The Secrets of My Life

By: Caitlyn Jenner

Narrated by: Erin Bennett

In this remarkable memoir former Olympian and Kardashian family member Caitlyn Jenner reveals shocking and heartbreaking stories from her journey to become a transgender woman and fight for the LGBTQ+ community.

Imagine denying your core and soul. Then add to it the most impossible expectations that people have for you because you are the personification of The American Male Athlete.
Bruce Jenner, the celebrated Olympic icon and later the patriarch of one of the most famous families in the world, seemed to be living a dream life of success, fame, and prosperity. But the all-American image and million-dollar smile belied a lifelong struggle with gender dysphoria, and it wasn't until the sensational Diane Sawyer interview that the public mask of Bruce Jenner was finally retired, and through the memorable Vanity Fair piece by Buzz Bissinger, that Caitlyn Jenner was introduced to the world and set free to exist on her own terms. Since then, Caitlyn has undertaken an arduous emotional and physical odyssey to achieve the completeness she always felt was missing.
In The Secrets of My Life, Caitlyn reflects on the inner conflict she experienced growing up in an era of rigidly defined gender identities, and the cruel irony of being hailed by an entire nation as the ultimate symbol of manhood. She recounts her Olympic triumph, her rise to fame, and relates how her sense of frustration and shame grew with the passing years and the lengths to which she had to go to conceal her true self. Caitlyn in turn uncovers the toll that these personal struggles had on her three marriages and, subsequently, the relationships with her children. She also talks candidly about her life in the public eye as a member of the Kardashian clan, what led to her decision to become Caitlyn, and how she, her family, the transgender community, and the rest of the world has since embraced her new life.
Filled with incredibly personal and moving stories of struggle and victory, of anxiety and fear, and, finally, of surrender and acceptance, The Secrets of My Life reveals the real Caitlyn Jenner by tracing her long and eventful journey to becoming herself.

Critic reviews

"THE SECRETS OF MY LIFE is revelatory for the depth with which Jenner details the staggering challenges of finding her true self, and the repercussions of hiding her gender dysphoria."—USA Today

"THE SECRETS OF MY LIFE...charts her journey from Bruce to Caitlyn with affecting candor: decades of distressful dysphoria as an Olympic champion and reality-TV patriarch, and the excruciating, exhilarating odyssey to her renewed identity in the spotlight."—Vanity Fair

"Painting a life both shallow and deep, painstakingly choreographed and unscripted, Jenner's candid portrait of a self in the remaking is a marvel to behold."—Kirkus

Jenner is sweet, funny and honest...good person!

What did you love best about The Secrets of My Life?

Like most complex stories, it's not like Jenner just decided to become a woman one day. It was an issue that was intertwined throughout his life but--since he grew up in the 50s, 60s and 70s--there were no words or precedent for what he was feeling. Instead, he did his best to create traditional families and be a good person. I don't know a lot about this issue, so I thought it was interesting to hear about Jenner's desires (we all have them, in various forms) and efforts to first stay busy to avoid them and then find ways to hide them. The book's message is: "Don't do that; live your true life."

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes glimpses of Jenner's very interesting life, from the Olympics to the Playboy Mansion. I remember the first time I flipped to "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and thinking, "Wait, is that Bruce Jenner? Why is he wandering around this crazy house?" Haha. But, in the book, Jenner has nothing but good things to say about his ex Kris (I think I read that she is upset, but I don't know how she could be). He said that she was social in a special/intimate way, organized, great mother, terrific in business...she gets the most compliments in the book.

What about Caitlyn Jenner - exclusive introduction and Erin Bennett ’s performance did you like?

I like Jenner's voice and was hoping that she would do the audio, but I thought it was nice that she explained that it would have been difficult because of dyslexia.

Any additional comments?

When the Vanity Fair cover came out, I thought, "Wait, no 'K' in Caitlyn?" In the book, Jenner said spelling it with a "K" would have been "creepy." Good point.

I really enjoyed it.

I was surprised that Caitlin did not do the narration of the book herself, But it did make a lot of sense to have a female narrator of the book. It allowed me to listen to the book and not remember that Caitlin was originally Bruce. It was just a book about a female. I appreciated the openness and clarity in which Caitlyn told her story.

Lessons2Learn

I love this book. I was surprise by how much I can relate to his experience in terms of relationship, family, & self-acceptance. Plus it's an eye-opening to many Issues in the trans world. Double thumbs up.

A must read for anyone with gender dysphoria

Loved the book and really explains a lot what people go through. I’m very of Caitlyn Jenner and support her 100%. This book is so well illustrated by her and her life, it kept my attention the whole time.

Good book

I like but the book, but I wish the timeline had a better flow. I understand the flashbacks and flash forward, but I wish it was more chronological.