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Lena Dunham, author portrait
Photo:Elena Ternovaja·CC BY-SA 3.0·
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Lena Dunham

American
Born 1986
Lena Dunham is an American writer, director, actress, and producer. She is the creator, writer, and star of the HBO television series Girls (2012–2017), for which she received several Emmy Award nominations and two Golden Globe Awards. Dunham also directed several episodes of Girls and became the first woman to win the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Comedy Series. She started her career writing, directing, and starring in her semi-autobiographical independent film Tiny Furniture (2010), for which she won an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay. She has since written and directed the 2022 films Sharp Stick and Catherine Called Birdy. In 2025, she created the Netflix series Too Much starring Megan Stalter.
On LuvemBooks, we've reviewed Famesick.
1
Books Reviewed

In Lena Dunham's own words

Lena Dunham discusses her memoir 'Famesick' on Today with Jenna & Sheinelle, sharing reflections on fame, health struggles, and personal relationships.

Uploaded by TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle, 2026 · Watch on YouTube ·

Also in this interview

On Famesick

Cover of Famesick
Famesick

4.5/5

reader rating · 6,921 ratings

Lena Dunham's second memoir, Famesick, charts the chronic illness and addiction that shadowed her fame after Girls — endometriosis, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, opioids and benzodiazepines. It topped the New York Times Best Seller list, with critics praising its humor and unflinching prose while faulting its limited self-reflection.

Reviewed Sep 19, 2026

Ask LuvemBooks about Lena Dunham

Lena Dunham writes memoir that puts public fame next to private bodily crisis: in Famesick: A Memoir, the reviewed book charts endometriosis, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, and opioid and benzodiazepine addiction after Girls. LuvemBooks has reviewed 1 Dunham book, and that single title carries a 4.5/5 reader rating from 6,921 Amazon ratings; critics cited in our review praised its humor and unflinching prose while faulting its limited self-reflection. Dunham's other named work here is Not that kind of girl, but our coverage is currently anchored by Famesick.
Where should I start?
Start with Famesick: A Memoir because it is the only Lena Dunham book LuvemBooks has reviewed. Its premise is direct: fame after Girls collides with endometriosis, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, and opioid and benzodiazepine addiction. It has a 4.5/5 reader rating from 6,921 Amazon ratings.
What's their writing style?
Based on the reviewed memoir, Dunham writes in a confessional memoir mode that mixes humor with stark medical and addiction detail. Famesick: A Memoir is described as using unflinching prose to cover endometriosis, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, opioids, and benzodiazepines. The main caveat in our summary is that critics found the self-reflection limited.
Books we've reviewed
LuvemBooks has reviewed 1 Lena Dunham book. Famesick: A Memoir is a memoir about chronic illness and addiction after Girls, with a 4.5/5 reader rating from 6,921 Amazon ratings.
What genre do they write?
The reviewed Lena Dunham book on LuvemBooks is memoir. Famesick: A Memoir uses autobiographical material about fame, endometriosis, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, opioids, and benzodiazepines. Dunham's wider genre field is listed as unknown here, so the safest label is memoir based on current coverage.
Why is Famesick getting attention?
Famesick: A Memoir drew attention because it topped the New York Times Best Seller list, according to the reviewed summary. Its subject is also high-stakes: Dunham connects post-Girls fame to endometriosis, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, and opioid and benzodiazepine addiction. The split critical response—praise for humor and unflinching prose, criticism for limited self-reflection—gives readers a clear debate to enter.
What should I read after Famesick?
Within this page's named works, the only other Lena Dunham title mentioned is Not that kind of girl. Because LuvemBooks has reviewed only Famesick: A Memoir, we cannot give a detailed next-book plot beyond that. A cautious path is to treat Not that kind of girl as the adjacent Dunham title to look up next, while our reviewed coverage remains Famesick.
Who is Lena Dunham?

Who is Lena Dunham?

Lena Dunham is an American writer, director, actress, and producer. They are associated here with the notable work Not that kind of girl and with Famesick: A Memoir, the one Dunham book LuvemBooks has reviewed. That memoir focuses on the chronic illness and addiction that shadowed Dunham's fame after Girls.

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What is Famesick about?
Is Dunham known outside books?

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