Crush : writers reflect on love, longing, and the lasting power of their first celebrity crush

As seen in Cosmopolitan , Elle , O the Oprah Magazine , Redbook , InTouch , People , BUST , on Vogue.com and Harper's Bazaar Online. An Amazon Best Book of the Month in Humor & Entertainment A star-studded collection of essays from acclaimed and bestselling authors and celebrities that illuminates the lasting power of desire and longing, and celebrates our initiation into the euphoria, pain, and mystery that is our first celebrity crush. You never forget your first crush . . . CRUSH brings together stories of heartbreak, humiliation, and hilarity from a roster of popular luminaries, including James Franco, Stephen King, Roxane Gay, Jodi Picoult, Emily Gould, and Hanna Rosin, who share intimate memories of that first intense taste of love. Here are funny, whimsical, sometimes cringe-worthy tales of falling head over heels for River Phoenix, Mary Tyler Moore, Howard Cosell, Jared Leto, and a host of other pop culture icons. A few contributors channeled their devotion into obsessively writing embarrassing fan letters. Some taped pics in school lockers. Others decorated their bedroom walls with posters. For tweenaged Karin Tanabe, it was discovering bad boy Andy Garciaplaying the gun-loving mobster Vincent Corleone in The Godfather III . Barbara Graham unsuccessfully staked out an apartment on Park Avenue for a glimpse of her blue-eyed soulmate, Paul Newman. There was only one puppy for six-year-old Jodi PicoultDonny Osmondwhile Jamie Brisicks pre-teen addiction was Speed Racer. Swoon-worthy and unforgettable, the essays in CRUSH will leave you laughing, make you cry, and keep you enthralledjust like your first celebrity crush. A star-studded collection of essays from acclaimed and bestselling authors and celebrities that illuminates the lasting power of desire and longing, and celebrates our initiation into the euphoria, pain, and mystery that is our first celebrity crush. You never forget your first crush . . . CRUSH brings together stories of heartbreak, humiliation, and hilarity from a roster of popular luminaries, including James Franco, Carrie Fisher, Stephen King, Roxane Gay, Jodi Picoult, Emily Gould, and Hanna Rosin, who share intimate memories of that first intense taste of love. Here are funny, whimsical, sometimes cringe-worthy tales of falling head over heels for River Phoenix, Mary Tyler Moore, Howard Cosell, Jared Leto, and a host of other pop culture icons. A few contributors channeled their devotion into obsessively writing embarrassing fan letters. Some taped pics in school lockers. Others decorated their bedroom walls with posters. For tweenaged Karin Tanabe, it was discovering bad boy Andy Garcia—playing the gun-loving mobster Vincent Corleone in The Godfather III . Barbara Graham unsuccessfully staked out an apartment on Park Avenue for a glimpse of her blue-eyed soulmate, Paul Newman. There was only one puppy for six-year-old Jodi Picoult—Donny Osmond—while Jamie Brisick’s pre-teen addiction was Speed Racer. Swoon-worthy and unforgettable, the essays in CRUSH will leave you laughing, make you cry, and keep you enthralled—just like your first celebrity crush. My idol -- Jodi Picoult on Donny Osmond -- Stephen King on Kim Novak -- Larry Smith and Smith Magazine contest winners: six-word celebrity crushes -- Hanna Rosin on Mick Jagger -- Dave Housley on Kristy McNichol -- Nicola yoon on Michael Jackson -- I can't fight this feeling -- Andrew McCarthy on Andrienne Barbeau -- Amin Ahmad on the Liril soap girl -- Shane Harris on Mark Hamill -- Jason Diamond on Annie Potts -- We belong together -- Roxane gay on Almanzo Wilder -- Michelle Brafman on Harry Chapin -- Jessica Anya Blau on Tatum O'Neal -- Janice Shapiro on John Lennon -- I want to be you -- James Franco on River Phoenix -- Joanna Rakoff on Melissa Gilbert -- Kermit Moyer on Tarzan -- Shulem Deen on Robby Benson -- Jamie Brisick on Speed Racer -- Finally, we meet -- Barbara Graham on Paul Newman -- Sam Weisman on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -- Kimberly Dawn Neumann on Mikhail Baryshnikov -- Larry Doyle on Mary Tyler Moore -- Dave Singleton on David Cassidy -- David Keplinger on Deborah Harry -- Anna Breslaw on Adrian Grenier -- Yesha Callahan on John Travolta -- Marion Winik on Jerry Garcia and Gregg Allman -- Jill Kargman on Kenickie -- So wrong but so right -- Richard McCann on Bette Davis -- David Shields on Barbara Feldon -- Tony Tulathimutte on Rydia -- Karin Tanabe on Vincenzo Corleone -- Over it! -- Cathy Alter on Donny Osmond -- Julia Pierpont on Rivers Cuomo -- Caroline Kepnes on Brian Austin Green -- Emily Gould on Jared Leto. A star-studded collection of essays from acclaimed and bestselling authors and celebrities that illuminates the lasting power of desire and longing, and celebrates our initiation into the euphoria, pain, and mystery that is our first celebrity crush. A few channeled their devotion into obsessively writing embarrassing fan letters. Some taped pics in school lockers. Others decorated their bedroom walls with posters. Here are funny, whimsical, sometimes cringe-worthy tales of falling head over heels for River Phoenix, Mary Tyler Moore, Howard Cosell, Jared Leto, and a host of other pop culture icons.