Britney ‘Bestseller’ Spears
Before The Woman in Me was officially released, excerpts and bombshell revelations from within its 275 pages were fervently devoured online, amping up anticipation for the full story
Before Britney Spears officially released her debut memoir The Woman in Me last week, excerpts and bombshell revelations from within its 275 pages were fervently devoured online. That hunger from readers led to the sale of 1.1. million copies in the U.S. within the first seven days of the book’s release, according to the Associated Press — and Spears is ready to celebrate.
“I poured my heart and soul into my memoir, and I am grateful to my fans and readers around the world for their unwavering support,” Spears shared in a statement on Wednesday via Simon & Schuster’s Gallery Books.
Spears initially began celebrating with fans on Instagram within a day of the book’s release when she believed The Woman in Me had become the fastest-selling celebrity memoir in history. And while she did sell a lot of books, it wasn’t quite the biggest, and she eventually deleted the post. However, the true success of the book rests within its function in helping Spears to reclaim her own narrative.
Through the memoir, Spears candidly detailed stories surrounding her life and career that had previously relied heavily on speculation and second-hand sources. It included revelations about the abortion she received while dating Justin Timberlake, her complicated relationship with her sister Jamie Lynn, and the harrowing details of the 13 years she spent under a conservatorship that she says often caused her to revert to a child-like mindset.
In the days since its arrival, the memoir has also received a boost in traction online from clips pulled from the audiobook version. Spears narrated the introduction, but the remainder of the book is narrated by Michelle Williams, who had the distinct pleasure of recalling the time when Timberlake met Ginuwine and, in his best blaccent, said: “Oh yeah. Fo’ siz. Fo’ siz. Ginuwine what’s up homie?”
“Most of the book is from 20 years ago … I have moved on and it’s a beautiful clean slate from here,” Spears wrote on Instagram in the days before the memoir’s release. “I am here to establish it that way for the rest of my entire life !!! Either way, that is the last of it and shit happens !!! This is actually a book I didn’t know needed to be written … although some might be offended, it has given me closure on all things for a better future.”