Autobiography: arts and entertainment Books
Cornerstone The Twelve Dels of Christmas: My Festive Tales
Book SynopsisBrought to you by Penguin.'It is at Christmas time that want is most keenly felt, and abundance rejoices.'Charles Dickens, 'A Christmas Carol' 1843'Yeah, and a partridge up your pear tree, an' all.'Derek Trotter, 'Christmas Crackers', 1981'Think of this memoir as a Christmas special in book form, from someone who has been involved in a few of those and understands a bit about the concept. But a Christmas special very much like Only Fools and Horses, in the sense that the stories will be always heading outwards, ranging far and wide and well beyond the traditional festive gags involving giblets left in turkeys.As I sift through various festive-related episodes in my career, loosening the ribbons, parting the wrapping paper, I'll be doing my best to reach any relevant conclusions about life, work and the meaning of it all that I can usefully pass on to you - baubles of wisdom if you like. Or certainly baubles. You'll learn why I have the perfect face to play Scrooge. And if you're lucky I'll also share what it's like to fly in a helicopter with my old mucker Tom Cruise. Merry Christmas, you plonkers.'© David Jason 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022Trade ReviewYou'll be chuckling your Christmas socks off by the end...A merry memoir linked to the festive episodes and the life lessons to go hand in hand with them * Woman & Home *Full of the actor's characteristic down-to-earth warmth, wit and wisdom, this is the perfect book for Del Boy fans * Culturefly *
£24.00
Bonnier Books Ltd Parenting Hell: The funniest gift you can give
Book SynopsisTHE NO.1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'I wanted this to be bad, but Josh and Rob have written an incredibly funny book about parenting' - Romesh Ranganathan'Exactly why I'm glad I don't have kids' - Tom Allen'This is the story of two blokes who thought life was really easy and then they had two kids each and realised it was absolutely impossible...'What's it really like to be a parent? And how come no one ever warned Rob or Josh of the sleep depriving, sick-covering, tear-inducing, snot-wiping, 4am-relationship-straining brutality of it all?Filled with all the things they never tell you at antenatal classes, Parenting Hell is a beguiling mixture of humour and conversation from the hosts of the no.1 smash hit podcast (but this time, their wives andparents get a say too).Unlike those who might pretend to have it all together, Rob and Josh comfortably discuss the highs and lows of parenting. Whether it's moments of unmatched euphoric joy or realising you took going to the toilet in peace for granted, this book is a reminder that everyone figures it out along the way.This edition is updated with bonus parenting 'tips' from Rob and Josh.READERS LOVE PARENTING HELL:'Best laugh out loud book on parenting''I laughed and cried! Not being a parent I can now appreciate everything my friends do a lot more!''Every parent needs to read this''Every parent or parent-to-be or parent-adjacent needs to read this! It's also surprisingly empowering for women - the way they include the wives perspectives is beautiful''An honest account of parenting with a welcome twist/dose of humour. Buy it! Gift it.''I laughed out loud many times and once had to go into another room because I thought I might wake my sleeping husband.'
£9.49
Genesis Publications Whatever It Takes
Book Synopsis"I'm both blessed and cursed to be a guitar player. I didn't choose it, it chose me. The challenge was to find a way to weave my convictions into my music in a meaningful way." - Tom Morello As the cofounder and guitarist of Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, and Prophets of Rage, and as a solo artist and collaborator with artists as diverse as Bruce Springsteen and Wu-Tang Clan, few musicians have been as groundbreaking as Tom Morello. Now, for the first time, Morello's remarkable life as a guitarist, songwriter, singer, and political activist is captured in Whatever It Takes. Telling the story from his first guitar to the present day, Morello's commentary is accompanied by a wealth of photographs, handwritten notes, and set lists, many of which are previously unpublished and come from the author's personal archives. Stunning images of Morello's heavily customized guitars complete this jam-packed photographic memoir, and the result, like his incendiary guitar playing, is fascinating, honest, and completely unique. Introduced by the Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore, Jann Wenner, the cofounder of Rolling Stone, Morello's Prophets of Rage collaborator Chuck D, and Nora Guthrie, daughter of the legendary Woody Guthrie, Whatever It Takes is the defining document of one of the greatest rock guitar players of our times. "He's not only the most dangerous guitarist in history, he just might be the best." - Michael Moore "He's not only a brilliant musician, but he has a deep heart and a social conscience, just like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, or Jackson Browne. Tom is right up there with that gang. I think this excellent book helps prove why." - Jann Wenner "Tom Morello is a Visionary Activist, meaning what he sees in his mind goes full throttle into him making IT happen." - Chuck D "A musician who has no fear, who is not afraid of a good fight, and has no hesitation. When Tom Morello sings "This Is Your Land" he demands we jump up and sing with our fists raised." - Nora Guthrie
£31.50
Wymer Publishing Into The Valley
Book SynopsisFrom school punk to modern day film producer, Richard Jobson has lived a full and colourful life. A harrowing incident as a child left him suffering with epilepsy but he was a mere fifteen-year-old when he launched the punk rock band The Skids in 1977 with his songwriting partner Stuart Adamson. With hit singles including the immortal 'Into The Valley', after four albums The Skids folded and Jobson formed The Armoury Show whilst Adamson had moved on to form the successful eighties band Big Country. In this cathartic story, Jobson talks candidly about the many trials and tribulations that have shaped his life. He talks openly of his breakdown during the making of The Skids' third album The Absolute Game, detailing the suicidal thoughts going through his mind at the time. More pertinent than he could have imagined given that writing partner Stuart Adamson was to take his own life two decades later. They had remained friends following The Skids break-up and their relationship is explored in detail throughout. In the 1980s Jobson became a familiar face on television as a presenter and film reviewer for Sky Television. In June 2013, he was awarded an honorary degree (Doctor of Arts) from Edinburgh Napier University. Today he is a successful filmmaker but his life has also gone full circle. In 2017 he reactivated The Skids. A successful UK tour prompted demand for more shows in 2018 as well as the band's first new album for over three decades, making this the perfect time to write his memoirs of his time in the band. Into The Valley is a riveting read and a perfect illustration of how one man overcame his disability to become successful in the world of music and film. A first hand account of the late 1970s and early 80s that will appeal not only to punk rock fans but to anyone identifying with Jobson's triumph over adversity.
£12.34
Unicorn Publishing Group Is That Really True, Sir?: A Life of Colour and
Book SynopsisIn ‘Is That Really True, Sir?’, the artist, barrister, schoolmaster, musician, journalist and explorer Michael Aubrey negotiates a succession of improbable events and narrow escapes. Starting with a vivid account of his wartime childhood, Aubrey shares the joys, hazards, surprises and often hilarious disasters of his colourful experiences in many countries, encountering a range of unusual people along the way. With a comic lightness of touch, he revels in life’s absurdities at the same time as celebrating the beauty and harmony of the various worlds which he has inhabited. The memoir is lavishly illustrated, including over eighty of the author’s vibrant watercolours. His acute eye for the ridiculous, keen observation of character, lyrical accounts of unfamiliar places and illuminating insights make this a joyous book, one to lift the spirits even on the dullest of days.
£24.00
REFLEX BOOKS Unparallel Careers!: Bowie & Me
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Apollo Publishers Why Not?: Lessons on Comedy, Courage, and
Book SynopsisFrom master comedian Mark Schiff, a long-time touring partner of Jerry Seinfeld, comes a hilarious account of decades of foolery with comedy and acting legends and how he honed his mensch skills in all of life’s arenas. Pursuing a career in comedy has always taken a lot of chutzpah. Today Mark Schiff looks back at his fifty-year career as a stand-up comic, actor, and writer and knows he’s laughed with the best of them. His comedy and character have been widely praised by everyone from Jerry Seinfeld to Bill Maher, Paul Reiser, and Colin Quinn—as Seinfeld writes in his foreword, Mark is “the greatest comedy pal a guy could ever wish for”—but it hasn’t always been easy. In this brilliantly honest collection of essays inducing both heart tugs and deep belly laughs, Mark recounts growing up Jewish in the outer boroughs of New York City and shares how he survived a harrowing childhood and managed health crises, aging, marriage, parenting, and career highs and lows. With wit and wisdom, Mark reminds us that no matter the troubles at-hand, the show must always go on. The result is an unforgettable and highly relatable account from one of the best humor writers of our time that will leave readers of all faiths energized and feeling like they’ve schmoozed with the best of them. Trade Review“Comedy fans will come for the behind-the-scenes anecdotes and stay for the heart.” —Publishers Weekly“Mark Schiff is one of the funniest, the brightest, the best stage comics I have ever seen.” —Jerry Seinfeld, comedian, actor, and creator of Seinfeld, author of Is This Anything? and SeinLanguage “Starting out in stand-up comedy with Mark Schiff was a blast, and the humor he brought to the stage back then is now between the pages of this book, plus the wisdom you get when you add time.” —Bill Maher, comedian, actor, and host of Real Time with Bill Maher “Mark’s book is funny, philosophical, and gentle.* And it makes sense because so is Mark. *Not gentile, gentle.” —Colin Quinn, comedian and actor, Saturday Night Live and Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn “Mark Schiff knows how to tell a story and Mark Schiff knows how to write a book. I hope this is also an audiobook because nothing lulls me off to sleep more than Mark Schiff reading hilarious stories.” —Kevin Nealon, comedian and actor, Saturday Night Live and Weeds “We’ve known for a long time that Mark Schiff is funny. Now we know that he’s also thoughtful, empathic, and a great Jew. Why Not? is an insightful look at the human condition. Poignant, bravely self-examining, and psychologically acute. Also funny.” —Jonathan Kellerman, New York Times best-selling author of the Alex Delaware series “Mark Schiff is one of the funniest comedians I know. We came up together in the New York comedy club scene and he is endlessly entertaining and creative. This book will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you glad you bought it.” —Carol Leifer, comedian, writer, and producer “Mark and I started in comedy together at the exact same time, and year after year he’s just gotten better and funnier, which irritates me to no end. And as you’ll see in this funny and uplifting book, he’s a great writer too. I’m just so annoyed. But you will love this book.” —Paul Reiser, comedian, actor, and creator of Mad About You “I’ve always loved Schiff’s comedy and really love who he is as a person, especially his kindness. . . . His wonderful book of essays . . . makes you laugh, think, and cry a little, that’s actually something we should all do every day. Reading it made me miss him and appreciate him. I’m calling him right now. Get this book.” —Louie Anderson, comedian and actor, Baskets “The word ‘genius’ is overused, so I won’t use it here. But Mark Schiff’s unique and honest insights on parenthood, childhood, husbandhood, and pet ownerhood are hilarious without being mean-spirited and sentimental without being mawkish.” —Jeff Astrof, writer, showrunner, and producer, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Veronica’s Closet, and Trial & Error “Heart, comedy, soul, insight—a treasure chest of wonderful moments await all who open these pages.” —David Sacks, writer and producer, The Simpsons, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and Murphy Brown “Is there nothing better than a book that is funny and sensitive? That’s what Mark Schiff has created: a book that’ll make you laugh and warm your heart.” —Steve Bluestein, comedian and cofounder of the Groundlings comedy troupe and school “Mark Schiff is a great comic, a one-of-a-kind singular voice in comedy. Everyone in our generation of the stand-up world can rattle off Mark’s best bits. This book perfectly captures and showcases his ghoulish, childish, Jewish, foolish, and hilarious style. The book reads fast and funny. It’s just like Mark. Once you’ve read it and loved it, it’ll be very hard to get it out of your house.” —Mike Binder, director and writer, The Mind of the Married Man, Reign Over Me, and The Comedy Store “If laughter is the best medicine, then Mark Schiff is a doctor. As a stand-up comedian, Mark has been dispensing laughter for decades. In his new book, Why Not?, instead of going to a comedy club, you get to take his wit, wisdom, and lots of laughs home with you. The best part is there is no two-drink minimum.” —Michael Platt, producer and writer, Grace and Frankie and Weeds “Add ‘outstanding author’ to Mark Schiff’s previous credits of hilarious stand-up and quality notary public!” —Jon Hayman, writer and producer, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and The Chris Rock Show “Mark Schiff writes irresistibly about friendship, family, faith, and the business of being funny, sprinkling his stories with wisdom and killer laugh lines. Oh, and he’s also a genius and handsome to boot. There, Mark, I said it.” —Judy Gruen, author of The Skeptic and the Rabbi “Schiff may be known as a stand-up comic, but he’s also a stand-up guy who really knows how to tell stories.” —David Suissa, editor-in-chief of the Jewish Journal “Mark Schiff’s comedy always seemed effortless to me. We met at The Improv in the ’80s and his act is always funny, but nobody gets hurt, just like a pro bank robber. That he’s from the Bronx makes that fact all the more amazing. The stories in his book Why Not? are also very funny, yet show his deep humanity, and they’re a joy to read.” —Mark Brazill, writer and producer, In Living Color, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and That ’70s Show “Mark Schiff’s stories of childhood and beyond make us feel as if they are happening to us in real time. The interweaving of wonder, confusion, rebelliousness, angst, strangeness, and humor speak to something deep within all of us. Unpretentious, insightful, and bristling with humanity, Schiff takes us on an unpredictable rollercoaster, tempered with resilience and compassion.” —Bob Nickman, writer and producer, Freaks and Geeks, Mad About You, and The Drew Carey Show “Mark and I spent a lot of time together in our formative years in New York. He was always funny. Always kind. Always Jewish.” —Rita Rudner, comedian, writer, and TV personality “I loved reading this book. Schiff gives us a funny and inspiring look at his life. Part memoir, part Judaism guide, and part self-help book. Plus, most importantly, Seinfeld wrote the foreword.” —Wayne Federman, comedian and author of The History of Stand-Up “Mark Schiff is one of those legendary comedians we all looked up to, and now that he’s grown old and decrepit we can finally look down to him. But he’s still hilarious as always. He is a stellar comedian who’s consistently at the top of his game, as you can see when he’s on stage and in his writing. The best part of reading this book is that you get all of Mark’s comedic genius, and you don’t have to stare at his stupid face.”—Elon Gold, comedian and actor, Stacked and Chosen and Taken “Mark’s humor combines a keen sense of observation with the wisdom he’s gained while making his way from one end of life to the other. He’s a really good guy. Read this wonderful collection and you’ll agree.” —Alan Zweibel, comedian, original Saturday Night Live writer, and author of The Other SchulmanTable of ContentsForeword by Jerry SeinfeldIntroduction 1. AgeMay You Live TillOy Vey Iz MirThe Incredible Shrinking ManThe Show Must Go On 2. CommunityCraving CommunityI Don’t Have to Go, Now I Get to GoIt’s In You, So Share YouAmazing, AmazingGooood ShabbasI Love My Neighborhood 3. DietingExcuse-AholismJews, Non-Jews, and Weight LossMy Downfall is BreadEat, Pray, EatYou’re Too Thin 4. FamilyHere Comes the JudgeI Used to Have a LifeWhat is a Typical Jewish Mother?The Miserable Side of Dining OutAll You Need Is Love? MaybeI Saw MaTraveling with My FatherThe Orphan 5. FriendsThe Importance of FriendsGet A CoupleAbu Mustafa Calls Me His BrotherThe Big SnubDon’t Ever Quit on Yourself 6. FunnyConsult Your DoctorThe War on CultureWhat’s All the Complaining About?The Most Jewish Comedian EverThe Punchless PunchlineHeeere’s Mark Schiff 7. Helping OthersCoronavirus and Sumo WrestlingWillingnessA Great Phone CallA Valued CustomerAs the World TurnsA Tight Twenty MinutesBrother From a Different MotherI Want to Be Around for All of YouMy Uncle MiltieSimon Says Do This 8. Hope“B” Positive is Not Just a Blood TypeThe Perfect CircleLet There Be LightThe BlessingSealed with a Kiss 9. KindnessAlways Keep Your Promises to Your DogHow a Christmas Gift Changed a Young Jewish Boy’s Life ForeverThe Candy ManThe HaircutPause When AgitatedA Period of TransitionRuby: A Lesson in KindnessThe Rumor Mill 10. LoveDon’t Fence Me InThe Good Old DaysI’m Proud of You 11. MarriageProof There is a GodSeinfeld, Bradley Cooper, and My WifeTwo MillionYou Look Marvelous 12. ParentingGreat Catch, ChampNever Talk While Eating FishThey Are BackThe Nineteen BoxesSmell My New CarThe Nearness of YouPay AttentionWelcome to the Club 13. Self-HelpHow to Accomplish GettingNothing DoneI Love Your SmileLost and FoundNap TimeI Don’t Want to ExerciseKeep Your Two Cents to Yourself 14. Famous FriendsThe Day Bob Dylan Came to My HouseKatharine Hepburn and MeHey, Carl, Don’t Forget Your ToupeeWhat’s a Kid from the Bronx Doing Hanging Out with Sir Anthony Hopkins?Free Cars 15. Stand-UpThe Night“There Goes the Neighborhood”The RoadCaesars to CedarsPortrait of a Young Comedian AcknowledgmentsPhotos
£18.99
Forefront Books Playin' Possum: My Memories of George Jones
Book Synopsis
£21.75
Quarto Publishing PLC My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Autobiography of
Book SynopsisA hero to millions who adored his portrayals of Robin Hood and Fletcher Christian, Errol Flynn (1909– 59) lived a life that far surpassed any adventure he ever acted out on screen: exotic travels, criminal exploits, passionate love affairs, violent confrontations, scandals, and international fame. In this highly readable, witty and colourful autobiography, Flynn reveals himself and his remarkable life as he did nowhere else. Trade Review‘The most entertaining autobiography ever by an actor’‘Its greatest distinction is that it manages to pass beyond the conventionally “frank” to the unconventionally truthful in its portrait of an engaging but by no means overscrupulous romantic extrovert’‘An obstinately unabashed report’‘ The most entertaining autobiography ever by an actor’ ‘ Its greatest distinction is that it manages to pass beyond the conventionally “ frank” to the unconventionally truthful in its portrait of an engaging but by no means overscrupulous romantic extrovert’ ‘ A major autobiography in the tradition of Cellini, Casanova and Frank Harris. Perhaps it is not the book to leave alone in the house with your daughter, but Flynn was not the man to leave in the house with your daughter.’ ‘ The confessions of a rake, unsparing of himself or anyone else’ ‘ An obstinately unabashed report’
£999.99
Atlantic Books The Friday Afternoon Club
Book SynopsisGriffin Dunne has been an actor, producer and director since the late 70s. Among his work, he produced and acted in After Hours, directed Practical Magic and the documentary The Center Will Not Hold about his aunt, Joan Didion. Griffin and his dog Mary live in the East Village of Manhattan.
£17.00
Canongate Books Stranger Than Kindness
Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERStranger Than Kindness is a journey in images and words into the creative world of musician, storyteller and cultural icon Nick Cave.This highly collectable book invites the reader into the innermost core of the creative process and paves the way for an entirely new and intimate meeting with the artist, presenting Cave's life, work and inspiration and exploring his many real and imagined universes. It features full colour reproductions of original artwork, handwritten lyrics, photographs and collected personal artefacts along with commentary and meditations from Nick Cave, Janine Barrand and Darcey Steinke.Stranger Than Kindness asks what shapes our lives and makes us who we are, and celebrates the curiosity and power of the creative spirit.The book has been developed and curated by Nick Cave in collaboration with Christina Back. The images were selected from 'Stranger Than Kindness: The Nick Cave Exhibition', opening at the Royal Danish Library in Copenhagen in June 2020.Trade ReviewA scrapbook of rarely seen photos and sketches traces Nick Cave's transformation from Aussie teenager into an international artist . . . It takes on a life of its own, revealing his often compulsive way of working, as well as his abiding interests and obsessions: desire, faith, sin, despair, redemption, grief, love, and the transformative thrust of language itself * * Observer * *Goes deep into Cave's creative process, via his artwork, lyrics and photographs, and his ever-succinct commentary * * Guardian, 5 of the best * *A carefully curated collection of artwork, handwritten lyrics, photographs, personal possessions and essays, Stranger Than Kindness is a proper deep-dive into the story and creative processes of Nick Cave * * NME, Best Music Books of the Year * *[Takes] us on a detailed journey into his creative psyche. It features everything from school reports and scribbled shopping lists to lyric sheets and handwritten dictionaries - "the secret and unformed property of the artist," as Cave puts it * * Evening Standard, Best Music Books of the Year * *The material evidence of Cave's creative life. [There is] an excellent introduction from Darcey Steinke . . . a book of beauty and understated style . . . The book serves best as an invitation to explore Cave's work further, whether one is a novice or a committed celebrant. It is worth the effort * * Herald * *Features [Cave's] lurid, bizarre, beautiful, touching artwork and handmade books [and] an exquisite, winding essay by the American novelist Darcey Steinke. The essay is, simply put, extraordinary . . . Steinke has otherworldly gifts . . . I bought an expensive art book from a musician I like; what I got was a kind of compass leading me through a weird and often bleak time * * VICE * *A fascinating read, doubly so when listening to Cave perform the songs his obsessive evidence-gathering informs * * The Times * *Magnificent . . . A visual history of Cave's life, it's annotated by him with the same warmth and wit that have made his Red Hand Files series of letters to his fans so special. As for the images, they give more insight into the workings of his mind than any interview could . . . Darcey Steinke [has] written a fascinating and scholarly essay on Cave's work that sets him alongside some of literature's greatest figures . . . Exhaustive, gorgeous and thoughtful, this book of treasures will delight and inspire any admirer of Cave's work * * Classic Rock * *Offer[s] an access-all-areas peek into his life's work, featuring lyrics, essays, set designs, artwork, personal notes, previously-unseen photos and more * * Q Magazine * *Nick Cave's fans have long deserved a book that offers a long-view perspective on him and his work, and Stranger Than Kindness more than fulfils on its promise. The book collates a - carefully considered and curated - scattershot of artistic imagery, original lyric drafts, scrapbooks, and a few literary influences . . . [There is an] insightful and searching essay from Darcey Steinke . . . Stranger Than Kindness both embodies and enriches our understanding of how Nick Cave the artist came to be, and illuminates why his music continues to matter to so many * * HeadStuff * *
£32.00
Vintage Publishing Fagen D Eminent Hipsters
Book SynopsisIn Eminent Hipsters, musician and songwriter Donald Fagen, best known as the co-founder of the rock band Steely Dan, presents an autobiographical portrait that touches on everything from the cultural figures that mattered the most to him as a teenager, to his years in the late 1960s at Bard College, to a hilarious account of a recent tour he made with Boz Scaggs and Michael McDonald.Fagen begins by introducing the ''eminent hipsters'' that spoke to him as he was growing up (and desperately yearning to be hip) in suburban New Jersey in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The figures who influenced him most were not the typical ones Miles Davis, say, or Jack Kerouac but rather people like Jean Shepherd, whose manic, acidic nightly radio broadcasts out of WOR-Radio had a tough realism about life and enthralled a generation of alienated young people'; Henry Mancini, whose chilled-out, nourish soundtracks, especially to films by Blake Edwards utilised the unconventional, spaTrade ReviewNerdishly clever, entertainingly original and even a moving reconfiguration of the memoir format. -- Bernadette McNulty * Sunday Telegraph *Fagen, as you might expect, is an elegant and erudite writer. -- John Mulvey * Uncut *If you're a Dan fan you should read this book. If you're not a Dan fan you should read it anyway. * The Afterword *Part memoir, part personal dissertation, and it makes for an enjoyable, if brief, read. -- Dylan Jones * GQ *A curious little autobiographical volume by another hero of long ago, Donald Fagen, once and again of Steely Dan. * Spectator *Eminent Hipsters is regularly funny and insightful. * Sunderland Echo / Dorset Echo *I would like to be given Eminent Hipsters. -- Sebastian Faulks * Observer *An excellent, albeit slim, collection of essays about the Steely Dan singer’s formative teenage influences as "a subterranean in gestation with a real nasty cast of otherness". -- Andy Gill * Independent *A memoir of inspired essayism and darkly comic recollection which barely touches on Steely Dan yet utterly satisfies. -- Mat Snow * Mojo *This is moaning of the highest order — jazz moaning, you might call it — and Fagen keeps it up for 70 brilliant, hilarious pages. For the intelligent, grumpy old music fan, only one of these books needs to be bought as a present this Christmas, and it’s not Morrissey’s. -- Markus Berkmann * Spectator *Eminent Hipsters is regularly funny and insightful…whether you know who Fagen is or not, it’s still worth anyone’s time. * Yorkshire Evening Post *The writing is sharp, wry and elegant, without a single wasted word. -- Aidan Smith * Scotland on Sunday *This book is a piece of pure bliss. -- Anthony Quinn * Guardian *An unalloyed joy. -- Les Gofton * Times Higher Education *Constantly surprising, and recalled with great elegance. * Financial Times *A terrific and easy read. -- Jonathan O'Brien * Sunday Business Post *Wry, funny and forensically observant. * Saga *A terrific music memoir. -- Tony Clayton-Lea * Irish Times *
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers Kiss Me Like a Stranger My Search for Love and
Book SynopsisGene Wilder defined film comedy in the 1970s and ''80s. But this is no traditional autobiography, rather it''s an intelligent, quirky, humorous account of key events that have affected him in search for love and art.In this very personal, fascinating book, Wilder gives a great insight into the creative process on stage and screen. He discusses his experiences of working with the very best of movie talent, including Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Sidney Poitier and Richard Pryor, and tells how he developed his own unique style from his early days at The Actors'' Studio with Lee Strasberg.Amongst other incidents, he describes his time in the UK, which he has great fondness for, studying at the Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol. During this period he came top of his class at fencing and doorstepped Sir John Geilgud to ask him to explain the use of iambic pentametre.Wilder also talks amusingly about his failed love life off-screen (including 4 marriages) and is candid about much darker times sucTrade Review‘Funny, unusual and completely convincing.’The Mail on Sunday 'Wilder's prose is as probingly honest as his best performances.’Sunday Times 'Like it's author, it has great charm and intelligence.'Daily Mail – Critic's Choice 'Pure Gene Wilder! Uproarishly funny and at times very moving. It made me want to go out and see every Gene Wilder movie again.'Mel Brooks
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd Life and Laughing
Book SynopsisDiscover the real Michael McIntyre through his remarkable and hilarious journey to comedy stardom in his first official autobiography''This book showed me the REAL Michael McIntyre'' 5***** READER REVIEW''It made me laugh, cry, laugh, laugh and laugh some more'' 5***** READER REVIEW''Simply is a must read . . . His story is fascinating'' 5***** READER REVIEW''To anyone who loves Michael McIntyre - you will not be disappointed!'' 5***** READER REVIEWTHE NO. 1 BESTSELLER_______Michael McIntyre is Britain''s biggest comedy star. But how did he get there? Michael reveals all in his remarkably honest and hilarious autobiography, Life and Laughing.From his showbiz roots to his appalling attempts to attract the opposite sex, his fish-out-of-water move from public to state school, and his astonishing journey from selling just one ticket at the Edinburgh Festival to selling half a million tickets on tour.Filled with riveting anecdotes and poignant lessons, Life and Laughing is the unmissable story of Britain''s biggest comedian''s rise to stardom.Above all, it''s very, very funny.
£11.69
Little, Brown Book Group Bit Of A Blur
Book SynopsisI was the Fool-king of Soho and the number-one slag in the Groucho Club, the second drunkest member of the world''s drunkest band. This was no disaster, though. It was a dream coming true.''For Alex James, music had always been a door to a more eventful life. But as bass player of Blur - one of the most successful British bands of all time - his journey was more exciting and extreme than he could ever have predicted. In Bit of a Blur he chronicles his journey from a slug-infested flat in Camberwell to a world of screaming fans and private jets - and his eventual search to find meaning and happiness (and, perhaps most importantly, the perfect cheese), in an increasingly surreal world.Trade ReviewAlex James is a witty, engaging guide to the mad goings-on behind the scenes of Britpop. Blur's bassist famously estimates that he blew around £1m on champagne and cocaine during the Nineties. Here's how. * INDEPENDENT *Bright, passionate . . . James writes with wit and flair * TIME OUT **'The definitive guide to Britpop . . . this effervescent memoir emerges as the most fascinating, as well as hilarious, document to date of those times * OBSERVER *Guaranteed to bring a tear to your eye - in a good way * ELLE *
£11.39
Michael O'Mara Books Ltd Last Man Standing: Tales from Tinseltown
Book SynopsisIn a career that spanned over seven decades, Roger Moore was at the very heart of the show-business scene. We all knew him as an actor who starred in films that made him famous the world over, but he was also a tremendous prankster, joker and raconteur - in fact, he was well known as one of the nicest guys in the business, and someone who was always up for some fun.In this fabulous collection of true stories from his stellar career, Roger lifts the lid on the movie business, from Hollywood to Pinewood. It features outrageous tales from his own life and career as well as those told to him by a host of stars and filmmakers, including Tony Curtis, Sean Connery, Michael Caine, David Niven, Frank Sinatra, Gregory Peck, John Mills, Peter Sellers, Michael Winner, Cubby Broccoli and many more.Wonderfully entertaining, laugh-out-loud funny and told with his characteristic wit and good humour, Last Man Standing is vintage Moore at his very best.Trade ReviewIn his deliciously indiscreet new memoirs, Roger Moore reveals what his co-stars were really like * EVENT magazine, Mail on Sunday *A compendium of Hollywood anecdotes * Sunday Telegraph *Highly entertaining . . . a hilarious read * Daily Express *Packed full of hilarious Hollywood tales told by an iconic English gent * Shortlist *[Moore] remains a weapons-grade raconteur and this is his gossipiest collection of tales yet . . . all told with eyebrow-arching glee * Empire *A heap of salacious tales about his illustrious peers . . . a treasure-trove of great actor yarns * Daily Mail *Packed full of gossip and anecdote about all the great stars * Sunday Independent (Dublin) *A collection of true stories, jokes and outrageous stories from the heyday of Hollywood * Waitrose Weekend *Laced with tales of A-list encounters * Hello *Amusing * Daily Telegraph *Memorable behind-the-scenes movie anecdotes from the veteran actor * Bookseller *A treasury of true stories with a host of stars including Tony Curtis, Sean Connery, David Niven and Michael Caine * Candis *Another engaging memoir from the most likeable James Bond of them all . . . charming * Irish Independent *A delicious peek at the shiniest fixtures of Tinseltown outside of the lime-light * Cultbox *Packed full of gossip and anecdotes about all the great stars * Belfast Telegraph *A wonderfully entertaining read * Western Morning News *A glorious tome filled style, humour and a touch of melancholy * Movies in Focus *
£9.49
Hodder & Stoughton Stalin Ate My Homework
Book Synopsis''Fascinating and hugely entertaining'' Daily Telegraph''It''s not like other comedians'' memoirs. It''s funny'' GuardianThe Sayles might not have been the only Jewish atheist communist family in Liverpool, but Alexei knew from an early age that they were one of the more eccentric.Born on the day egg rationing came to an end, Alexei was the only child of Joe, an affable trade unionist who led the family on railway expeditions across eastern Europe, and Molly, a hot-tempered red-head who terrified teachers and insisted Alexei see the Red Army Choir instead of the Beatles.Perceptive and hilarious, this is a portrait of a family, a city, a country and a continent going through enormous changes.''Sayle''s book has charm and substance, both as memoir and history'' Times Literary SupplementTrade ReviewIt's not like other comedians' memoirs. It's funny. * Guardian *As strange and fascinating as any fiction . . . This would be excellent even if it weren't by someone famous * The Times *'Fascinating and hugely entertaining' * Telegraph *Sayle's book has charm and substance, both as memoir and history. * Times Literary Supplement *'A great memoir of a strange childhood. "Just let me read you this bit" funny.' * Frank Cottrell Boyce *'The brilliant satires on modern life of Alexei Sayle (the only comedian worth his salt as a novelist) are contemporary gems.' * Tim Lott, Independent *'This touching, elegantly written memoir stands out... He looks back on his unconventional youth with comic bewilderment' * Independent on Sunday *'A fascinating and entertaining memoir about growing up with parents who were staunch communists' * Daily Telegraph *
£9.99
Transworld Publishers Ltd Mack the Life
Book SynopsisHis book is a joy to read, full of homespun wisdom and hilarious asides' Independent____________________Where do comedians come from? Why is it that one person is a funny bloke down the pub while another actually makes a living by standing up in front of an audience telling jokes? And where does all that material come from? Well, young Lee McKillop used to wonder that too.___________________ Growing up in his parents' pub, small and wiry in a world of bigger and chunkier specimens, Lee quickly learned that cracking jokes was a way to get attention. After a somewhat random series of jobs, which included being Red Rum's stableboy and a bingo hall barman, it was as a Great Yarmouth holiday camp entertainer that he had his first crack at telling jokes on stage. It got him some laughs, the sack and a punch in the face.*Now, as Lee Mack, he's one of our best loved and most successful comedians, both Trade ReviewA first-class comic. His autobiography, Mack the Life, has all the cheerful candour of one of his barnstorming shows. Mack has polished this narrative until it shines, and his book is a joy to read, full of homespun wisdom and hilarious asides. * Independent *A cracking read. Jokes liberally dot the narrative … a frank picture of a man who can’t believe his luck, but still manages to keep his feet on the ground * Chortle *a truly fascinating read, genuinely funny throughout * British Comedy Guide *
£10.44
September Publishing The Museum Makers: A Journey Backwards
Book SynopsisPart memoir, part detective story, part untold history of museums - The Museum Makers is a fascinating and moving family story.'Rachel Morris is one of the smartest storytellers I have ever met ... a wonderful and beguiling book' James Rebanks, author of The Shepherd's Life Without even thinking I began to slide all these things from the dusty boxes under my bed into groups on the carpet, to take a guess at what belonged to whom, to match up photographs and handwriting to memories and names - in other words, to sort and classify. As I did so I had the revelation that in what we do with our memories and the stuff that our parents leave behind, we are all museum makers, seeking to makes sense of the past.; Museum expert Rachel Morris had been ignoring the boxes under her bed for decades. When she finally opened them, an entire bohemian family history was laid bare. The experience was revelatory - searching for her absent father in the archives of the Tate; understanding the loss and longings of the grandmother who raised her - and transported her back to the museums that had enriched her lonely childhood. By teasing out the stories of those early museum makers, and the unsung daughters and wives behind them, and seeing the same passions and mistakes reflected in her own family, Morris digs deep into the human instinct for collection and curation.Trade Review'Rachel Morris is one of the smartest storytellers I have ever met ... a wonderful and beguiling book' James Rebanks, author of The Shepherd's Life 'Skilfully interwoven, history, reflection and detective work bouncing off one another to build a spirited narrative ... engrossing.' Spectator 'Immensely thought-provoking.' The Herald 'Morris' writing is immediately welcoming, and the content is warmly familiar for any reader working within the museums and heritage profession (although this is not a prerequisite to enjoying the book) ... It is a timely book at a moment when the heritage sector is asking challenging questions' Ferren Gipson, Arts Quarterly 'In this elegant and eloquent book Morris explores the contents of the boxes under her bed to calmly piece together a family pattern of loss and extreme eccentricity. As a museum curator, she meditates on the nature of museums: the Museum of Me we all carry in our heads, and the public institutions in which variations of the world's history are told.' Julia Blackburn, author of Time Song: In Search of Doggerland 'A fascinating meditation on the life of objects and their power to trigger our memories. It awakened my curiosity to the realms of history, pain, and longing we access through the simple act of collecting.' Dina Nayeri, author of The Ungrateful Refugee
£9.49
Hodder & Stoughton I Don't Take Requests: INCLUDES EXCLUSIVE NEW
Book Synopsis** CONTAINS NEW MATERIAL ** THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTELLER & WINNER OF THE ATTITUDE BOOK AWARD 'Refreshing, inspiring and candid.' ATTITUDE 'I love this man so much. He was, and always will be, my knight in shining Westwood.' DAVINA MCCALL'This is a story that should never have been told' KATE MOSS'The perfect beach read' THE SUNDAY TIMES'If you want to change your life but can't.. I strongly advise you read this book' TRACEY EMINAs one of club culture's most notorious - and best loved - figures, Tony is a complete force of nature. Here he tells the most extraordinary stories of depravity and hedonism, of week-long benders and extreme self-destruction - and of recovery, redemption, friendship and the joy of a good tune.___________________________________________________________________________'Anyone can get a party started, but no one keeps it going like Fat Tony, the energy never dips andwhat a life he's lived.. He's a tosser but we still love him.' ELTON JOHN & DAVID FURNISH___________________________________________________________________________Harrowing, honest and funny, this is the candid and outrageous memoir of a life of extremes. It's a story of getting it all and losing it all. Addiction, recovery, and starting again. Drawing a vivid portrait of Britain's street culture from the 1980s to the noughties, DJ Fat Tony describes his childhood on a London estate where he honed his petty criminality, was abused by an older man and became best friends with Boy George. He spent his teenage years parading the Kings Road in his latest (mostly stolen) clobber, worked as a receptionist at a brothel, hung out with Leigh Bowery and Andy Warhol, and created his drag persona, before becoming DJ to the stars (including Prince and Madonna) and spiralling into a life-threatening drug addiction.This is a story of loss and redemption and living to tell all the tales in glorious, funny and often heart-breaking detail, from one of social media's best-loved meme-thieves and the world-renowned DJ.___________________________________________________________________________'There is nobody in London, let alone the world who has lived a more extraordinary life... his journey from villain to real life hero is one of the most beautiful examples of humanity I have ever witnessed. I wouldn't be without this c*nt.' KELLY OSBOURNE'Hearing Tony's story is brutal and shocking. He is nothing short of a miracle and his willingness to be of service to others seeking sobriety is testament to how far he has come from the days of pulling his own teeth out.' MARC JACOBS
£10.44
Ebury Publishing Relationship Status
Book SynopsisThe Top 5 Sunday Times bestsellerThe world of dating has never been more complicated, from situationships to soft launches, red flags, beige flags and everything in between. Let's face it, it's a lot of fun, but it can also be confusing! I've recently re-entered my single girl era and want to take you along for the ride as I dive into the world of modern relationships and how to navigate them, sharing the awkward, the cute and the cringey moments that come with it. I've held nothing back, spilling my dating secrets, funny stories and top tips. You'll also get to hear from some familiar faces serving the tea on their dating experiences.Whether it's getting the ick or being ghosted, holiday flings or becoming friends with benefits, I've been through it all and I'm here to help you with the lessons I've learned along the way. The main one being, whatever your status, the most important relationship is the one you have with yourself. So get ready girlies, le
£15.29
Pan Macmillan Holding the Note
Book Synopsis
£11.69
Orion Publishing Co The Chateau Forever Home
Book SynopsisTake a journey to Château-de-la-Motte Husson in the spellbinding memoir from Sunday Times bestselling authors, Dick and Angel Strawbridge.Dick and Angel recount the newest and biggest challenges they faced on the journey to transforming their once derelict and abandoned château in France''s Pays de la Loire into a thriving family home and sustainable business.When the Covid-19 pandemic engulfs the world, the château faces a new challenge and the Strawbridges must find ways to adapt in order to keep their dream life in France alive. From the cancellation of the wedding season to finding new ways to complete renovations, living in an isolated bubble whilst continuing to film their TV series through to life after the pandemic, this is Dick and Angel at their most honest and heartfelt, revealing many details never seen on TV.As entertaining, warm and irresistible as ever, Join Dick and Angel on their remarkable journey to find their family''s fo
£10.44
Orion Publishing Co Erin's Diary: An Official Derry Girls Book
Book SynopsisSet in Derry, Northern Ireland in the 1990s, Derry Girls is a candid, one-of-a-kind comedy about what it's like to be a teenage girl living amongst conflict.It's a time of armed police in armoured Land Rovers and British Army check points. But it's also the time of Murder She Wrote, The Cranberries, Salt-N-Pepa, Doc Martens and The X Files. And while The Troubles may hang over her hometown, Erin has troubles of her own, like the fact that the boy she's in love with (actually in LOVE with) doesn't know she exists. Or that her Ma and Aunt Sarah make her include her weirdo cousin Orla in everything she does. Or that head teacher Sister Michael refuses to acknowledge Erin as a literary genius. Not to mention the fact that her second best friend has ALMOST had sex, whereas Erin's never even kissed anyone yet. These are Erin's Troubles.Described by the Guardian as 'daft, profane and absolutely brilliant', by the New Statesman as 'pitch-perfect' and by i-D as 'the greatest show on British (and Irish) TV', Derry Girls has dazzled audiences, with Channel 4's biggest UK comedy launch since 2004 and the biggest television series in Northern Ireland since modern records began.Now, alongside the third series, comes the first official tie-in. With Erin's inner take on everything that has happened so far, this book will both dive deeper into the events we have seen unfold on the screen and unveil brand new stories. Complete with newspaper clippings, doodles, school reports, handwritten notes, and much much more, Erin's Diary is a must-have for fans.Trade ReviewErin's Diary is the perfect accompaniment to the world of Claire's neuroses, Michelle's rebellions and Orla's madness. As a wee English fella myself, I have found it very educational. So wise up and nab a copy! It's good craic! - Jack RookeAnyone who has been called a dick on TV by the Derry Girls would never go on to read and enjoy Erin's Diary would they? On hang on a minute... - Pat SharpHilarious - Tez IlyasA hilarious insight into schoolgirl Erin's angst-ridden world... it's good craic - and will make a great Christmas present. - Heat MagazineThe perfect tie in to the award-winning Channel 4 series... Fans of the show will love Erin's Diary - Irish ExaminerSimply hilarious - Woman & HomeAs brilliantly funny as the TV show - Radio Times
£13.49
Pan Macmillan Me: Elton John Official Autobiography
Book SynopsisIn his first and only official autobiography, music icon Elton John reveals the truth about his extraordinary life. Me is the joyously funny, honest and moving story of the most enduringly successful singer/songwriter of all time.'The rock memoir of the decade' – Daily Mail'The rock star's gloriously entertaining and candid memoir is a gift to the reader' – Sunday Times______________Christened Reginald Dwight, he was a shy boy with Buddy Holly glasses who grew up in the London suburb of Pinner and dreamed of becoming a pop star. By the age of twenty-three, he was performing his first gig in America, facing an astonished audience in his bright yellow dungarees, a star-spangled T-shirt and boots with wings. Elton John had arrived and the music world would never be the same again.His life has been full of drama, from the early rejection of his work with songwriting partner Bernie Taupin to spinning out of control as a chart-topping superstar; from half-heartedly trying to drown himself in his LA swimming pool to disco-dancing with the Queen; from friendships with John Lennon, Freddie Mercury and George Michael to setting up his AIDS Foundation. All the while, Elton was hiding a drug addiction that would grip him for over a decade.In Me Elton also writes powerfully about getting clean and changing his life, about finding love with David Furnish and becoming a father. In a voice that is warm, humble and open, this is Elton on his music and his relationships, his passions and his mistakes. This is a story that will stay with you, by a living legend.______________'Self-deprecating, funny . . . You cannot help but enjoy his company throughout, temper tantrums and all' – The Times'Racy, pacy and crammed with scurrilous anecdotes - what more could you ask from the rocket man' – Guardian (Book of the Week)'Chatty, gossipy, amusing and at times brutally candid' – TelegraphTrade ReviewBlazingly honest . . . From sex and drugs and dancing with the Queen to sobriety and finally fatherhood, the rock star's gloriously entertaining and candid memoir is a gift to the reader * Sunday Times *The rock memoir of the decade * Daily Mail *Self-deprecating, funny . . . You cannot help but enjoy his company throughout, temper tantrums and all * The Times *All the sex, drugs and showbiz gossip you could want . . . A chatty, gossipy, amusing and at times brutally candid account * Telegraph *Outrageously enjoyable . . . racy, pacy and crammed with scurrilous anecdotes – what more could you ask from the rocket man? * Guardian *Bracingly open and spectacularly funny . . . practically everyone who is anyone in rock jumps briefly but revealingly into view * New Statesman *Full of warmth and candour . . . John's enthusiasm for music continues to shine through, as does the rebellious streak that made him the groundbreaking artist he continues to be today * Independent *A fitting testament to Elton’s life . . . unrelentingly enjoyable * GQ *Me is a riveting, laugh-til-you-cry, heartfelt page-turner . . . it is the earnest, sweet, damaged “music mad” kid at the heart of Me that will stick with you. * EW *The perfect pop memoir . . . the world's most successful singer-songwriter is thin-skinned, opinionated, mischievous a, prone to excess - and funny * The I *
£18.75
HarperCollins Publishers Just Getting Started
Book SynopsisLisa Snowdon is on a mission to spread the word: growing old just means getting better!Having struggled for over a decade after starting her menopause in her early forties, Lisa Snowdon has come to realise something she wants all women to understand. This new phase of life is actually a golden opportunity: a chance to become an even stronger, even bolder you.In Just Getting Started, Lisa will support you through the life stages, from fertility to pregnancy, menopause and beyond. By being patient, kind and open-minded, by learning and listening to what your body needs, you too can make it through the menopause with a smile on your face.With no subject off-limits, Lisa guides you through every issue she herself faced, from dealing with weight gain, fighting her hormones, reigniting her sex life and finding a renewed sense of self-love.Refreshingly intimate and hugely inspirational, this is your essential companion to embracing life and enjoying your second spring. Because, really, the best is yet to come.
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers My Shit Life So Far
Book SynopsisEver since being brought up by The Beatles, Frankie Boyle has been a tremendous liar. Join him on his adventures with his chum Clangy The Brass Boy and laugh as he doesn't accidentally kill a student nurse when a party gets out of hand.I don''t think anyone can have written an autobiography without at some point thinking Why would anyone want to know this shit? I''ve always read them thinking I don''t want to know where Steve Tyler grew up, just tell me how many groupies he f**ked!''So begins Frankie''s outrageous, laugh-out loud, cynical rant on life as he knows it. From growing up in Pollockshaws, Glasgow (it was an aching cement void, a slap in the face to Childhood, and for the family it was a step up''), to his rampant teenage sex drive (in those days if you glimpsed a nipple on T.V. it was like porn Christmas''), and first job working in a mental hospital (''where most evenings were spent persuading an old man in his pants not to eat a family sized block of cheese''), nothing is Trade Review‘If you like Harry Potter and the Da Vinci Code, why are you even looking at this, you retard?’ – Jimmy Carr ‘If you are suffocating in cosy Christmas cheer, this abrasively cynical, relentlessly misanthropic book might feel like a welcome faceful of ice-cold water straight out of the Clyde.’ – The Sunday Times ‘Quite triumphantly, this is the most abusive, obscene, insulting memoir yet published…Many, many funny lines here. A difficult book to read sedately in public.’ – The Evening Standard ‘He has a shocking, acid-tongued wit and his sharp observations make this one of the funniest autobiographies I’ve read.’ – The Sun ‘An original mix of confession and stand-up monologue … it’s rather gratifying that it’s outselling most of the books by more famous figures.’ – The Guardian ‘A refreshing antidote to the usual feelgood books by TV stars.’ – The Independent ‘My Shit Life So Far, showcases that cruel and unusual comedy that's become Frankie’s trademark, and should probably be enjoyed far away from hot liquids… bizarre, intelligent and abusively hilarious.’ – The List ‘Frequently funny.’ – Heat ‘Biting wit.’ – Independent on Sunday ‘Fans of Boyle's dark style will hope this book provides laughs-a-plenty and an antidote to the play-it-safe, sickly sweet autobiographies of other so-called celebrities. They will not be disappointed.’ – Dave TV ‘Only read this book in public if you have no qualms about blowing coffee through your nose in spurts of guilty laughter … Punchier than a cage fighter, with more disclosures than an episode of Parky … Addictive and expertly brutal.’ – Hotline ‘If you like Harry Potter and the Da Vinci Code, why are you even looking at this, you retard?’ – Jimmy Carr ‘If you are suffocating in cosy Christmas cheer, this abrasively cynical, relentlessly misanthropic book might feel like a welcome faceful of ice-cold water straight out of the Clyde.’ – The Sunday Times ‘Quite triumphantly, this is the most abusive, obscene, insulting memoir yet published…Many, many funny lines here. A difficult book to read sedately in public.’ – The Evening Standard ‘He has a shocking, acid-tongued wit and his sharp observations make this one of the funniest autobiographies I’ve read.’ – The Sun ‘An original mix of confession and stand-up monologue … it’s rather gratifying that it’s outselling most of the books by more famous figures.’ – The Guardian ‘A refreshing antidote to the usual feelgood books by TV stars.’ – The Independent ‘My Shit Life So Far, showcases that cruel and unusual comedy that's become Frankie’s trademark, and should probably be enjoyed far away from hot liquids… bizarre, intelligent and abusively hilarious.’ – The List ‘Frequently funny.’ – Heat ‘Biting wit.’ – Independent on Sunday ‘Fans of Boyle's dark style will hope this book provides laughs-a-plenty and an antidote to the play-it-safe, sickly sweet autobiographies of other so-called celebrities. They will not be disappointed.’ – Dave TV ‘Only read this book in public if you have no qualms about blowing coffee through your nose in spurts of guilty laughter … Punchier than a cage fighter, with more disclosures than an episode of Parky … Addictive and expertly brutal.’ – Hotline
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Leslie Fcking Jones
Book SynopsisYou are Black; you are female, Leslie Jones'' father once said. But if you work harder and you''re better than everybody else, they can''t f*cking deny you.Leslie Jones is a warrior. Raised by a tough dad and a loving but often sick mom, her father''s military career meant she bounced around as a kidfighting off bullies because she was tall and loud, sticking up for her troubled kid brother, and generally causing mayhem wherever she went. In the end the family settled in Lynwood, Los Angeles, where in high school she was a star basketball player, heavily recruited for what everyone thought would be a stellar college career.Then, one day in college, she discovered comedy instead, and everything changed. Eventually hitting the road as a working comedian, and holding down regular jobs to fund her dreams, she found herself fighting prejudice, tough crowds, stupid bosses, and people who thought a Black woman could never be funny enough. But she proved herself time and again to be undeniably
£18.70
Cornerstone Crying With Laughter
Book SynopsisThis is Bob Monkhouse''s classic autobiography. One of Britain''s most enduring and famous comedians tells us in his own inimitable style the fascinating and often hilarious story of his life. From disclosures of very painful personal tragedies to extraordinary and outrageously funny anecdotes about the stars he knew, his confessions are blisteringly honest, touching - and often shocking. Crying With Laughter combines heartache with hilarity, sexy showbiz revelations with genuinely moving tales of the hard times, and typically funny jokes with sobering personal reflections, to create a passionate, witty and sparkling account of an extraordinary man''s extraordinary life.Trade ReviewAn entertaining and abrasive canter through his up-and-down life - Witty, moving, candid - and very well written * The Sun *It makes a refreshing change to read some real revelations from the life of a true, old-fashioned star * Daily Mirror *Riveting - packed with cracking true stories -- Gary Bushell * The Sun *Winning - genuinely funny * The Sun *
£10.44
Cornerstone Parcel Arrived Safely
Book SynopsisCrawford began his professional career as a boy soprano in Benjamin Britten's Let's Make An Opera. He became the popular star of Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life and starred in The Knack. He juggled film and stage careers, appearances including Hello Dolly!, the long-running comedy No Sex Please - We're British and the 70s TV comedy Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em - which is still running around the world. He starred in, among many other things, the John Barry hit musical Billy, the 1981 hit Broadway musical Barnum and the widely acclaimed Phantom of the Opera. More recently, he appeared in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Woman in White in London's West End. His solo recording career began in 1992 and his three albums have all been huge runaway successes earning him gold and platinum discs. He has been awarded many honours including the OBE.Trade ReviewCompelling * Daily Mail *Entertaining... Crawford whips up the merriment from the wings * Mail on Sunday *Refreshingly candid * Express on Sunday *
£10.44
Pan Macmillan Falling Towards England Unreliable Memoirs II
Book SynopsisThe second instalment of his famed unreliable memoirs, Falling Towards England sees Clive James set sail for London – a long way from the acclaimed author, poet and broadcaster he would one day become . . .'A comic triumph' – Ian Hamilton, London Review of BooksWaving goodbye to Sydney, Clive James arrives in 1960s England with nothing much besides the clothes on his back, in search of fame and fortune. Idealistic and uncompromising, if short on cash, he plans to get a low-paying menial job by day and compose poetical masterpieces by night. London is beginning to swing, but our hero is flat broke. The menial job proves elusive, with steady employment as hard to find as a room of his own.In a succession of more or less unsatisfactory digs, which include a bedsit, a barge, and a large paper bag, he attempts to stay warm, knuckle down, practise the Twist, plan those poetical masterpieces and improve his unsatisfactory warTrade ReviewA comic triumph, full of terrific jokes and brilliantly sustained setpieces. -- Ian Hamilton * London Review of Books *James’ wickedly funny jokes and jibes make you laugh out loud and feel warm to the man. No wonder women wanted to feed him greens, and men lend him money. * The Times *
£9.49
Hodder & Stoughton So Me
Book SynopsisSO good. SO funny. SO naughty. SO honest. The intimate and hilarious memoir of the country's favourite TV presenter comes to paperback.Trade ReviewA frank, funny and sometimes tortured autobiography * Andrew Billen, The Times *Honest and entertaining ... he uses his quick wit and humour to amuse the reader from start to finish * The Sun *Frank and funny * Mirror *A jaunty romp with oodles of humour * Hot Stars (OK) *A hugely engaging account of his life that is written with the same breezy bravura that he exhibits on telly ... There are points in the book when I found myself laughing out loud, and others when I was unusually moved ... Celebrity memoirs are rarely as genuine or as generously candid * Herald *
£10.44
Ebury Publishing To Hell And Back
Book SynopsisMeat Loaf''s bizarre and spectacular life story is scarcely credible. After surviving an abusive childhood, during which he was almost murdered by his alcoholic father, he starred in one of the biggest stage and film musicals ever, then went on to record the third best-selling album of all time.To Hell and Back is the true story of a man who ran away from a cruel home life at 17 and starred in the legendary Rocky Horror Picture Show before turning to rock ''n'' roll. His first album, Bat Out Of Hell, was considered so uncommercial by his first record label that they dropped him - only for it to go on to sell 20 million copies worldwide. He then spent the 1980s on the skids, with a severe drink and drugs problem and mounting money problems leading him to a nervous breakdown, before making a triumphant comeback with 1993''s album Bat Out Of Hell II and colossal hit single ''I''d Do Anything For Love''.This is an extraordinary story and a claTrade ReviewA highly entertaining biography * Record Collector *A rollicking good read * Uncut *
£11.69
Transworld Publishers Ltd Into the TaylorVerse
Book SynopsisFearlessly jump and fall into the world of Taylor Swift with this illustrated appreciation of her music by Swiftian Theory co-founder Satu Hämeenaho-Fox.This is the book for all Swifties of every era, and the perfect gift for the Taylor Swift fan in your life.Get ready to deep dive into the story of Taylor's life through her songwriting. Travel back to where it all began with her debut album Taylor Swift and journey through the eras, from the enchanting moments of Speak Now and 1989''s red-heart sunglasses, to the cosy cardigan''s of Folklore and bejewelled Midnights.Including the musical influences and personal experiences that helped make Taylor the mastermind and icon she is, this book celebrates the inimitable talent of one of the world's greatest songwriters, performers and cat lovers.Covering her groundbreaking tours, fiercely loyal fans and inspiring position as a businesswoman, discover how Taylor uses her signature themes of girlhood, heartbreak and female friendship to master her craft, and how her genius for poignant lyrics and planting secret clues has developed her music into a whole universe for Swifties to explore.Are you ready for it?
£13.49
Canongate Books Jerry Lee Lewis
Book SynopsisJerry Lee Lewis has lived an extraordinary life. He gave rock and roll its devil''s edge with hit records like ''Great Balls of Fire''. His incendiary shows caused riots and boycotts. He ran a decade-long marathon of drugs, drinking, and women, and married his thirteen-year-old second cousin, the third of seven wives. He also nearly met his maker, at least twice. He survived it all to be hailed as one of the greatest music icons. For the very first time, he reveals the truth behind the Last Man Standing of the rock-and-roll era.Trade ReviewThere's plenty of richness in Rick Bragg's retelling of the Killer's life . . . Hits all the legendary moments, both high and low . . . Worth reading -- STEPHEN KINGRick Bragg's biography of Jerry Lee Lewis really is the business. The words on the page perfectly match the music and the man -- RODDY DOYLE * * author of PADDY CLARKE HA HA HA * *I loved every amphetamine-laced, whiskey-soaked, gun-shot page of it . . .This thing moves. It rocks -- ANN PATCHETTNo one in rock and roll has ever made music and lived life with the ferocity of Jerry Lee Lewis, and no writer is better suited than Rick Bragg to tell Lewis's story. The result is a biography with the memorable language and narrative drive we expect only from the finest novels. Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story is the best book on rock and roll I have ever read -- RON RASHJerry Lee Lewis is a fascinating guy, a really opinion-splitting kinda legend, and this is his autobiography -- NOEL FIELDING, My Life in Suitcase - Five Touring Essentials * * NME * *The paradox of a man defining himself through his faith while leading a far from virtuous life, drives Rick Bragg's exhaustive biography . . . There's vernacular lyricism to the way Bragg paints the key moments in Lewis's life . . . Bragg's fascination for Jerry Lee Lewis wins through, and his shining a light on the eternal dichotomy between sin and salvation makes for a fascinating, distinctly American story . . . Rick Bragg's pacey, extensively researched biography draws a portrait of a bullish man doing all the things he believes God will forgive him for, repenting, and doing them all over again * * The Times * *As an intimate portrait of the original rock 'n' roll wild child, it's probably the closest look that we will ever have of one of pop music's greatest talents and most mysterious enigmas * * Record Collector * *Hell-raising takes centre stage * * GQ * *Beautifully written * * Mail on Sunday * *[Bragg] tells the full story of a long and extraordinary life with critical honesty, describing the triumphs, disasters and scandals, the women, the drink and drugs * * Daily Express * *Like Byron, he seems mad, bad and dangerous to know, but his art at least reflects him truthfully * * Independent * *Absorbing . . . a thumpingly good yarn . . . thrillingly readable * * Daily Mail * *Bragg's book really soars . . . a compelling read -- George Byrne * * Irish Independent * *Compelling . . . Bragg's book really soars . . . gives us a sense of the vastly differing sides of the man * * Belfast Telegraph * *Excellent . . . just the sort of weighty tome you'd hope Elvis would have got around to by now * * Sunday Express * *Great insight: Bragg understands the God-fearing Southern man's push-pull of good and evil, the mutually-exclusive-for-Lewis need for rock 'n' roll and redemption and the resulting emotional turmoil that ultimately defines him * * Mojo * *Attempting a biography of rock 'n' roll's most notorious figure is no mean task, but Pultizer Prize-winner Rick Bragg has done an admirable job, aided by Jerry Lee-Lewis himself . . . a fascinating account of a wild, wild talent * * Classic Rock * *This is epic Southern storytelling at its most gripping * * Chicago Tribune * *This is Lewis' version of his own story, filtered through Bragg's gift for language and his feel for the South . . . His Own Story casts one of rock n' roll's outlandish lives in a new light, giving Lewis the voice in words he always had in the notes that came from the ivory keys * * USA Today, 4 star review * *Irresistible * * Wall Street Journal * *Bragg's account does not pull punches, nor does it need to. Bragg successfully grasps the meaning of Jerry Lee Lewis and the music he begat * * All About Jazz * *There are reams of books out there about the Killer, but this is the one you want. In it, Rick Bragg tells the warts-and-all story of a troubled man, part saint, part sinner, who helped change the world * * Loud and Quiet Magazine * *
£13.49
Orion Publishing Co Master of Me
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd Really
Book SynopsisJEREMY CLARKSON''S LATEST - AND MOST OUTRAGEOUS - TAKE ON THE WORLDCLARKSON''S BACK - AND THIS TIME HE''S PUTTING HIS FOOT DOWNFrom his first job as a travelling sales rep selling Paddington Bears to his latest wheeze as a gentleman farmer, Jeremy Clarkson''s love of cars has just about kept him out of trouble.But in a persistently infuriating world, sometimes you have to race full-throttle at the speed-bumps.Because there''s still plenty to get cross about, including: Why nothing good ever came out of a meeting Muesli''s unmentionable side effects Navigating London when every single road is being dug up at once People who read online reviews of dishwashers ****ing driverless carsBuckle up for a bumpy ride - you''re holding the only book in history to require seatbelts . . .Praise for Jeremy Clarkson: Brilliant . . . Laugh-out-loud'' Daily TelegraphTrade ReviewPraise for Clarkson: * - *Brilliant...laugh-out-loud * Daily Telegraph *Outrageously funny...will have you in stitches * Time Out *Very funny...I cracked up laughing on the tube * Evening Standard *
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd Dont Laugh Itll Only Encourage Her
Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLERDiscover the hilarious memoir written by the most relatable woman in the world - Daisy May Cooper, creator and star of BBC''s award-winning comedy This Country''Thank goodness for gloriously silly Daisy May Cooper. Joyful, irreverent and totally uplifting'' THE TIMES''Hilarious. A riot from start to finish'' DAILY EXPRESS''Bloody brilliant, like the woman herself'' HEAT______I''ve always had an over-active imagination and felt the urge to be a massive f**king show-off so acting seemed like the obvious choice of career. There was never anything else I wanted to do more. But fulfilling my ambition wasn''t going to be easy . . .I grew up battling rural poverty which was a struggle enough but my family were completely insane to boot. Together with my brother Charlie, I staggered my way through adolescence from one drama to the next until finally, afTrade ReviewBrilliant. A joy and a delight - I laughed out loud! An absolute cracker -- Zoe BallHilarious, brutally honest and very entertaining. Bloody brilliant, like the woman herself * Heat *She writes very well on the humiliations of poverty, without losing her sense of humour . . . It's a riot from start to finish * Sunday Express *Cooper is casual and caustic as she looks at the bright side and the darker underbelly of showbiz * The Times *This book proves it's absurd for anybody to think they know more about being funny than Daisy May Cooper. A riot from start to finish * Daily Mirror *Hilarious. A riot from start to finish * Daily Express *Perfect for anyone who loved This Country or wants to learn about how Cooper got her break in comedy * Funny Women *Memoirs are often described as 'honest' but it's rare that someone would write as honestly as Cooper * Funny Women *The funniest book of the year * Sunday Express *Hilarious * Sun *Hilarious * Daily Star *Hilarous * YOU Magazine *Thank goodness for the gloriously silly Daisy May Cooper. Joyful, irreverent and totally uplifting * The Times *The lockdown comedy queen * The Guardian *
£11.69
Orion Publishing Co The Fleet Street Girls
Book SynopsisThe Fleet Street Girls is the inspiring and evocative story of the female journalists who broke down barriers in the 1970s and 1980s as women moved up the ranks in Fleet Street for the first time. When Julie Welch called in her first ever football report at the Observer, an entire room of men fell silent. Heart in her mouth, Julie waited for the voice on the other end of the line to declare it passable. She''d done it. She was the first ever female football reporter. In The Fleet Street Girls, Julie looks back at the steps that led to that moment, from the National Union of Journalists nearly calling a strike when she dared to write an article as a mere secretary (despite allowing men who weren''t journalists to write for the same pages), and many other battles in between. Julie also shines a light on the other trail-blazing women who were climbing the ladder against all odds, from Lynn Barber (of An Education fame) to Wendy HolTrade ReviewEvery woman who's sought a career in journalism owes a debt to pioneers like Julie Welch. She evokes the golden age of print journalism in the the 60s and 70s, but the women journalists' struggle for acceptance - let alone equality - are a salutary reminder of how things used to be. Their stories are as relevant now as they were then - and a generation of female writers will be very grateful for the battles Julie and her colleagues fought before them. * Victoria Derbyshire *Brilliant * Lorraine Kelly *This book made me almost weep with nostalgia -- Lynn Barber * THE SPECTATOR *In 1973, Julie Welch became the first female newspaper sports reporter on Fleet Street. It was an amazing achievement and her account of how she managed it reads like a Jilly Cooper novel ... Interspersed with her recollections are those of other 'Fleet Street Girls', the women who joined newspapers in the 1960s and 1970s, mainly to boost the features side. Their memories make interesting reading ... Many of them clearly feel nostalgia for this colourful, freewheeling era, which was hardworking, hard-drinking and full of esprit de press corps. Wandering hands notwithstanding, it sounds like good fun ... Her story is original, dramatic and brave -- Wendy Holden * LITERARY REVIEW *Eye-opening ... Welch's book is imbued with nostalgia for a time in her life that was, while difficult, also fun. The Fleet Street Girls is as much an obituary for the "glory days of print"as it is a story of pioneering women ... Welch writes with style, and her journey to acceptance in a man's world makes for fascinating reading -- Lucy Knight * THE SUNDAY TIMES *Fleet Street Girls recounts the stories of the trailblazing women journalists of the 1970s and 1980s, whose fight to be taken seriously by the then all-male Fleet Street club both thrilled and nearly killed them ... eye-opening and highly enjoyable ... the stories are wittily told, if sometimes mouth-claspingly horrifying ... I found this story of women kicking dusty, idiotic old prejudices to one side (while getting the better of the tweedy old fools that perpetuated them) as cheering as it was galvanising -- Lucy Davies * DAILY TELEGRAPH *The Fleet Street Girls is both a witty love letter to a vanished era when typewriters clacked long into the night and the filing of copy was punctuated by reviving trips to El Vino's wine bar, and an honest picture of an era when women writers struggled to be taken seriously -- Sarah Hughes * THE OBSERVER *A funny and revealing look at the trail-blazing women - including the author - who stormed the citadels of journalistic malechauvinism in the Sixties and Seventies * CHOICE magazine *Welsh's long-awaited book covers not only her time as the first lady of football for The Observer but also tells the storyof other female Fleet Street pioneers * i paper *Entertaining ... Fleet Street Girls is full of gorgeous details about the newsroom paraphernalia of old. The overflowing ashtrays and huge typewriters on which copy was bashed out in carbon triplicate before being stuffed into tubes and sent to the machine room via overhead wires. The vicious metal spike on which unwanted copy was "stabbed to death" * THE HERALD (Glasgow) *Fascinating -- Liz Nice * EASTERN DAILY PRESS *A celebration of Fleet Street, "that unstoppable, life-consuming news factory", which, with the "subterranean rumble" of its printing presses and the clamour of its many pubs ... Welch captures the thrill and camaraderie among the "dystopian clutter" of the newsroom ... Humorous nostalgia is intercut with pungent reminders, however, of the sexist culture then prevalent in newspapers -- Ann Kennedy Smith * TLS *Terrific -- Aidan Smith * Scotland on Sunday *
£9.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Dare to Tri
Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE TELEGRAPH SPORTS HEALTH & FITNESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2019RUNNING AWARDS 2019 TOP BOOKDare to Tri is the amazing story of TV presenter Louise Minchin's journey from the BBC Breakfast sofa to representing Great Britain at the World Triathlon Championships. ''I didn't even know what a triathlon was before 2012 When I took up the sport three years ago I didn't imagine for a second then, that, one day, I would be able to represent my country internationally.'' - Louise MinchinWhat started out as a fun television cycling stunt culminated in BBC Breakfast's Louise Minchin wearing the colours of Great Britain at the World Triathlon Championships in her age group. This is the story of how a newly discovered sport became a passion and then an obsession.Dare to Tri is Louise's candid memoir of her incredible journey, recounting her rediscovery of competitive sport after nearly 30 years and her first tentative steps Trade ReviewA rousing story of how the BBC Breakfast presenter transformed herself into an international athlete... absolutely superb… inspirational read. -- Matthew SyedEnthralling * Sunday Mirror *Louise’s amazing journey to becoming a triathlete encourages us all to be a little more adventurous. * Dame Darcey Bussell *Louise Minchin has been leading a double life… * Sunday Express *Thoroughly engaging … a book likely to appeal to a very broad audience … this is not a celebrity biography, it’s a genuine sports book … compelling * Bristol Post *Table of ContentsForeword by Dame Darcey Bussell Introduction 1. The Start of the Adventure 2. Some of the Gear, No Idea 3. No Nudity 4. My First Triathalon 5. Kill or Cure 6. Portaloos and Tantrums 7. Demoralised and Destabilised 8. Represent Great Britain? Seriously? 9. Marginal Gains 10. Cold, Tired But Determined 11. Learning and Improving 12. The Thrill of the Race 13. Doubling the Distance 14. Conquering the Demons 15. A Triathlete's Kit 16. If You Fall, Get Back Up Again 17. Swimming like a Shark 18. Let the World Championships Begin 19. A Dream Fulfilled? 20. Food, Drink and Bonking 21. Don't Give Up. Keep Trying 22. Too Late to Back Out 23. How Not to Run a Marathon 24. Juggling 25. Relay: The Best Way 26. Being Competitive 27. Butterflies and Stage Fright 28. Team Minchin 29. The Perfect Training Partner 30. Pushing Yourself 31. The End of the Adventure 32. The End of the Adventure. Well, Not Quite... The Finish Line Useful Resources Records Acknowledgements
£12.34
Orion Publishing Co Paper Cuts
Book Synopsis''A great writer'' ''A music journalist of integrity'' ''There''s only one Ted Kessler!''Paul Weller Billy Childish 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''. 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 Weller
£10.44
Pan Macmillan Look Again: The Autobiography
Book SynopsisEye-opening and candid, David Bailey's Look Again is a fantastically entertaining memoir by a true icon.'Rollicking . . . with roguish tales as vivid as his era-defining photos' – Daily Mail'Brilliant' – TelegraphDavid Bailey burst onto the scene in 1960 with his revolutionary photographs for Vogue. Discarding the rigid rules of a previous generation of portrait and fashion photographers, he channelled the energy of London's newly informal street culture into his work. Funny, brutally honest and ferociously talented, he became as famous as his subjects. Now in his eighties, he looks back on an outrageously eventful life. Born into an East End family, his dyslexia saw him written off as stupid at school. He hit a low point working as a debt collector until he discovered a passion for photography that would change everything. The working-class boy became an influential artist. Along the way he became friends with Mick Jagger, hung out with the Krays, got into bed with Andy Warhol and made the Queen laugh.His love-life was never dull. He propelled girlfriend Jean Shrimpton to stardom, while her angry father threatened to shoot him. He married Catherine Deneuve a month after meeting her. Penelope Tree’s mother was unimpressed when he turned up on her doorstep. ‘It could be worse, I could be a Rolling Stone,’ Bailey told her. He went on to marry Marie Helvin and then Catherine Dyer, with whom he has three children. He is also a film and documentary director, has shot numerous commercials and has never stopped working. A born storyteller, his autobiography is a memorable romp through an extraordinary career.Trade ReviewHe's the legend who WAS the 1960s . . . with roguish tales as vivid as his era-defining photos * Daily Mail *His name is synonymous with beauty, fashion and sex . . . a joyously un-PC memoir * Mail on Sunday *A raw and surprising memoir * Observer *Brilliant -- Lynn Barber * Telegraph *Very readable and entertaining. Bailey was important * Spectator *A rollicking rake's progress . . . and a vivid document of several lost Londons * Esquire *
£17.00
Ebury Publishing Face the Music
Book SynopsisThe intimate and uplifting memoir from one of Britain''s most loved singers - this is Alfie, off stage.Bringing his characteristic sense of cheeky humour to the page, in this heartfelt book Alfie describes for the first time the highs and lows of over a decade singing and performing across the world. From personal dinners with Queen Elizabeth II and following in the steps of King of Rock ''n'' Roll Elvis in Vegas to mischievous antics with Michael Ball, Alfie''s book takes us backstage to witness his brilliant career memories.But this book is also a heartfelt insight to Alfie''s unmasked truth for the first time ever. His unflinching honesty reveals not only the success stories, but also the pressures and how, through challenging times, he learned more about himself than he ever thought possible.Laying bare the events that have shaped Alfie into the performer he is today, Face the Music demonstrates to us all that it''s not our mistakes that def
£10.99
Ebury Publishing Let the Light In
Book SynopsisThe instant Sunday Times bestseller'Life is what you make it, nothing is for freeStand up and be counted, and be who you want to be''Let The Light In' Jane McDonaldJane was planning a golden retirement with her beloved partner Ed, when a shocking cancer diagnosis changed everything. Ed was terminally ill. Jane nursed him at home until the end, on her own, with the UK in lockdown. At first she was overwhelmed, but slowly gathered strength from caring for her loved one, and now sees that it was a privilege to be there for him. 'Let The Light In', a song Jane wrote over twenty years ago during another dark time, points the way to finding a new kind of joy out of sorrow. It's a philosophy Jane has always lived by and, in this deeply personal book exploring the same themes, she reveals the lessons she's learned that have helped her grow, adapt and rise up through adversity. She looks back with candour and honesty on her experiences of heartbreak and loss, failure and burn-out. Cherishing the ring of support around her, taking the odd duvet day and keeping a sense of humour throughout, she grew stronger through each challenge, building resilience, trusting her gut, going for her goals. Read on and let Jane McDonald's fabulous light into your own life.
£10.99
Atria/One Signal Publishers Life After Ambition
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£20.48
Scratching Shed Publishing Ltd Revelations of a TV Director
Book SynopsisRoyston Mayoh was one of the biggest names in British television production. In a career spanning seven decades, he went from sweeping the studio floor at ABC TV to being responsible for such household names as Opportunity Knocks, This Is Your Life and The Kenny Everett Video Show. His memoirs are a treat for any TV aficionado.
£13.99
Simon & Schuster Australia Average at Best
Book Synopsistbc
£11.69
Cornerstone Around the World in Cut-Outs
Book SynopsisSee the world differently...'Paperboyo sees things other people don’t see, in places they wouldn’t dream to look … He’s ace!' – Rankin, British portrait and fashion photographer'Fabulous little book' – Daily MailAround the World in Cut Outs is a bright, fun and beautiful collection of the talents of the Instagram star, Rich McCor or Paperboyo as he is better known. Setting out one day to photograph the world around him a little differently, Rich's playful vignettes have taken the Internet by storm as he totally transforms familiar landmarks into works of art, simply by cutting out paper. In this stunning collection, including exclusive specially commissioned images, Rich takes us on a globe-trotting tour as he makes the familiar world his playground, taking the sites we know and love and injecting a bit of fun into the everyday.Features exclusive specially commissioned unseen images, behind-the-scenes photographs and interactive cut-outs to explore yourself!Trade ReviewPaperboyo’s canvas is the world all around us… he sees things other people don’t see, in places they wouldn’t dream to look. He gives new meaning and poignancy to those places. Not to mention bucket loads of humour. He’s ace! * British portrait and fashion photographer, Rankin *Stunning * London Evening Standard *The boyo did good! * Kai Wong, Photography Vlogger * Turns the familiar and conventional into the quirky and fun ... [a] fabulous little book * Daily Mail *Fabulous photos * Emma Barnett, Radio 5 Live *
£11.69
