes all of his experiences, even the hard ones. The one part that did give me pause was his personal relationship/friendship with Michael Jackson because it didn’t really touch on a lot of the controversy surrounding him there. But then again, maybe that wasn’t his story to tell. But I guess it also kind of brings up that he seems to fluff up a lot of drama that happened in his life. I appreciate memoirs that can show you the whole person and I really kind of feel like we only got the side that he wanted you to see.
My favorite part though was his little story about taking a car ride with Stevie Wonder in the driver seat 👀😅.
✨Thank you @harperone for my #gifted copy!
August 1, 2026
Despite a lot of repetitive phrasing (particularly "as long as I live, I will never forget...), this book was a solid 4 stars until the last third of the book when we move into his post-80s heyday, and he begins to try and gloss over the destruction of his marriage (not his fault, really) and to convince the reader of the deep connection of himself and his current partner who was a friend of his kids tutor and is like 40 years younger than him. This section also just becomes a laundry list of name dropping for absolutely no reason (i.e. "I was doing yard work at my daughter's house when she came outside with her friend, Cameron Diaz..." Did Cameron Diaz have anything to do with the story or play any part in it other than coming outside with Nicole Richie? No.) It also seems to be tryin to be a self-help book in the last third? Look, I'm not turning to Lionel Richie for self-improvement, OK? I just want more delightful behind the scenes tales of hanging out with Prince and making "We Are the World."
Trying to get through the end of this book was such a slog that it took away from the overall joyfulness of the book and really sours you on someone who has the reputation (except perhaps to his ex-wives) as a nice guy. So, my advice is to stop reading when you finish chapter 18 "Out of Body".
Trying to get through the end of this book was such a slog that it took away from the overall joyfulness of the book and really sours you on someone who has the reputation (except perhaps to his ex-wives) as a nice guy. So, my advice is to stop reading when you finish chapter 18 "Out of Body".
October 11, 2025
What a fabulous autobiography this was for me! Although I’ve been a lifelong fan and even preordered this back in February, it was still an amazing read. Spanning from growing up in the south in the throws of the Civil Rights Movement to his present time on American Idol, this was a fascinating read. I’ve always wondered, and found out, how someone who is known worldwide as one of America’s greatest songwriters and doesn’t read a lick of music, can write all those songs I grew up loving. Some may say he didn’t write enough about the not so flattering pitfalls from his past. I’m happy this didn’t seem to be full of gossip. What a fantastic read!
May 21, 2026
beginning was soooo slow but i loved this & i love lionel
February 3, 2026
(Audio Book) There’s a lot to like in this book, but also a lot of blips in the mix. In a do-over I’d reach for the Kindle version over the audiobook, there’s just so much bravado that gets amplified in Blair Underwood’s delivery. The narrative stays tame, outlines Richie’s early career and family history well, but sometimes the gloss shines a bit too bright. There’s an intro that strives to give him some serious street cred. I can only imagine a 20-something editor was given the task and had no idea of his fame as one of the greatest cross-over artists ever who also had a college career that included the tennis team. It’s these odd moments that make me question the storytelling. He deserves the bravado, he’s earned it, but it doesn’t necessarily make for a trusted or compelling story. There are some bright spots, and lots of name-dropping, so it’s worth a read if you’ve got the memories.
February 10, 2026
I really wanted to enjoy this book but ultimately I found it disappointing. Firstly, the book is far too long and not interesting enough to justify its length, which is why it took me so long to finish. I feel that it has been bulked out with his childhood and early years, possibly to avoid the need to go into too much detail later on. In my opinion, his early life could easily have been condensed into a single chapter. Racism is a running theme throughout the book, which is important, but it also adds to the feeling that this section is overly drawn out.
It takes a very long time before we even get to him joining The Commodores, which is when I thought the book might finally become interesting. Unfortunately, it didn’t.
He talks far more about his career than his personal life. I expected him to address some of the news stories that made headlines over the years and to give his side of events, but instead he largely glosses over them. He admits to cheating on his first wife without actually explaining what happened or taking any real responsibility for his actions. In fact, he distances himself from this part of his life, almost as if he is observing it from the outside rather than owning it. When he talks about the end of his second marriage, he again skims over it. I don’t want to give spoilers, so I will just say that I don’t believe events happened in quite the way he describes. Overall, he tells us very little that we don’t already know.
He also mentions his personal struggles, again without giving any real detail. This felt like a missed opportunity. This is the one area where he could have been genuinely open, shared what he went through, and perhaps helped others who may be experiencing similar struggles.
In short, if you are interested in Lionel Richie’s early life and don’t know much about him, you may enjoy this book. If you are already familiar with his story, you are unlikely to learn very much more.
I went into this book a huge fan of Lionel Richie and his music. By the end, I am no longer a fan of the man himself.
It takes a very long time before we even get to him joining The Commodores, which is when I thought the book might finally become interesting. Unfortunately, it didn’t.
He talks far more about his career than his personal life. I expected him to address some of the news stories that made headlines over the years and to give his side of events, but instead he largely glosses over them. He admits to cheating on his first wife without actually explaining what happened or taking any real responsibility for his actions. In fact, he distances himself from this part of his life, almost as if he is observing it from the outside rather than owning it. When he talks about the end of his second marriage, he again skims over it. I don’t want to give spoilers, so I will just say that I don’t believe events happened in quite the way he describes. Overall, he tells us very little that we don’t already know.
He also mentions his personal struggles, again without giving any real detail. This felt like a missed opportunity. This is the one area where he could have been genuinely open, shared what he went through, and perhaps helped others who may be experiencing similar struggles.
In short, if you are interested in Lionel Richie’s early life and don’t know much about him, you may enjoy this book. If you are already familiar with his story, you are unlikely to learn very much more.
I went into this book a huge fan of Lionel Richie and his music. By the end, I am no longer a fan of the man himself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2025
This writing is what you would expect from a man who had a legendary career, filled with great stories and how he wrote some of his biggest hits.
Being asked to join The Commodores on a college campus (and how they chose their name) to opening for the Jackson 5, which started a long friendship with Michael, and starting to get his songs on the Commodore albums leading to a solo career are all here.
There are interesting stories like Richie at first refusing to think he was able to be a solo singer to the early smash hits that got ignore from certain radio stations for his color (or being "too white" for black radio).He writes about how he wrote some of his hits for Sinatra and Streisand only to be told to keep the songs, which became money makers, and how he and Diana Ross didn't sing the recording together on "Endless Love" in the studio, to the behind the scenes writing of "We Are The World" (which was covered on the Netflix doc). For a 400-plus page book, I read in 3 days or less. The flow of the book was wonderful and didn't disappoint.
Even if not a fan of his music (why wouldn't someone be?), readers can learn how to craft songs and use his musical/business insight to study the music business from someone who did it all.
Being asked to join The Commodores on a college campus (and how they chose their name) to opening for the Jackson 5, which started a long friendship with Michael, and starting to get his songs on the Commodore albums leading to a solo career are all here.
There are interesting stories like Richie at first refusing to think he was able to be a solo singer to the early smash hits that got ignore from certain radio stations for his color (or being "too white" for black radio).He writes about how he wrote some of his hits for Sinatra and Streisand only to be told to keep the songs, which became money makers, and how he and Diana Ross didn't sing the recording together on "Endless Love" in the studio, to the behind the scenes writing of "We Are The World" (which was covered on the Netflix doc). For a 400-plus page book, I read in 3 days or less. The flow of the book was wonderful and didn't disappoint.
Even if not a fan of his music (why wouldn't someone be?), readers can learn how to craft songs and use his musical/business insight to study the music business from someone who did it all.
October 16, 2025
What a life and career. Really enjoyed hearing Jose life, up to now, story. It’s inspiring, heartfelt, and reflective and emotional.
When talking about the making of We Are the World and all the artists he’s worked with over the many decades of his life, it was shocking to hear all the names of those younger than him that are no longer here. It was great hearing the origin of all his great songs. I went straight to Spotify to make a playlist for all the songs that I’ve always loved. Highly recommend. My only wish is that he would have narrated himself, but thought Blair Underwood did a great job.
When talking about the making of We Are the World and all the artists he’s worked with over the many decades of his life, it was shocking to hear all the names of those younger than him that are no longer here. It was great hearing the origin of all his great songs. I went straight to Spotify to make a playlist for all the songs that I’ve always loved. Highly recommend. My only wish is that he would have narrated himself, but thought Blair Underwood did a great job.
October 16, 2025
4+ Hello...Is it me you're looking for? I love Lionel Richie, so I was super excited to learn more about his life.
February 16, 2026
Loved it.
January 4, 2026
I enjoyed this memoir. It was very long, but I guess that is relevant because Lionel Ritchie has had a long career. I loved his stories about working with Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, & many many others. I liked how he said that no one is ever really dead as long as you say their name….until the last person says their name is when they are truly gone. I thought that was very interesting and true! Lionel didn’t read the book, which was disappointing but Blair Underwood read it and that was a great choice. I loved listening to him.
April 3, 2026
Captivating
I’ve never been much of a Lionel Richie fan, so I’m not sure what made me choose this book. I’m really glad that I did. It turned me into a fan. He came off as so charming and engaging. I don’t usually enjoy self-deprecating humor, but he delivered it so well. I found it endearing how he spoke so lovingly about his hometown of Tuskegee, AL. The music lover in me devoured the industry history that he shared. He presented so many special anecdotes. This was such an enjoyable book. The experience was heightened by Blair Underwood’s masterful narration.
I’ve never been much of a Lionel Richie fan, so I’m not sure what made me choose this book. I’m really glad that I did. It turned me into a fan. He came off as so charming and engaging. I don’t usually enjoy self-deprecating humor, but he delivered it so well. I found it endearing how he spoke so lovingly about his hometown of Tuskegee, AL. The music lover in me devoured the industry history that he shared. He presented so many special anecdotes. This was such an enjoyable book. The experience was heightened by Blair Underwood’s masterful narration.
April 8, 2026
First book that I read on my Kindle 👀. After seeing Lionel perform in the Bahamas a few years back and watching him on American Idol presently, this book only made me more of a fan! Felt like he was in the room with me telling me how he grew up and navigating his rise to fame, the mistakes he made along the way, and all the fun times throughout.
October 24, 2025
Love Lionel Richie and his work as a Commodore. My Endless Love was my wedding song. That was the most successful single of both of their careers. Enjoyed hearing about his life and the processes of his songwriting. He had strong family ties and values. His grandma lived to be 103. I think this could’ve been a little shorter, but overall a great memoir. I saw in concert a year or two ago and he still sounds great!
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December 19, 2025
Title: Truly . Lionel Richie, nonfiction. The book truly the book is a memoir about the life and career of Lionel Ritchie.I enjoyed reading this book so much. I really liked reading about his experiences and how this painfully shy person became the superstar that he is today. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs a good memoir.
March 18, 2026
I didn’t realize how little I knew about him until listening to this!! Super interesting read and I can now appreciate how much of a trailblazer he was!!
June 1, 2026
Interesting read - not the most well written book of all time, but I enjoyed learning about his life.
January 3, 2026
this was a delight!
August 24, 2026
Truly by Lionel Richie (read by Denzel Washington)
Book 129
4 Stars (4.7Amazon and 4.34 Goodreads)
9/30/25
148,000 words
Memoir
Audio
#whiskersandwordsbookreview #onesentencereview #richie
------This covers so much of his life and his feelings, it was very long and very hard not to think it wasn’t Denzel’s life.
Do you every read or listen to memoirs? If so do you have a recommendation?
Book 129
4 Stars (4.7Amazon and 4.34 Goodreads)
9/30/25
148,000 words
Memoir
Audio
#whiskersandwordsbookreview #onesentencereview #richie
------This covers so much of his life and his feelings, it was very long and very hard not to think it wasn’t Denzel’s life.
Do you every read or listen to memoirs? If so do you have a recommendation?
December 12, 2025
Incredible!!! I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t recognize the author’s songs, but I’ll admit I only knew a fraction about his life story.
The first third of this book was fascinating as it was more a history lesson about the 1960’s and 70’s. I learned a great deal about the city of Tuskegee, which was way more informative than a typical account of the university. The author grew up amongst intellectuals, artists, and elites, thus was sheltered from a great deal of hardship that his contemporaries experienced. It was amazing to read about how the Commodores were formed and came up locally and in Harlem amongst many major players within the music industry, in the shadow of the Vietnam war and draft.
The book rolls on from there as he reaches the height of success, fame, and fortune that comes along with his incredible musical talent. As expected, there are highs and lows, but the humility of his accounts makes him an excellent narrator. It’s also good fun to hear his side of friendships with some of the biggest, most talented acts in the music industry. Despite his mistakes in his personal life, he comes off as a class act which was my impression from other documentaries he’s participated in.
I gained a deeper appreciation for the songwriter and artist - the fact that he was able to achieve what he did, being dyslexic, from the rural south, with no support from his family, is a testament to his talent and determination. His co-author did an excellent job at keeping the story interesting and tying together loose threads.
This was an amazing read that I’d recommend to anyone with a heart as I think anyone could enjoy his story.
The first third of this book was fascinating as it was more a history lesson about the 1960’s and 70’s. I learned a great deal about the city of Tuskegee, which was way more informative than a typical account of the university. The author grew up amongst intellectuals, artists, and elites, thus was sheltered from a great deal of hardship that his contemporaries experienced. It was amazing to read about how the Commodores were formed and came up locally and in Harlem amongst many major players within the music industry, in the shadow of the Vietnam war and draft.
The book rolls on from there as he reaches the height of success, fame, and fortune that comes along with his incredible musical talent. As expected, there are highs and lows, but the humility of his accounts makes him an excellent narrator. It’s also good fun to hear his side of friendships with some of the biggest, most talented acts in the music industry. Despite his mistakes in his personal life, he comes off as a class act which was my impression from other documentaries he’s participated in.
I gained a deeper appreciation for the songwriter and artist - the fact that he was able to achieve what he did, being dyslexic, from the rural south, with no support from his family, is a testament to his talent and determination. His co-author did an excellent job at keeping the story interesting and tying together loose threads.
This was an amazing read that I’d recommend to anyone with a heart as I think anyone could enjoy his story.
December 21, 2025
Gripping and SO emotional. Fantastic read!
October 7, 2025
I couldn’t wait to read this book! I grew up listening to Lionel’s music and watching his videos. Saw him at Riverbend a few years ago. This book takes you on his life long journey from Tuskegee, Alabama to fame and fortune. So many wonderful stories of being in the music business for decades and decades, his two marriages his three children and now finding love, grandchildren and American Idol in his seventies! He’s such an icon and I enjoyed reading about his adventures.
February 9, 2026
What you see is what you get
Lionel Richie is an icon! I have always liked his music. This book proved to me that he is genuine as you think. From his upbringing to his days on Idol. His career is not over, but reading all he has been through makes you realize he is a real good friend. I loved reading all the behind the scenes of his life.
Thank you for your wonderful collection of your songs.
Lionel Richie is an icon! I have always liked his music. This book proved to me that he is genuine as you think. From his upbringing to his days on Idol. His career is not over, but reading all he has been through makes you realize he is a real good friend. I loved reading all the behind the scenes of his life.
Thank you for your wonderful collection of your songs.
October 18, 2025
Lionel Ritchie was that dude! I really enjoyed his autobiography. Getting a glimpse into his life, career and celebrity friendships made for an interesting read. His stories about MJ were a highlight and him being called Skeets by Quincy Jones a was hilarious.
Lionel Ritchie is a national treasure and I’m glad a new generation gets to learn of his greatness.
Lionel Ritchie is a national treasure and I’m glad a new generation gets to learn of his greatness.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 514 reviews