Autobiography: arts and entertainment Books
Hodder & Stoughton eYE Marty
Book SynopsisCompleted before he died, thirty years ago, this is the newly discovered autobiography of one of the most influential comedians of recent times, Marty Feldman. Marty Feldman was one of the most essential creative forces in British comedy embodied also by his close friends and creative partners from Beyond the Fringe (especially Peter Cook and Dudley Moore) and Monty Python (especially John Cleese, Graham Chapman and Eric Idle).Marty played the fool, often very happily and with tremendous talent and volcanic, anarchic energy, for his entire life. Marty finished, and set aside eYE Marty soon before travelling to Mexico to shoot his final film. He did not know that he would die there, although he certainly felt he might die soon, and was haunted by the notion. The book is exactly as Feldman wrote it, with even the photos inserted where Feldman had noted they should go. Hilarious, deeply charming, aphoristic, ironic, charged throughout with lust forTrade ReviewHe was a pioneer of comedy who inspired pioneers of comedy, a hero to my comedy heroes. * Sarah Silverman *No one has ever made me laugh as hard as Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein, he was pure comic perfection. * Judd Apatow *He was totally unique. Like something out of mythology. But funny. * Martin Sheen *A fascinating insight into the mind of Feldman for weirdos everywhere. Long live this comic genius. * John C. Reilly *The only thing more wonderful than this book is actually watching Marty Feldman perform. Both thrill me. * Jeff Garlin *This is a warm and engaging memorial. * The Sunday Times *Feldman's life...is extraordinary...Another early Feldman sketch finds Cleese in a railway compartment irritated unto violence by the inane interruptions of his fellow passenger, a wing-collared Marty. In the end, Feldman simply disappears, but his voice persists. This too is a prophetic metaphor for Feldman - his early death, his lingering influence and, yes, his genius. * The Times *
£16.67
Little, Brown Book Group Being David Archer
Book Synopsis''Hilarious'' Mail on Sunday''Stylish, very funny memoir'' Daily MailTimothy Bentinck has played the part of David Archer in BBC Radio 4''s The Archers since 1982. He is also the Earl of Portland and the voice of ''Mind The Gap'' on the Piccadilly Line. Aimed primarily at the five million regular Archers listeners, Timothy takes the reader behind the scenes of the longest running drama series in the world, a British institution with a theme tune that Billy Connolly wants to be the National Anthem. But that''s not all. With wry, self-deprecating humour, Timothy recounts his enormously varied life - a successful actor in TV, film and theatre, a voice specialist working in every vocal medium. He''s also been an HGV truck driver, a US tour guide, a computer programmer and website designer, an inventor with UK and US patents, farm worker, house renovator and he sat as a crossbencher in the House of Lords for three years.Trade ReviewStylish, very funny memoir * Daily Mail *Hilarious * Mail on Sunday *[Tim] recounts his enormously varied life with his own brand of wry, self-deprecating humour . . . As well as taking readers behind the scenes of The Archers, Tim's autobiography also provides a funny and thoughtful account of how to survive the insecure life of a jobbing actor * Countryside *Very informative and highly entertaining * Lynn News *Frank and realistic . . . the book ought to be required reading for all drama students * The Lady *
£7.49
Little, Brown Book Group Touched by the Sun
Book SynopsisAn intimate, vulnerable, and insightful portrait of the bond that grew between two iconic and starkly different American women, Carly Simon's Touched by the Sun is a chronicle, in loving detail, of the late friendship she and Jackie shared.Trade ReviewSimon's book is full of . . . glimpses of the late Mrs Onassis you wouldn't get anywhere else * The Times *Searingly frank * Guardian *
£11.24
Orion Publishing Co Paper Cuts
Book Synopsis''A great writer'' Paul Weller''A music journalist of integrity'' Billy Childish''There''s only one Ted Kessler!'' Liam GallagherPAPER CUTS is the inside story of the slow death of the British music press. But it''s also a love letter to it, the tale of how music magazines saved one man''s life. Ted Kessler left home and school around his seventeenth birthday, determined ''to be someone who listened to music professionally''. That dream appeared forlorn when he was later arrested for theft behind the counter of the record shop he managed during acid house''s long hot summer of love. Paper Cuts tells how Kessler found redemption through music and writing and takes us on a journey alongside the stars he interviewed and the work-place dramas he navigated as a senior staffer at NME through the boom-time ''90s and on to the monthly Q in 2004, where he worked for sixteen years before it folded with him at its helm as eTrade ReviewPaper Cuts is a wonderfully funny and moving book about a life devoted to music and music magazines. With all the ensuing chaos that that creates. And the heartbreak and salvation of a life lived in song. Artists notoriously have a fractious relationship with music journalists. Hate them even. But I was always happy to see Ted -- Florence WelchI read Paper Cuts in two sittings, over 24 hours. It's fucking brilliant. The stories! The telling! Ted Kessler's unmistakable voice. The spirit. The heart. Also rattled my consciousness, man -- Terri White, author of Coming UndoneI love how Ted writes: incisive, relatable, funny and sad but shot through with optimism and wise good humour. I'm maybe the perfect audience for his memoir, since I've been harassed in public for having a stupid haircut, experienced the ridiculousness of the interview set-up and also worked in the sitcom-silly world of magazine publishing myself. But it's also a great document of a time when you could find an entry into music journalism with just raw talent and enthusiasm, headed nowhere and having fucked up your life before it's properly begun. Why writing about music could often be a brilliant job, despite the humiliations and disappointments, the pressures and frustrations, and what happens when the twats eventually take over. Ted's encounters with famous names show both sides' vulnerabilities without any bullshit point-scoring ego getting in the way of the story. Which is rare for a music journalist, and what makes him a rare gem -- Miki BerenyiThe world I once inhabited - the world of print, vinyl and face-to-face interviews - vanished in a blast of broadband. It happened so quickly and so silently I almost forget that world had ever existed. Ted Kessler's restless eye for detail conjures it back to boozy, smoky, noisy life. Then he turns it all around and points it into the future. Not just a good book, but an important one -- Frank Cottrell-Boyce, bestselling author and screenwriterTed Kessler is one of the last great swashbuckling music journalists and this account of the crazy boom years to the slow collapse of the print press is fascinating. He is from the from a similar broad minded nest of Bohemians that I was forged and those lines about his upbringing resonated the most. A masterclass of effortless writing about something he genuinely loves -- Baxter DuryPaper Cuts is a rollicking good read. A searingly honest self-appraisal that charts Kessler's turbulent formative years, before hurtling forward into a morass of drugs, dysfunction, dead end jobs, under-achievement and, eventually, petty larceny. There are two rich seams that run through Kessler's life however; the love of music and his innate talent as a writer (and editor). Those talents, and his ability to survive adversity and hardship, are vividly highlighted in this most entertaining book -- Jah WobbleTed Kessler and all the music writer crew that cut their teeth under indie's golden age are as much the songs from that era as the songs themselves. Paper Cuts humanises Ted and his peers whilst taking you back to the largely unsurpassed musical utopia of a late 1980's England. I always thought Ted was posh: clearly not. From disgraced Till Dipper to the gobbyist music writer I know, I found so many parallels with this story. It's really, really good -- Jason Williamson, Sleaford ModsThis is such a brilliantly absorbing and entertaining book about the joys of a life lived in music. As good a left-field guide to the last few decades of alternative pop as you'll find, too. A special book by one of the very best music writers -- Felix White, author of It's Always Summer SomewhereFor 30 years Ted Kessler was in the music press's front row. His hair-raisingly honest, helter-skelter memoir tells you how it all went wrong and why it was worth it anyway. Paper Cuts moves like a great band biography - struggle, triumph, chaos, collapse - only the band is the British music press -- Dorian Lynskey, author of The Ministry of Truth and 33 Revolutions Per MinuteFrom unemployable petty criminal with 'low morals' and a fright-wig, to NME staffer barrelling through the 90s, to editor of the good ship Q (with an iceberg on the horizon), Paper Cuts is a rollicking, deftly-told inside story: of how music can save your life, how magazines really work, how mad The Stars are and how big-wigs ruin everything. Compelling, passionate, bracingly honest, Kessler takes aim at...mostly himself -- Sylvia Patterson, author of I’m Not With The BandTed's funny, knows his stuff. A great writer -- Paul WellerA fabulous, important book, which documents the end of a culturally rich era beautifully... some of the very best music writing I've ever read * Irvine Welsh *
£17.09
Howard Books The Wait
Book SynopsisIn this New York Times bestseller, Hollywood power couple DeVon Franklin and Meagan Good candidly share their courtship and marriage, and the key to their success—waiting. President/CEO of Franklin Entertainment and former Sony Pictures executive DeVon Franklin and award-winning actress Meagan Good have learned firsthand that some people must wait patiently for “the one” to come into their lives. They spent years crossing paths but it wasn’t until they were thrown together while working on the film Jumping the Broom that their storybook romance began. DeVon and Meagan chose to do something almost unheard of in today’s society—abstain from sex until they were married. The Wait is filled with candid his-and-hers accounts and practical advice on how waiting for everything—from dating to sex—can transform relationships.Trade Review"The Wait is an easy read, filled with powerful gems for someone ready to begin living a life free of addictive behaviors that drain away self-awareness." * EBONY Magazine *"Who we marry is the most important decision we make. The Wait is a must-read for any person considering marriage and seeking to discover the greatness life has to offer! DeVon and Meagan offer a transformative and honest blueprint to unlock your blessings. This book has changed my life...you can't afford to not readThe Wait." -- Charreah K. Jackson, ESSENCE Lifestyle & Relationships Editor
£14.01
Pan Macmillan Swan Dive: The Making of a Rogue Ballerina
Book Synopsis'Swan Dive is to ballet what Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential was to restaurants, a chance to go behind the serene front of house to the sweaty, foul-mouthed, psychofrenzy backstage.' Daisy Goodwin, Sunday TimesAward-winning New York City Ballet soloist Georgina Pazcoguin, aka the Rogue Ballerina, gives readers a backstage tour of the real world of elite ballet – the gritty, hilarious, sometimes shocking truth you don’t see from the orchestra circle.In this love letter to the art of dance and the sport that has been her livelihood, NYCB’s first Asian American female soloist Georgina Pazcoguin lays bare her unfiltered story of leaving small-town Pennsylvania for New York City and training amid the unique demands of being a hybrid professional athlete/artist, all before finishing high school. She pitches us into the fascinating, whirling shoes of dancers in one of the most revered ballet companies in the world with an unapologetic sense of humour about the cutthroat, survival-of-the-fittest mentality at NYCB. Some swan dives are literal: even in the ballet, there are plenty of face-plants, backstage fights, late-night parties, and raucous company bonding sessions.Rocked by scandal in the wake of the #MeToo movement, NYCB sits at an inflection point, inching toward progress in a strictly traditional culture, and Pazcoguin doesn’t shy away from ballet’s dark side. She continues to be one of the few dancers openly speaking up against the sexual harassment, mental abuse, and racism that in the past went unrecognized or was tacitly accepted as par for the course – all of which she has painfully experienced firsthand.Tying together Pazcoguin’s fight for equality in the ballet with her infectious and deeply moving passion for her craft, Swan Dive is a page-turning, one-of-a-kind account that guarantees you'll never view a ballerina or a ballet the same way again.Trade ReviewSwan Dive is to ballet what Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential was to restaurants, a chance to go behind the serene front of house to the sweaty, foul-mouthed, psychofrenzy backstage. -- Daisy Goodwin * Sunday Times *Swan Dive is a sharp plunge into the reality of ballet in all its perfectionist genius and rigour, and all its abuses and sadism. What makes Pazcoguin’s message so haunting is that exploitation and violation are seen as the price that female dancers have to pay to perform some of the greatest dances known to humanity. -- Bidisha * Observer *Her resilience is written on every page, often in capitals, with wit and rage displayed in equal measure. -- Sarah Crompton * Sunday Times Books of the Year *A funny, poignant and shocking read . . . [Pazcoguin] punctures, with enormous glee, the stereotype of the ballet dancer as an elegant, ethereal being. -- Fiona Sturges * Guardian *Explosive . . . This is far from misery memoir. There’s a passionate joy in the dancing itself, and the lively pages are filled with colloquialisms -- Marianka Swain * Daily Telegraph *A blisteringly honest tale of overcoming hurdles — racism, misogyny, sexual harassment and psychological abuse — to reach the top of a fiendishly cut-throat industry. -- Laura Pullman * Sunday Times *A gritty, shocking yet also humorous account of the demands of life as an elite dancer from the first Asian American female soloist at the New York City Ballet. * i News *Ballet fans should definitely get their hands on Swan Dive by Georgina Pazcoguin which is a truthful, funny, shocking and scandalous exploration of elite ballet. * Stylist *Pazcoguin's highly readable account of a life in the most painful profession . . . a power pack of inspiration. * Strong Words *A page-turner * New York Times *Witty, sobering, hell-raising . . . Pazcoguin exposes more turmoil at New York City Ballet than any fictional melodrama could hope to match. Good luck trying to look away. . . . There are enough real-life crises in this brisk, often laugh-out-loud tell-all to light the imagination of any cable TV script writer. But with her string of criticisms and even in her crazy-funny asides, Pazcoguin has a serious point to make about the ballet world * Washington Post *While the juicy details of beautiful people behaving badly are beguiling, it’s Pazcoguin’s unsparing criticism of the industry that begs an encore. This is potent stuff * Publishers Weekly *Always arresting onstage, Georgina Pazcoguin gives us a take on the ballet world that is witty and from the heart. An eye-opening read. -- Mikhail BaryshnikovRevelatory . . . Sure to ruffle some tutus * New York Post *Come for the unfiltered peek behind the curtain, stay for the accessible, often hilarious writing * Dance Magazine *Pazcoguin writes with astounding passion about her achievements, and her prose is enchanting as she describes finally being comfortable in her own skin. Vulnerable, raw, and full of grit, this is the story of a woman who has been broken yet clawed her way to victory . . . A personal tale of darkness, passion, and euphoric triumph * Library Journal *In her brisk, spirited debut memoir, [Pazcoguin] recounts her experiences in the competitive, hierarchal ballet world . . . A lively chronicle of dedication and joy. * Kirkus Reviews *Aggressively entertaining. . . [Swan Dive] is equal parts autobiography, insider intel, and righteous indignation * Shelf Awareness *A thoroughly captivating read. Determination and passion are the cornerstones of Georgina’s magic onstage and off, and her humor and wit make this peek behind the curtain like no other dance memoir. Her courage in the face of adversity is to be admired -- Chita RiveraGeorgina has led quite the journey to become the woman she is today. She exemplifies a natural, nostalgic showgirl attitude combined with the sensitivity and precision of a life in ballet. -- Zac PosenThis is a fearless book written with a courageous, blazing spirit. Georgina’s story compels you to look at yours as fiercely as she examines hers. -- Jose Antonio Vargas, founder of Define American and author of Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented CitizenGeorgina Pazcoguin has brought the glories of ballet and technique into a new light. She is refinement and explosion wrapped into a woman whose personal style is ready for the runway. She can captivate an opera house as easily as she can earn the adoration of a young fan. . . . You will find Swan Dive to be a wild ride dancing between risk and balance, legacy and possibility. -- Andy Blankenbuehler, award-winning choreographer of In the Heights and Hamilton
£18.99
Pan Macmillan A Funny Life: The Sunday Times Bestseller
Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times top 10 bestseller.Laugh along with Michael McIntyre as he lifts the curtain on his life in his long-awaited autobiography.Michael’s first book ended with his big break at the 2006 Royal Variety Performance. Waking up the next morning in the tiny rented flat he shared with his wife Kitty and their one-year-old son, he was beyond excited about the new glamorous world of show business. Unfortunately, he was also clueless . . .In A Funny Life, Michael honestly and hilariously shares the highs and the lows of his rise to the top and desperate attempts to stay there. It’s all here, from his disastrous panel show appearances to his hit TV shows, from mistakenly thinking he’d be a good chat show host and talent judge, to finding fame and fortune beyond his wildest dreams and becoming the biggest-selling comedian in the world. Along the way he opens his man drawer, narrowly avoids disaster when his trousers fall down in front of three policemen and learns the hard way why he should always listen to his wife.Michael has had a silly life, a stressful life, sometimes a moving and touching life, but always A Funny Life.Trade ReviewThere are plenty of guffaws but it can be moving too * The Mail on Sunday *
£20.00
Ariadne Press Dark & the Bright: Memoirs, 1911-1989
Book SynopsisThe author, journalist, and grand dame of Austrian literature (as she was known in her own lifetime), Hilde Spiel, was born in Vienna in 1911. She emigrated to London in 1936, returning to her Austria for the first time in 1946 as correspondent for the New Statesman. Beginning during her long years of emigration, she created a series of impressive works in both English and German novels such as Flute and Drums and The Darkened Room, her biography of Fanny von Arnstein, several volumes of stories, literary essays and critical works, as well as translations of works by renowned English poets, novelists and dramatists. For twenty years she was Austrian correspondent for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Weltwoche, and from 1937 onward an active member of International PEN. She later became general secretary and then vice-president of Austrian PEN. In the early 1960s she resettled in Austria for good, despite her awareness that the chasm between those who had stayed at home and those who had emigrated would never again close completely. In her later years she was honoured with several important literary prizes. Her memoirs, a microcosm of literary and political life in Europe during the upheavals of the twentieth century, not only vividly portray Hilde Spiel as an individual and an intellectual of her time, but also convey the conflicting forces in the lives of Europeans during and after the years of the Second World War.
£999.99
Paul Dry Books, Inc Flotsam
Book SynopsisIn these shimmering "analects", photographer John Stewart offers gleanings of vivid experiences from more than ninety years of living. Though he has discovered no "avowed meaning" to his life, Stewart finds moments where he "touched something here and there" -- where he experienced moments of "being awake". Stewart shares his encounters with the famous and fascinating: drawing with Henri Cartier-Bresson in the south of France; on the set of The Bridge on the River Kwai in Sri Lanka; a comical meeting with John Cage on the Williamsburg Bridge at midnight; Picasso at a cafe; Matisse in his bedroom; Muhammad Ali; Isak Dinesen; Francis Poulenc; Diana Vreeland. From these accounts of travels far and wide to a poignant elegy for his son, Stewart''s Flotsam is full of wit and tenderness.
£16.19
Cleis Press From Princess To Porn Star: A Real-Life
Book Synopsis
£999.99
Goose Lane Editions Brit Happens: Or Living the Canadian Dream
Book SynopsisWinner, New Brunswick Book Award (Non-Fiction)One Sunday afternoon in a tiny postage-stamp garden, James Mullinger made the life-altering decision to give it all up: the London pubs, bustling city streets, and a flourishing comedy career. But where in the world would he and his partner raise a family? The English countryside? Toronto? New York?Hmmm. How about St. John … sorry, Saint John, New Brunswick?Brit Happens chronicles Mullinger’s lifetime of adventures, from his beginnings as a shy and nervous kid collecting comedy records at the neighborhood video store, to rising through the ranks of GQ magazine and meeting his personal idols Jerry Seinfeld and Paul McCartney, to imagining the possibility of another life in Canada. From the highs and lows of London to beginning anew in New Brunswick, Brit Happens tells gut-busting stories of success and failure and the unpredictable grind of stand-up comedy. It also offers a laugh-out-loud look at life in Atlantic Canada from the region’s funniest outsider-turned-local.Trade Review“I don’t even like British people, but I love James Mullinger and Brit Happens.” -- Mary Walsh“In Brit Happens, Mullinger masterfully straddles the line between objective and inclusive, culturally and geographically. He gently pokes us with a stick while being one of us. I can’t wait for the Brit to hit the fans!” -- Jonathan Torrens“James Mullinger is my favourite comedian friend who has relocated from England to New Brunswick. And I’m not just saying that because he is the only one. Brit Happens is a great glimpse inside the mind of a British man who becomes more Canadian seemingly by the minute and who might just appreciate the magic of the Canadian Maritimes even more than born and bred Atlantic Canadians. Which I realize might be fighting words to Atlantic Canadians. So fight him if you want to, I guess. But you’ll be fighting one of your own.” -- Steve Patterson“We should all be curious about the origins, motivations, and unrelenting optimism of James Mullinger. While his contagious good mood still remains a bit of a mystery, all else is laid out here in fine, hilarious form. Brit Happens is a wonderful read.” -- Ali Hassan“Brit Happens is not just a comedian’s memoir, but also doubles as a handbook to how a comedian can survive in such a difficult — yet sometimes lucrative — way of making a living. So let James Mullinger be your guide to how you can do what you enjoy and conquer the impossible ... yet be ready to pay those dues on that journey.” -- Stuart Nulman * Montreal Times *“As multi-faceted as its author, Brit Happens is a manifesto of living life to the fullest, of seizing opportunities when they are offered, of creating opportunities when they aren’t, and of letting the joys and hardships of life inspire and move you to give to others. It is equal parts moving and inspiring, and really, really funny.” -- Heather McBriarty * Miramichi Reader *
£17.99
Great Plains Publications Ltd Run As One: My Story
Book SynopsisErrol Ranville is one of twelve siblings who grew up in poverty in rural Manitoba. He rose to fame with a National #1 hit song in 1980 and went on to record a total of twenty albums over a span of forty years in the entertainment business. Errol is recording a new album of original songs and working on a screenplay for a made-for-TV movie of his life. He never sleeps, it seems. Errol Ranville has been running all his life: from chronic poverty and racism in rural Manitoba; a discriminatory music business; alcohol and drug addiction; and the responsibilities that come with being regarded as a role model. Though Errol has faced seemingly insurmountable barriers as an Indigenous performer in a predominately white music business, his band C-Weed & the Weeds released several #1 songs and went on to score JUNO nominations in 1985 and 1986. Errol was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Indigenous Music Awards in 2011. Errols autobiography is filled with love and passion as he embraces the role of trailblazer for the countless musicians that follow his path.Trade ReviewThis is the story of how C-Weed became a legendary name in Indigenous music. Run As One traces the perseverance, heartbreak and inspiration that led Errol Ranville from extreme hardship to singing the soundtrack of so many of our lives. - Wab Kinew, author of The Reason You Walk
£16.11
Transworld Publishers Ltd Glutton: The Multi-Course Life of a Very Greedy
Book Synopsis‘This book made me laugh and then order an unholy amount of takeaway.’ GREG DAVIES‘One of my favourite comics has now written an annoyingly great book.’ ROMESH RANGANATHAN‘Full of belly laughs and full bellies, this book is warm, honest and wonderfully entertaining.’ TOM KERRIDGE'One of the funniest comedians in the world, Ed is only serious about one thing - dinners.'NISH KUMAR---The hilarious memoir from comedian, Off Menu host and Great British Menu judge, Ed Gamble.From a young age, Ed Gamble's immaculate bibs and extremely dirty nappies hinted at his capacious appetite. Before he could walk, Ed already knew that he preferred poached salmon to puree, that celery was a calorie-sapping waste of time, and that mashed potatoes should be made with lashings of butter.Whilst he might ordinarily have been upset by the calls of 'precocious little sh*t' coming from his family, he was too busy stuffing his gob and staging rebellions against the patronising list of misery that is a children's menu.In Glutton, Ed shares a relatable buffet of experiences and stories from a life lived through food. From the trials of being a diabetic with a sweet tooth to his teenage battles with obesity, to the joy of cooking and the power of food to bring us together, this is a wonderful, hilarious and heart-warming memoir of a delightful obsession.Trade ReviewFull of belly laughs and full bellies, this book is warm, honest and wonderfully entertaining. * Tom Kerridge *This book made me laugh and then order an unholy amount of takeaway. * Greg Davies *Funny as hell. Ed's love of food is absolutely infectious. * Claudia Winkleman *One of my favourite comics has now written an annoyingly great book. * Romesh Ranganathan *A cracking read. * Chris Evans *Bloody brilliant. * Alan Carr *Ed Gamble just has funny written through his very core, like a stick of rock (he probably loves a stick of rock). This book is full of heart, empathy and it is of course crackling with his customary wit. It is all that you’d expect from this most excellent of humans! * Andi Oliver *One of the funniest comedians in the world, Ed is only serious about one thing - dinners * Nish Kumar *An absolute joy and delight. * Zoe Ball *Gamble has plenty of stories and tells them with an easy charm and warmth. Among his lively accounts of food-based capers that wouldn't be out of place in the Beano [there are] many funny observations. * The Times *A heart-warming memoir about the joy of eating. * My Weekly *Full of belly laughs and full bellies, this book is warm, honest and wonderfully entertaining. * Tom Kerridge *One of my favourite comics has now written an annoyingly great book. * Romesh Ranganathan *One of the funniest comedians in the world, Ed is only serious about one thing - dinners * Nish Kumar *This book made me laugh and then order an unholy amount of takeaway. * Greg Davies *An absolute joy and delight. * Zoe Ball *Ed Gamble just has funny written through his very core, like a stick of rock (he probably loves a stick of rock). This book is full of heart, empathy and it is of course crackling with his customary wit. It is all that you’d expect from this most excellent of humans! * Andi Oliver *
£999.99
Bonnier Books Ltd Roger Daltrey: Thanks a lot Mr Kibblewhite, The
Book SynopsisRoger Daltrey is the voice of a generation.That generation was the first to rebel, to step out of the shadows of the Second World War... to invent the concept of the teenager.This is the story from his birth at the height of the Blitz, through tempestuous school days to his expulsion, age 15, for various crimes and misdemeanours within a strict school system. Thanks to Mr Kibblewhite, his authoritarian headmaster, it could all have ended there. The life of a factory worker beckoned.But then came rock and roll. He made his first guitar from factory off-cuts. He formed a band. The band became The Who - Maximum R&B - and, by luck and by sheer bloody-mindedness, Roger Daltrey became the frontman of one of the biggest rock bands on the planet.This is the story of My Generation, Tommy and Quadrophenia, of smashed guitars, exploding drums, cars in swimming pools, fights, arrests and redecorated hotel rooms.But it is also the story of how that post-war generation redefined the rules of youth. Out of that, the modern music industry was born - and it wasn't an easy birth. Money, drugs and youthful exuberance were a dangerous mix. This is as much a story of survival as it is of success.Four years in the making, this is the first time Roger Daltrey has told his story. It is not just his own hilarious and frank account of more than 50 wild years on the road. It is the definitive story of The Who and of the sweeping revolution that was British rock 'n' roll.
£15.00
John Blake Publishing Ltd At the Birth of Bowie: Life with the Man Who
Book SynopsisIt is 1965, and Swinging London is coming into its prime years. The streets are alive with mods and rockers, playboys and good-time girls, all revelling in the blossoming artistic, creative and cultural energies of the decade. Amid the colour and chaos is a boy sporting drainpipe jeans, an immaculately tailored sports coat and a half-inch wide tie. A devoted fan of The Who, he looks the part in his pristine mod gear. As the lead singer of the Lower Third, his talent is shaping itself into something truly special. His name is Davie Jones. In ten years, he will be unrecognisable as fresh-faced boy of 1965, and in just over fifty years, his death will be mourned by millions, his legacy the story of the greatest rock star of all time. And through Bowie's transition from pop group member to solo performer, Phil Lancaster was by his side. As the drummer in Bowie's band, the Lower Third, Phil was there as the singer's musical stripes began to show, and was witness to his early recording techniques, his first experimental forays into drug-taking, and the band's discovery of his bisexuality in shocking circumstances.In this riveting - and often very funny - memoir, Phil tells the story of life alongside the insecure yet blazingly talented boy who became Bowie, at a critical crossroad of time and place in music history. What follows is an intimate, personal and important perspective on the genesis of one of the most iconic musicians of the twentieth century - one that gets under the skin of the man himself, before the personas and alter-egos masked the fascinating figure beneath them. At the Birth of Bowie is essential reading for anyone who knows what happened on Bowie's journey, but wants to understand how, and why, it ever began.
£20.00
Headline Publishing Group Who I Am: My Story THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
Book SynopsisFor the first time ever, Melanie C, aka Sporty Spice, tells her amazing life story in her own words and gives a full and honest account of what life was really like in The Spice Girls. THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ___________'What a woman and what a book!' Elizabeth Day'Fabulous ... There is so much I really relate to, growing up as a young girl, the 90s, all the stuff you went through.' Zoe Ball'Amazing ... Absolutely brilliant.' Chris Evans'Sporty Spice telling it like it is.' Independent'An amazing story ... An incredibly profound, vulnerable and honest look into the highs and lows of the Spice Girls.' Steven Bartlett'Really lovely.' Chris Moyles ___________For the first time ever, Melanie C, aka Sporty Spice, tells her amazing life story in her own words and gives a full and honest account of what life was really like in The Spice Girls.I never told my story before because I wasn't ready. Now, finally, I am.25 years ago, The Spice Girls, a girlband that began after answering an advert in the paper, released our first single. 'Wannabe' became a hit and from that moment, my life changed for ever.I was suddenly part of one of the biggest music groups in history, releasing hit after hit, performing to our wonderful fans and spreading the message of Girl Power to the world. It was everything I'd dreamed of growing up, and I've had some incredible times... The BRITs! The movie! Travelling the world playing iconic venues like Madison Square Garden, The O2, Wembley Stadium and The London 2012 Olympics!!!When you're a woman, though, that power can be easily taken away by those around you, whether by pressure, exhaustion, shaming, bullying or a constant feeling like you aren't enough. I have been known as Sporty Spice, Mel C, Melanie C or just plain old Melanie Chisholm, but what you will read within the pages of this book is who I truly am, and how I found peace with that after all these years.I have really enjoyed reminiscing and getting everything down on the page, and, though revisiting some of my darkest times was hard, I hope this book can be inspiring and empowering as well as entertaining and give you a bit of a laugh.Trade Review'Spice Girls fans will eagerly devour this, but even those who are unfamiliar with the group will appreciate Chisholm's compassion and introspection' * Publishers Weekly *'What a woman and what a book!' -- Elizabeth Day * Publishers Weekly *'Amazing ... It's got every single emotion in it ... Absolutely brilliant, especially for young girls' -- Chris Evans'Sporty Spice telling it like it is ... Details the true gruelling reality of being in the world's biggest girl band' * Independent *'An incredibly profound, vulnerable and honest look into the highs and lows of the Spice Girls ... I gained so much from reading it' -- Steven Bartlett'Truly important ... The depth of honesty and uniqueness of Melanie's experience means that it offers so much to so many people ... The lessons with the book and the lessons she's managed to pull out of those experiences are lessons we can all use to change our lives' -- Steven Bartlett, The Diary of a CEO'She has always been open and approachable, remaining talkative and cheerily down-to-earth ... so her autobiography is as honest as you'd expect' * Daily Telegraph *'Fabulous ... There is so much I really relate to, growing up as a young girl, the 90s, all the stuff you went through' -- Zoe Ball'Really lovely' -- Chris Moyles
£13.49
Canongate Books My Lady Parts: A Life Fighting Stereotypes
Book SynopsisDoon Mackichan is best known for her comedy characters in the hugely popular Brass Eye, Smack the Pony and Toast of London - but throughout her career there are parts she's refused to take and stereotypes she's challenged to find more empowered characters.The Feisty Feminist. The Hot Lesbian. The Desperate Cougar.In My Lady Parts, Doon shares her experience on stage, screen and in real life, examining how our culture still expects women to adhere to certain stereotypes - and punishes those who don't. Doon looks at the stories we are telling and asks: what do these roles we give women tell us about their value in the society we live in? How do we hold our heads up without fear and say no to those that objectify us?The Deranged Mother. The Stupid Tart. The Hag.This is a courageous, vulnerable and empowering account of being a woman in an industry that has been exposed for its deep-rooted sexism. It is, above all, a call to reflect on - and radically rework - the implications such attitudes have for future generations.Trade ReviewDoon Mackichan's memoir savagely exposes the sexism of showbusiness by looking at the roles she has been offered. Yet Mackichan's tome is no misery memoir [ . . . ], rather the book is an inspiring tale of an actor and comedian standing by her principles * * Sunday Times * *Fierce, frank and funny, this is Doon at her very best. This book demonstrates that she is, and always has been, a trailblazer -- SANDI TOKSVIGAs we look back - and not that far - at how the misogyny was tolerated and even applauded in the 2000s, we should listen to the meticulous testimony of women like Mackichan. Because she has always called it out, but has often paid a high price * * iPaper * *A real page-turner; raw, urgent and entertaining * * Daily Mail * *A timely memoir . . . [Mackichan] has not been just an observer of change, but a driver of it. Hopefully times are changing for female comedians, but only because of the efforts of Mackichan and her generation. You can't keep a good woman doon * * Scotsman * *This is a fierce, frank and unfiltered account. [Mackichan] makes no secret of her fury at the way society treats women. But her readers will find that fury infectious * * Daily Mirror * *An articulate, whole-hearted and blazing account. Doon's been the bravest of us, someone who has consistently called out bad behaviour and unnecessary obstacles and challenged the industry to have more imagination towards women, even when doing so would cost her professionally. She's a role model to me and many others. Required reading - made me feel angrier and determined to be braver -- SALLY PHILLIPSA rip-roaring, brutally honest, brilliantly funny read. My Lady Parts is a triumph * * Buzz Magazine * *A sparkling, poetic and gloriousy witty whirl through Doon's brilliant career, with moments of deep poignancy and a bracing dose of feminist ire. Loved it! -- APRIL DE ANGELISA fierce and forthright slice of Doon's life, on and off-screen. Loud, angry and funny, it'll make you rage and cry and then cheer her on -- JENNY LANDRETH
£15.29
Biteback Publishing Tabloid Secrets: The Stories Behind the Headlines
Book SynopsisBoth as chief reporter and news editor for nearly twenty years at the now defunct News of the World, Neville Thurlbeck is uniquely placed to give an insider's view of life on the paper. Thurlbeck served up some of the most famous, memorable and notorious headlines in the paper's existence; headlines that lit up the world of tabloid journalism and included names such as David Beckham, Jeffrey Archer, Fred and Rose West, Gordon Brown and Robin Cook, among many others. In Tabloid Secrets, he reveals for the very first time how he broke the award-winning stories which thrilled, excited and shocked the nation, and secured the paper up to fifteen million readers every week. His journalism led him into encounters with Cabinet ministers, rent boys, sports stars, serial killers, drug lords and on one occasion a devil-worshipping police officer. Stories that will fascinate the reader and ensure that this book is a real page turner. Thurlbeck's undercover, investigative work is revealed in great detail, with the methods and subterfuge explained. It also describes how the reporter was recruited to MI5, the characters he met and the type of work he carried out there.Ultimately, Tabloid Secrets is a journey through a world which has vanished for good, by the best-known reporter of recent times. It is a vivid, surprising and wildly entertaining insider account of a Fleet Street which is suddenly no more.
£15.29
Brindle and Glass Publishing, Ltd The Edmonton Queen: The Final Voyage
Book Synopsis
£18.89
Bene Factum Publishing Ltd Heart in Art: A Life In Paintings
Book Synopsis
£23.74
Bene Factum Publishing Ltd It's All Going Terribly Wrong: The Accidental
Book Synopsis
£19.00
Avenue Books Last of Seven: Reflections on a Life in Art
Book SynopsisThis book is a history of my life in art. It also includes my gratitude to the many friends and other influences that have shaped and enriched my days. About three years ago my wife and I were forced, because of declining health, to sell the early sixteenth-century Hall House in which we had lived for forty-five years. From my studio window I had a clear view across our paddock, with grazing sheep, towards a gently rising hill covered with woodland providing splendid habitat for wildlife. Behind the house, on the North Downs lived the fox, badger, the sloping meadows, then unploughed, and many wild flowers, including orchids. My pictures of this period were mostly large watercolours which are not by any means conventional topographical ''views''. They were not painted on location but were designed from relevant drawings. It was the loss of this motivating environment which unexpectedly influenced my creative energy for new paintings. However, age and circumstances have robbed me of my ability to paint and so, after a few attempts at combating this inactivity, I began jotting down notes about our past lives, which eventually needed to be put down in chronological order. It was then that I saw the possibility, by concentrating on the idea of a book, of compensating; for painting with writing. My life in the arts has occupied my time, energy and thoughts for almost ninety years. From about the age of eight my often expressed wish was to be an artist. long before I knew the meaning of the word but, by the age of fourteen, my interests had broadened to include poetry, music, history and philosophy. I grew hungry for books, started to collect and read into the early hours, as is recorded in these memoirs. These interests coupled with a love of nature, have not only enriched my days, but have had a subconscious influence upon my paintings, with a secret relationship with the Haywain!
£14.39
Avenue Books Last of Seven: Part II: Completed Works &
Book SynopsisThe writings which comprise my memoirs were-started over twenty years .ago when I was still painting. Verse can express, emotions of love, joy and sadness in a manner divorced from most painters'' subject matter. This, I find, is especially so nowadays in the prevalence of the abstract -- with most practitioners'' work having many human verities absent -- not only in Europe but world-wide. This change in thinking has been enormous and is -one that is seen most clearly in the visual arts. Now that circumstances make painting impossible for me, writing has moved into first place. Even so, as with painting, progress has been slow. But writing is so very different from painting -- so many thoughts and imaginative images, often distantly or subtly related, can imbue a poem with a lasting mystery, or a glimpse into a lovely insubstantial world. This volume completes my Trilogy -- My Life, My Painting and finally My Writing. Although they have emerged as separate books, the writing of Part III was essential to complete the narrative as I conceived it -- there has been a great deal to think about, much to ponder over. It is my intention that readers should see my work and life as constituting one narrative even though Part I and Part II are published in two separate volumes. Bringing these memoirs to a satisfactory conclusion has been difficult, yet I think it is in this final Part II that the reader will at last find a brief summary of my work, my life and my thinking.
£14.39
Avenue Books Last of Seven: Part III: Writings from My Life &
Book SynopsisThe writings which comprise my memoirs were-started over twenty years .ago when I was still painting. Verse can express, emotions of love, joy and sadness in a manner divorced from most painters'' subject matter. This, I find, is especially so nowadays in the prevalence of the abstract -- with most practitioners'' work having many human verities absent -- not only in Europe but world-wide. This change in thinking has been enormous and is -one that is seen most clearly in the visual arts. Now that circumstances make painting impossible for me, writing has moved into first place. Even so, as with painting, progress has been slow. But writing is so very different from painting -- so many thoughts and imaginative images, often distantly or subtly related, can imbue a poem with a lasting mystery, or a glimpse into a lovely insubstantial world. This volume completes my Trilogy My Life, My Painting and finally My Writing. Although they have emerged as separate books, the writing of Part III was essential to complete the narrative as I conceived it -- there has been a great deal to think about, much to ponder over.
£16.16
Graffito Books Ltd DESPERATELY SEEKING BOWIE
Book Synopsis
£12.34
Ad Lib Publishers Ltd The Boy Who Sat By the Window: The Story of the
Book Synopsis“Enjoy this story. I already jumped to the parts about me.” - Boy George The extraordinary life story of David Hodge – the ‘Very Miss Dusty O’. "My story is one of laughter and hedonism, dressing up and showing off. I played Queen in a parallel universe of glamour, rhinestones and couture outfits. It’s also one of alienation and loneliness and of always being the odd one out. I lived through AIDS, Princess Diana and Thatcher but came out singing and dancing my way through Soho and the West End. I survived a murder attempt and bankruptcy. I am still here. Now I paint my feelings and not my face and once again feel as if my journey is beginning. This is my truth. Grubby at times but mine to tell. Here it is. Uncensored." - David Hodge From a skinny, ginger-haired kid from Walsall who was bullied at school, to the ‘Queen of Soho’, who would rule London’s drag scene in its most dazzling era. This gripping true story follows an unassuming boy, separated from other children and made to sit by the window, on to a remarkable career, with celeb buddies including Kylie Minogue, The Pet Shop Boys, Grace Jones, Cyndi Lauper and, of course, Boy George. But behind the glitter, there was a far darker reality. David worked simultaneously at London Lighthouse, the pioneering centre for the care of people living with HIV and AIDS. Here, the young David grew up fast and opened his eyes to the true impact of this terrifying pandemic. The contrast was stark between the life of David Hodge during the day and the life of Miss Dusty O after dark. After two decades in clubland, as drink and drugs started to take their toll and he feared he was developing his father’s alcoholic patterns, David changed his life yet again…Trade Review“Enjoy this story. I already jumped to the parts about me.” -- Boy George'You don't have to be a drag queen to know that we all have a looking glass self. David's search for his true self is insightful, lonely, laugh out loud funny. A journey of re-invention where personal stories ask bigger questions about gender, society, identity, creativity, and of course, clothes and makeup.' * Jeanette Winterson CBE, author *'Had me gripped from that killer opening line. Step aboard the Dusty train, all manner of life and love is here. For years David gave good drag. Now he gives good memoir, and I’m here for it.' * Jonathan Harvey, writer *'From bullied gay boy to Queen of Soho, from drag to riches and back again, this is a tale of survival, reinvention and self discovery. Dusty may have been a fabrication but David Hodge is a natural born storyteller. His book is witty, wise and one of the best memoirs I’ve read in years.' * Paul Burston, author, founder of the Polari Prize *'David has written his story of the glittering drag world, famous friends and lavish fun against an undercurrent of sadness… coming out to disapproving parents and the loss of friends to AIDS. A journey towards knowing himself.' * Dame Joan Bakewell *‘A deeply satisfying memoir about escape – from the bullies, from suburbia and ultimately from the gilded cage of his own creation.’ * Julian Clary, actor, author, presenter *'Behind every extraordinary life lies an even more remarkable story. This memoir is one of those rare things…a telling of loss, loneliness, and the ultimate transformation that will inspire queer souls for generations to come. May David sing on…' * Anna Richardson, TV presenter, producer, writer *'Heart wrenching and honest. This memoir is unique in its perspective, straddling the worlds of wealth and celebrity with that of the common man, which makes it a truly fascinating read. Hodge proves that you can have anything you want in life if you dress for it, and in a life full of achievements, this book has to be the top of them all.' * The Recs *'The Boy Who Sat By The Window is as much a cautionary tale as it is a chronicle of a wondrous time in London’s gay nightlife. Mistakes were made and Hodge owns them, and that self-awareness makes for a great read.' * The Queer Review *'This book is amazing.' * James Whale, TalkRadio *
£11.69
Melbourne Books This Will Explain Everything
Book SynopsisJeff Duff is arguably the most flamboyant, creative and controversial entertainer Australia has produced. His musical gifts and fantastical androgynous performances parallel the artistry of David Bowie. While Duffos career kicked off in the 1970s, he continues to grow as an artist, creating new music and performing sell-out concerts to this day. In his tell-all memoir, dedicated to Bowie, Duffo shares his tales of life, love and rocknroll, in what is a rollicking, entertaining read. From his childhood desire to wear a dress, to performing before violent London punk crowds, to being banned and arrested, and even his journey into the depths of despair, Duffo recalls all with flair and style.Trade Review"I dont think its overstating the case to say that, had Jeff Duff hailed from a country in the top half of the world, he could now be as acknowledged and acclaimed as David Bowie or Lou Reed or Iggy Pop." Glenn A. Baker, rock historian
£33.14
Granville Island Publishing Sea Salt, Lizards and Clay: My Ceramics from the
Book SynopsisSEA SALT, LIZARDS AND CLAYcovers the expansive career of renowned Italian-Canadian ceramic artist, Santo Mignosa, gifted Modernist sculptor and rigorous technician, who was practically born with his feet in clay, at a young age stoking his fathers kin in his hometown of Priolo Gargallo, Sicily.His journey from the old world to the new is liberally illustrated and speaks of Mignosas fierce allegiance to his medium and his unending fascination with the human figure, both figurative and abstract.
£17.99
Speaking Tiger Publishing Private Limited Helen: The Making of a Bollywood H-Bomb
Book SynopsisEqually, the book is a gloriously witty and provocative examination of middle-class Indian morality; the politics of religion, gender and sexuality in popular culture; and the importance of the song, the item number and the wayward woman in Hindi cinema.
£17.50
HarperCollins India Remo: The Autobiography of Remo Fernandes
Book SynopsisA story of brave dreams and musical passions'' - Ian Anderson of Jethro TullI sit, I think, I write my story of longing, of long agoI try to fit a lifetime in a hundred and fifty thousand words, blow by blow.- Remo, on writing his autobiography, from his song ''Keep the Faith''Remo Fernandes is a legend: there''s no other word for him really.When he started out as a relatively unknown artist in the 1970s, Remo would record his first albums in his home studio and distribute them around Goa on his yellow scooter. But soon, he was to become a national craze, with blockbuster hits to his credit in English and Hindi pop, and in film music as well. His stage performances were sensational and brought his incredible musical talent. REMO is an extraordinary memoir. It is the story of a rich and full life - filled with professional highs and lows as well as personal triumphs and tragedies.
£22.79
HarperCollins India Spreading Joy: How Joyalukkas Became the World's
Book SynopsisThrough the 1990s, he laboured to expand the Alukkasâ footprint, opening outlets within and around the UAE.
£16.49
Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd. THE STRANGER IN THE MIRROR
Book SynopsisThe Stranger in the Mirror is the memoir of theegendary producer-director, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. Co-written by noted marketer-author, Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta, this book chronicles the richly experiential, multi-facetedife of one of India''s most celebrated and feted directors who has made critically acclaimed filmsike Rang De Basanti, Delhi-6 and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Though it may seem natural for an autobiography to have a primary narrator, what makes this book truly unique is its many narrators. It is this multi-dimensional, multi-character narration that will enable readers to delve deep and truly understand what it means to be as unselfish as Mehra, a man who gleefully steps back andets the experts do their job. Peppered with anecdotes from Mehra''sifefrom the chai-biscuit college days to the popping of the proverbial champagneit implores readers to pay attention to understand who is narrating, because the plot may have just shifted aittle bit, justike his movies. At the end, what really stands out is how effortless the journey has actually been. And hereinies the greatest paradox because there is noack of perseverance in this journey. The miraculous manner in which things fall into place naturally,ike pieces of a pre-ordained puzzle with the universe acting as the sutradhar'', is the fulcrum around which the joy of this remarkable journey is built.
£24.79
Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd. THE MAKING OF THE GREATEST MICROSOFT
Book SynopsisStarting with a turnover of just $16, 005 in 1976, Microsoft, the house that Windows built'', had clocked up over $143 billion in revenues in 2020. It also became one of the very few companies to cross the $1 trillion mark in market capitalization! It''s not just the story of its main architectsbill Gates and Paul allenbut also of peopleike Steve Ballmer and Satan Nadella, who have taken Microsoft into an orbit of its own. This book affords us fascinating insights into how modern businesses are built, sustained and scaled up, besides offering an analysis of how differenteadersead the same organization in their own unique ways. The book traces Microsoft''s eventful journey from its early fledgling days to the current dominant statusits first major deal with IBM and theaunching of Windows and Office software, gaming gadgets, and making forays into other computer products and servicesike cloud, mobile phones, computer hardware and artificial intelligence, covering the entire gamut of information Technology. This is a story that has no parallels.
£7.19
Juggernaut Publication The 7 Sins of Being a Mother 2021
Book SynopsisThere's nothing as beautiful as the mother and child bond - or is there? In her new book, author Tahira Kashyap Khurrana shows you the darker, smellier, more mortifying and - let's say it - the infinitely more celibate side of parenthood.
£9.80
HarperCollins Publishers THE COMPULSIVE SPIKE MILLIGAN viii
Book SynopsisThis second superb collected work of one of Britain's best-loved comedians is an excellent companion to the sensational original, ‘The Essential Spike Milligan’. Spanning his 50-year career and incorporating a rich and varied range of material, this second anthology is as wonderfully unmissable as the first.Trade ReviewPraise for The Essential Spike Milligan: 'A wonderful anthology…a superbly sustained piece of comedy. Like so much else in this collection, these excerpts inspire a return to the source.' The Times 'Successfully shows why Spike Milligan deserves his place at the heart of British comedy.' TLS
£14.24
HarperCollins Publishers Memories Dreams and Reflections
Book SynopsisThis book is a more personal history than has ever before been written by or about Marianne Faithfull. Anecdotal, conversational, intimate and revealing, this is her no-holds-barred account of her life, her friends, her triumphs and mistakes.A decade after the publication of Faithfull', one of the most acclaimed rock autobiographies of all time, Marianne Faithfull is back, vowing periodically leave her wicked ways behind and grow up, but finding that somehow strange things keep happening.A wry observer of her slightly off-kilter world, Marianne muses nostalgically about afternoons languishing on Moroccan cushions at George and Pattie''s, getting high and listening to new songs. She fondly recalls the outlandish antics of her Beat friends Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs; is frequently baffled at her image in the press (opening the paper to read of her own demise: ''Sixties Star in Death Plunge''); terrified by the curse sent by Kenneth Anger; mortified by her history of reckless beTrade Review‘A rare talent for lyrical, inventive prose gives her anecdotes wings….a powerful, radical and quite beautiful work of biographical art.’ Sunday Telegraph ‘She opens up a box of mini-memoirs about the characters she has met. Instantly engaging. Faithfull is able to produce something of grit and newsworthiness.’ Observer
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers The Inside Story of Viz Rude Kids
Book SynopsisThis is the straight-talking, fascinating story of Viz magazine, founded in 1979 by Chris Donald – editor until 1999. Chris tells the remarkable story of the magazine, from the tatty rag produced in his Newcastle bedroom to becoming one of the bestselling magazines in the UK.Trade Review‘Donald is lucid and engaging, and he’s affably disrespectful to the celebrities he meets when his life turns (relatively) showbiz.’ Q Magazine ‘Chris fires out jokes and anecdotes with the rapid-fire intensity and lewdness of Sid the Sexist downing seven like Newkie Broons.’ Front Magazine '…a very good read. It is briskly executed in the Viz house style: a rude and brutally accurate tabloidese.' New Statesman
£14.24
HarperCollins Publishers Threepenny Memoir
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£14.24
HarperCollins Publishers Behind the Laughter
Book SynopsisJoin Loose Women's Sherrie Hewson on her rollercoaster ride through the laughter, tears and tantrums of an extraordinary life lived on and off the screen.Trade Review‘Sensational’ Daily Mirror ‘Frank and honest’ The Weekly News ‘You might think you know everything about Sherrie… but her autobiography reveals a more sensitive side, laced with her trademark wit and warmth.’ **** Woman’s Own ‘[Sherrie Hewson] has had a rollercoaster ride through the laughter, tears and tantrums of an extraordinary life’ The Manchester Evening News ‘Behind the Laughter charts not only all the high points of [Sherrie’s] acting career, but also closes the book on the unhappiest periods’ Aberdeen Press and Journal
£9.99
HarperCollins Publishers The Stones The Acclaimed Biography
Book SynopsisIn 2012 the Rolling Stones celebrate their 50th anniversary. Their story – the band's meteoric rise to fame, the Marianne Faithfull, Brian Jones and Altamont scandals, the groundbreaking hits – is the stuff of twentieth century legend, and core to popular culture.Trade Review'The Stones are lucky to have found a biographer of Philip Norman's class'Pete Townshend 'An elegiac book, a record of evanescence as much as of durability, and it reminds us of an epoch that threw up lions with no more energy than it threw out losers'The Times ‘Wonderfully unravels the social history of that extraordinary time, and does not pull any punches’Daily Telegraph ‘Details their amazing career and lifestyle…After reading this account one cannot help but marvel that they have survived’Daily Express ‘Read it as a cautionary tale of success becoming excess…read it through a haze of nostalgia that will send you back to the early indifferently produced LPs – and the singles whose power derives from the simplest riffs and the most indelible memories of the Sixties. But read it’John Walsh in Books and Bookmen
£16.14
HarperCollins Beauty of the Beasts The
£12.89
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Roasting in Hells Kitchen
Book Synopsis
£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Washed by Blood
Book SynopsisAn Out-of-Control Rock Star. An Inescapable Addiction to Drugs. A Miraculous Redemption through Jesus Christ.You think you''ve heard this story before but you haven''t. Washed by Blood is a look at the dramatic saving power of Jesus Christ unlike any other—one that shows how God looks out for all of us, even those who seem farthest away from his grace. Brian Head Welch was a rock star who thought he had it all. He was the lead guitarist in Korn, one of the biggest and most controversial rock bands on the planet. He lived in a mansion, had millions of dollars in the bank, and legions of fans all over the globe. He was living the good life, and it should have been perfect. But it was all a lie.What no one knew was that backstage and away from the crowds, Head was fighting a debilitating addiction to methamphetamines, and that nothing—not even the birth of his daughter—could make him quit for good. He had g
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Ginger
Book Synopsis
£18.04
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Drama An Actors Education
Book SynopsisPresents a backstage view of the author's own struggle, crisis, and discovery, revealing the early life and career that took place out of the public eye and before he became a nationally known star. In this title, he raises the curtain on the making of one of our most beloved actors.Trade Review"Drama is a cut above-touching, self-aware, and beautifully written." -- People "Warm and generous... Lithgow is relentlessly likable... A brisk book, packed with funny stories... A buoyant, heartwarming account of coming into one's own." -- The New York Times Book Review "Anyone interested in an actor's life-especially backstage-will find this book enlightening." -- USA Today "A memoir as finely crafted as one of Lithgow's performances. Lithgow tells of transgressions, indiscretions, and a tabloid-worthy affair that my PR people could only have wished for. An exciting and revealing book, and what's more, it's about ACTING!" -- Steve Martin "John Lithgow's memoir is more than an insider's view of his craft. The portrait of his father is as finely articulated as it is heartfelt, and the account of the young actor's struggles with his too-young, too-early first marriage is both moving and candid. I loved this book." -- John Irving "This book has all the drama we've come to expect from John Lithgow, the alternately dark, tender, romantic, dangerous, deranged actor we find in Drama, which is also a family tale of the richest variety. A great read." -- Mary Karr "John Lithgow's memoir is both unflinching and irresistible. It captures the long, hard road to the stage for any actor, or for virtually anyone trying to make it in New York, and shows how putting all of your hopes into the one thing you love isn't so crazy after all." -- Gay Talese "Drama recounts in graceful, considered prose a life that after a few wrong turns is now happier and more well adjusted than most."- -- Charles McGrath, The New York Times "Lithgow rises to the occasion with courageous honesty and fairness... There's something breath-catchingly poignant in the simple, hard-won wisdom he imparts before taking his final bow: 'Acting is pretty great. But it isn't everything.'" -- The Los Angeles Times "John Lithgow's memoir, Drama, reminded me that the world is indeed all a stage and that professionals have some great ideas about how to perform on it." -- Drew Gilpin Faust, The Wall Street Journal
£999.99
HarperCollins Diamond in the Rough A Memoir
Book SynopsisAfter learning to play guitar at the age of ten, the author was determined to make a life in music - a decision that would send a small-town girl out on the open road for good. In 1997, two decades after she started, she got her big break. This title captures her years of touring cross-country in bands and vans full of guys.Trade Review"[Colvin is] a gifted conversational writer with a wicked and unabashedly goofy sense of humor ... Her buoyant spirit fairly leaps off the stage, and her self-deprecating wit is as keen and quirky in recalling her brief brush with superstardom as it is applied to an ill-fated relationship." -- USA Today "Colvin's fans will devour her behind-the-scenes stories; single mothers will relate to her struggle to do right by her child. And those who have suffered depression -- or loved someone who has -- will find much to inspire in this compelling redemption story." -- People "Charming ... Colvin chronicles an impressive array of accompanists and backup, two husbands, and myriad awards such as her gold record with the 1997 hit "Sunny Came Home," all while maintaining a low-key, sweet humility that is truly endearing." -- Publishers Weekly "Dspite the many personal disasters that have beset Colvin, DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH is no misery-fest. It's with an impressive absence of self-pity and a dry, unassuming style that she teases humour out of the most unpalatable episodes ... Absorbing." -- The Independent on Sunday "Engaging ...The many admirers of Colvin's music will appreciate this honest memoir." -- Booklist
£15.00
HarperCollins Strange Things Happen
£13.60
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Confessions of a Prairie Bitch
Book SynopsisConfessions of a Prairie Bitch is Alison Arngrim’s comic memoir of growing up as one of television’s most memorable characters—the devious Nellie Oleson on the hit television show Little House on the Prairie. With behind-the-scenes stories from the set, as well as tales from her bohemian upbringing in West Hollywood and her headline-making advocacy work on behalf of HIV awareness and abused children, Confessions of a Prairie Bitch is a must for fans of everything Little House: the classic television series and its many stars like Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert; Gilbert’s bestselling memoir Prairie Tale... and, of course, the beloved series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder that started it all.
£16.14
