Tippi Hedren Opens Up About Hitchcock, Lions, Dakota Johnson and More in Her Upcoming Memoir, 'Tippi'

Tippi Hedren's new memoir, Tippi, is slated to hit shelves in November

Photo: Silver Screen Collection/Getty

From living with lions to escaping Alfred Hitchcock, Tippi Hedren has led an extraordinary life even compared to other Hollywood actresses.

Now, The Birds star is finally sharing her life story with her upcoming memoir, to be published by HarperCollins, Tippi. “Being invited to write a memoir of my life instilled the feelings of great honor, surprise, responsibility, and a moment of pure panic!” Hedren, 86, tells PEOPLE in an exclusive statement.

“I’m no longer a young woman! Through the writing process I have been re-experiencing a lifetime of awesome stories of relationships, family, comedy, tragedy, careers, travel, desires, and the list goes on,” she added. “The journey has begun, I’m thrilled with the book and the writing process and I look forward to seeing it in print.”

In her memoir, Hedren details her rise from modeling in small-town Minnesota to becoming one of the biggest stars in the world after her breakout role in Hitchcock’s The Birds and Marnie. Hedren also shares never-before-told stories about her difficult professional relationship with the director who helped launch her career, and also threatened to destroy it.

“She s complex, completely one-of-a-kind and her life story reads like a Hollywood script,” Lisa Sharkey, Senior Vice President and Director of the Creative Development team at HarperCollins says of Hedren.

The actress went on to flourish after Hitchcock, finding success in over 80 films and TV projects, including playing a role in the notorious filming of Roar, in which she invited wild lions and tigers to live with her in her home.

In addition to recounting the highlights of her career, Hedren delves into being a mother in Hollywood, remembering life as mother to Melanie Griffith and grandmother to Dakota Johnson. Hedren also discusses her passion for rescuing wild animals, as well as her famed role in starting the Vietnamese nail salon industry in America.

Tippi is slated to hit shelves in November 2016.