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I Wrote This for Attention
A riveting and heartwarming memoir by the actor of White Lotus and Euphoria that details his upbringing in the west coast—including a broken family, struggles with addiction, sex, borderline personality disorder—and his commitment to being the center of attention at all times, even as he actually becomes a star.
Lukas Gage was having one of the shittiest weeks of his life. His beloved grandmother was dying. And Lukas was sitting next to his father, a man who had been mostly absent in his son’s childhood—except when talking to Lukas about tits because he loved nothing more than tits, and listening to Howard Stern on the radio. They were across the street from a building in Century City, where months prior, Lukas had to grapple with the dissolution of his marriage. This week had it all: death, divorce, and daddy issues.
In that room, Lukas did the smartest thing anyone can do in a crisis: doom scroll to see what random people on the internet were saying about him. People were calling him an attention whore—and they were absolutely right. Lukas Gage was no stranger to going viral. He loved attention. As a toddler, he set his room on fire. As a child, he hugged and flirted with women at Hooters to his father’s delight. As a teen, he stole handles of alcohol and cherry cough syrup. He had sex at a restroom in Chili’s, and fell hopelessly in love with a girl who wore an ankle monitor. He became an actor and filmed that scene in White Lotus (if you know, you know). Lukas was scared of attention and yet he craved it more than anything in the world.
I Wrote This for Attention is a riveting, exquisite memoir full of heart that chronicles Lukas’s coming of age in the haunting underbelly of San Diego and clawing his way to stardom. Lukas captures the universal anxieties of transitioning from innocence to adulthood, of feeling too much and nothing at all. Sex and death, fame and familial strife, drug abuse and Raya, I Wrote This for Attention is a remarkable achievement of healing, of vaping through therapy sessions, and of having the courage to forgive the family that hurt you and set yourself free.
Lukas Gage was having one of the shittiest weeks of his life. His beloved grandmother was dying. And Lukas was sitting next to his father, a man who had been mostly absent in his son’s childhood—except when talking to Lukas about tits because he loved nothing more than tits, and listening to Howard Stern on the radio. They were across the street from a building in Century City, where months prior, Lukas had to grapple with the dissolution of his marriage. This week had it all: death, divorce, and daddy issues.
In that room, Lukas did the smartest thing anyone can do in a crisis: doom scroll to see what random people on the internet were saying about him. People were calling him an attention whore—and they were absolutely right. Lukas Gage was no stranger to going viral. He loved attention. As a toddler, he set his room on fire. As a child, he hugged and flirted with women at Hooters to his father’s delight. As a teen, he stole handles of alcohol and cherry cough syrup. He had sex at a restroom in Chili’s, and fell hopelessly in love with a girl who wore an ankle monitor. He became an actor and filmed that scene in White Lotus (if you know, you know). Lukas was scared of attention and yet he craved it more than anything in the world.
I Wrote This for Attention is a riveting, exquisite memoir full of heart that chronicles Lukas’s coming of age in the haunting underbelly of San Diego and clawing his way to stardom. Lukas captures the universal anxieties of transitioning from innocence to adulthood, of feeling too much and nothing at all. Sex and death, fame and familial strife, drug abuse and Raya, I Wrote This for Attention is a remarkable achievement of healing, of vaping through therapy sessions, and of having the courage to forgive the family that hurt you and set yourself free.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published October 14, 2025
220 people are currently reading
2657 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
October 15, 2025
I Wrote This for Attention is the deeply personal and brutally honest memoir of actor Lukas Gage, best known for his roles in The White Lotus, You, and Euphoria. It isn’t your typical Hollywood memoir—there’s no glamorizing fame, sensationalism, or attempting to curate a perfect image of himself. Instead, he writes the truth of his failures, insecurities, mental health struggles, and a whole lot more—and it feels deeply intimate and relatable—like a close friend opening up to you about their life. The title “I Wrote This For Attention” has strong significance as Gage admits to his addiction to attention and where he thinks it all stems from.
The book traces Gage’s journey from his tumultuous childhood in San Diego to his rise in Hollywood. He delves into many experiences with family dysfunction, including his father’s neglect and absence, his brother’s struggles with addiction, and his mother’s gambling issues. Gage also goes into detail about his own battles with substance use, mental health challenges, and coming to a realization (and terms) with his queer identity. He also goes into detail about his early attempts at acting, the disappointments and rejections, and the spiral of addiction and impulsive choices that followed. There’s therapy, heartbreak, humor, and a lot of exploration of what it means to crave validation in an age where everyone is watching!
Unlike other similar memoirs, this story isn’t a straight line from a broken to healed person—it’s more like a rollercoaster of realizations that are painful and liberating—and in the end he’s come very far but still has much to work on. It’s very refreshing to hear this level of honesty, and readers will better relate and appreciate his story because of it. It also leaves readers with the sense that this Lukas is a person who will experience the equivalent of multiple lifetimes in one lifetime (and the tremendous growth that comes with it)—so don’t be surprised if Lukas releases an updated memoir down the road that’s just as compelling and even more insightful!
This memoir is also very much a character study of Lukas himself—he examines his flaws and invites readers to look closely at them with him. In a memorable scene, Gage is scrolling online and sees people calling him an “attention seeker,” and instead of denying it, he decides to unpack what that really means. His journey proves that seeking attention isn’t always about ego—sometimes it’s just longing to be understood! His relationship with his parents, particularly his father, is one of the most compelling and heartbreaking parts of the book—and there’s so much love tangled up with resentment, confusion, attachment, and dysfunction. Lukas’s romantic relationships, including his short-lived marriage and its unraveling, are portrayed with incredible honesty and show how his understanding of love (and relationships) evolves over time.
The pacing of this memoir really mirrors Gage’s personality—fast, frenetic, and unpredictable—which makes it compelling and completely unputdownable! The first chapters are vivid, funny, and packed with childhood memories/confessions that will hook readers right away. The midsection is more introspective and digs deeper into his addiction, identity issues, therapy, navigating relationships, and the realities of fame—there are a lot of emotions here, so be sure to have your tissues ready! The final chapters are quicker paced and feel more redemptive, but Gage doesn’t sugarcoat anything or make an attempt to tie everything up neatly—instead it feels more like he’s acknowledging that healing is an ongoing process—and it’s very inspiring, thought-provoking, and suits the tone of the book beautifully!
Overall, I Wrote This for Attention is a moving and incredibly authentic memoir. You can hear Lukas’s thoughts and feelings shine through in every line, and it feels like listening in on a close friend opening up to reveal their flaws, feelings, and self-discovery—all while managing to make you laugh and giving you moments of heartbreak. It’s a perfect memoir for readers who appreciate brutal honesty, humor that comes from pain and heartache, and stories that make you feel a little less alone in your own messy chaos!
The book traces Gage’s journey from his tumultuous childhood in San Diego to his rise in Hollywood. He delves into many experiences with family dysfunction, including his father’s neglect and absence, his brother’s struggles with addiction, and his mother’s gambling issues. Gage also goes into detail about his own battles with substance use, mental health challenges, and coming to a realization (and terms) with his queer identity. He also goes into detail about his early attempts at acting, the disappointments and rejections, and the spiral of addiction and impulsive choices that followed. There’s therapy, heartbreak, humor, and a lot of exploration of what it means to crave validation in an age where everyone is watching!
Unlike other similar memoirs, this story isn’t a straight line from a broken to healed person—it’s more like a rollercoaster of realizations that are painful and liberating—and in the end he’s come very far but still has much to work on. It’s very refreshing to hear this level of honesty, and readers will better relate and appreciate his story because of it. It also leaves readers with the sense that this Lukas is a person who will experience the equivalent of multiple lifetimes in one lifetime (and the tremendous growth that comes with it)—so don’t be surprised if Lukas releases an updated memoir down the road that’s just as compelling and even more insightful!
This memoir is also very much a character study of Lukas himself—he examines his flaws and invites readers to look closely at them with him. In a memorable scene, Gage is scrolling online and sees people calling him an “attention seeker,” and instead of denying it, he decides to unpack what that really means. His journey proves that seeking attention isn’t always about ego—sometimes it’s just longing to be understood! His relationship with his parents, particularly his father, is one of the most compelling and heartbreaking parts of the book—and there’s so much love tangled up with resentment, confusion, attachment, and dysfunction. Lukas’s romantic relationships, including his short-lived marriage and its unraveling, are portrayed with incredible honesty and show how his understanding of love (and relationships) evolves over time.
The pacing of this memoir really mirrors Gage’s personality—fast, frenetic, and unpredictable—which makes it compelling and completely unputdownable! The first chapters are vivid, funny, and packed with childhood memories/confessions that will hook readers right away. The midsection is more introspective and digs deeper into his addiction, identity issues, therapy, navigating relationships, and the realities of fame—there are a lot of emotions here, so be sure to have your tissues ready! The final chapters are quicker paced and feel more redemptive, but Gage doesn’t sugarcoat anything or make an attempt to tie everything up neatly—instead it feels more like he’s acknowledging that healing is an ongoing process—and it’s very inspiring, thought-provoking, and suits the tone of the book beautifully!
Overall, I Wrote This for Attention is a moving and incredibly authentic memoir. You can hear Lukas’s thoughts and feelings shine through in every line, and it feels like listening in on a close friend opening up to reveal their flaws, feelings, and self-discovery—all while managing to make you laugh and giving you moments of heartbreak. It’s a perfect memoir for readers who appreciate brutal honesty, humor that comes from pain and heartache, and stories that make you feel a little less alone in your own messy chaos!
August 15, 2025
Y’all better give Lukas with a K your attention right now!!
This book is so raw and honest it truly feels like you are on FaceTime at 3am (the witching hour when suddenly your entire life story NEEDS to be shared).
I Wrote This for Attention is a beautiful reminder that no one has it figured out and none of us are ever done growing (not to imply that Lukas isn’t obviously perfect… wait no we can’t give him a complex … or maybe we should?!).
This book is so raw and honest it truly feels like you are on FaceTime at 3am (the witching hour when suddenly your entire life story NEEDS to be shared).
I Wrote This for Attention is a beautiful reminder that no one has it figured out and none of us are ever done growing (not to imply that Lukas isn’t obviously perfect… wait no we can’t give him a complex … or maybe we should?!).
October 16, 2025
4.25 ⭐️ Luk-ulia Ga-fox and a contender for (surprisingly) one of the best titles for a celebrity memoir
October 16, 2025
Should it take reading a celebrity’s memoir before you realize that they’re just regular people who have the same every day problems as you or me? Absolutely not. But it helps to be reminded from time to time.
Picking this up, I wasn’t sure where the story would take me. I know Lukas Gage as the Cat King in Dead Boy Detectives, Dillon in The White Lotus, Sammy in Overcompensating, Cameron in Down Low, Patrick in Companion and from so many more shows and movies that my husband and I have binge watched. But I also remember his coming out story that was plastered across every headline when he married Chris Appleton (shortly thereafter divorcing him as well). So to say that I wanted to know more is an understatement.
I Wrote This For Attention is the conversation you have with your best friend over drinks after work one night because you need to get it off your chest. At times, I felt like I wanted to just give him a hug and a shoulder to cry on, but it’s stories like this that you can look back on and realize that you learned from it and it helped you grow. It’s full of raw emotions, an open dialogue about his mental health, and the journey he took to who he is today.
Thank you to Lukas, as well as Simon & Schuster for a copy of the book.
Picking this up, I wasn’t sure where the story would take me. I know Lukas Gage as the Cat King in Dead Boy Detectives, Dillon in The White Lotus, Sammy in Overcompensating, Cameron in Down Low, Patrick in Companion and from so many more shows and movies that my husband and I have binge watched. But I also remember his coming out story that was plastered across every headline when he married Chris Appleton (shortly thereafter divorcing him as well). So to say that I wanted to know more is an understatement.
I Wrote This For Attention is the conversation you have with your best friend over drinks after work one night because you need to get it off your chest. At times, I felt like I wanted to just give him a hug and a shoulder to cry on, but it’s stories like this that you can look back on and realize that you learned from it and it helped you grow. It’s full of raw emotions, an open dialogue about his mental health, and the journey he took to who he is today.
Thank you to Lukas, as well as Simon & Schuster for a copy of the book.
August 14, 2025
Relatable, hilarious, and bleeding with emotion - maybe you know Lukas from getting beat up on season 1 of Euphoria or getting peed on in season 4 of You 😤 but what you’ll find here is a messy, poignant self portrait of someone who is very much still figuring it out & at no point trying to make himself look good while doing it (complimentary). The opening chapter, I Killed a Kid, sets the stage for a what this autobiography is: a dramatic, honest, totally wild ride.
October 22, 2025
self aware king
October 17, 2025
Did NOT expect this to be a 5 star, but as someone who reads an embarrassing amount of celeb memoirs, this was hella good 👏
October 18, 2025
I LOVED this book. It was real and raw and honest. The stories shared are so thought provoking in the best way possible. You can feel every struggle and every moment as if you’re watching it unfold right then and there. As a fan of Lukas for a while I was eagerly awaiting the release and it was 100% worth the waiting. The brutal honesty (from the self proclaimed liar) and the ability to tell the whole story flaws and all, so unapologetically and so openly was truly a beautiful reminder of how powerful vulnerability can be.
October 18, 2025
It’s been a while since I last got lost in a book as deeply as I did with I Wrote This for Attention. I did not expect much from Lukas, in all fairness, mainly due to my lack of knowing his story. Oh I was gratefully surprised when I delved into his twisted head and hilarious style that feels current, relatable, messy, but at the same time profound and raw. I loved every word of it.
October 17, 2025
I enjoyed listening to this and the openness it took to share difficult topics. There’s lots of living to come as a sign of what’s already happened. All the best, Lukas 🙌🏼
October 16, 2025
Unhinged. But in a good way.
October 15, 2025
I love him so much.
October 16, 2025
Found my new favorite book. Will be re reading so I can underline all the good shit and write in the margins.
October 12, 2025
You may know Lukas Cage from being a supporting character in White Lotus, You, Euphoria, and Smile 2 to name a few. I love celebrity memoirs, so when I saw this new one from @simon.audio I def wanted to check it out, many thanks to them for my audio copy.
This was a great memoir, focused a lot on Lukas Cage earlier life and touched briefly on his time in Hollywood. I really enjoyed his honest and real take on things as well as the humor he sprinkled in through out. He has an excellent voice, so if you have the chance I say get this one on audio so he can tell you his story for himself. I would have liked a little bit more info on his time in Hollywood, but that’s just a personal preference.
Highly recommended if you enjoy celebrity memoirs!
This was a great memoir, focused a lot on Lukas Cage earlier life and touched briefly on his time in Hollywood. I really enjoyed his honest and real take on things as well as the humor he sprinkled in through out. He has an excellent voice, so if you have the chance I say get this one on audio so he can tell you his story for himself. I would have liked a little bit more info on his time in Hollywood, but that’s just a personal preference.
Highly recommended if you enjoy celebrity memoirs!
October 21, 2025
A must listen to!
I am a fan of his acting, which is why I was drawn to this book. But I feel like even if you have no idea who he is, this is still a great read!!
He was a fantastic story teller. His life was kind of crazy. My jaw hung open at some of the things he said happened to him.
It was interesting to hear little insights into how he got his start into acting.
It was more his personal life story, but I was engaged the whole time.
With any memoir, I feel like most of the time it’s meant to be listened to, and I would absolutely say it’s the case for this book as well.
Very quick read.
I am a fan of his acting, which is why I was drawn to this book. But I feel like even if you have no idea who he is, this is still a great read!!
He was a fantastic story teller. His life was kind of crazy. My jaw hung open at some of the things he said happened to him.
It was interesting to hear little insights into how he got his start into acting.
It was more his personal life story, but I was engaged the whole time.
With any memoir, I feel like most of the time it’s meant to be listened to, and I would absolutely say it’s the case for this book as well.
Very quick read.
October 17, 2025
I loved learning more about him. I thought his anecdotes and stories were thought provoking and pulled at my heart strings.
My only complaint is that I would have liked a little more about the acting gigs/work he got, and how he came more into his own as an actor, including a very near and dear fandom to my heart.
Other than that, I was drawn in and couldnt stop listening! I pre ordered the audio book and it was the best decision I made.
My only complaint is that I would have liked a little more about the acting gigs/work he got, and how he came more into his own as an actor, including a very near and dear fandom to my heart.
Other than that, I was drawn in and couldnt stop listening! I pre ordered the audio book and it was the best decision I made.
October 14, 2025
surprisingly vulnerable and very well written. he lived a version of what people see on the TV show Euphoria amd managed to drag himself from potential nothingness and make something of himself which should be celebrated.
October 19, 2025
"I’ve come to realize the version of yourself in the spotlight isn’t some newer, shinier, infallible one. It’s the same old you—with the same old charms and flaws—but now offered up for the world to dissect."
October 19, 2025
Dripping with emotion, raw and honest.
October 15, 2025
huge slay
October 18, 2025
So raw and truly Lukas’ authentic self.
October 21, 2025
In “I Wrote This for Attention,” Gage delivers a raw, riveting, and surprisingly tender memoir about growing up in the chaos of Southern California. He recounts a childhood filled with dysfunction, addiction, sex, borderline personality disorder, and an insatiable need to perform. From setting his room on fire as a toddler to stealing liquor as a teen, and eventually becoming a breakout actor in “White Lotus” and “Euphoria,” Lukas lays it all bare with humor, honesty, and a surprising amount of heart.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, I knew him from a few roles and his high-profile relationship with Chris Appleton, but I was genuinely impressed by the thoughtfulness and quality of the writing. It reminded me of Julia Fox’s memoir, which I also loved. Lukas’s story doesn’t read like a typical celebrity tell-all; it feels intimate, like hearing a friend spill their guts in the middle of the night.
The memoir is a whirlwind of sex, death, fame, addiction, and healing - yet it never feels indulgent or hollow. It’s vulnerable, messy, and unflinchingly honest. I admired his openness, particularly around his sexuality, mental health, and the complex dynamics of fame and family. Gage has lived through more by 30 than most people do in a lifetime, and he somehow manages to tell that story with both grit and grace. Bravo, Lukas.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, I knew him from a few roles and his high-profile relationship with Chris Appleton, but I was genuinely impressed by the thoughtfulness and quality of the writing. It reminded me of Julia Fox’s memoir, which I also loved. Lukas’s story doesn’t read like a typical celebrity tell-all; it feels intimate, like hearing a friend spill their guts in the middle of the night.
The memoir is a whirlwind of sex, death, fame, addiction, and healing - yet it never feels indulgent or hollow. It’s vulnerable, messy, and unflinchingly honest. I admired his openness, particularly around his sexuality, mental health, and the complex dynamics of fame and family. Gage has lived through more by 30 than most people do in a lifetime, and he somehow manages to tell that story with both grit and grace. Bravo, Lukas.
October 19, 2025
it's hard to rate memoirs (both for obvious reasons and cuz i'm not usually one for them) but this one truly managed to engross me to the point that at times (esp the first-childhood- half) it felt like reading engagingly (with a heavy dose of humour btw which was chef's kiss for me as i crave that shit in books always) written fiction (and had even more of an impact knowing that it'd all actually happened) therefore flew thro this so fast and fully believe this was in league with Down the Drain. don't know lukas personally but seen him in some pretty cool projects and now i know he's a pretty cool person too
October 17, 2025
this was excellent - lukas is so charming and funny, and listening to the audiobook version with him as a narrator only made me like him, and the book, more. while i think the first half or so about his early life through high school years was stronger (and funnier) than his reflections on his time in hollywood, he still kept my interest throughout. it's insane what this guy has been through. i'd give this a 4.5/5. it's not the kind of gossipy, salacious memoir you'd expect from a celebrity (even a less-famous one), and that's what makes it great. absolutely recommend!
October 20, 2025
as a big fan of lukas’s work on companion, down low, and dead boy detectives i preordered this pretty early on and was absolutely not disappointed.
the writing is so compelling and raw and just so human. it made me genuinely laugh out loud and made me shed a few tears as well. as an actor (on a local level) with mental health issues the last few chapters were some of my favourites, but i adored the whole book.
i highly recommend for fans of lukas gage as well as anyone with mental health issues, a fucked up family life, or anyone who loves rooting for a underdog. i hope lukas is booked and blessed for the rest of his career and can’t wait to see what he does next!
the writing is so compelling and raw and just so human. it made me genuinely laugh out loud and made me shed a few tears as well. as an actor (on a local level) with mental health issues the last few chapters were some of my favourites, but i adored the whole book.
i highly recommend for fans of lukas gage as well as anyone with mental health issues, a fucked up family life, or anyone who loves rooting for a underdog. i hope lukas is booked and blessed for the rest of his career and can’t wait to see what he does next!
October 20, 2025
Yay Lukas with a K!! I loved this, and can relate to the feelings of wanting something bigger for yourself and putting yourself in the right places to achieve that. I appreciated how raw and real this was while still being humorous, which may be a coping mechanism for him, but it’s a good one! I recommend the read even if you aren’t too familiar with Lukas, although how could you not be familiar with this HBO star??
October 21, 2025
Brutally honest, painful to read, amazing life story but with things that are so relatable even if the experiences aren’t the exact same. I know Lukas thinks this memoir is too soon in his career to have been written but I’m glad he has written it all the same because it certainly speaks into an important conversation about mental health which is still not being had enough.
October 14, 2025
I couldn’t sleep so I decided to listen to the audiobook. I’m also from north county San Diego and 2 years younger so I had to listen. I loved hearing his story. I’m so happy Lukas chose something he loves to do and reminds me why I love motivating people by believing in them.
October 20, 2025
Love Lukas Gage so I had to read his memoir. He details a lot of his upbringing, rise to fame, family, relationships, and therapy. It’s an honest and very easy read, I just wish it was longer! It felt like the last few chapters were rushed and it ended pretty suddenly. I would’ve loved even more. If you liked Jeannette McCurdy or Minka Kelly’s memoirs, you’ll love this one too!
October 21, 2025
well written, brutal, and such a full life story from someone so young. I expected this to be mostly about acting, but this is centered around his childhood and early adult years so his career is mostly mentioned towards the end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews