Actress Ellen Burstyn has just written a memoir that explores her Irish Catholic youth in the Detroit area, where she was born Edna Rae Gillooly. In "Lessons in Becoming Myself," she doesn't exactly offer a sympathetic portrait. Her parents were abusive, and Burstyn ultimately argues that her traumatic youth pushed her to pursue her acting career. Nevertheless, as one of the more brilliant actresses of the postwar American era (she won an Oscar for her tortured lead in Martin Scorsese's "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore") Burstyn's memoir makes for interesting reading. All in all, Burstyn was nominated six times for an Academy Award, and also won a Tony for her performance in "Same Time, Next Year." She still serves as co-president of the Actors Studio in New York City. ($25.95 / 480 pages / Riverhead)