Bloodlines: A Memoir

by Joe Manganiello

Actor Joe Manganiello’s gripping memoir of a previously undisclosed health ordeal—marked by multiple near-death experiences and medical crises—that led him beyond medicine and into a remarkable, globe-spanning quest that revealed answers about his ancestry, inherited trauma, and the deeper histories we carry.

Joe Manganiello seemed to have it all: a soaring career, a new marriage, and what many considered, the best physique in Hollywood. Then, without warning, his body began to fail him. A cascade of autoimmune-related illnesses attacked his skin, thyroid, eyes, lungs, and digestive system, plunging him into a seven year battle, plagued by chronic pain, a life-saving organ amputation, existential crisis, and a prolonged fight for survival that left doctors with few answers and no clear explanation.

As Manganiello struggled to stay alive amidst medicine’s inability to fully explain what ailed him, an unorthodox path emerged—shamans, pagan rituals, ancient myths, long lost family records, and the rebirth of his own spirituality. A search that led him deep into his own bloodline: to a survivor of the Armenian genocide, to ancestors shaped by violence and displacement, and the hidden patterns shared by others living with chronic illness.

In Bloodlines, Manganiello writes with candor and hard-won clarity about illness, inheritance, masculinity, faith, ambition, and the identities we build to endure. More than a memoir of medical crisis, it is a searching account of what happens when the life you have constructed can no longer contain the truth of what you carry.

Deeply personal and emotionally expansive, Bloodlines considers how the past lives on in the body and in the stories we tell about strength, survival, and selfhood. The result is both a page-turning, heart-pounding story for the ages and an essential meditation on inheritance, loss, and the work of living with what remains.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Health

320 pages, Hardcover

Published October 13, 2026

About the author

A native of Pittsburgh and a graduate of Carnegie Mellon Univesity, Joe Manganiello is an accomplished actor of stage and screen. While best known for his time on One Tree Hill and now for his portrayal of Alcide Herveaux on True Blood, he has held a wide variety of jobs from construction to stunt work, writing and producing. Buzzy Multimedia

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had my first Joe experience in 2011ish when a coworker practically forced me to watch True Blood. She promised that I would encounter enough eye candy to last me a lifetime, and the promise was fulfilled. But nothing compared to the way my heart went all pitter-patter for this fella.



Oh, shush up, Sookie. He can make any noise he wants to.

I loosely followed Joe as he appeared in the Magic Mike movies (another one that the same coworker had to drag me to by my toenails) and became married to Sofía Vergara (because I ♥ me some Modern Family). Each time I had the chance to glance those abs that sparkling personality, I did.

So, I was absolutely elated to see that Mr. Manganiello (this feels so strange to call him now) had written a book.

I look for many of the same things in a memoir as I do in a fictional book.
• It needs to be engaging and not a slog.
• It should include a story/stories worth telling.
• It should be relatively well written.
• I should feel something – positive or negative – for the “characters.”

✔️ Check.
✔️ Check.
✔️ Check.
✔️ Check.

Bloodlines covers quite a few things, but it isn’t a from birth to current type of book. There is some meandering, but it’s largely about these two things:

• A severe illness that was hidden from the public. There are graphic details included about what he was going through during that time. He tells how he worked to hide his illness, how it affected his relationship with his then wife, how he had wanted to die just to end the pain, and how he opened his mind to different healing methods in an attempt for something, anything to heal him.

• His heritage, his family history, and his relationship with his own parents – particularly his father. He tells how these things shaped and continue to shape him. There is a really fascinating section about him going on the PBS show Finding Your Roots that ties into this history.

There is quite a bit about his rescued pup, Bubbles, his work as an actor, his relationship with Sofía, and his newer relationship. However, all these things are in some way tied to those first two big topics.

Joe’s tone isn’t always careful. There’s still a bit of hostility, frustration, and hurt when he talks about certain people in his life (and/or who are no longer in his life). Most of the time he sounds like he’s trying to be optimistic, but there is definitely an “I want to use this as an opportunity to tell my side of things, to tell what it felt like for me,” but his tone is so honest and conversational throughout that it wasn’t necessarily startling. Even if I wasn’t always pleased as punch with what he was saying or how he said it, it still felt authentic to how he believed the events happened or how they felt to him. Anyway, it’s his damn story to tell.

There is a ton of new information about Joe in here that should make it a great read for any fan. And there’s enough crazy story in here to keep a reader who knew nothing about him beforehand interested too.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press | Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, for generously providing me with a digital ARC of this book. I also clearly need to thank Joe Manganiello, as I am 100% certain that he personally handpicked me for this honor (yes, this is yet another completely made-up percentage by yours truly).

4 Stars

[Marika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actor Joe Manganiello (True Blood & Magic Mike) has written a memoir that is sure to be talked about in 2026 and beyond. He writes about his struggle with an autoimmune disease that wrecks havoc on his intestinal tract and which causes extreme pain. He eventually has an organ amputated (I'm not disclosing which) but he is still an unhealthy, weak man who goes through hell seeking a cure. It was during his health crisis/journey that his marriage to Sofia Vergara implodes and man, Joe does NOT hold back on his experiences with her. Because of his illness, the author begins to question his masculinity and what it means to be a healthy male. Lots of alternative health quests and him learning his ancestry makes for a compelling memoir that was hard to put down.

* I read an advance copy and was not compensated.

[Mariana Aragon · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

SPOILERS: His words verbatim…. “a tale of suffering into a spiritual hero’s journey for the post modern era. I often thought about the mythological similarities between King Arthur’s story and mine” …. and people are eating this up?

Is he hot? Yes. Did he go through a lot because of a debilitating illness? Also, yes. It takes a lot of guts to write a memoir for the world to read and subsequently judge. This is a conflicting read because I can recognize it is written by a narcissist that has legitimately gone through a difficult autoimmune disease. In fiction, there are clues you are getting the perspective of an unreliable narrator. In a memoir, you have to read between the lines, literally. He bounces from virtue signaling to genuine vulnerability and sprinkled with a victim narrative surrounding his marriage. According to him, he’s the unlucky guy that didn’t tolerate people getting bullied, the savior that rescues poor animals and a self proclaimed warrior. The virtue signaling is easy to overlook because of his genuine account of his devastating medical issues.

It is the subtlety that stands out to me. How he gradually unravels his relationship with his wife as her being the one that saved him to being a cold woman that did not want him anymore due to his debilitating condition. He presents her as an unsympathetic woman that wasn’t there for him emotionally when he was going through a grueling period and further weighing him down with her bratty son. All he had was his dog. What a “cold woman that abandoned him in his time of need” 🙄. I don’t buy it. The way he tells the story, especially as the audiobook narrator, I get the impression there is much more to this part of the story. It’s the scenes with the dog that are the most telling. Every time his wife allegedly rejects him he turns to the helpless dog. It’s the victim husband narrative that he weaves between revealing his physical illness struggle that makes me question if his wife was really as awful as he’s leading the reader to believe. Even the Shaman claimed his illness was due to Sofia? If you zoom out, Sofia is the unforgivable villain of the story. Even his dad gets some empathy cause his father, who wasn’t his father, didn’t love him. But Sofia? No, she caused his downfall, literally the reason for him getting sick at all, indirectly the reason he didn’t get a career changing role and then abandoned him all along the way. That is CRAZY!!! After reading this, it had the opposite effect on me. I feel bad for Sofia. The mind fuk she must have dealt with during this time. Most people seem to buy his account of events. Unless she tells her version, which she probably won’t, you’re inclined to believe him because if not, you’re not being empathetic. He constantly recounts how she didn’t love him, didn’t give him enough affection, didn’t care about him. The level of pity he’s attempting to garner, specifically surrounding Sofia, suggests he’s overcompensating for anything she may reveal about him. And yes he did reveal he may not have left her because they couldn’t have kids BUT he DID tell her that was why! He asked her if they could revisit having a child… if you do the math….when she was already 50 and then ended the marriage. Like, what? Why wouldn’t she think that was the reason?

The summary of this book should be “a very attractive narcissist recounts his experience with a debilitating autoimmune disease, ancestral trauma and deteriorating marriage” with a TW for suicidal ideation. If you are inclined to buy every storyline in this book, it will leave you feeling very sorry for him. A man who overcame when the WHOLE world was against him. It feels vulnerable, while also something being off. The casual calling out Tim Cruise & Ben Affleck was hilarious. I would recommend it, just caution we all have self-assessment blind spots.

[Elena Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Bloodlines: A Memoir, Joe Manganiello offers a deeply personal account of a life transformed by unexpected medical crises and an extraordinary search for answers. Known for his successful acting career and commanding public image, Manganiello reveals a more vulnerable side of his life, recounting a prolonged battle with serious health challenges that threatened not only his physical well-being but also his sense of identity and understanding of the world.

One of the memoir’s most compelling elements is the contrast between outward success and private suffering. Manganiello’s experience illustrates how quickly life can change when familiar explanations fail and the future becomes uncertain. His account of chronic pain, repeated medical crises, and the struggle to survive gives the narrative urgency while inviting readers to consider the emotional toll of living with unanswered questions.

The book becomes even more distinctive as Manganiello ventures beyond his medical ordeal to investigate his family history. His exploration of ancestry, Armenian genocide survival, displacement, and inherited trauma adds historical and emotional depth to his personal story. These discoveries open up fascinating questions about the ways family experiences echo across generations and how understanding the past can reshape our perception of the present.

Equally significant is the memoir’s exploration of masculinity, faith, spirituality, and resilience. Manganiello examines what happens when the identity built around strength and achievement is tested by circumstances beyond one's control. His journey suggests that survival is not simply about enduring hardship but also about questioning established beliefs, confronting vulnerability, and finding new meaning amid uncertainty.

Bloodlines promises to appeal to readers who enjoy candid memoirs, personal transformation stories, family-history investigations, and reflections on the relationship between physical experience and emotional identity. Its combination of medical struggle, ancestral discovery, and spiritual questioning gives it a broader reach than a conventional celebrity autobiography.

Overall, Joe Manganiello’s Bloodlines: A Memoir presents a compelling meditation on survival, inheritance, and the search for understanding when life takes an unexpected turn. Its greatest strength lies in the way a deeply personal ordeal becomes an invitation to reflect on the histories we carry, the identities we construct, and the courage required to reconsider both. It promises to be a moving and thought-provoking read for anyone interested in the complicated connections between the body, the past, and the self.

[Courtney · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I blew through this because I live in Joe’s hometown and everyone in Lebo is a fan! This is raw and genuine. I loved that he read it himself for the audiobook. Wishing him continued success and healing.

[Emmie Must · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ay no, pobre hombre sí pero que insufrible

[Christine Craft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloodlines is a candid and moving read.

I appreciate Joe Manganiello opening up about his health battles and the damage they caused to his self-esteem, career, and marriage. I loved the story of how he met his dog and the interesting journey he took toward healing. I didn't really care for the divorce drama, but Joe is rather direct about his side of the story.

Overall, if you’re a fan of the actor, I’d recommend reading this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for the ARC(advanced reader copy) in return for an honest review.

[Katherine Coble · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never sought Manganiello out onscreen but I’ve enjoyed his performances when he’s turned up in something I was already primed to watch. The only person I tuned into True Blood for was Lafayette, but Joe was good in his role.
I read this memoir when it came out because I have a laundry list of autoimmune disorders and the disabling chronic pain that so often goes hand in hand. I wanted to see the good and bad of it as written about by someone with a much louder megaphone than I’ll ever be given. Rich, handsome men are taken more seriously than non-rich, ordinary-looking women.
He certainly writes like someone who has experienced all of this, with many of the things he’s said sounding exactly like things I’ve myself written. I’m giving the book five stars because it is well-written and it captures Chronic Pain well, as well as autoimmune disorders.

I toyed around with giving it three stars by averaging in the ending but that’s not really fair to potential readers. This is an excellent memoir. It’s substantial in that it focuses on much more than “I was really pretty and then I got sick.” For instance, I didn’t know until I read this that he is descended from an Armenian woman. My father was adopted by an Armenian physician and her husband in 1939. I grew up knowing all about the Armenian Genocide and the Beshgetoorian family that had taken in my father and his biological brother. It was a surprise and a treat to see such in depth discussion of the Armenian Genocide in what could have been a lightweight celebrity book.

So. That ending. Look. I’m glad the guy is better. I don’t want ANYONE writhing in pain, wearing fentanyl patches and taking oral pain meds along with them. This guy has a dog he loves so I especially don’t want him to suffer. But this business about him curing himself by burying his trauma and releasing himself from the psychic hold his Armenian grandmother and enslaved Black great-grandfather held over his mitochondria…okay. That’s nice. But I hope he realizes that it communicates to the rest of us who ARENT just suddenly “over it” that we are at fault for not having cured ourselves. It says he is more enlightened than us. That he is special and we aren’t. Yes, he also happened to be taking Skyrizi when his intestinal ulcers healed and the pain stopped. But why thank modern medicine—which helps about 50% of the autoimmune patients who take it—when you can be Special and be the magical, reborn, enlightened shaman who will lead the people? Oh and also a reincarnation of a Yoruba deity. And the modern form of King Arthur?

Yes, all of these are in the book. And that’s where he lost me. He simply cannot remain vulnerable. At every stage of the game he’s reminding you that he knows lots of famous people and had a hot wife for a minute. Yes, he may indeed spray blood out his ass but did you know he was once best buddies with Ben Affleck for an afternoon?

Sigh.

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea that Joe Manganiello is so intelligent.
Extremely well written book.. I could hardly put it down.
Until he shared his health struggles with us all, I still thought of him as the big strong werewolf, Alcide.
Incidentally, it was his proud father, Charlie, who told me to watch “True Blood”, because of Joe’s role.
Yes, I grew up with his father. He used to live next door, but when his purported father, Emilio got sick the family moved into the first floor of the triple decker I was living in.
Turns out, Emilio wasn’t Charlie’s biological father. He was a bigoted small man who liked to pick on me when I was 10 years old. Our family had fled Estonia for Germany, when Russia occupied Estonia and murdered my extended family.
My mother got me and my sister out of Germany after divorcing my philandering father.
Good old Emilio used to call me a Nazi and taught Charlie to spit on the sidewalk when he passed by me.
I had thought Charlie had evolved since then, but based on these writings he failed to mature.
Joe speaks from the heart in this book. I applaud his inner strength and courage in speaking his truth.
A lot of information about Armenian genocide. Joe’s mother comes from good Armenian stock..he’s lucky his bloodline survived the evil.
Joe worked hard all his life to become an actor..learned to stand up to his father by the time he was 16 and refused to play football…instead focusing his energies to acting.
Once he fell in love with Sofia Vegara he developed an autoimmune disorder that ulcerated his insides. He went through episodes of tremendous pain and at one point had to have his large intestine removed.
She did stand by him at first but most likely suffered caretaker burnout. She tried to heal him by bringing him to some voodoo Cuban mess, which Joe endured ..it included animal sacrifice…but it didn’t work.
He didn’t heal until he decided to divorce her. A shaman told him she wasn’t meant for him and the bad relationship was the cause of his troubles.
Looks like the shaman was correct.
In my opinion, most celebrities aren’t really compatible since both expect a lot of fan adulation.
Sofia, after seeing Joe’s book decided to post something that explains what a narcissist is.
Hmmm…fits her treatment of him.
I wish this wonderful, compassionate man all the best in his future.
Seems that Caitlin O'Connor is exactly who he needs. She’s Bubbles approved.
A note about Bubbles…Joe saved her. She required $7,000 worth of surgery. Then she saved him right back.
His emotional support when he wasn’t being loved in his marriage.

[Kayla Julius · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

An intense look into the life and struggles of actor Joe Manganiello (True Blood, Magic Mike, and Deal or No Deal Island). Joe candidly shares about a debilitating auto-immune disease, how it wreaked havoc on his life and career, and how his family history ultimately brought peace and the answers he so desperately needed.

I was impressed by Joe’s flair for writing. Memoirs can be tough. If a ghostwriter is used, sometimes the original voice and personality is lost, but if a non-writer pens their own novel, there’s a good chance it could be painful to read; too dull or too extreme. There are exceptions to this, of course, and I think Joe is one of them. He tells a good story without too much extra fluff, the pacing flows, he’s able to capture and keep your interest throughout, and I felt like I gathered a better sense of who he is as a person outside of the “big, hunky actor” we know him as. That being said, I do question if a few of his stories were a bit hyperbolic. I found myself wondering how this much could really happen to one person, back-to-back-to-back.

Joe is very direct about things… his marriage, Hollywood dealings, his health journey, etc., sometimes this came off a bit harsh, but I can appreciate that he wanted to get his side of the narrative out. I can only imagine how hard that can be in his industry, where the tabloids hear one morsel of information and dilute it with lies and half-truths. I also think it was brave of him to share his personal health journey. At this stage in his life and career, he could have easily hid it from the world, but he chose to share it in hopes of helping others. He was candid about exactly what happened to him physically, what medications he tried, how it impacted his mental health, and more. It was fascinating to see where the journey towards healing took him. While a little “woo-woo” for me, Joe went to extremes to find answers and I commend him for his candor and relentlessness.

Part health journey, part memoir, and part discovery of one’s self, I enjoyed Manganiello’s story. He had threads in a few directions, at times, but he came back and wove things all together nicely in the end. Bonus points, I’m always a sucker for a dog, and this includes the most pure love story towards his sweet Bubbles. Also, being a Pittsburgh fan, it was fun to catch all of the hometown references sprinkled in.

If you’re a Joe Manganiello fan or have been struggling with your own personal health journey, I think you would find interest in Bloodlines!

Thank you NetGalley and Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Bloodlines. Joe Manganiello opens up about some incredibly difficult and personal struggles, and I really admire how honest he is about what he went through. His battle with illness, the physical and emotional toll it took on him, and his search for answers made this a really powerful read.

What touched me most was how he connects his own struggles to his family history, especially his great-grandmother’s survival of the Armenian Genocide. That part really stayed with me and added such a meaningful layer to his story. It made me think about how much of our past we carry with us, even across generations.

This book is about so much more than illness. It’s about resilience, family, identity, and finding meaning when life takes you somewhere you never expected. I have so much respect for Joe for sharing his story. Five stars from me! Please do yourself a favor and read this book, I promise you will not regret it.

[Jennifer Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were spoilers thanks to headlines on social media about this book so I had a good idea going in but I still wanted to check it out for myself. He gives you insight into his life from family life, to his failed marriage and health. At first, I felt sympathy. But there were alot of fillers in this book, such as the history of Armenian culture. He also comes across as whiney and pitiful. It seems like the only time he sympathizes with other people is if they have an auto immune disease to for him to relate. I wanted to learn more about his roles, the process preparing for those roles, if hes still in contact with his costars. They say there's three sides to every story: her side, his side and the truth. If you can read between the lines here you can discover the truth.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A candid memoir of the actor and his struggle with an auto-immune disease doctors were hard pressed to diagnose or treat which necessitated the removal of his large intestine at one point. Over time the stress will affect his career and end his marriage to actress Sofia Vegara. It will bring him on a journey that will include shamans and genealogy research. Ultimately, it is a story of illness, suffering, healing and spirituality.

[Donna Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for any fan, anyone that has followed Joe Manganello's career, and anyone suffering from a disease/Illness. The way Joe has completely laid bare the last seven+ years of his life with such honesty and bravery is beautiful. Don't be distracted by the clickbait articles! This is a story of strength and overcoming insurmountable pain and coming out the other side with such blessings.

[Kay · Rating 1.25 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook. Narration was excellent. I made it to 21% and then DNF. If you like animals DO NOT READ read this book because at 21% there were already TWO descriptions of animal cruelty and animal sacrifice — all because this guy was seeking an alternative method to get better. It disgusted me and totally turned me off.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook, self-narrated by Mr. Manganiello. Poignant and heartfelt, this memoir is further enhanced by the author's narration. He lays everything bare, leaving blame and ego behind, while pursuing the truths within his family's past and within himself. Very well done. I know I'm wishing him all the very best!

[Adam Carver · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a journey. The author packs the story with personal flourishes and hubris to make an emotional and, at times, spiritual, read. I enjoyed the author as an actor before, now I respect him for telling his truth. Great read.

[Kathy Houser · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

He is a a beautiful writer but I had to keep putting my astonishment at his tremendous ego aside in order to appreciate his tale of tragedy and wonder.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amazing he is still alive after going through so many illnesses and taking so much heavy duty medication. He speaks about generational trauma being passed down to heirs.