Fantasia's I Believe was the first debut to top the US Billboard chart

Joseph Barrino alleges the Simon & Schuster book contains "false, exaggerated, sensational, intentional and malicious untruths".

He also alleges Life Is Not a Fairy Tale was ghost-written by Fantasia Barrino's grandmother, Addie Collins.

Single mother Fantasia Barrino won the third American Idol series in 2004.

Mr Barrino's lawyer, Kendall Minter, said in a statement: "The unfortunate publication of Fantasia's life story by Simon & Schuster seeks to capitalise on her American Idol success through disparaging certain members of her family.

"The lawsuit seeks to redress these wrongs and restore the integrity of the family members."

Simon & Schuster spokesman Adam Rothberg said the company would not comment until it had seen the court documents, the Associated Press news agency reported.

The papers were filed at US District Court in Manhattan.

Fantasia Barrino, who is 22 and from High Point, North Carolina, topped the US Billboard chart with her debut single, I Believe.

Her first album, Free Yourself, has sold more than two million copies in the US and earned four Grammy nominations.