Autobiography: arts and entertainment Books

Book SynopsisWe developed reputations real fast. We treated our entertainers right. We got them paid. Other agents and promoters and managers showed them the money. We got them the money. We brought respect to the African American artist in America. We brought them prestige. We really cared about our artists and those who worked for us, and it was obvious because we fought like hell for them. So when you listen to some of that music today an Otis Redding record or Percy Sledge or anyone from our shop you re not just hearing music but also the sound of iron being hammered and bricks being laid for those especially African Americans who are in the business today. Southern Man is the memoir of a life in music during one of the most racially turbulent times in American history. It presents the voice of Alan Walden a remarkable, sensitive, humble, and brilliant man; a boy from the country who, serendipitously, along with his brother Phil and best friend Otis Redding, helped to nurture a musical renaissance. It is the story of a son of Macon, Georgia, and his passion for R&B and rock n roll at a time when it took wits and a Southern persistence to overcome the obstacles on the hard scrabble road to success the tragedy of loss, disappointment, and betrayal, along with the joy of victory, optimism, and hope and taking a dream right over the mountain. That dream led him to work with and nurture the talents of a virtual who s who of Southern music, from Sam & Dave and Percy Sledge to Boz Scaggs and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Anyone who was alive during the golden age of R&B and Southern rock remembers the music, but Alan s narrative invites the reader to the centre of the story, into the studio and on the road, to backroom deals and backroom brawls. It wasn t always peaches and cream. The music business is tough, and Alan Walden was one of the toughest kids on the street. He had to be, in order to survive in a world of guitars, guts, and guns. This is rock n roll noir the story of a few pioneers who cut the rock and laid the pipe under the hard scrabble terrain so that the water of creativity can more freely flow today.Trade ReviewAlan, I got to tell you you re one soulful guy I don t think I ve ever met a white guy with more soul than you. QUINCY JONES

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Book SynopsisAt twenty-one, Kathy Valentine was at the Whisky in Los Angeles when she met a guitarist from a fledgling band called the Go-Go s?and the band needed a bassist. The Go-Go s became the first multi-platinum-selling, all-female band to play instruments themselves, write their own songs, and have a number one album. Their debut, Beauty & The Beat, spent six weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 and featured the hit songs We Got the Beat and Our Lips Are Sealed . The record s success brought the pressures of a relentless workload and schedule culminating in a wild, hazy, substance-fuelled tour that took the band from the club circuit to arenas, where fans, promoters, and crew were more than ready to keep the party going. For Valentine, the band s success was the fulfilment of a lifelong dream?but that s only part of her story. All I Ever Wanted traces the path that took her from her childhood in Texas?where she all but raised herself?to the height of rock n roll stardom, devastation after the collapse of the band that had come to define her, and the quest to regain her sense of self after its end. Valentine also speaks candidly about the lasting effects of parental betrayal, abortion, rape, and her struggles with drugs and alcohol?and the music that saved her every step of the way. Populated with vivid portraits of Valentine s interactions during the 1980s with musicians and actors from The Police and Rod Stewart to John Belushi and Rob Lowe, All I Ever Wanted is a deeply personal reflection on a life spent in music.Trade ReviewAll I Ever Wanted is a raw look at the highs and lows of being high and low. Long live the Go-Go s! - Amy Poehler. Like a scorching guitar solo emerging from the prettiest pop song, Kathy Valentine s All I Ever Wanted blows away every other music memoir out there. - Augusten Burroughs, author of Running with Scissors

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Book Synopsis'Don't live life worrying about it, just T. Rex the s*** out of it.' - Sylvain Sylvain The New York Dolls were called many things; glam, proto-punk, hard rock, but are probably best understood as a 'dirty rock & roll' band. Combining an aggressively androgynous style with street smart New York attitude and campy humour, the New York Dolls ushered in the era of CBGBs, heroin chic, loud guitars and referential lyrics which gave rise to Patti Smith, The Ramones, Television and many more. Fans of the band range from Guns N' Roses to Morrissey, who organised the reformation of the band when he curated Meltdown festival in 2004. Sylvain Sylvain was there from the start, and this is his story. Taking in his early life in New York, the rise, fall and rise again of the New York Dolls, and all his misadventures between, There's No Bones in Ice Cream is the true story of one of rock's greatest, told in his own authentic voice. 'In any great band it's often The Quiet One who has the best stories. There's No Bones in Ice Cream would be a superb book even if Sylvain worked in a bank. As it is it's one of the best rock biographies ever. Ten out of ten.' - Classic Rock

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Book Synopsis*** THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER"I loved it. An amazing book." - Louis Theroux"A rip-roaring read. It left me breathless." - Chris Evans, Virgin Radio"Raw, savagely honest, as dramatic as any of his movies." - Mail on Sunday"A tremendous book - readable, funny and harrowing." - The Sunday Times"Riveting." - The New York Times "A fascinating exposure of Stone's inner life and his powerful, all devouring energy and genius that drove him to become one of the world's greatest filmmakers." - Sir Anthony Hopkins"... a Hollywood movie in itself." - Spike LeeChasing the Light is Oliver Stone's intimate and ground-breaking filmmaker's memoir - and a razor-sharp insider's tour of Hollywood during its 70s and 80s upheaval.With disarming honesty, he takes us from a childhood on New York's Upper East Side through the combat zones of Vietnam, inside the clandestine worlds of Chinatown's gang lords and Miami's cocaine trade - and behind the glittering and often drug-addled Los Angeles movie society scene.And from Midnight Express through Scarface, and Salvador he discovers his own dogged determination, a marked rebellious streak and a drive to make controversial films that matter. How he strung together the realistic, radical and ultimately box office smash Platoon is in itself a 10-year adventure of financial intrigue, perseverance and near-death experiences that culminates in the depths of the Philippine jungle with Stone pushing himself, the crew and young cast almost beyond breaking point.Written fearlessly with intense detail and colour, this is what it's like to make films on the edge.

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Book SynopsisIn It's Not a Proper Job, TV legend Chris Tarrant regales the reader with hilarious and heart-warming stories from his stellar 50-year career in television and radio. With trademark wit and self-mockery, Chris not only recalls his behind-the-scenes capers with fellow celebrities, but also shows us how, as a man of the people, he has relished rubbing shoulders with ordinary folk on his way to becoming one of the nation's favourite TV faces. A former teacher and ATV newsreader, Chris soon established himself at the forefront of trailblazing telly as the host of Tiswas, and here recounts this 1970s, anarchic, flan-flinging children's show that spearheaded a fresh format and a new era for Saturday morning TV, packed with pranks, full of fun, and which remains a benchmark to this day. For later audiences, Chris will be more familiar as the face of yet another groundbreaking show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? which he presented for sixteen gripping years, and which grew into a global phenomenon exported to over one hundred countries. Here Chris remembers the joyous highs of contestants' life-changing winnings, the frustrating lows of loss, the cringing embarrassment of ignorance, and the infamous cheating of the 'Coughing Major'. Spanning five decades, Chris's television credits are the envy of aspirational TV stars, but reading his laugh-out-loud anecdotes - akin to having a chat with the man himself over a pint, or listening to one of his entertaining, after-dinner speeches - reveals a man still amused by life, by the people he meets, and by his own humble assertion that none of his glittering career can, in any way, be called 'a proper job'.

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Book SynopsisListen to My Heart is a completely candid and passionate, heartbreaking yet often witty life story of one of rock music’s most resilient lead singers, Marie Fredriksson from Roxette ("It Must Have Been Love," "Listen to Your Heart," "The Look," "Joyride").Given only a few months to live following a harrowing diagnosis in 2002, Marie boldly forged ahead into a life with newfound courage and inspiration. She continued as both a solo singer and with Roxette, where she performed over 550 concerts, sold 75 million records, and released over 50 singles including several global hits. In all, Roxette is Sweden’s biggest music group—second only to ABBA.Filled with behind-the-scenes stories involving everyone from Tina Turner and Elton John to The Rolling Stones and Frank Sinatra, Listen to My Heart also explores her humble family beginnings, an early tragedy in the sudden loss of Marie’s sister, her transition into the music industry as a solo artist, and the formation and challenges of being in one of the world’s most successful pop groups. All while trying to maintain a stable marriage and being a mother to two young children in the face of a life-altering illness. Marie passed away in the aftermath of her diagnosis in December, 2019.Heart-wrenching yet winning, and told with exceptional energy and sincerity, Listen to My Heart sheds new and revelatory light on the life and work of one of our generation’s most talented and courageous artists.Contains a foreword by Marie’s longtime friend, director Jonas Akerlund (Madonna, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, U2) and over 100 personal photographs, live and backstage shots, and memorabilia images.Trade Review"Singer-songwriter Marie Fredriksson (1958–2019) offers a heartbreakingly candid recollection of her early life, pop career [including many years with Roxette], and struggle with illness in this posthumous memoir. Fredriksson more than delivers on her stated mission to ‘share her moments of transcendence and offer consolation to those full of doubt’ by cataloging her favorite performances and refusing to let her diagnosis overshadow her career. Anecdotes about celebrities from Elton John to Frank Sinatra are just the cherry on top. Pop music fans will treasure this." — Publishers Weekly"Fredriksson's frustration at being discounted in the men-dominated music industry and her attempts to find alternative lifesaving treatments makes for an engaging read. Most poignant is her vulnerability as she opens her closets and photo albums that showcase a life well lived." — Library Journal

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Book Synopsis THE REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF QUIZZING SENSATION JAY FLYNN: NOW A SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER! Readers have been LOVING The Quizmaster:''I read this in one sitting . . . I cried, laughed and hugged my Kindle!!'' ?????''Absolutely incredible read. We have followed Jay since the first quiz right up to now and I honestly cannot believe how truly remarkable he is after reading more about his story . . . If you are looking for a real page turner that you just can''t put down you''ve found it here with this book. Cannot recommend highly enough.'' ?????''What an amazing but at times difficult read, Jay has really put his heart on the line in his autobiography, a very brave thing to do.'' ?????-------------------Jay Flynn was down on his luck when the Covid pandemic struck. He had just lost the tenancy of the pub he ran in Lancashire - and with it the loyal community of locals who loved his quirky weekly quiz.A

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Book SynopsisWhen, in 2000, the National Theatre published its poll of the hundred best plays of the 20th century, David Hare had written five of them. Yet he was born in 1947 into an anonymous suburban street in Hastings. It is a world he believes to be as completely vanished as Victorian England.Now in his first panoramic work of memoir, ending as Margaret Thatcher comes to power in 1979, David Hare describes his childhood, his Anglo-Catholic education and his painful apprenticeship to the trade of dramatist. He sets the progress of his own life against the history of a time in which faith in hierarchy, deference, religion, the empire and finally politics all withered away. Only belief in private virtue remains.In his customarily dazzling prose and with great warmth and humour, David Hare explores how so radical a shift could have occurred, and how it is reflected in his own lifelong engagement with two disparate art forms - film and theatre. In The Blue Touch Paper David Hare describes a life of trial and error: both how he became a writer and the high price he and those around him paid for that decision.

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Book SynopsisTika the Iggy is the fashion model of the 21st century with millions of fans on social media. She is an Italian Greyhound from Canada, as well as a fashionista, poet, cucumber enthusiast and human rights advocate. From fashion to activism, hosting to travel, Tika the Iggy is your guide to living your best life with lessons in love, fashion and living well. Packed with adorable images of Tika in outstanding outfits, Tika the Iggy is must-have for any Tika fan, or anyone who needs more fabulousness in their life. 'A new fashion It girl'Vogue

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Book SynopsisThe long-awaited memoir by movie and theatre legend, Brian Cox.A Guardian, Times, Sunday Times and Independent Book of the Year*Featuring a foreword by the executive producer of Succession, Frank Rich*From Titus Andronicus with the RSC to media magnate Logan Roy in HBO's Succession, Brian Cox has made his name as an actor of unparalleled distinction and versatility. We know him on screen, but few know of his extraordinary life story.Growing up in Dundee, Scotland, Cox lost his father when he was just eight years old and was brought up by his three elder sisters in the aftermath of his mother's nervous breakdowns and ultimate hospitalization. After joining the Dundee Repertory Theatre at the age of fifteen, you could say the rest is history - but that is to overlook the enormous graft that has gone into the making of the legend we know today. This is a rags-to-riches life story like no other - a seminal autobiography that both captures Cox's distinctive voice and his very soul.'One of the best showbiz memoirs ever written... it's as funny as it is furious... Brian Cox has done everything and with this book he leaves everyone else standing' Mail on Sunday'Absolute heaven' Sunday Times'A hugely readable memoir from a giant of stage and screen' Mark Kermode'A life well lived and a story well told. From first page to last Brian Cox the great actor is Brian Cox the great storyteller, and nobody is spared his sharp eye and his caustic wit, himself and some big Hollywood names included' Alastair Campbell'Laced with his characteristic generosity, self-deprecation and cut-the-crap wisdom' Harriet Walter'Mesmerizing' Peter Biskind'Blisteringly brilliant' Bryony Gordon'Funny and irreverent' The TimesTrade ReviewA hugely readable memoir from a giant of stage and screen * Mark Kermode *A life well lived and a story well told. From first page to last Brian Cox the great actor is Brian Cox the great storyteller, and nobody is spared his sharp eye and his caustic wit, himself and some big Hollywood names included. He is brutally honest about who and what he likes and doesn't like, and honest too about his own failings. But what shines through every page is a man who loves being an actor and who has a deep understanding of why culture, and especially theatre and film, really matter. * Alastair Campbell *Rage and vulnerability, loss and passion, self-doubt, triumphs and laughs. Brian Cox's memoir brings to mind the Blake poem "What is the price of experience ? Do men buy it for a song? Or wisdom for a dance in the street? No, it is bought with the price of all that a man hath: his wife, his house his children'." What a treat and privilege to be invited in. I've never read a book that conveys the joy, grace and pain of the journey of being an actor and a human more honestly and with such straightforward blistering charm. * Kate Beckinsale *It is much more than a rabbit Mr. Cox pulls out of his hat. In this candid vision of his life it is revealed how it is he is able so convincingly, authentically and uniquely to play such an abundance of characters. All of them different, all of them real, all of them him. * Hampton Fancher *Brian Cox is not only one of the greatest actors of his generation, he is a gentleman among men. Kind, wise, funny and intense in the best ways possible, Brian is also a wonderful tale teller as this book proves. It is an honor to call him a friend and I'm so proud of him. What a life well lived. * Ryan Murphy *Wonderfully honest, touching and funny. * Gemma Jones *There has always been a coiled spring energy to Brian's acting and, now in his 70s, he has lost none of it. This book is like listening to him talk, switching from anecdote to diatribe to honest self-reflection and back to his original story before he interrupted himself. The effect is of undiminished curiosity and passion for life and work. All his observations are laced with his characteristic generosity, self-deprecation and cut-the-crap wisdom * Harriet Walter *[It] grips from the beginning - a witty prologue about the preposterousness of Steven Segal - and is the sort of riveting, candid read you might expect from the illustrious Succession actor * Martin Chilton, Independent *Simply a delight, so much so that it's tempting to consume it in one sitting [...] mesmerizing * Peter Biskind *An insightful look into his extraordinary life and career - which sees no signs of slowing down * Radio Times *Blisteringly brilliant * Daily Telegraph *A splendid memoir [and] a deeply intelligent exploration of his chosen profession, its joyous rewards and its mind-scratching demands... Throughout, his honesty is disarming * Tortoise *A tale like no other, it's a seminal autobiography * Edinburgh Evening News *Clever, perceptive ... brilliant * The Times *One of the best showbiz memoirs ever written... it's as funny as it is furious... Brian Cox has done everything and with this book he leaves everyone else standing * Mail on Sunday *Cox's book is digressive and gossipy, as all celebrity biographies should be. It's also very funny, and as salty as you would expect from the man who has conclusively proved that there are at least 50 different ways of saying f*** off * Irish Independent *The iconic Scottish actor traces his life story from his childhood in Dundee to his extraordinary career on both screen and stage * Scots Magazine *It's a book full of wonderful stories and huge insight into the whole business of acting and the workings of the human soul... absolute heaven * Sunday Times *Cox writes beautifully... Putting the Rabbit in the Hat is a rare and brilliant thing: an honest, genuinely funny and moving memoir from a star who has a real story to tell * Sunday Business Post *His writing is as compelling as any of his memorable performances * The Lady *Few memoirs are as punchy and funny * Independent *A picaresque odyssey ... opinionated, forthright and sometimes self-lacerating, it's a pungent, engrossing read * Total Film *Wildly enjoyable * Evening Standard *Amusingly irreverent * Guardian *I loved it. It was so refreshing to read a biography where the author was so incredibly up-front and honest * Sunday Post *The actor best known as Succession's Logan Roy reads his irreverent memoir charting a long career on stage and screen * Guardian *One of the funniest, most rip-roaring, irreverent and candid showbusiness memoirs of last year * The Times *

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Book Synopsis*** The Sunday Times Bestseller ***'Intimate, tender and brutally honest ... a remarkable book.' Decca Aitkenhead, The Sunday Times'These are probably the toughest times we have faced in many decades, and we all have to find within us the strength and resilience to get through and to find happiness and love in our futures, whatever life throws at us.'After first contracting Covid in 2020, Kate Garraway's husband, Derek, fought its devastating impact for almost four years. He was left needing 24-hour care and long spells in hospital until he sadly passed away in January 2024.In The Strength of Love, Kate explores issues that resonate with so many of us. She looks at the impact of trauma as well as the importance of resilience, adaptability, curiosity and positivity when recovering from it. She talks about identity, purpose, how to embrace uncertainty and take back control of our lives. Through her and Derek's story, she provides comfort and wisdom that will help anyone who has ever felt desperate, lonely or experienced profound loss, or who is fearful about what the future holds.Despite all that she and her family have had to endure, Kate shows us that love truly is the most powerful and resilient emotion of all.Trade Review'Intimate, tender and brutally honest ... a remarkable book.' * Decca Aitkenhead, The Sunday Times *'It's a book that is both heartbreaking and life-affirming, reminding us how love can fuel us in the darkest hour.' * Psychologies magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe powerful life story and photography of an esteemed Black photojournalist from Orangeburg, South CarolinaCecil Williams is one of the few Southern Black photojournalists of the civil rights movement. Born and raised in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Williams worked at the center of emerging twentieth-century civil rights activism in the state, and his assignments often exposed him to White violence perpetrated by law officials and ordinary citizens. Williams's story is the story of the civil rights era.Williams and award-winning journalist Claudia Smith Brinson combine forces in Injustice in Focus: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams. Together they document civil rights activism in the 1940s through the 1960s in South Carolina. Williams was there, in South Carolina, to witness and document pivotal movements such as then-NAACP legal counsel Thurgood Marshall's arrival in Charleston to argue the landmark case Briggs v. Elliott and the aftermath of the infamous Orangeburg Massacre. Featuring eighty stunning photographs accompanied by Brinson's rich research, interviews, and prose, Injustice in Focus offers a firsthand account of South Carolina's fight for civil rights and describes Williams's life behind the camera as a documentarian of the civil rights movement.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERThis is a self-help book like no other. Because you are not helping yourself, James Acaster is helping you.In 2019, James quit all forms of social media - covering his phone in tar and driving it to a lock-up in Rhyl, before setting up home in a castle he''d built himself called Castle Anti-Net. But when the withdrawal symptoms hit him, he realised in order to stay clean he''d have to replace everything social media gave him with three-dimensional, real-life activities. Employing the help of a mysterious, wealthy benefactor named Clancy Dellahue, and an ever-growing gang of misfits (aka the Tangfastic Crew), James found ways to replace his online friends (he joined the scouts) and spy on his exes (climbing ropes, zip lines, fake moustache) as well as anonymously bullying strangers, seeing photos of everyone''s dogs, getting public figures fired, arguing with everybody about everything, and so much more. His life is amazing

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of Alex James's transition from a leading light of the Britpop movement in the 1990s, to gentleman farmer, artisan cheese-maker and father of five.I was hanging around the pigsty in the way I'd previously hung around at The Groucho Club. I felt wonderfully connected, grounded in the real world, standing in pig muck'Following fifteen years in Blur, Alex James did two wild, unexpected things. He fell in love and he bought a farm.Moving into a rambling, chaotic farmstead in the beautiful Cotswold countryside, he decides the best way to learn about farming is the same way he learned most about music: by jumping in and doing it. As his family settles in, he discovers the unexpected joys that country life abounds in: finding the first egg from your very own chicken, coming across a bramble bush laden with blackberries, roasting home-grown pears on an open fire, before stumbling on a new venture making cheese.Wonderfully warm, witty and perfectly observed, this is the storyTrade Review‘James’s prose is clean and poetic. His childlike wonder at the simple things – from herons to heaps of rubble – can be infectious’ DAILY TELEGRAPH ‘A joy to read. Prose flows and weaves and curls itself into pleasing rhythms…(Alex James) can write like a god’ SPECTATOR ‘The upbeat tone matches that of his Blur-era autobiography A BIT OF A BLUR, treating his downsize from rock heart-throb to cockerel-throttling country gent as if cheese contests were Britpop orgies. Riding bikes, the smell of berry bushes, piles of cow dung: all brilliant’ NME

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Book SynopsisLIMITED COLLECTOR’S EDITION that includes Marie’s 2004 English-language solo album The Change on CD—previously unreleased in any physical format in North America—as well as bonus track “Sea of Love” (2017), the last song that Marie recorded. This edition also contains foil gilded page edges and a satin ribbon marker.Listen to My Heart is a completely candid and passionate, heartbreaking yet often witty life story of one of rock music’s most resilient lead singers, Marie Fredriksson from Roxette ("It Must Have Been Love," "Listen to Your Heart," "The Look," "Joyride").Given only a few months to live following a harrowing diagnosis in 2002, Marie boldly forged ahead into a life with newfound courage and inspiration. She continued as both a solo singer and with Roxette, where she performed over 550 concerts, sold 75 million records, and released over 50 singles including several global hits. In all, Roxette is Sweden’s biggest music group—second only to ABBA.Filled with behind-the-scenes stories involving everyone from Tina Turner and Elton John to The Rolling Stones and Frank Sinatra, Listen to My Heart also explores her humble family beginnings, an early tragedy in the sudden loss of Marie’s sister, her transition into the music industry as a solo artist, and the formation and challenges of being in one of the world’s most successful pop groups. All while trying to maintain a stable marriage and being a mother to two young children in the face of a life-altering illness. Marie passed away in the aftermath of her diagnosis in December, 2019.Heart-wrenching yet winning, and told with exceptional energy and sincerity, Listen to My Heart sheds new and revelatory light on the life and work of one of our generation’s most talented and courageous artists.Contains a foreword by Marie’s longtime friend, director Jonas Akerlund (Madonna, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, U2) and over 100 personal photographs, live and backstage shots, and memorabilia images.Trade Review"Singer-songwriter Marie Fredriksson (1958–2019) offers a heartbreakingly candid recollection of her early life, pop career [including many years with Roxette], and struggle with illness in this posthumous memoir. Fredriksson more than delivers on her stated mission to ‘share her moments of transcendence and offer consolation to those full of doubt’ by cataloging her favorite performances and refusing to let her diagnosis overshadow her career. Anecdotes about celebrities from Elton John to Frank Sinatra are just the cherry on top. Pop music fans will treasure this." — Publishers Weekly"Fredriksson's frustration at being discounted in the men-dominated music industry and her attempts to find alternative lifesaving treatments makes for an engaging read. Most poignant is her vulnerability as she opens her closets and photo albums that showcase a life well lived." — Library Journal

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Book SynopsisJoin award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard and audience-favorite actor Clint Howard as they frankly and fondly share their unusual family story of navigating and surviving life as sibling child actors.“What was it like to grow up on TV?” Ron Howard has been asked this question throughout his adult life.Trade Review“A Tinseltown childhood free of malice, regret or self-pity. It’s like a Ron Howard movie between two covers… a picture of a family unencumbered by major neuroses, hang-ups or rivalries… links to an earlier, simpler age… refreshing [and] homespun.” — Wall Street Journal “…kind, imperturbable and appreciative… the lulling rhythms of harmonious boomer sibs clearing out the old family house. See, they seem to say, brotherly love is possible in Hollywood.” — New York Times “[A] nostalgic coming-of-age story that examines life in showbiz, fun adventures and, perhaps above all, the importance of family.” — CNN.com “Who would have thought Ron Howard could be exciting? And yet, he and his brother Clint have written a saga of talent, ambition, serendipity, and lust. Well, forget about the lust. It’s just not there. But Ron and Clint’s story of their remarkable coming-of-age in show business will thrill any reader.” — Steve Martin “I’ve known and loved the Howard family for forty-eight years, and there are stories here that surprised even me. The Boys is an emotional journey that goes well beyond your typical Hollywood memoir.” — Henry Winkler "I have read dozens of Hollywood memoirs. But The Boys stands alone. A delightful, warm and fascinating story of a good life in show business.” — Malcolm Gladwell “This extraordinary book is not only a chronicle of Ron’s and Clint’s early careers and their wild adventures, but also a primer on so many topics—how an actor prepares, how to survive as a kid working in Hollywood, and how to be the best parents in the world! THE BOYS will surprise every reader with its humanity.” — Tom Hanks “How can the complexities of husband and wives, parents and children, brother to brother be contained between the pages of one book? It’s impossible and yet The Boys touched me in such a way that the Howards’ story---Rance, Jean, Ron and Clint—will continue, for a long time, to settle on my heart like soft rain. It is about life and show business and how one, famous family connected both--with passion, loyalty, respect and, most of all, love.” — Glenn Close “Actors and brothers Ron and Clint Howard reflect on growing up in Hollywood in this fascinating dual autobiography… Candid, humorous, and entertaining, this intimate account will be a hit with the brothers’ fans.” — Publishers Weekly "Filled with delightful stories from the sets of The Andy Griffith Show, Gentle Ben, The Music Man, and Happy Days, this memoir will be treasured by television and movie history buffs alike; fans of the Howards will greatly enjoy their teasing, loving banter, and evocation of a gentler era." — Library Journal (starred review) “It’s wholesome, earnest and contains just enough tidbits about Mayberry and “Happy Days” to satisfy ardent fans… In the end, it’s the remarkable story of a family that chose a very public line of work but managed to live by their own private values in an America that gave them the space to do just that.” — Associated Press "A treat for movie and TV buffs, this dual memoir is wholesome and satisfying…Fans of the Howards will revel in the details of their young ascents into the Hollywood spotlight.” — Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisTHE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER from the star of Netflix's The Duchess, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Your Face or Mine and host of All That Glitters'A fearless origin story' Caitlin Moran'Brilliant!' Aisling Bea'Outrageously brilliant! I'm buying this for all my friends' Laura Whitmore'Witty as hell' Tom AllenWildly readable... tremendous' The Times*****Hi, I'm TV's Katherine Ryan. I'm known to live my life embracing the reality that you just can't please everyone, so you might as well put yourself out there and have a laugh. As my mother always said, 'Katherine, if we all liked the same thing, we'd all be married to your father.' Being audacious led me to becoming the calm, contented woman I am today - who doesn't care what strangers think of her and can always take a joke.I'm often asked how I developed my lurid level of courage and assurance and for tips on how others can match. This is my blueprint for just that, a collection of my most relatable advice.How To Attract Toxic Men AND Keep Them Interested!How To Have A BabyHow To Impress Famous Celebritiesand so much more...No matter what I do, there will always be something about me that reads as simply, outrageously audacious. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

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Book SynopsisThe complete collection of 'the Tony Hancock of journalism' Jeffrey Bernard's first Low Life Spectator series, with all the original illustrations.

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Book Synopsis''Over 20 films. Over 40 years. What collaboration in any medium has lasted so long, been so successful, so personal, so happy? Read this wonderfully entertaining book: a unique story of a unique life in the world of world cinema'' WES ANDERSON ''Jim is as eloquent and elegant with words as with the camera; here are almost a series of short stories of his life, vivid snapshots, told with an exacting eye. Every sentence is filled with his wry cadence, guided by his appreciation of things beautiful, amusing and unusual. We take the tour of his life which has as fascinating a cast and is set in locations as far flung and exotic as his films - except with way more sex. Read it and drink it in!'' HELENA BONHAM CARTER''Ivory is full of candour and randiness...[this] book will open the eyes, often very wide'' The Times---------------In Solid Ivory, a carefully crafted mosaic of memories, portraits, and reflecTrade ReviewOver 20 films. Over 40 years. What collaboration in any medium has lasted so long, been so successful, so personal, so happy? James Ivory met Ismail Merchant (in 1961) and Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (in 1962), and one of the earliest, most durable, most independent of independent film families came to life. The widest varieties of stories (neorealist memoirs, literary adaptations, avant garde experiments) and settings (England, France, Italy, India, the Americas North and South); the broadest collection of superb actors and artists (Vanessa Redgrave, Paul Newman, Anthony Hopkins, Shashi Kapoor, Maggie Smith, Subrata Mitra!). Read this wonderfully entertaining book: a unique story of a unique life in the world of world cinema. * Wes Anderson *I met Jim when I was 18 . He was an introvert to Ismail's extrovert. I always wondered what was going on in his head. Now I know, and I'm so glad he's shared it.Jim is as eloquent and elegant with words as with the camera; here are almost a series of short stories of his life, vivid snapshots, told with an exacting eye. Every sentence is filled with his wry cadence, guided by his appreciation of things beautiful, amusing and unusual. We take the tour of his life which has as fascinating a cast and is set in locations as far flung and exotic as his films - except with way more sex. And I thank God I'm not in it. Jim is now in his ninth decade and I believe his secret elixir is a delight in life - read it and drink it in! -- Helena Bonham Carter'James Ivory write[s] with perfect elegance...there's nothing starchy or uptight about these scenes from his fascinating life' * The Sunday Times *'Full of humour, warmth and crystal-clear reminiscences from his personal and professional life, Ivory's narrative is witty, informative, gossipy and at times eye-poppingly frank' * The Lady *'There's something rather brilliant about a man heading towards his hundredth birthday demanding more explicit sex. Ivory is full of candour and randiness...[this] book will open the eyes, often very wide' * Times *'Consistently entertaining' * Guardian *'A languid, enjoyably gossipy memoir from one half of Merchant Ivory that after a fascinating exploration of well-off, small-town American life in the Thirties and Forties, quickly gets eye-opening' * Evening Standard *Ivory writes beautifully and delicately, and emerges as a true cinematic rarity; the auteur who wants everyone to have a nice time while they make their best work * TLS *Over 20 films. Over 40 years. What collaboration in any medium has lasted so long, been so successful, so personal, so happy?...Read this wonderfully entertaining book: a unique story of a unique life in the world of world cinema. -- Wes AndersonJim is as eloquent and elegant with words as with the camera; here are almost a series of short stories of his life, vivid snapshots, told with an exacting eye. Every sentence is filled with his wry cadence, guided by his appreciation of things beautiful, amusing and unusual. We take the tour of his life which has as fascinating a cast and is set in locations as far flung and exotic as his films - except with way more sex...read it and drink it in! -- Helena Bonham CarterA memoir as eloquent and gracious as his films, Ivory's page-turner brims over with the boldness, candor, and modesty which only great minds can claim. Places, objects, bodies, people, and so many names, all have a place in his unassailably brilliant life. -- André Aciman - writer of CALL ME BY YOUR NAMEThe producer-director's memoirs are as stately and intimate as his indelible films, chronicling his childhood in Klamath Falls, Oregon during the Great Depression; his clandestine boyhood crushes; and the tribulations and triumphs of making movie magic. * Oprah Daily *

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Book SynopsisThe real Molly-Mae, in her own wordsMolly-Mae Hague is no stranger to the limelight, having found fame on TV and online. But behind the polished exterior there is a young girl with a unique story. It's the Molly not everyone gets to see.In Becoming Molly-Mae she unravels herself completely for the first time to open up about how she nurtured her creativity from a young age, took ownership of her body image, battle self-doubt and built a happy life. Along the way she shares the moments, relationships and life lessons that have made her who she is. From the energetic child who loved Irish dancing and pageants, to the teenager holding down a job at Boots whilst building her dreams at fashion school, her journey to Love Island and how she copes with fame today.By sharing these parts of herself, Molly-Mae gives a fresh take on finding beauty and balance in a busy world.

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Book SynopsisDesmond Child is the ultimate hitmaker, contributing to some of the biggest smash global hits that helped ignite the success of music icons KISS, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Ricky Martin, Katy Perry, and countless others. In Livin’ On A Prayer, he reveals how he climbed his way to the top and beyond amid extraordinary circumstances and shares his very personal and unbelievable journey that shaped him into an artist of international renown. For over half a century, Desmond Child has collaborated with the world’s most celebrated artists creating timeless hits, such as Bon Jovi’s “Livin' On A Prayer” and “You Give Love A Bad Name” as well as Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca” and “The Cup Of Life” amongst his vast catalog. But in Livin’ On A Prayer, Desmond himself takes center stage to share his transformational story from misfit outsider to cultural pacesetter. In collaboration with legendary music biographer David Ritz, Child recounts his unconventional upbringing as his colorful family fled Cuba in the 1960s and fell into poverty. He details his shocking discovery at age 18 that the man he called “dad” was not his biological father after all, and he courageously bares his soul about navigating the trials of being a Latino gay man in the macho world of rock and roll. His is a story of willing himself to succeed and overcome impossible odds to establish himself as one of the most influential composers and lyricists of all time.Trade Review"A page-turner of an autobiography full of the remarkable stories behind his songs."—The Guardian“The Desmond you don’t know about is the one who not only taught me the next level of songwriting, but so many of the true aspects of friendship: truth, honor, and loyalty."—Jon Bon Jovi“I can describe him in three words: Blood, Sweat & Hits.”—Alice Cooper“He only knows how to write one kind of song… a hit.”—Cher“I love myself for writing with him.”—Joan Jett“The first time we met, we wrote ‘Angel’ in about an hour and 45 minutes—and I’m not bullshitting. The guy’s a fucking genius.”—Steven Tyler“Desmond Child is a game-changer. As a singer, songwriter, producer, and visionary, he has deconstructed and reconstructed the global soundscape, adding an electrical charge that continues to light up our musical culture.”—Emilio Estefan“For over five decades of #1 hits that stretch across two centuries, Desmond Child and Diane Warren have ruled as the King & Queen of popular songwriting. The only problem is trying to figure out which one is which!”—John Stamos“Desmond Child… always a threat.”—Diane Warren"In the realm of music history, there are legends, and then there’s Desmond Child."—Give it a Spin“Child is a fascinating character, a candid individual with a multitude of anecdotes. It feels like you’re right there in the room with him as he tells his story. With the assistance of ghostwriter David Ritz, Desmond tells a life story that’s seen many highs and lows. It’s a real rags-to-riches story in which Child comes across as a good guy with plenty to say.”—Rock Candy Magazine

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Book SynopsisBorn in 1948 into a family of ministers in Kingston, Jamaica, the statuesque and strikingly beautiful Grace Jones lived with her family in Syracuse, NY, before launching a career as a model in New York City. Gaining fame as the cover girl for such publications as Vogue and Elle, Jones''s flamboyant look proved to be a hit on the New York City nightclub circuit and she became a darling of the disco scene, which led to a recording contract and a substantial following among gay men. With her sexually charged, outrageous live shows, Grace soon earned the title of ''Queen of the Gay Discos.'' When she moved to Paris in 1970, the French fashion scene embraced her unusual, androgynous looks and, in addition to cover work, she dominated the runways of designers like Yves St. Laurent and befriended the likes of Giorgio Armani and Karl Lagerfeld. While there, she shared an apartment with Jerry Hall and Jessica Lange and became artist Jean-Paul Goude''s muse - he also fathered her son Pau

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Book SynopsisAvailable for the first time in an English translation, this selection gives non-Francophone readers the chance to encounter the many incarnations of renowned Belgian painter René Magritte – the artist, the man, the aspiring noirist, the fire-breathing theorist – in his own words. Through whimsical personal letters, biting apologia, appreciations of fellow artists, pugnacious interviews, farcical film scripts, prose poems, manifestos and much more, a new Magritte emerges: part Surrealist, part literalist, part celebrity, part rascal. While this book is bound to appeal to admirers of Magritte’s art and those who are curious about his personal life, there is also much to delight all readers interested in the history and theory of art, philosophy and politics, as well as lovers of creativity and the inner workings of a probing, inquisitive mind unrestricted by genre, medium or fashion.Trade ReviewMagritte thought of himself as a secret agent, and the Selected Writings are his cypher-books. * The Spectator *Magritte’s writings demonstrate an unflaggingly scabrous wit and provide an invaluable textual anchorage fro his work as a painter * Apollo, The International Art Magazine *

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Book SynopsisBorn into Hollywood aristocracy in 1937, the daughter of actor Henry Fonda and sister of Peter Fonda, Jane Fonda's childhood was marked with unhappiness and tragedy. Her relationship with her father Henry Fonda was never loving even though she followed his profession, studying acting with Lee Strasberg in New York, then living in Paris. Jane Fonda's award winning films include Barbarella, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, Klute and Coming Home for which she won two oscars. Her credits, as film producer, include Nine to Five and On Golden Pond. In the 1980s she revolutionised the fitness industry with a series of workout videos. Her political protests against the Vietnam War caused much controversy in the States, and she continues to be an active advocate on environmental issues, human rights and the empowerment of women.Trade ReviewSuch candidness ... you're left with something less frequently inspired by a Hollywood star autobiography - respect * The Times *This book redefines autobiography. It's not just an autobiography, it's a journey -- Lord PuttnamShe didn't just live through changing times, she embodied them * Guardian *Endearingly earnest, honestly intelligent * Sunday Times *This book has an almost uncomfortable sincerity. It refuses to be afraid of the truth ... intense, intelligent, supremely committed. Always worthy of our time and attention * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisA Welshman among the English, a nonconformist among Anglicans and a self-made man in the patrician corridors of power, David Lloyd George, the last Liberal Prime Minister of Great Britain, was the founding father of the Welfare State and was as great a peacetime leader as Churchill was in war. In this fascinating biography of an authentic radical, Roy Hattersley charts the great reforms - the first old age pension, sick pay and unemployment benefit - of which Lloyd George was architect, and also sheds light on the complexities of a man who was both a tireless champion of the poor, and a restless philanderer who was addicted to living dangerously.

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Book SynopsisWhen Carrie Fisher discovered the journals she kept during the filming of the first Star Wars movie, she was astonished to see what they had preserved - plaintive love poems, unbridled musings with youthful naiveté, and a vulnerability that she barely recognized. Now her fame as an author, actress, and pop-culture icon is indisputable, but in 1977, Carrie Fisher was just a teenager with an all-consuming crush on her co-star, Harrison Ford. With these excerpts from her handwritten notebooks, The Princess Diarist is Fisher’s intimate and revealing recollection of what happened on one of the most famous film sets of all time – and what developed behind the scenes. Fisher also ponders the joys and insanity of celebrity, and the absurdity of a life spawned by Hollywood royalty, only to be surpassed by her own outer-space royalty. Laugh-out-loud hilarious and endlessly quotable, The Princess Diarist brims with the candour and introspection of a diary while offering shrewd insight into the type of stardom that few will ever experience.Trade ReviewSmart and funny...the pages crackle with one-liners * Guardian *It’s an eye-opener for fans, but it also shows a gifted writer even at a young age. There was a lot going on between Princess Leia’s hair buns. * USA Today *An unflinching, sometimes painful, sometimes hilarious look inside the mind of a 19-year-old … It’s invasive, juicy, sad, nostalgic and gripping all at once. It’s as if you’ve knocked the lock off of your cooler older sister’s journal and discovered she’s been sleeping with the hottest boy in school this whole time. * LA Times *Fisher offers a thoughtful, sardonic meditation on the price of fame, cost-of-living adjustments included. -- J.D. Biersdorfer * The New York Times Book Review *[The Princess Diarist] is a radical truth bomb -- Julia Felsenthal * VOGUE.com *Carrie Fisher was so real it was dangerous…. My God, girls, we owe her a lot. -- Sharon HorganShe didn't need The Force. She was a force of nature, of loyalty and of friendship. -- Steven Spielberg

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Book SynopsisGrowing up in Yorkshire and with farming blood in his genes, James Greenwood always knew he would end up as a vet.Animals have been part of James'' life for as long as he can remember, from pulling lambs on a hilltop farm as a child and having stick insects crawling out of his school uniform in class, to renting a flat behind a zoo in Jersey and finding himself treating a newborn baby elephant as a newly qualified vet. Written with his trademark warmth and humour, James offers a fascinating insight into the world of veterinary medicine with tales of treating cats and dogs, horses, pigs and cows, as well as delving deep into his relationship with his beloved and much-missed, one-eyed Labrador, Oliver.However, the path to realising his childhood ambition has not always been easy and at times he has questioned whether it truly is the best job in the world. Through all of the challenging lows and extraordinary highs, it has been the animals themselves that have sp

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW BOOK FROM GRAEME HALL, THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING DOGFATHER I've been training puppies for years and I am yet to come across one who behaved perfectly at all times. With this book I really wanted to be realistic about the expectations we should have when training a puppy and demystify the process with clear, simple advice, based on science and experience. In this stress-free guide you will learn how to: · Choose the right puppy for your lifestyle, including the benefits of a rescue dog · Introduce them to the family, other pets and children · Tackle separation anxiety · Train your puppy, while building understanding and trust · Socialise them, so they grow into a happy, well-adjusted dog · Prevent behavioural problems later in life I love working with puppies because there is so much potential to make a lasting difference to a dog's life and to their owner's. If you can get it right (or right-ish), you are paving the way for a lifetime of reliably good behaviour. Happy training! Graeme HallTrade ReviewThe nation's favourite dog trainer * The Yorkshire Post *

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Book Synopsis'Bookended by tragedy, shot through with violence, ultimately uplifting' Guardian'An insight into a singular artist' New Statesman'Fierce, funny and indomitable' Observer'My tears were relentlessly pricked by Tricky's memoir' Daily Telegraph Tricky is one of the most original music artists to emerge from the UK in the past 30 years. His signature sound, coupled with deep, questioning lyrics, took the UK by storm in the early 1990s and was part of the soundtrack that defined the post-rave generation.This unique, no-holds barred autobiography is not only a portrait of an incredible artist - it is also a gripping slice of social history packed with extraordinary anecdotes and voices from the margins of society. Tricky examines how his creativity has helped him find a different path to that of his relatives, some of whom were bare-knuckle fighters and gangsters, and how his mother's suicide has had a lifelong effect on him, both creatively and psychologically. With his unique heritage and experience, his story will be one of the most talked-about music autobiographies of the decade.Trade ReviewMy tears were relentlessly pricked by Tricky's memoir * Daily Telegraph *Tricky is that rarity, a famous person genuinely appalled by fame. This book is an insight into a singular artist -- Julie Burchill * New Statesman *Although bookended by tragedy, and shot through with violence and abuse, Hell Is Round the Corner proves an ultimately uplifting read, the testament of a fierce, funny and seemingly indomitable spirit * Observer *

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Book SynopsisComing-of-age stories from much loved radio royalty, DJ and TV personality Nick Grimshaw - now with a new chapter.''Hilarious and quintessentially Nick. Unapologetically himself always, and that''s what I love the most'' Dua Lipa''Very funny, very sweet and full of charm -- a bit like the man himself'' Graham NortonFrom partying with pop stars and chatting breeze on the radio, to drinking too much, to not drinking at all, to growing up, coming out, general nonsense, the journey from self-loathing to self-care and making dreams come true. These are Grimmy''s brilliant, nostalgic coming-of-age tales, covering life''s pivotal moments, the loves, the losses, and the fun had with the family and friends that made him. Heart-breaking and heartening in equal measure, Nick will have you laughing out loud, feeling all the emotions and (potentially) having a good cry.''A snapshot of his formative moments that feel relatable, emotional and

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Book SynopsisRadical Love is the debut memoir from actor Zachary Levi (Shazam!,?American Underdog,?The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,?Chuck), which shares his emotional journey through a lifetime of crippling anxiety and depression to find joy, gratitude, and ultimate purpose.Facing the scars of childhood trauma and the voices in his head that told him he would never be enough, Zac recounts the raw yet honest behind-the-scenes story of: his family life, career successes, and personal disappointments. This all led Zac to rock bottom and landed him in a therapy center, where he learned to address the underlying issues that preceded his downward spiral. With vulnerability and humor, Zac relates the valuable lessons and insights he’s learned so that you can rise from the ashes of trauma and pursue a meaningful life of gratitude.Radical Love combines witty, touching, and powerful commentary with relatable

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Book SynopsisToday, he stars in hit films, headlines sold out tours, hosts the popular Uncle Joey’s Joint podcast, and is a devoted father - but his life wasn’t always so picture-perfect. Joey “Coco” Diaz credits his success to his “immigrant mentality,” the work ethic his mother modeled for him and on which countless others have depended to survive the harsh landscape of being an outsider. Diaz wasn’t always a star, but he was always a comedian - it just took him a while to figure it out. To be fair, he was pretty busy while he was young: helping his tough-as-nails mother in her bar, holding a gun for the first time at the age of six, and later dealing drugs and serving time. Tremendous is the story of Diaz’s life, from grueling childhood and misspent youth to finding his true calling in comedy. Immigrants, fans of celebrity tales, and comedy enthusiasts alike will be enthralled by this incredibly true, foul-mouthed, and funny memoir. It’s not a story for the faint of heart, or for prudes who’ve never spent a week sleeping in a piece of playground equipment. From finding his mum’s body to high stakes crime, addiction and depression, there are plenty of dark episodes in this saga. Diaz shares it all with brutal honesty and humour, in the same inimitable voice he’d use talking to you from the stage or in a bar. He also shares the story of his improbable rise to the top and the bumpy road that led him there. An inspiration to misfits everywhere, Tremendous is storytelling at its finest - and a reminder that the direst of circumstances can change in unimaginable, unpredictable ways.

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Book SynopsisThe instant New York Times bestseller.Henry Winkler was catapulted to worldwide fame as The Fonz in hit TV series Happy Days. When it ended, he could hardly find work. Through highs, lows and the roles that have won him a new generation of fans, this is Henry Winkler''s funny, insightful and moving account of an extraordinary life.Widely-regarded as the nicest man in Hollywood (though he would be the first to tell you that it's simply not the case, he's really just grateful to be there), Henry Winkler shares the disheartening truth of his childhood, the difficulties of a life with severe dyslexia and the path forward once your wildest dream seems behind you.He describes how his career slumped after Happy Days ended, makes us laugh as he reveals some of the highlights (and low moments) from his directing career, including being fired from Turner and Hooch and failing to impress Burt Reynolds on Cop and a Half, and takes us behind the scenes on Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation and Barry, where he's shown himself to be an actor with immense depth and pathos.Charming and heartfelt, Being Henry is about so much more than a life in Hollywood and the curse of stardom. It is a testament to the power of sharing truth and kindness and of finding fulfilment within yourself.''Entertaining . . . there are fun moments throughout'' Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisA Mail on Sunday Best Memoir 2024Truly compelling.' Cathy RentzenbrinkBreathtaking I loved it.' Fern BrittonCourageous. Inspiring. Hopeful.' Alastair Campbell''Gripping' Observer Brave and raw' Daily Mail''An amazing story, powerfully told'' Mail on SundayAn unforgettable memoir and manifesto for living, from the woman who redefined magazines for the 21st centuryHaving suffered the unimaginable loss of her first husband and child, Lindsay Nicholson rewrites her story to become Britain's most successful lifestyle magazine editor. But when a would-be suicide runs in front of her car, the pages of her picture-perfect life fall apart once more.In just one year, Lindsay loses her marriage, job and home, and is even arrested. Suicidal and suffering from profound PTSD, she tries medication, therapy and New Age courses until she finds the answer in the pages of her former magazines. Life isn't about being perfect; it's friendship and laughter, stitched together with the little things that truly matter.Deeply moving, inspiring and sharply funny, Perfect Bound is an unforgettable story about resilience, recovery and what really makes life worth living.

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Book Synopsis'I've been on six-week tours of America and it breaks you open, but to do it straight off the bat, in the middle of winter, with three new girls... I was thinking, If we survive this, it'll be a miracle... but it was the best time we've ever had.'The first official book from Noel Gallagher, this is the behind-the-scenes story of his biggest ever solo tour and the making of the critically-acclaimed album Who Built The Moon?.Join Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds as they embark on the Stranded On The Earth world tour - a phenomenal year-long journey around the globe, taking in dates across the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Europe and Southeast Asia.With photography by Sharon Latham, who was granted unprecedented access, this fully illustrated book documents life on the road for one of the world's most successful artists; featuring unseen images and candid interviews with Noel and the band.

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 POLARI PRIZE''A magnificent achievement . . . I cannot remember a book where I cried so often. Brave, insightful, unflinching, funny, sad, triumphant . . . everything. And both a warning and a hope for the times to come'' STEPHEN FRYDustin Lance Black wrote the Oscar-winning screenplay for Milk and helped overturn California''s anti-gay marriage Proposition 8, but he grew up in a conservative Mormon household outside San Antonio, Texas. His mother, Anne, was raised in rural Louisiana, and contracted polio when she was two years old. She endured brutal surgeries, as well as braces and crutches for life, and was told that she would never have children or a family. Wilfully defying expectations, she found salvation in an unlikely faith, raised three sons, and escaped the abuse and violence of two questionably devised Mormon marriages before finding love and an improbable career in the U.S. civil service.When LTrade ReviewA beautifully written, utterly compelling account of growing up poor and gay with a thrice married, physically disabled, deeply religious Mormon mother, and the imprint this irrepressible woman made on the character of Dustin Lance Black. Their extraordinary bond left me exhilarated - it actually gave me hope for the future * Jon Krakauer, author of INTO THIN AIR *An incredibly moving book about how love really does have the power to conquer all. Beautifully written and fortifying * Attitude *A beautiful, original book * The High Low *This beautifully written memoir is a wonderfully optimistic story of tolerance and positive change for today's divided times * Bookseller *Black tells his story with love and honesty in a voice that will resonate with many readers * Costco Connection *Bittersweet and surprising * Women and Home *

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Book SynopsisPerfect, kind, hilarious and persuasive' Lena DunhamYou need this book. Your mum needs this book. Your best friend needs this book. Everyone needs a dose of Happy Fat!' Julie MurphyIn Happy Fat, comedian Sofie Hagen shares how she removed fatphobic influences from her daily life and found self-acceptance in a world where judgement and discrimination are rife. From shame and sex to airplane seats, love and getting stuck in public toilets, Sofie provides practical tips for readers.Part memoir, part social commentary, Happy Fat is a funny, angry and impassioned look at how taking up space can be radical, emboldening and life-changing.Trade Review‘This book is for anyone who has ever felt out of place in the world … Sofie Hagen is who we don’t deserve but we all need’ Lena Dunham ‘This book is the fat best friend you wished you had before endlessly trying to fit in’ Scottee ‘I loved every single word of this masterpiece! … I want to hug every page, and shout it from the rooftops. It explains so beautifully what it is to be fat … the shame you experience and but also the utter joy of learning to love yourself and to see through the lies’ Helen Thorn, Scummy Mummies ‘As an old-school stand-up of the self-deprecating variety, I found Sofie’s book fascinating and it’s introduced to me a whole new school of thought’ Jo Brand

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times Number One BestsellerIt's time we get back to common sense.It's time to cancel the cancel culture.It's time to Wake Up.If, like me, you're sick and tired of being told how to think, speak, eat and behave, then this book is for you.If, like me, you think the world's going absolutely nuts, then this book is for you.If, like me, you think NHS heroes and Captain Tom are the real stars of our society, not self-obsessed tone-deaf celebrities (and royal renegades!), then this book is for you. If, like me, you're sickened by the cancel culture bullies destroying people's careers and lives, then this book is for you. From feminism to masculinity, racism to gender, body image to veganism, mental health to competitiveness at school, the right to free speech and expressing an honestly held opinion is being crushed at the altar of woke' political correctness. In 2020, the world faced its biggest crisis in a generation: a global pandemic. In the UK, it exposed deep divisions within society and laid bare a toxic culture war that had been raging beneath the surface. From the outset, Piers Morgan urged the nation to come to its senses, once and for all, and held the Government to often ferocious account over its handling of the crisis.COVID-19 shed shocking light on the problems that plague our country. Stockpilers and lockdown-cheats revealed our grotesque levels of self-interest and the virtue-signalling woke brigade continued their furious assault on free speech, shutting down debate on important issues like gender, racism and feminism. Yet just as coronavirus exposed our flaws, it also showcased our strengths. We saw selfless bravery in the heroic efforts of our healthcare staff. A greater appreciation of migrant workers. A return of local community spirit. And inspiring, noble acts from members of the public such as Captain Sir Tom Moore.Wake Up is Piers' rallying cry for a united future in which we reconsider what really matters in life. It is a plea for the return of true liberalism, where freedom of speech is king. Most of all, it is a powerful account of how the world finally started to wake up, and why it mustn't go back to sleep again.Trade Review‘A fast, entertaining read’ The Guardian ‘A very timely trumpet blast’ Saga

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Book SynopsisMy name is Joel Mawhinney, though I go by the name Joel M. You might know me from TikTok as @joelmagician.I'm a 23-year-old from Northern Ireland, who enjoys reading, playing the piano and eating as many burrito bowls as I can, but the most important thing to know about me isMagic is my life.The world of a magician is an unusual one. Between the first and last pages of this little volume you will find stories, confessions and secrets that I hope will convince you that anything is possible.If you can keep a secret, I'll even share magic tricks you can perform yourself. Inside, you'll learn how to read minds, predict the future, make cards levitate and jewellery vanish. I'll teach you how to perform to an audience and amaze your family and friends. I'll also let you in on the magic of TikTok and reveal how I went viral and gainedmillions of followers.But, above all, I will show you that whatever happens in life, it'salways possible toMake Your Own Magic.

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Book SynopsisAll the things I left unsaidMelanie Sykes has been a face on our screens, a voice on our radios for nearly thirty years. As a presenter and broadcaster people turned to her for her humour, her honesty and insight. But between all the interviews and chat shows, is a life unseen, a story unsaid.Her journey from up north to down south, from Manchester to LA and via London, Paris and India, and through the eye of the storm of celebrity culture is a rollercoaster ride. Sex, drugs and rock and roll, certainly, but also brass bands and ice cream vans, broken hearts and healing adventures a search not for fame but for freedom.Her autism diagnosis in midlife has supercharged that journey and means this isn't a story just of breakdown, but of breakthrough. Funny, furious and gloriously frank, this is a book that lifts the lid on being a woman in the media, navigating relationships, and being a neurodivergent person speaking up in a neurotypical world. Illuminated is Melanie, in her own inimit

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Book SynopsisIn his page-turning and inspiring first book, legendary songwriter and recording artist Jason Derulo shares his 15 rules for finding success in any pursuit, and invites everyoneespecially artists and creatorsto start on their path to greatness.In 2009, an 18-year-old son of Haitian immigrants burst onto music charts with the instant number one song Whatcha Say, which opened with one of the catchiest lines in pop music historythe artist's own name, sung out loud. (You're probably singing it in your head right now! Sorry if it gets stuck there, but that's kind of the point!) In the years since, Jason Derulo has cemented himself again and again, hit after hit, as one of the most consistent and versatile artists alive and a risk-taking force of nature.Sing Your Name Out Loud is the remarkable story of Derulo's come up, told through the fifteen rules he lives bylike working hardest at what comes easiest, taking calculated risks, sticking to a routine, and respecting the numberswhich he cred

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Book SynopsisIn September 1998, Michael J. Fox stunned the world by announcing that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson''s disease - in fact, he had been secretly fighting it for seven years. In this candid book, with his trademark ironic sensibility and sense of the absurd, he tells his life story - from his childhood in western Canada to his meteoric rise in film and television and, most importantly, the years in which - with the unswerving support of his wife, family and friends - he has dealt with his illness. He talks about what Parkinson''s has given him: the chance to appreciate a wonderful life and career, and the opportunity to help search for a cure and spread public awareness of the disease. He feels as if he is a very lucky man indeed.Trade ReviewAn enthralling story, told with verve and dexterity * Sunday Times *Don't miss this compelling and witty tale of the actor's 11 year fight with Parkinson's disease. An intelligent, poignant and funny read * Woman's Own *A poignant story, well worth reading * OK *Well-written and insightful ... a rare, unmissable memoir * Heat *Real power … compelling reading … his book often has the intensity of a thriller -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisIrish singing star Daniel O''Donnell''s mother, Julia, grew up on a remote island off the northwest coast of Ireland, going barefoot and doing hard labour as as child during the poverty-stricken 1920s.The hard work continued through her teenage years as she picked potatoes in the fields and travelled to Scotland to gut fish in the ports. After she married, Julia''s beloved husband, Francie, was forced to work away from home for months on end. Physically demanding, the work eventually took its toll and Julia found herself widowed and penniless with five children while still in her forties.In this classic and inspiring story of triumph over adversity, Julia tells how she battled through this dark period by knitting sweaters into the early hours of the morning to support her family. Then, in an amazing twist of fate, this hard-working woman and dedicated mother watched from the wings as her offspring flourished. Her daughter Margaret and son Daniel went on to achieve fa

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Book Synopsis''At the turn from our bedroom into the hallway, there is an old full-length mirror in a wooden frame ... This reflected version of myself, shaking, rumpled, pinched and slightly stooped, would be alarming were it not for the self-satisfied expression pasted across my face. I would ask the obvious question, What are you smiling about? but I already know the answer: It just gets better from here.''Struck with Parkinson''s - a debilitating, degenerative disease - at the height of his fame, Michael J. Fox has taken what some might consider cause for depression and turned it into a beacon of hope for millions. In Always Looking Up, Michael''s Sunday Times bestselling memoir, he writes with warmth, humour and incredible honesty about the journey he has undertaken since he came to terms with his condition.Trade ReviewWell-written, unfailingly cheery and warm-hearted and ... truly gripping * Daily Mail *The book is funny, beautiful, informative and poignant. Read it * Sunday Express *

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Book SynopsisBetter Late Than Never is the extraordinary true story of how a man born into poverty in London's East End went on to find stardom late in life when he was chosen to be head judge on BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing.Trade ReviewFind how he transformed himself from dejected sportsman to ballroom champion in this charmingmemoir * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisThe creator of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Maus explores the comics form...and how it formed him!**In a new flexibound format with an updated afterword**This book opens with Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@&*!, creating vignettes of the people, events, and comics that shaped Art Spiegelman. It traces the artist''s evolution from a MAD-comics obsessed boy in Rego Park, Queens, to a neurotic adult examining the effect of his parents'' memories of Auschwitz on his own son.The second part presents a facsimile of Breakdowns, the long-sought after collection of the artist''s comics of the 1970s, the book that triggers these memories. Breakdowns established the mode of formally sophisticated comics that transformed the medium, and includes the prototype of Maus, cubist experiments, an essay on humor, and the definitive genre-twisting pulp story Ace Hole-Midget Detective.Pulling all this together is an illustratedTrade ReviewClose students and fans of Spiegelman's work view Breakdowns as a sort of Rosetta Stone that offers a master key to his intricate and varied visual idiom, revealing his enormous and often overlooked range as an artist * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisWalking Home - Clare Balding''s unmissable new book of Great British AdventuresClare Balding is on a mission to discover Britain and Ireland. She''s conquered over 1,500 miles of footpaths, from the Pennine Way to the South-west Coast Path.As well as blisters and a twisted ankle, she''s walked with extraordinary people - botanists, barefooted ramblers, whisky-drinking widowers...In Walking Home she shares these stories and tells of more (mis)adventures with her family and her wayward Tibetan terrier Archie. Along the way there are beguiling diversions and life-changing rambles.Finally, Clare embarks on the most important journey of all - the long walk home.Clare Balding''s first book, My Animals and Other Family, was a runaway number one bestseller and won Autobiography of the Year at the 2012 Specsavers National Book Awards. Clare broadcasts on TV and radio for the BBC, Channel 4 and BT Sport. In 2013 she received an OBE for services to broadcasting and journalism. She lives in West London with her partner Alice, their Terrier Archie and a cat who couldn''t give a damn called Itty.Praise for My Animals and Other Family:''You''ll laugh, you''ll cry, you''ll want a horse'' Caitlin Moran''Moving, funny, and larger than life'' Michael Morpurgo''Simply fabulous'' Jilly Cooper''Stonking anecdotes ... sharply charming'' Guardian''Magical, enchanting, riotously eccentric'' Daily MailTrade ReviewBrilliant, magical, unmissable * Daily Mail *Who needs politicians agonising about national and regional identities? Clare Balding has effortlessly encapsulated all we love best about Britain * Telegraph *Clare Balding would be the ideal surrogate sister or auntie. The joy of this book is Balding's sheer rapture for life, movement and never shutting up about it * The Times *Balding has won over the literary world with her two volumes of autobiography * Evening Standard *Even the most reluctant of walkers will be tempted to don wellies after reading Clare's wonderful descriptions... effortless charm * Express *

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Book Synopsis

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