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.

A star-studded collection of original essays that illuminates the lasting power of desire and longing, and celebrates our initiation into the agony and ecstasy that is our first celebrity crushYou never forget your first crush . . .CRUSH brings together stories of heartbreak, humiliation, and hilarity from a roster of popular luminaries. Whether it manifests in writing vaguely inappropriate fan letters, obsessively chronicling their wardrobe choices, buying a Star Map in order to drive by their house, or simply purchasing every magazine with their face on the cover, we’ve all had a one-sided love affair with a person too famous to know we exist. In some ways more powerful than the up-close, in-person grade-school crush, the celebrity crush is as much defined by its mystery and allure as by its fervor and ferocity.Swoon-worthy and unforgettable, the essays in CRUSH are poignant and compulsively readable, and each begs the question: Who is your celebrity crush?Contributors include:Amin Ahmad • Cathy Alter • Jessica Anya Blau • Michelle Brafman • Anna Breslaw • Jamie Brisick • Yesha Callahan • Jason Diamond • Shulem Deen • Larry Doyle • James Franco • Roxane Gay • Emily Gould • Barbara Graham • Shane Harris • David Housley • Jill Kargman • David Keplinger • Caroline Kepnes • Stephen King • Richard McCann • Andrew McCarthy • Kermit Moyer • Kimberly Dawn Neumann • Carolyn Parkhurst • Jodi Picoult • Julia Pierpont • Joanna Rakoff • Hanna Rosin • Janice Shapiro • David Shields • Dave Singleton • Larry Smith • Karin Tanabe • Tony Tulathimutte • Sam Weisman • Marion Winik • Nicola Yoon

"This solid, legitimate anthology that reflects on a compelling and universal phenomenon will put readers back in touch with their younger selves." -- Library Journal "There's a lot to enjoy in these...pieces." -- Washington Post "Entertaining...Some stories are funny...others are inspiring...Reading these short, angst-packed essays about starting at movie screens and listening to transistor radios is like reminiscing with old friends...[A] reminder that first loves are always worth recalling." -- Booklist "[A] charming collection." -- Entertainment Weekly "The seemingly lightweight premise of an anthology built around celebrity crushes yields an outstanding selection of poignant and thought-provoking stories." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Charming...The authors do a remarkable job collecting different types of crushes while keeping the reminiscences short and sweet...A book that balances heartbreak and relief, blind love and terror. " -- Publishers Weekly