Individual actors Books

Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER* - MILLIONS OF COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDEGloriously bonkers - Guardian, Best Autobiographies and Memoirs of 2020A rollicking, contemplative trip - Financial TimesFrom the Academy Award-winning actor, an unconventional memoir filled with raucous stories, outlaw wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction.I''ve been in this life for fifty years, been trying to work out its riddle for forty-two, and been keeping diaries of clues to that riddle for the last thirty-five. Notes about successes and failures, joys and sorrows, things that made me marvel, and things that made me laugh out loud. How to be fair. How to have less stress. How to have fun. How to hurt people less. How to get hurt less. How to be a good man. How to have meaning in life. How to be more me.Recently, I worked up the courage to sit down with those diaries. I found stories I experienced, lessons I learned and forgot, poems, prayers, prescriptions, beliefs about what matters, some great photographs, and a whole bunch of bumper stickers. I found a reliable theme, an approach to living that gave me more satisfaction, at the time, and still: If you know how, and when, to deal with life''s challenges - how to get relative with the inevitable - you can enjoy a state of success I call ''catching greenlights.''So I took a one-way ticket to the desert and wrote this book: an album, a record, a story of my life so far. This is fifty years of my sights and seens, felts and figured-outs, cools and shamefuls. Graces, truths, and beauties of brutality. Getting away withs, getting caughts, and getting wets while trying to dance between the raindrops.Hopefully, it''s medicine that tastes good, a couple of aspirin instead of the infirmary, a spaceship to Mars without needing your pilot''s license, going to church without having to be born again, and laughing through the tears.It''s a love letter. To life.It''s also a guide to catching more greenlights-and to realising that the yellows and reds eventually turn green too.Good luck.*March 2020Trade ReviewUnflinchingly honest and remarkably candid, Matthew McConaughey's book invites us to grapple with the lessons of his life as he did - and to see that the point was never to win, but to understand. * Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck *McConaughey is a talented actor and a fine writer, but a total genius at living. He attacks life with an exhilarating ferocity. This is a wildly unexpected and delightful book you can't just read, you have to experience. * Lawrence Wright, author of The End of October *It shouldn't surprise you that this book is good, but it will surprise you just how good it is. Wise and entertaining, this is an inspiring memoir and how-to from one of the great outlaw philosophers and artists of our time. * Ryan Holiday, author of The Daily Stoic *A Renaissance man on the big screen, McConaughey shows he is the same on the page. Mystical and spiritual but mostly just wonderful, Greenlights is an inspired memoir that celebrates the idea that it's the journey rather than the destination that will fulfill us. * Michael Connelly, author of Fair Warning *Written with great intensity and rare candor, Greenlights is a whirlwind of wisdom that's as singular and fervent as its author. Read the book, experience the behind-the-scenes adventures, then pursue your own greenlights full throttle. * Shaka Smart, head coach, men’s basketball, The University of Texas at Austin *Greenlights is many different books at once: an entertaining autobiography, a delightful adventure story, a very funny comedy, a wise self-help guide, an inspiring argument for love and family, and a candid tale of spiritual and personal discovery. I cannot recommend it highly enough. * John Mackey, co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods Market, co-author of Conscious Leadership *A brilliant memoir that lays bare everything * The Times *A rollicking, contemplative trip * Financial Times *Greenlights is not a memoir, though it tells true stories from his life in chronological order. Nor is it 'an advice book'. It is 'an approach book', bringing together McConaughey's insights from 35 years of writing journals, and more of collecting bumper stickers. * Guardian *Mixing philosophy, 'teachable moments', self-help and Kerouac-inspired memoir, [Greenlights] takes in his remarkable career, finding love and stardom. * Sunday Independent *The Hollywood Star interprets himself. There is derring-do, dope, mayhem and mishaps. * The Times - The Perfect Audiobooks for Lockdown *Enjoyably quirky * Hello! *Gloriously bonkers * Guardian - Best Autobiographies and Memoirs of 2020 *a wild ride through his memories * Evening Standard *His not-quite-memoir offers a smörgåsbord of life lessons, anecdotes . . . It would be hard to finish the book and not warm to its author. * The Observer *

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Book SynopsisA heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life. Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, “Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn’t tint hers?” She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income. In I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly, she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“Hi Gale!”), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants. Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I’m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.Trade Review“[A] layered account of a woman reckoning with love and violence at once…[Not] a flippant exposé of childhood stardom, nor an angry diatribe directed at an abuser. This complexity is what makes I’m Glad My Mom Died feel real…Some supposed literary types will think the immense popularity of I’m Glad My Mom Died—the hardcover initially sold out at many major bookstores—is merely the result of McCurdy’s former stardom and modern culture’s thirst for a sensational take. With its bold headline and bright cover featuring a smirking McCurdy holding a pink urn, the book feels deliberately marketed for virality, perfect for sharing on the internet and catching the eye of bookstore browsers. I’ve mentioned the title of this memoir to some people who have dismissed it out of hand, remarking that being glad one’s parent is dead is crude and a sentiment that should be kept to oneself. But those people haven’t read the book. McCurdy takes her time to remember difficult and complex moments of her life, staying true to her younger self while ultimately trying to come to terms with who she is as an independent adult. It’s a triumph of the confessional genre.”—Nina Li Coomes, The Atlantic “Not many people rise to her level of fame or are so deeply abused, but McCurdy’s narrative will feel familiar to anyone who has navigated poverty and trauma. Taking advantage of the store discount at your dad’s retail job, tuning out screaming matches between parents, avoiding calls from debt collectors … this is what childhood is like for millions of Americans. Like many, I recognized myself in her words.”—Sabrina Cartan, Slate “Unflinching…This year’s most candid book…I'm Glad My Mom Died made me laugh; it made me cry. It's such a funny, dark, moving, honest, real, uncensored book, and it's unlike anything I've ever read.”—Mary Elizabeth Williams, Salon “[The] number-one New York Times-bestselling memoir that has also achieved pop-cultural phenomenon status…I'm Glad My Mom Died is more than source material for a deluge of headlines about Grande and the slimy advances of a Nickelodeon svengali McCurdy calls simply ‘The Creator.’ McCurdy distinguishes herself from standard-issue celebrity memoir fare with a vivid, biting, darkly comic tone and an immersive present tense.”—Michelle Ruiz, Vogue “For McCurdy, this book isn't just her writing debut. It's a reckoning with guilt and grief after her mother's premature death. It's healing from multiple eating disorders and processing decades of trauma. It's finally doing what she wants for the first time: not acting. Writing…Healing from trauma looks different for everyone: For McCurdy, writing this memoir symbolized empowerment over her narrative. And understanding that it's OK not to forgive her late mother provided her peace.”—Jenna Ryu, USA Today “Judging simply by the shocking title of Jennette McCurdy’s debut memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died, you may think the book is a no-holds-barred, scathing takedown of her mother and everyone else who perpetuated the horrifying upbringing that the former iCarly star endured, but you’d be wrong. McCurdy’s book is certainly revealing, describing the abuse she endured from her mother, who pushed her into acting at age 6, then guided her directly into an eating disorder and much worse until her death in 2013. But beyond that, it’s a measured, heartbreakingly poignant, and often laugh-out-loud-funny memoir with McCurdy showing more sympathy for her complicated mother than most people could even imagine mustering. However, what is perhaps most important about her memoir, which is smart, well-written, and powerful, is just how much hope and help it will surely provide to those suffering similar abuses right now.”—Scott Neumyer, Shondaland “The new memoir from former child star Jennette McCurdy has an attention-grabbing title: I’m Glad My Mom Died. Over the course of the book, McCurdy, who built her name on Nickelodeon’s iCarly and Sam and Cat, more than makes her case, detailing years of her mother’s mental and physical abuse. The result is a detailed look at a very specific and individual childhood of horrors, but it also points to a major systemic problem. I’m Glad My Mom Died doubles as a damning indictment of the child star system…She paints a vivid picture of child stardom as a system in which children find themselves turned into walking piles of other people’s cash, and summarily dismantled when they lose their value. It’s damning both for the horrors she experienced as an individual and the systemic failures to which her story points.”—Constance Grady, Vox “McCurdy’s book must be written by someone. Why? It must be done because there is someone out there right now who truly believes that life will never be any different. They truly believe that they will live under their parent’s thumb, never have the life they wanted, not trust their own agency, their own minds, and people like Jennette exist to tell them: You are not wrong, you can trust yourself. You can do this too.”—Erin Taylor, Observer “A stunning memoir…[McCurdy] reveals herself to be a stingingly funny and insightful writer, capable of great empathy and a brutal punchline. It’s a document not just of all she’s endured, but also of the wisdom she accrued along the way.”—Sam Lansky, Time “A coming-of-age story that is alternately harrowing and mordantly funny.”—Dave Itzkoff, The New York Times “[A] magnum opus…sharply funny and empathetic.”—Ashley Spencer, The Washington Post “McCurdy strips away the candy-coated facade of her sitcom experiences.”—Vanity Fair “[The] US summer publishing sensation that—in short, punchy sentences delivered with a high level of self-perception—could transform the trauma memoir business…[T]he book, and the reception it has received, could return the focus of the trauma narratives to the mother and create new demand for mother-daughter accounts.”—Edward Helmore, The Guardian “[An] explosive debut…insightful and incisive, heartbreaking and raw, McCurdy’s narrative reveals a strong woman who triumphs over unimaginable pressure to emerge whole on the other side. Fans will be rapt.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “McCurdy asks readers a question: When and how does one rid oneself of the cage created by others and walk freely? Her stunning debut offers fierce honesty, empathy for those that contributed to her grief, and insights into the hard-fought attachments and detachments of growing older.”—Booklist (starred review) “Delivered with captivating candor and grace.”—Kirkus (starred review) “Jennette McCurdy is the queen of lemonade from lemons, using her trauma to weave a painfully funny story that also illuminates the commodification of teenage girls in America. An important cultural document just as much as a searingly personal one.”—Lena Dunham “Jennette’s road to finding herself—removed from the expectations of her mother—is impressively funny. She fuses nuanced relationships, complex grief, religious whiplash and Hollywood trauma into a bold story with a specific comedic voice.”—Jerrod Carmichael “How can a book be so sad and also so funny? It's an art, and Jennette McCurdy has mastered it here. I’m Glad My Mom Died is hysterical and heartbreaking and fascinating all at the same time.”—Jenny Lawson, New York Times bestselling author of Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things and Broken (in the Best Possible Way) “I'm Glad My Mom Died is furious, sad, brave, knowing, honest, heart-wrenching, and utterly compelling. McCurdy writes with a keen insight and startling compassion. Whether showing how dysfunction can seem normal to those most affected, the torture of eating disorders, or the mindfuck that is child stardom, McCurdy brings readers deep into the milieu so often hidden from outsiders. This is a beautifully crafted coming-of-age story as fearless as its author.” —Lauren Hough, New York Times bestselling author of Leaving Isn’t the Hardest Thing “Jennette McCurdy’s book is a coruscating picture of her life as a child actor, devastatingly honest and with great understanding of the psychology and emotions operating at a deep level. It’s a riveting read, entertaining and very touching.”—Hayley Mills, New York Times bestselling author of Forever Young “Jennette’s career as an actor was simply a character in a much more important story. She is a natural writer with a wonderful sense of humor. Her story is heartbreaking with a nice balance of hopeful. I could not put this book down.”—Laraine Newman, original cast member of Saturday Night Live and author of May You Live in Interesting Times

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Book Synopsis''We come for the glitter, but instead we get the grit, in stories told with insight, tenderness and joy.'' - Russell T DaviesWith a foreword by Steph McGovern''I never thought I''d write a memoir. I never thought I''d do a lot of the things I have done in my thirty-four years, but life has a wonderful way of surprising us.''Well-known as the winner of the third series of The Great British Bake Off and runner up of Strictly Come Dancing with his same-sex dance partner Johannes Radebe, John Whaite''s personal story is a complicated narrative of contradictions, highs and lows, told with tenderness, joy, insight and wit, but also unflinching honesty.A shy little boy from rural Lancashire, who was sacred to sleep alone and danced a little ''too gay'' at family weddings, he was also an unruly teen who shaved a checkerboard pattern into his hair and refused to conform.From childhood his life has revolved around food - his parent

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Book SynopsisFind solace in your outdoor space in this delightful horticultural journey with actress Caroline Quentin, as she draws on her life-long passion for gardening.Through the pages of this gift book, Caroline shows how much joy she gets from spending time in her garden, whether it be grappling with the best way to grow plants and vegetables, or raising seeds in her potting shed. Though she now has a large following on her Instagram account, @CQGardens, her attitude to gardening is the same as it has always been – expertise helps but is not essential. Gardening should be fun and enjoyable, filled with the simple pleasures of planning, planting, harvesting and cooking. It is also a meditative and restorative pastime, and a great way to lift your spirits.Written in a warm and engaging way that reflects her personality, Caroline tells stories of growing chilliesTable of ContentsPreface A growing passion Seeds Memories Salad Wellbeing Veg & a bit of fruit My favourite recipes Pets & pests Childhood Herbs Fluttery, prickly & wriggly chums Water Scent Epilogue Index

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA WATERSTONES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR 2023A WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF 2022: ENTERTAINMENTA MAIL ON SUNDAYS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022Alan Rickman remains one of the most beloved actors of all time across almost every genre, from his breakout role as Die Hard's villainous Hans Gruber to his heart-wrenching run as Professor Severus Snape, and beyond. His air of dignity, his sonorous voice and the knowing wit he brought to each role continue to captivate new audiences today. But Rickman's artistry wasn't confined to just his performances. Rickman's writing details the extraordinary and the ordinary in a way that is anecdotal, indiscreet, witty, gossipy and utterly candid. He takes us behind the scenes on films and plays ranging from Sense & Sensibility, the Harry Potter series, Private Lives, My Name Is Rachel Corrie and many more.The diaries run from 1993 to his death in 2016 and offer insight into both a public and private life. Here is Rickman the consummate professional actor, but also the friend, the traveller, the fan, the director, the enthusiast: in short, the real Alan Rickman. Here is a life fully lived, all detailed in intimate and characteristically plain-spoken prose. Reading the diaries is like listening to Rickman chatting to a close friend. Madly, Deeply also includes a foreword by Emma Thompson and a selection of Rickman's early diaries, dating from 1974 to 1982, when his acting life first began.Trade ReviewMesmerising . . . Witty and debonair, caustic and fretful, for which some readers may like him less, others love him more. Madly, deeply and, better, truly he writes about what it is to be an actor * * Telegraph * *Fascinating . . . Mostly pithy, always frank * * The Times * *The star's thoughts reveal a man unwilling to suffer fools or mince his words - most of the time Alan Rickman's voice was a purr, but it masked sharp claws . . . I got the feeling he was wonderful company. These diaries confirm it -- Anthony Quinn * * Observer * *Insightful, moving and entertaining . . . The posthumously released diaries of Alan Rickman showcase both the late actor's self-doubt and savage film criticism -- The Guide 2022 * * Guardian * *His merciless verdicts on showbiz idiocy are tempered by a deep loyalty and humanity . . . So much of Rickman's character as it was preserved on screen cannot be captured in words - his unmistakable voice, his towering presence and charisma. But on the page, six years after his death, new parts of him can be found * * New Statesman * *Rickman's diaries reveal the frenetic lifestyle and frequent fretting of an actor at the height of his fame . . . Just when you think Rickman might be becoming insufferable, he has a knack of bursting the actorly bubble and saying something profound * * Guardian * *Astute and entertaining . . . [Rickman] offers a fascinating guide to life as an actor and what it's like to be at the centre of fame. One distinct thrill is reading Rickman's short, sharp film appraisals . . . These diaries are a reminder of a warm and witty man, one who could see the quirks of life and his own part in the absurd drama of existence * * Independent * *The reader gets a real sense of the rhythms of [Rickman's] working life. He is forever on the move. [. . . ] Fully, openly, joyfully - truly, madly and, yes, deeply - he put his energies into the present moment . . . For fans, these supplementary diaries are a pure delight from start to unforgivably early finish * * Times Literary Supplement * *Rickman belonged to that anointed group whose name alone would entice you to watch a film . . . His diaries look set to enthral us still * * Herald * *You feel he always wanted to do what was right, even if it was inconvenient to himself, and that is a rare character trait . . . There is true gold in [t]here * * i * *

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Book SynopsisA Rough Trade Book of the YearThe Sunday Times bestsellerThe much-anticipated first book from Black Sabbath bassist Geezer ButlerWith over 70 million records sold, heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath are one of the most influential bands of all time. From the very beginning, Geezer Butler was at the heart of their success. He named the group, provided the bass behind their distinctive sound and wrote the lyrics that resonated so powerfully with fans around the world.At long last, Geezer is ready to tell his side of the Sabbath story, from early days as a scrappy blues quartet through to the many lineup changes, the record-breaking tours and the international hell-raising with Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward.Featuring Geezer's candid reflections on his working-class childhood in Luftwaffe-battered Birmingham, his almost-life as an accountant and his fascination with horror, religion and the occult, Into the Void reveals the softer side of the heavy metal legend, while holding not

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Book SynopsisIn his own words is the candid, witty, and unvarnished story of the songs and shows, the hits and pans, the marriages and divorces, the ascents to the top of the charts and into the tabloid headlines.As one of only three musicians to sell over 100 million records both in a group and as a solo artist, Collins breathes rare air, but he has never lost his talent for crafting songs that touch listeners around the globe. This is the story of his epic career, from child actor to one of the most successful songwriters of the pop music era. A drummer since almost before he could walk, Collins received on-the-job training in the seedy, thrilling bars and clubs of 1960s swinging London before finally landing the drum seat in Genesis. Later he would step into the spotlight on vocals after the departure of Peter Gabriel, and compose the songs that would rocket him to international solo fame with the release of Face Value and 'In the Air Tonight'. Whether he's recalling jamming with Eric Clapton and Robert Plant, pulling together a big band fronted by Tony Bennett, playing twice at Live Aid, or writing the Oscar-winning music for Disney's smash-hit animated film Tarzan, Collins keeps it intimate and his storytelling gift never wavers.Trade ReviewA no-holds-barred autobiography which is a well written and emotive read * i *Honest, engaging * The Sun *Collins book is candid, amusing and revealing * Telegraph *Jaw-droppingly honest * Daily Mirror *Stunning… Not Dead Yet is far more than just a witty aside about being a surviving sixty something music legend. It’s a celebration. 9/10 * On Magazine *

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Book SynopsisVolume 1 makes available for the first time in English thirty-nine scenarios and two treatments. Each text is preceded by an introduction, providing an essential frame of reference to make these writings entirely accessible to the reader. While nearly all these texts belong to the post-war period, including the stories for major post-war classics, there are also seven pre-war raccontini, the narrative source of Zavattini's Modernist magical realism, several fictional interviews and faux reportage, tinged with irony aimed at Hollywood, complemented by several pre-war scenarios. The book also features scenarios for Luchino Visconti's Bellissima, Alessandro Blasetti's First Communion, De Sica's The Roof and texts encompassing Zavattini's ethnographic vision, from the redactions of Italia mia, interviews for Un paese, illustrated with Paul Strand's photographs, to the scenarios for investigative documentaries, including Why?, The Mysterie

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Book SynopsisA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERIn this collection of personal essays, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood reveals stories about life, love, and working as a woman in Hollywood, along with behind-the-scenes dispatches from the set of the new Gilmore Girls, where she plays the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore once again.In Talking As Fast As I Can, Lauren Graham hits pause for a moment and looks back on her life, sharing laugh-out-loud stories about growing up, starting out as an actress, and, years later, sitting in her trailer on the Parenthood set and asking herself, Did you, um, make it? She opens up about the challenges of being single in Hollywood (Strangers were worried about me; that''s how long I was single!), the time she was asked to audition her butt for a role, and her experience being a judge onProject Runway (It''s like I had a fashion-induced blackout).In What It Was Like, Part One, Graham sits down for an epic Gilmore Girls marathon and reflects on being cast as the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore. The essay What It Was Like, Part Two reveals how it felt to pick up the role again nine years later, and what doing so has meant to her.Some more things you will learn about Lauren: She once tried to go vegan just to bond with Ellen DeGeneres, she''s aware that meeting guys at awards shows has its pitfalls (If you''re meeting someone for the first time after three hours of hair, makeup, and styling, you''ve already set the bar too high), and she''s a card-carrying REI shopper (My bungee cords now earn points!).Including photos and excerpts from the diary Graham kept during the filming of the recent Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, this book is like a cozy night in, catching up with your best friend, laughing and swapping stories, and-of course-talking as fast as you can.Don''t miss Lauren Graham''s book of advice for graduates and reflections on staying true to yourself , IN CONCLUSION, DON''T WORRY ABOUT IT.

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Book SynopsisIt is a truth universally acknowledged that you will go from enemies to lovers...Meet Elizabeth Bennet. Otherwise known as Eden Blake the understudy in Liz and Darcy, the musical adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Eden has toiled away for years as a working actress in terrible commercials. While she's not guaranteed a spot on stage, this production is one step on the road to her dreams.Until Brennon Thorne, their new Mr Darcy, and all-round theatre god joins the next leg of their tour. Brennon can't hide his contempt for Eden and anyone who isn't a classically trained actor. And he doesn't care who knows it.But at least they don't need to spend that much time together.Until the actress playing Elizabeth drops out last minute and suddenly the spotlight is on Eden. Opposite Brennon. On stage. Every night. Which always ends with a kiss.Brennon's arrogance and disdain is almo

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Book SynopsisWhether you''re a Reputation stan or a Speak Now girlie, Shake It Up: Delicious cocktails inspired by the music of Taylor Swift is a must-have for Taylor Swift fans looking to unwind after a long day of Easter egg searching. Turn your favorite Taylor Swift songs into delicious cocktails with this collection of Swiftie-inspired recipes. Featuring 65 recipes alongside top tips for starting a home bar and stunning illustrations, this is a celebration of pop music''s finest songbook. Shake It Up is the perfect gift for the Swiftie in your life.Cocktails include: Lemon Drop on My Guitar Fiftini Bitter Than Revenge Be-Gin Again New Rum-antics King of My Bar Cart ME!jito The Last Great American Daiquiri Fizz The Damn Season Lavender Hazy And many more

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Book SynopsisA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA Daily Mail Book of the Year. A Mail on Sunday Book of the Year.Famed American actress Demi Moore at last tells her own story in a surprisingly intimate and emotionally charged memoir.For decades, Demi Moore has been synonymous with celebrity. From iconic film roles to high-profile relationships, Moore has never been far from the spotlight or the headlines.Even as Demi was becoming the highest paid actress in Hollywood, however, she was always outrunning her past, just one step ahead of the doubts and insecurities that defined her childhood. Throughout her rise to fame and during some of the most pivotal moments of her life, Demi battled addiction, body image issues, and childhood trauma that would follow her for years all while juggling a skyrocketing career and at times negative public perception. As her success grew, Demi found herself questioning if she belonged in Hollywood, if she was a good mother, a good actress and, always, if she was simply good enough.As much as her story is about adversity, it is also about tremendous resilience. In this deeply candid and reflective memoir, Demi pulls back the curtain and opens up about her career and personal life laying bare her tumultuous relationship with her mother, her marriages, her struggles balancing stardom with raising a family, and her journey toward open heartedness. Inside Out is a story of survival, success, and surrender a wrenchingly honest portrayal of one woman's at once ordinary and iconic life.

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Book SynopsisAs he films the final episode, actor David Suchet recalls his experience of playing Agatha Christie's world-famous detective, Hercule Poirot, for almost a quarter of a century.Trade ReviewThis is an excellent book about the psychopathology of an exceptional actor... -- Roger Lewis * Daily Mail *David Suchet writes with tremendous warmth and sincerity about his most famous alter ego... -- Paul Whitelaw * Metro *

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Book SynopsisThe comic genius of English writing takes on Hollywood, delusion, celebrity and last century's ultimate glamour couple

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Book SynopsisTHE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER''A mind-blowing and emotionally honest tale of survival against all odds.'' BERNARDINE EVARISTO''A breathtaking memoir...I was so moved by this book.'' Oprah''It is startlingly honest and, at times, a jaw-dropping read, charting her rise from poverty and abuse to becoming the first African-American to win the triple crown of an Oscar, Emmy and Tony for acting.'' BBC NewsTHE DEEPLY PERSONAL, BRUTALLY HONEST ACCOUNT OF VIOLA''S INSPIRING LIFEIn my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life changing decision to stop running forever.This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose and my strength, but also to finding my voice in a world that didn''t always see me.As I wrote Finding Me, my eyes were open to the truth

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Book SynopsisFrom the Academy Award-winning actor, an unconventional memoir filled with raucous stories, outlaw wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction.I''ve been in this life for fifty years, been trying to work out its riddle for forty-two, and been keeping diaries of clues to that riddle for the last thirty-five. Notes about successes and failures, joys and sorrows, things that made me marvel, and things that made me laugh out loud. How to be fair. How to have less stress. How to have fun. How to hurt people less. How to get hurt less. How to be a good man. How to have meaning in life. How to be more me.Recently, I worked up the courage to sit down with those diaries. I found stories I experienced, lessons I learned and forgot, poems, prayers, prescriptions, beliefs about what matters, some great photographs, and a whole bunch of bumper stickers. I found a reliable theme, an approach to living that gave me more satisfaction, at thTrade ReviewUnflinchingly honest and remarkably candid, Matthew McConaughey's book invites us to grapple with the lessons of his life as he did - and to see that the point was never to win, but to understand. * Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck *McConaughey is a talented actor and a fine writer, but a total genius at living. He attacks life with an exhilarating ferocity. This is a wildly unexpected and delightful book you can't just read, you have to experience. * Lawrence Wright, author of The End of October *It shouldn't surprise you that this book is good, but it will surprise you just how good it is. Wise and entertaining, this is an inspiring memoir and how-to from one of the great outlaw philosophers and artists of our time. * Ryan Holiday, author of The Daily Stoic *A Renaissance man on the big screen, McConaughey shows he is the same on the page. Mystical and spiritual but mostly just wonderful, Greenlights is an inspired memoir that celebrates the idea that it's the journey rather than the destination that will fulfill us. * Michael Connelly, author of Fair Warning *Written with great intensity and rare candor, Greenlights is a whirlwind of wisdom that's as singular and fervent as its author. Read the book, experience the behind-the-scenes adventures, then pursue your own greenlights full throttle. * Shaka Smart, head coach, men’s basketball, The University of Texas at Austin *Greenlights is many different books at once: an entertaining autobiography, a delightful adventure story, a very funny comedy, a wise self-help guide, an inspiring argument for love and family, and a candid tale of spiritual and personal discovery. I cannot recommend it highly enough. * John Mackey, co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods Market, co-author of Conscious Leadership *A brilliant memoir that lays bare everything * The Times *A rollicking, contemplative trip * Financial Times *Greenlights is not a memoir, though it tells true stories from his life in chronological order. Nor is it 'an advice book'. It is 'an approach book', bringing together McConaughey's insights from 35 years of writing journals, and more of collecting bumper stickers. * Guardian *Mixing philosophy, 'teachable moments', self-help and Kerouac-inspired memoir, [Greenlights] takes in his remarkable career, finding love and stardom. * Sunday Independent *The Hollywood Star interprets himself. There is derring-do, dope, mayhem and mishaps. * The Times - The Perfect Audiobooks for Lockdown *Enjoyably quirky * Hello! *Gloriously bonkers * Guardian - Best Autobiographies and Memoirs of 2020 *a wild ride through his memories * Evening Standard *His not-quite-memoir offers a smörgåsbord of life lessons, anecdotes . . . It would be hard to finish the book and not warm to its author. * The Observer *

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Book Synopsis''Kept me laughing my ass off'' Joanne McNally ''Delightful, complicated'' Jerry Seinfeld ''It's insane to me, that Sarah became famous for miming, when her own voice is so hilarious, unique and important! We should have been listening to her this whole time'' London Hughes Sarah Cooper is an expert in the business of being embarrassed.Whether it's in auditions, on dates, at work in the Google offices, or on the set of her very own Netflix special, she knows what it's like to feel a little bit foolish.From tech to comedy, marriage to divorce, Jamaica to Hollywood, Sarah's journey to stardom has not been the straightest road, and along the way she has perfected the fine art of trying, failing, giving up and then trying again.And what has she learnt? Periwinkle blue is NOT her color.In this hilariously messy collection of musings, Sarah Cooper looks back on a li

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Book SynopsisNow Brando looked at people with assurance, and with what can only be called a pitying expression, as though he dwelt in spheres of enlightenment where they, to his regret, did not.This mesmerizing profile of an insecure, vulnerable young Marlon Brando, brooding in a Kyoto hotel during a break from filming, is a peerless piece of journalism.Penguin Modern: fifty new books celebrating the pioneering spirit of the iconic Penguin Modern Classics series, with each one offering a concentrated hit of its contemporary, international flavour. Here are authors ranging from Kathy Acker to James Baldwin, Truman Capote to Stanislaw Lem and George Orwell to Shirley Jackson; essays radical and inspiring; poems moving and disturbing; stories surreal and fabulous; taking us from the deep South to modern Japan, New York''s underground scene to the farthest reaches of outer space.

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Book SynopsisIn his signature larger-than-life style, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Total Recall is a revealing self-portrait of his illustrious, controversial and truly unique life. Born in a small Austrian town in 1947, a year of famine, he was the son of an austere police chief. He dreamed of moving to America to become a bodybuilding champion and a movie star. By the age of 21, he was living in Los Angeles and had been crowned Mr Universe. Within five years, he had learned English and become the greatest bodybuilder in the world. Within ten years, he had earned his college degree and was a millionaire from his business enterprises in real estate, landscaping and bodybuilding. He was also the winner of a Golden Globe Award for his debut as a dramatic actor in Stay Hungry. But that was only the beginning. The Terminator spawned numerous sequels and made him one of Hollywood's biggest stars, as he had a series of hit films including Predator, Total Recall, True Lies and Twins. He married Maria Shriver, becoming part of the Kennedy clan, while going on to become the Republican governor of California, where he led the state through a budget crisis, natural disasters and political turmoil. It is the greatest immigrant success story of our time. His story is unique, and uniquely entertaining, and he tells it brilliantly in these pages. Until now, he has never told the full story of his life, in his own voice. Here is Arnold, with total recall.Trade Review'As brick solid as its author' * Independent on Sunday *'His accounts of the heady times of Terminator and Total Recall are indispensable for fans' * Sunday Times *'Fascinating behind-the-scenes trivia' * Sunday Express *'A classic reworking of the American dream' * Daily Express *'A kind of Literary Uzi 9mm' * Sunday Telegraph *'Schwarzenegger's autobiography is a lesson in the importance of knowing what you want' * Irish Times *'Schwarzenegger is extremely engaging company…a highly entertaining story teller' * Empire *'The revelations in its pages certainly pack a punch' * Hello *

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Book SynopsisBetween 2014 and 2016, Quarantine produced the first iteration of Summer. Autumn. Winter. Spring., an epic quartet comprising three live performances and one film. The full quartet premiered at the Old Granada Television Studios in Manchester in March/April 2016.This illustrated volume is both a case study of the work, and an investigation into the various themes surrounding it. At the heart of the work is the human life cycle and our relationship with time: the processes of living and dying, the experience of looking backwards and forwards, of being in the present, and of reflection on the stags of life. This volume collects together a range of artists, producers and thinkers who have significant things to say about these important themes.Table of ContentsPreface Richard Gregory and Renny O’Shea 1 An interview with Simon Banham, Richard Gregory and Renny O’Shea, part oneCristina Delgado-GarcíaSummer. 2 An interview with Simon Banham, Richard Gregory and Renny O’Shea, part twoCristina Delgado-García 3 A programme note from Summer. Cristina Delgado-García 4 Awkwardly placed: repeating scenographies Simon Banham 5 Living things: material entanglements in Quarantine’s Summer. Joslin McKinney 6 Underscoring Summer.Michael BaldwinAutumn.7 An interview with Simon Banham, Richard Gregory and Renny O’Shea, part three Cristina Delgado-García 8 Looking back with regret Carolyn Price 9 as at 5th Jan 2016, 2.30pm Sonia Hughes 10 Entitled drinking in a changing world Biray Kolluoglu and Zafer Yenal 11 Turning into darkness Martin Elfert Winter.12 An interview with Simon Banham, Richard Gregory and Renny O’Shea, part four Cristina Delgado-García 13 Illness, suffering, death: a philosophical conversation between Michael Brady and Havi Carel Michael Brady and Havi Carel 14 Winter. A Reflection Rachel Davies 15 Sharing in Winter.: film, participatory practice and the art of dying Michele Aaron 16 Processing Winter. Sarah Hunter and Lisa Mattocks Spring.17 An interview with Simon Banham, Richard Gregory and Renny O’Shea, part five Cristina Delgado-García 18 Wu Jin: recipes for jam and survival Rania Ho 19 Worry and hope among future parents Travis Rieder 20 From hope to care: some reflections on hope in a post hope world Mary Zournazi 21 Gloria Leentje Van de Cruys List of contributors

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Book SynopsisMichael Caine is the best-loved film actor Britain has ever produced. This title reveals the truth about his childhood, his family and his hard-fought journey from London to Hollywood, presenting the lean years and the triumphs.Trade ReviewWritten with just the right mix of warmth and candour, and in a prose style that is the literary equivalent of his easy-going, up-front persona, this is hugely enjoyable. A super book that informs as much as it entertains * Sunday Express *It has taken two decades to get a man back on the Moon, and the man is Michael Caine. Niven's influence as a writer runs rights through it...some genuinely vintage laughs * Sunday Times *Caine gives his public value for money, covering his whole life with David Nivenish charm * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisThe first book to tell the story of the Great British comedy double act – from Morecambe and Wise to Mitchell and Webb

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Book Synopsis'A gorgeously candid account of acting and show business. And an intimate and heartfelt story of love, loss and a life spent together. It is an honour to be invited in on these diaries. I cannot remember being so moved by a book' Dolly Alderton 'Fascinating, funny and heart wrenching' Dame Julie Walters'An emotional rollercoaster - profoundly moving and wonderfully entertaining. A brilliant memoir about living, loving and losing' Bernardine Evaristo Richard E. Grant emigrated from Swaziland to London in 1982, with dreams of making it as an actor, when he unexpectedly met and fell in love with renowned dialect coach Joan Washington. Their relationship and marriage, navigating the highs and lows of Hollywood, parenthood and loss, lasted almost forty years. When Joan died in 2021, her final challenge to him was to find ‘a pocketful of happiness in every day’. This honest and frequently hTrade Review‘Fascinating, funny and heart wrenching. Ultimately uplifting because it’s a beautiful and honest celebration of a deep, deep love’ -- Dame Julie Walters‘A gorgeously candid account of acting and showbusiness. And an intimate and heartfelt story of love, loss and a life spent together. I cannot remember being so moved by a book.’ -- Dolly Alderton‘An emotional rollercoaster – profoundly moving and wonderfully entertaining. A brilliant memoir about living, loving and losing.’ -- Bernardine Evaristo

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER80TH BIRTHDAY EDITION - NOW WITH 10 NEW TALL TALES!'Connolly's raucous run through his life is as furious, funny and foul-mouthed as you'd expect' Sunday TimesIn December 2018, after fifty years of belly-laughs, energy and outrage, Billy Connolly announced his retirement from live stand-up comedy. It had been an extraordinary career.When he first started out in the late sixties, Billy played the banjo in the folk clubs of Scotland. Between songs, he would improvise a bit, telling anecdotes from the Clyde shipyard where he'd worked. In the process, he made all kinds of discoveries about what audiences found funny, from his own brilliant mimes to the power of speaking irreverently about politics or explicitly about sex. He began to understand the craft of great storytelling. Soon the songs became shorter and the monologues longer, and Billy quickly became recognised as one of the most exciting comedians of his generation.Billy's routines always felt spontaneous. He never wrote scripts, always creating his comedy freshly on stage in the presence of a live audience. A brilliant comic story might be subsequently discarded, adapted or embellished. A quick observation or short anecdote one night, could become a twenty-minute segment by the next night of a tour.Billy always brought a beautiful sense of the absurd to his shows as he riffed on his family, hecklers, swimming in the North Sea or naked bungee jumping. But his comedy can be laced with anger too. He hates pretentiousness and calls out hypocrisy wherever he sees it. His insights about the human condition have shocked many people, while his unique talent and startling appearance on stage gave him license to say anything he damn well pleased about sex, politics or religion. Billy got away with it because he has always had the popular touch. His comedy spans generations and different social tribes in a way that few others have ever managed.Tall Tales and Wee Stories brings together the very best of Billy's storytelling for the first time and includes his most famous routines including, The Last Supper, Jojoba Shampoo, Incontinence Pants and Shouting at Wildebeest. With an introduction and original illustrations by Billy throughout, it is an inspirational, energetic and riotously funny read, and a fitting celebration of our greatest ever comedian.Trade ReviewA read that entirely fits the personality of the extreme personality who wrote it, Connolly's raucous run through his life is as furious, funny and foul-mouthed as you'd expect. His stand-up knack for easy storytelling shines through * Sunday Times *A read that entirely fits the personality of the extreme personality who wrote it, Connolly's raucous run through his life is as furious, funny and foul-mouthed as you'd expect. His stand-up knack for easy storytelling shines through * Sunday Times *Wild and whirling . . . it reads like a talking book * Observer *Wild and whirling . . . it reads like a talking book * Observer *Connolly's writing is so much like his speech you can hear him as you read. * Evening Standard *Connolly's writing is so much like his speech you can hear him as you read. * Evening Standard *A glorious memoir full of insights into the funnyman's life and career. Hilarious. * Prima *A glorious memoir full of insights into the funnyman's life and career. Hilarious. * Prima *The Big Yin Bible * The List *The Big Yin Bible * The List *A very humorous read * Daily Stock Dish *A very humorous read * Daily Stock Dish *One of stand-up's great naturals. No one told a story better. * Guardian *One of stand-up's great naturals. No one told a story better. * Guardian *Raucous and side-splitting * Yours *Raucous and side-splitting * Yours *Wry, sometimes sacrilegious, often absurd and outrageously funny * The Senior AU *Wry, sometimes sacrilegious, often absurd and outrageously funny * The Senior AU *Gloriously, unashamedly peppered with swearing, bodily functions and drunken behaviour . . . you will laugh, guffaw and snort your way through this remarkable book * The Wee Review *Gloriously, unashamedly peppered with swearing, bodily functions and drunken behaviour . . . you will laugh, guffaw and snort your way through this remarkable book * The Wee Review *Bracingly sweary, robustly rude and brilliantly original, this is essential reading for fans of the Big Yin. * Daily Mail *Bracingly sweary, robustly rude and brilliantly original, this is essential reading for fans of the Big Yin. * Daily Mail *This book brings together the best of his stories...and offers something of a potted history of a life of spontaneous performance on stage. * Irish Independent Review *This book brings together the best of his stories...and offers something of a potted history of a life of spontaneous performance on stage. * Irish Independent Review *

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF 2022: ENTERTAINMENTA MAIL ON SUNDAYS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022Alan Rickman remains one of the most beloved actors of all time across almost every genre, from his breakout role as Die Hard's villainous Hans Gruber to his heart-wrenching run as Professor Severus Snape, and beyond. His air of dignity, his sonorous voice and the knowing wit he brought to each role continue to captivate new audiences today. But Rickman's artistry wasn't confined to just his performances. Rickman's writing details the extraordinary and the ordinary in a way that is anecdotal, indiscreet, witty, gossipy and utterly candid. He takes us behind the scenes on films and plays ranging from Sense & Sensibility, the Harry Potter series, Private Lives, My Name Is Rachel Corrie and many more.The diaries run from 1993 to his death in 2016 and offer insight into both a public and private life. Here is Rickman the consummate professional actor, but also the friend, the traveller, the fan, the director, the enthusiast: in short, the real Alan Rickman. Here is a life fully lived, all detailed in intimate and characteristically plain-spoken prose. Reading the diaries is like listening to Rickman chatting to a close friend. Madly, Deeply also includes a foreword by Emma Thompson and a selection of Rickman's early diaries, dating from 1974 to 1982, when his acting life first began.Trade ReviewMesmerising . . . Witty and debonair, caustic and fretful, for which some readers may like him less, others love him more. Madly, deeply and, better, truly he writes about what it is to be an actor * * Telegraph * *Fascinating . . . Mostly pithy, always frank * * The Times * *The star's thoughts reveal a man unwilling to suffer fools or mince his words - most of the time Alan Rickman's voice was a purr, but it masked sharp claws . . . I got the feeling he was wonderful company. These diaries confirm it -- Anthony Quinn * * Observer * *Insightful, moving and entertaining . . . The posthumously released diaries of Alan Rickman showcased both the late actor's self-doubt and savage film criticism -- The Guide 2022 * * Guardian * *His merciless verdicts on showbiz idiocy are tempered by a deep loyalty and humanity . . . So much of Rickman's character as it was preserved on screen cannot be captured in words - his unmistakable voice, his towering presence and charisma. But on the page, six years after his death, new parts of him can be found * * New Statesman * *Rickman's diaries reveal the frenetic lifestyle and frequent fretting of an actor at the height of his fame . . . Just when you think Rickman might be becoming insufferable, he has a knack of bursting the actorly bubble and saying something profound * * Guardian * *Astute and entertaining . . . [Rickman] offers a fascinating guide to life as an actor and what it's like to be at the centre of fame. One distinct thrill is reading Rickman's short, sharp film appraisals . . . These diaries are a reminder of a warm and witty man, one who could see the quirks of life and his own part in the absurd drama of existence * * Independent * *The reader gets a real sense of the rhythms of [Rickman's] working life. He is forever on the move. [. . . ] Fully, openly, joyfully - truly, madly and, yes, deeply - he put his energies into the present moment . . . For fans, these supplementary diaries are a pure delight from start to unforgivably early finish * * Times Literary Supplement * *Rickman belonged to that anointed group whose name alone would entice you to watch a film . . . His diaries look set to enthral us still * * Herald * *You feel he always wanted to do what was right, even if it was inconvenient to himself, and that is a rare character trait . . . There is true gold in [t]here * * i * *

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Book SynopsisONE OF THE BESTSELLING MEMOIRS OF ALL TIME WITH OVER FIVE MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDEDiscover the heartfelt, laugh-out-loud account of one of Hollywood''s greatest actors and, above all, greatest menDebonair English wit and humourist extraordinaire, star of The Pink Panther, Casino Royal and Around the World in 80 Days, few Hollywood actors are remembered as fondly as David Niven.In this bestselling autobiography, Niven shows how, even as an unknown young man, he knew how to live the good life, regaling us with tales of school expulsion and wartime hi-jinks. However, it is his accounts of working and partying with the legends of the silver screen - from Lawrence Oliver and Vivien Leigh to Elizabeth Taylor, Noel Coward and dozens of others - that turn this memoir into an outright masterpiece.An intimate, gossipy, warm and above all charming account of life inside Hollywood''s dream factory, The Moon is a BalloTrade ReviewAn immensely enjoyable, witty and racy memoir. * Sunday Times *Forthright, bawdy, and often hilarious, zany and zestful, his anecdotes should keep you entertained for hours. * Sunday Express *Niven's life was Wodehouse with tears. -- John Mortimer

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Book SynopsisYour wildest dreams have come true. Get an insider's look at Taylor Swift's life and achievements in this pocket-sized collectible book for Swifties of all ages. Are you ready for it?Over 100 stunning photos and clued-in commentary explore the power of Taylor's music and influence - and why she'll never go out of style.

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Book SynopsisA Long and Varied Career John Lyons started his acting career as a founder member of the ‘East 15 Acting School’ in 1961. Upon leaving he went into the Professional company of the school ‘Theatre Workshop’ which at the time was under the direction of Joan Littlewood. In the intervening 50 years John’s career has been both long and varied, covering both West End musicals and straight plays, including three separate years in ‘The Mousetrap’ and tours both in England and The Continent with the Musical " Oh! What a Lovely War" But his career went beyond the stage. His TV appearances are numerous (over 500) ranging from ‘Upstairs Downstairs’ Play for Today’ ‘The Sweeney’ to ‘On the Buses’ ‘George & Mildred’ and ‘The 19th Hole with Eric Sykes. John Lyons is of course best known for playing Sir David Jason’s long suffering sidekick D.S. George Toolan in ‘A Touch of Frost’ which ran for a very successful 17 ½ years and currently being repeated daily on ITV3. Panto has played a very big and fun time in John’s life, starting in 1997 with productions of Dick Whittington and Aladdin with the Comedian Jim Davidson, playing Bristol. Palace Theatre Manchester, Mayflower Southampton etc, over a period of ten years. And John is still working. John is in great demand on the after dinner speaking circuit, personal appearances at ‘On the Buses’ reunions and numerous P & O Cruises talking about ‘An actor's life - the beginning and conclusion’ – ‘The Touch of Frost Years’ (his 17 years in a Touch of Frost with clips, outtakes, clips of pranks played on him). This is the story of John Lyons, Not Just George. You'll laugh, we promise, you might cry, and you'll get a look at the life of one of the most prolific actors of our time.

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Book Synopsis'Wishful Drinking is a touching and incisive account of bipolarity, addiction and motherhood.' Independent ‘No motive is pure. No one is good or bad – but a hearty mix of both. And sometimes life actually gives to you by taking away.' Carrie Fisher in Wishful DrinkingIn Wishful Drinking, Carrie Fisher told the true and intoxicating story of her life with inimitable wit. Born to celebrity parents, she was picked to play a princess in a little movie called Star Wars when only 19 years old. "But it isn't all sweetness and light sabres." Alas, aside from a demanding career and her role as a single mother (not to mention the hyperspace hairdo), Carrie also spends her free time battling addiction and weathering the wild ride of manic depression. It's an incredible tale: from having Elizabeth Taylor as a stepmother, to marrying (and divorcing) Paul Simon, and from having the father of her daughter leave her for a man, to ultimately waking up one morning and finding a friend dead beside her in bed. Carrie Fisher's star-studded career included roles in numerous films such as The Blues Brothers and When Harry Met Sally. She was the author of four bestselling novels, Surrender in the Pink, Delusions of Grandma, The Best Awful and Postcards from the Edge, which was made into a hit film starring Shirley MacLaine and Meryl Streep. Carrie's experience with addiction and mental illness – and her willingness to talk honestly about them – made her a sought-after speaker and respected advocate. She was truly one of the most magical people to walk among us.Further praise for Carrie Fisher:-[Shockaholic] is the finest, funniest chronicler of the maddest celebrity mores.' Sunday Times'Fisher has a talent for lacerating insight that masquerades as carefree self-deprecation' Los Angeles Times'She is one of the rare inhabitants of La-La Land who can actually write' New York Times

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Book SynopsisThe heroine of MARY POPPINS and THE SOUND OF MUSIC tells her life story from the music halls of London to Broadway stardom.Over the years Julie Andrews has been much interviewed in the press and on television, but she has never before revealed the true story of her childhood and upbringing. In HOME she vividly recreates the years before the movies. An idyllic early childhood in Surrey was cut short when her parents divorced and her mother remarried. The family moved to London, and there are vivid scenes of life during the Blitz. Her mother went into musical theatre with her stepfather, who encouraged Julie to have singing lessons which led to the discovery that her voice had phenomenal range and strength for someone her age. Before long she was appearing on stage with her parents. She soon realised how much she enjoyed looking out into the black auditorium with the spotlights on her. By the time she was a teenager, she was supporting her whole family with her Trade ReviewTold with candour and poignancy * CANDIS *revealing * MAIL ON SUNDAY *a modest but candid and frequently amusing self-portrait of the star before fans got to know her * DAILY MAIL *Candid and perceptive, providing a vivid portrait of her formative years, this memoir will delight her legions of admirers * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *

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Book SynopsisAnita Pallenberg, instantly recognisable as a member of The Rolling Stones rock n roll circus in the Sixties and Seventies, was no docile groupie. Fluent in four languages, she partied with the jet set in Rome, met Warhol, Ginsberg and Ferlinghetti in New York, was at home with London s leading lights of popular culture and went on to star in over a dozen films, perhaps most notably in Performance. A German-Italian rebel and social phenomenon, Anita consistently gravitated towards the next wave of movers and shakers. Based on exclusive interviews with friends and family, and full of her extraordinary adventures with the rich and famous, as well as her personal triumphs and tragedies, She's a Rainbow delves deep into her fascinating and moving story for the first time ever.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Twenty years after his death, River Phoenix remains as enigmatic and elusive as ever. Last Night at the Viper Room tells the heart-shredding story of how this haunted actor left such a big impression in such a brief time." -- Rob Sheffield, New York Times bestselling author of Love Is a Mix Tape "What Edwards does do impeccably is reveal the life of an extraordinary young man, whose idealism and dedication to his family, despite crippling childhood conditions, set him apart from the rest of the rising star pack." -- USA Today

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Book SynopsisImpassioned, witty and polemical, At Your Own Risk is Derek Jarman''s defiant celebration of gay sexuality.In At Your Own Risk, Derek Jarman weaves poetry, prose, photographs and newspaper extracts into a rich tapestry of gay experience in the UK. The buttoned-up repression of the fifties and sixties makes way for liberation and free love in the seventies, only to be chased by the terror and pain of HIV/AIDS. This is Jarman at his passionate best, written when he was already ill with HIV and in the midst of the moral panic surrounding the AIDS crisis. Defiant and furious, he not only celebrates his own sexuality but skewers wider society for its brazen homophobia. Reissued here 25 years after Jarman''s death, with an introduction by Straight Jacket author Matthew Todd, At Your Own Risk remains a singular work. It is a powerful reminder of how far we have come and how much further we have left to go.''It blew my mind quiteTrade ReviewIf there is any such thing as the literary equivalent of an incendiary bomb, then this is it... His semtex-packed sentences are welcome thunderflashes of dissent in the grey drizzle of a dispirited political climate * New Statesman *At Your Own Risk gives the reader access to something that is hard to articulate, the near asphyxiating pain, anxiety and rage which many gay people have felt living under the physical, legal and cultural attacks of the last few years * Observer *For all his anger, Jarman never seems brutalised. He retains his humanity and good humour. His is a wonderfully garrulous, mercurial, polymathic daemon * Literary Review *

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Book Synopsis***If you loved Alan''s first memoir - Look Who It Is! - then his follow-up, Alanatomy, will take you further into the hilarious and bizarre world of the country''s favourite chatty man.***''As laugh out loud as his TV shows'' Daily MirrorIt must seem strange to you that I''ve called a book Alanatomy . . . For anyone who has taken the time to see my stand-up performances or watched my chat show, ''Chattyman'', knows that my body has hardly been kind to me - in fact there''ve been times when we''ve actually stopped talking to each other. Balding, myopic, often flaky with psoriasis, back fat that hangs suspended like a cape, a voice that could strip varnish, an increasingly dodgy hip and even dodgier teeth. Why would you draw attention to it? you must ask. Couldn''t you just call the book something else? Do you think the Great British Public is ready to pore over your body? Well, as I turn forty and take stock oTrade ReviewIf you loved Alan's first memoir - Look Who It Is! - then this follow-up, Alanatomy, will take you further into the hilarious and bizarre world of the country's favourite chatty man. * from the publisher's description *It's as winning as you'd expect from the chatty, heart-on-sleeve Carr * Sunday Express *As laugh out loud as his TV shows * Daily Mirror *If you loved Alan's first memoir - Look Who It Is! - then this follow-up, Alanatomy, will take you further into the hilarious and bizarre world of the country's favourite chatty man. * from the publisher's description *As laugh out loud as his TV shows * Heat *Praise for Look Who It is! by Alan Carr * Daily Mirror *Joyous stuff that most of us can relate to without it sounding clichéd, and it is delivered effortlessly by a comedian who owns the space he is working in so much, he could put up a flag * The Independent *Carr's comic timing works every bit as well on the page as it does on stage, making this easily the funniest book of the year * Heat *Sharp, sassy material with pitch perfect comic timing * The List *Bellyachingly funny * The Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisJulie Andrews is, quite simply, a phenomenon. She has probably brought more joy to more people than any other star of her generation'' - Richard Attenborough. Julie Andrews is the last of the great Hollywood musical stars - her extraordinary career spans more than forty years. Her first film, Mary Poppins, was Disney''s most successful film, and in 1965 The Sound of Music rescued Twentieth Century Fox from bankruptcy. Three years later, Star! almost put the studio back under, and the leading lady of both films fell as spectacularly as she had risen.But Julie Andrews is nothing if not a survivor; and despite many setbacks - including the tragedy of losing her singing voice in 1997 after a botched operation - she''s still a performer, recently starring in Shrek and The Princess Diaries. Richard Stirling''s deeply researched biography - based on many years of contact with Julie - is a frank but affectionate portrait of an enduring icon of stage and screen.Trade Review"'Julie Andrews is, quite simply, a phenomenon. She has probably brought more joy to more people than any other star of her generation' - Richard Attenborough 'Impressively thorough Stirling compiles an absorbingly extensive study, with glossy photographs and lively quotes bringing the pages alive with the sound of a much-loved musical star' London Lite"

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Book SynopsisFrom A Midsummer Night''s Dream''s Puck to Othello''s Desdemona, this new edition of Speaking Shakespeare gives you all the necessary tools to bring any of Shakespeare''s eclectic characters to life. Patsy Rodenburg uses practical exercises and textual analysis to hone in on your dramatic resonance, breathing and placement in order to unlock your potential for playing these iconic characters. Speeches and scenes such as Mark Antony''s ''O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth'' and the bloody scene in which Macbeth admits to Lady Macbeth that he has ''done the deed'' are placed in context and discussed in depth.Combining clear practical, textual and imaginative work with a brilliant analysis of scenes and speeches from the whole range of Shakespeare's plays, this is an essential and inspiring guide for anyone working on his plays today. It brings a renewed focus on the language of power, so frequently spoken in the worlds of politicians and company directors, whTrade ReviewWhat leaves actors tongue-tied for years, Patsy releases in minutes ... through simple, practical actions that can empower anyone. * Simon McBurney *Her knowledge of the plays as living theatrical artifacts is profound... Speaking Shakespeare stands up as a work of art in itself - admirably written and cliche-free, especially in the gripping final section, when she takes speeches and scenes from various plays, analyses and illuminates them... It cannot be too highly recommended. * Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Preface Part One: Foundation Craft Foundation Craft The Body The State of Readiness Breath Support Freeing the Voice Consolidation Deepening the Work Range and Resonance Clear Speech Listening Hamlet's Advice Part Two: Structure The Givens The Word Alliteration, Assonance, Onomatopoeia Rhythm Pauses and Irregularities of Rhythm The Line The Thought and Structuring of Thoughts The Structure of Scenes Antithesis Rhyme Prose Irony Puns Language Games Repetition The Story Location Stage Directions, Props, Entrances and Exits Soliloquy Part 3: The Imaginative The Imaginative Exploration of the Text Anchoring the Text Owning the Text from Character's Experience Focus and Energy Summary Part Four: The Speeches Richard III Julius Caesar Measure for Measure King Lear As You Like It Much Ado About Nothing The Merchant of Venice Othello Henry V The Winter's Tale Macbeth Twelfth Night A Midsummer Night's Dream Antony and Cleopatra Coriolanus Cymbeline King John Part Five: Checklists Preparing the Body, Breath, Voice and Speech The Givens The Imaginative

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Book Synopsis''A candid, rollicking readroars with honesty, chaos, self-awareness, literary ambition and drunken benders.'' The Times A unique and audacious memoir, by turns affecting, funny. uncanny and unforgettable. This is a memoir like no other. It claws at me with its long, thin nails. I wince as I hear my parents inside the house fighting, but with the whinnying of the horses so loud, I can''t be sure it''s them or the dogs or the wolves, whose cages I''ll have to clean soon. Even with the sound of the leaves in the trees, the cold grass on my back, there''s the strange feeling that all the oxygen in the world is drifting in a direction away from me. Rain is coming though. It isn''t here yet, but I can feel it''s coming. Weaving a latticework of different strands, moving back and forth through time, Josh Brolin captures a life marked by curiosity, pain, devotion, kindness, humor. He recounts an unconventional childhood spent on a ranch in Paso Robles, California, far from the glamour of Hollywood.As a child he was surrounded by the wolves, cougars and other wild animals gathered by his fearless and explosive mother, Jane Agee Brolin. Her tragic early death haunts this book, and the force of her unforgettable personality is felt throughout.He also brings to life his career in the film industry from his breakout role in The Goonies to the curious set of No Country for Old Men documenting his professional and personal ups and downs with unflinching honesty. He shares insights into relationships, addiction, love and fatherhood, while letting the white space in between words speak for itself.From Under the Truck is an audacious and riveting memoir from a born writer that will stay with you forever.

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