Individual actors Books

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisFrom the very beginning, she was a radical. At age nineteen, Charlotte Cushman, America’s beloved actress and the country’s first true celebrity, left her life—and countless suitors—behind to make it as a Shakespearean actress. After revolutionizing the role of Lady Macbeth in front of many adoring fans, she went on the road, performing in cities across a dividing America and building her fame. She was everywhere. And yet, her name has faded in the shadows of history. Now, for the first time in decades, Cushman’s story comes to full and brilliant life in this definitive, exhilarating, and enlightening biography of the 19th-century icon. With rarely seen letters, Wojczuk reconstructs the formative years of Cushman’s life, set against the excitement and drama of New York City in the 1800s, featuring a cast of luminaries and revolutionaries that changed the cultural landscape.A vivid portrait of an astonishing and unique life,

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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 SynopsisI’m excited to publish my first book, and because I get uncomfortable when people have high expectations, I'd like to use this opportunity to showcase my ineptitude, pettiness, and the frequency with which I embarrass myself. And while many of my female inspirations who have become authors are incredibly well-educated and accomplished comedy writers, I'm very, very funny on Twitter, according to Buzzfeed and my mom, so I feel like this is a great idea. Quick question: are run-on sentences still frowned upon? Wait, is ending a sentence with a preposition still frowned upon? I mean, upon frowned? Dammit! Anna Kendrick Anna Kendrick’s autobiographical collection of essays amusingly recounts memorable moments throughout her life, from her middle-class upbringing in New England to the blockbuster movies that have made her one of Hollywood’s most popular actresses today. Expanding upon the witty and ironic dispatches for which she is known, Anna Kendrick’s essays offer her one-of-a-kind commentary on the absurdities she’s experienced on her way to and from the heart of pop culture.

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Book SynopsisLeonard Nimoy and William Shatner first crossed paths as actors on the set of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Little did they know that their next roles, in a new science-fiction television series called Star Trek, would shape their lives in ways no one could have anticipated. In seventy-nine television episodes and six feature films, they grew to know each other more than most friends could ever imagine.Over the course of half a century, Shatner and Nimoy saw each other through personal and professional highs and lows. In this powerfully emotional book, Shatner tells the story of a man who was his friend for five decades, recounting anecdotes and untold stories of their lives on and off set, as well as gathering stories from others who knew Nimoy well, to present a full picture of a rich life.As much a biography of Nimoy as a story of their friendship, Leonard is a uniquely heartfelt book written by one legendary actor in celebration of another.Trade ReviewShatner delivers a raw and honest look at the life of Leonard Nimoy through the filter of someone who loved him like a brother. "Star Trek" fans aren't the only ones who should read this definitive biography of the man who was much more than Mr. Spock * Daily Mail *Nimoy was an impressive man, and Shatner's warm and engaging book does him justice. -- Simon Griffith * Mail on Sunday *This book works as an enjoyable, affectionate biography. * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisOn 29 September 1981, Peter Turner received a phone call that would change his life. His former lover, Hollywood actress Gloria Grahame, had collapsed in a Lancaster hotel and was refusing medical attention. He had no choice but to take her into his chaotic and often eccentric family's home in Liverpool. Liverpool born and bred, Turner had first set eyes on Grahame when he was a young actor, living in London. Best known for her portrayal of irresistible femme fatales in films such as The Big Heat, Oklahoma and The Bad and the Beautiful, for which she won an Oscar, Grahame electrified audiences with her steely expressions and heavy lidded eyes and the heroines she bought to life were often dark and dangerous. Turner and Grahame became firm friends and remained so ever after their love affair had ended. And it was to him she turned in her final hour of need.Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool is an affectionate, moving and wryly humorous memoir of friendship, love and stardom.

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Book SynopsisOn 29 September 1981, Peter Turner received a phone call that would change his life. His former lover, Hollywood actress Gloria Grahame, had collapsed in a Lancaster hotel and was refusing medical attention. He had no choice but to take her into his chaotic and often eccentric family's home in Liverpool. Liverpool born and bred, Turner had first set eyes on Grahame when he was a young actor, living in London. Best known for her portrayal of irresistible femme fatales in films such as The Big Heat, Oklahoma and The Bad and the Beautiful, for which she won an Oscar, Grahame electrified audiences with her steely expressions and heavy lidded eyes and the heroines she bought to life were often dark and dangerous. Turner and Grahame became firm friends and remained so ever after their love affair had ended. And it was to him she turned in her final hour of need.Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool is an affectionate, moving and wryly humorous memoir of friendship, love and stardom.

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Book SynopsisA New York Times Best Seller! Implicating Robert F. Kennedy in Marilyn Monroe’s murder, this is the first book to name the LAPD officers who accompanied him to her home, provide details about how the Kennedys used bribes to silence one of the ambulance drivers, and specify how the cover-up was aided by a noted pathologist’s lies.Since Marilyn Monroe died among suspicious circumstances on the night of August 4, 1962, there have been queries and theories, allegations and investigations, but no definitive evidence about precisely what happened and who was involved . . . until now.Here renowned MM expert Jay Margolis and New York Times bestselling author Richard Buskin finally lay to rest more than fifty years of wild speculation and misguided assertions by actually naming, for the first time, the screen goddess’s killer while utilizing the testimony of eye-witnesses to exactly what took place inside her house on Fifth Helena Drive in Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood.This blockbuster volume blows the lid off the world’s most notorious and talked-about celebrity death, and in the process exposes not only the truth about an iconic star’s tragic final hours, but also how a legendary American politician used powerful resources to protect what many still perceive as his untarnished reputation.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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Book SynopsisQueer exceptions is a study of contemporary solo performance in the UK and Western Europe that explores the contentious relationship between identity, individuality and neoliberalism. With diverse case studies featuring the work of La Ribot, David Hoyle, Oreet Ashery, Bridget Christie, Tanja Ostojic, Adrian Howells and Nassim Soleimanpour, the book examines the role of singular or ‘exceptional’ subjects in constructing and challenging assumed notions of communal sociability and togetherness, while drawing fresh insight from the fields of sociology, gender studies and political philosophy to reconsider theatre’s attachment to singular lives and experiences. Framed by a detailed exploration of arts festivals as encapsulating the material, entrepreneurial circumstances of contemporary performance-making, this is the first major critical study of solo work since the millennium.Trade Review‘Rising to the promise that the title holds out, this excellent book will be of value to all scholars with an interest in contemporary performance practices. It gives deep and well-informed insight into not only the creation and presentation of solo performance work but the economic realities within which it is embedded […]Greer’s palette is broad and wide-ranging, though this not in any way at the expense of detail – far from it. This brilliant addition to scholarly considerations of contemporary theatre practices is deeply rooted in an insider’s understanding of the logistics, economics, and sheer hard work that underpins solo performance.’Alison Jeffers, New Theatre Quarterly, Vol. 35, No. 2 (May 2019)'This wide-ranging, brilliant, and scholarly volume adds a much-needed perspective on and assessment of queer solo performance: one that does not simply venerate it as identity validation nor dismiss it as a tool of neoliberal identity consumption, but that instead articulates how the works analysed offer twenty-first-century radical performance politics looking at, out, through, and beyond the performance of ‘the singular subject in neoliberal times’'Contemporary Theatre Review'Through an examination of contemporary European solo performance, Stephen Greer explores the form’s simultaneous resistance to and compatibility within neoliberalism.'The Drama Review'Queer Exceptions... catalogues a breadth of innovative performance practices, making it a valuable read for contemporary performance scholars. The application of a figural approach further offers a provocation to scholars across the discipline to reconsider ways in which we hold performance practices together.'Theatre Research International -- .Table of ContentsList of figuresAcknowledgmentsIntroduction 1. Locating solo performance 2. The martyr: dramaturgies of endurance, exhaustion and confession 3. The pariah: queer outcasts and the politics of wounded attachment 4. The killjoy: public unhappiness and theatrical scapegoats 5. The stranger: performing ‘out-of-placeness’ in the UK and Europe 6. The misfit: illness, disability and ‘improper’ subjects 7. The optimist: alternatives to neoliberalism in the here and now Conclusion ReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisStage rights! explores the work and legacy of the first feminist political theatre group of the twentieth century, the Actresses' Franchise League. Formed in 1908 to support the suffrage movement through theatre, the League and its membership opened up new roles for women on stage and off, challenged stereotypes of suffragists and actresses, created new work inspired by the movement and was an integral part of the performative propaganda of the campaign. Introducing new archival material to both suffrage and theatre histories, this book is the first to focus in detail on the Actresses' Franchise League, its membership and its work. The volume is formulated as a historiographically innovative critical biography of the organisation over the fifty years of its activities, and invites a total reassessment of the League within the accepted narratives of the development of political theatre in the UK.Table of ContentsIntroduction: re-evaluating the AFL1. Exhibition2. Sisterhood3. Visibility4. Militancy5. Hope6. LegacyBibliographyIndex

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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 SynopsisJason Statham has risen from street seller through championship diving and modelling to become arguably the biggest British male film star of the twenty-first century. This is the first book to offer a critical analysis of his work across a variety of media, including film, television, video games and music videos. Each chapter focuses on a particular aspect of Statham’s career, from his distinctive screen presence to his style, branding and celebrity. Accessibly written, and featuring a contribution from Hollywood director Paul Feig, who worked with Statham on the 2015 action-comedy Spy, the collection will appeal to a wide audience of scholars, students and fans.Table of ContentsIntroduction – Steven Gerrard and Robert Shail1 Reframing the British tough guy: Jason Statham as postmodern hero - Robert Shail2 ‘I’m certainly not Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt’: Jason Statham, fandom and a new type of (anti)hero - Renee Middlemost3 The power of Statham - Paul Feig4 ‘It’s that peasant mentality’: the cult persona of Jason Statham, Hollywood outsider - Jonathan Mack5 A balancing act(or): Jason Statham and the ensemble film – Sarah Thomas6 Blagging it both ways: The Bank Job and the British heist movie - James Chapman7 Jason Statham in Spy: subverting genre and gender - Clare Smith8 Arthouse Statham - Martin Carter9 Transporting Jason Statham: national identity in the Transporter trilogy - Jennie Lewis-Vidler10 The avatar hero: exploring the virtualisation of the Statham brand - Dean Bowman and Erin Pearson11 Ageing Statham: expendable expendable? - Nathasha Parcei12 Crank it up! Scoring Statham - Shelley O’Brien 13 Clothes make the man: Statham’s sartorial serendipity - Steven GerrardConclusion - Steven Gerrard and Robert ShailIndex

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Book SynopsisAs the Kremlin’s crackdown on freedom of expression continues to tighten, Russian playwrights and directors are using documentary theatre to create space for the public discussion of injustice in the civic sphere and its connections to the country’s twentieth-century past. Witness Onstage traces the history of documentary theatre’s rapid growth in twenty-first century Russia and situates the form within the socio-political setting of the Putin years. It argues that through the practice of performing documents, Russian theatre artists are creating a new type of cultural and historical archive that challenges the dominance of state-sponsored media and invites individuals to participate in a collective renegotiation of cultural narratives.Trade Review'This book analyzes twenty-first century Russian theater in conjunction with Teatr.doc and related stage productions. Molly Flynn offers a close-up perspective as a translator, performer, and producer, and in her own creative work demonstrates the different roles performed on stage by documents.'The Russian Review -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. History on Trial 2. Called to the Stand 3. Evidentiary Hearing 4. Material Witness 5. Burden of Proof 6. A Special Verdict ConclusionIndex

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Book Synopsis**THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER** _______________ 'I want to be Sheila Hancock when I grow up' Lorraine Kelly 'Wise, witty, kind and true' – Sunday Times 'A sparkling memoir as funny and insightful as it’s moving' – Daily Mail 'A captivating memoir' – Mail on Sunday _______________ A gloriously irreverent memoir from the frontline of old age - by the Sunday Times-bestselling author and legendary actor Sheila Hancock looked like she was managing old age. She had weathered and even thrived in widowhood, taking on acting roles that would have been demanding for a woman half her age. She had energy, friends, a devoted family, a lovely home. She could still remember her lines. So why, at 89, having sailed past supposedly disturbing milestones – 50, 70 even 80 – without a qualm, did she suddenly feel so furious? Shocking diagnoses, Brexit and bereavement seemed to knock her from every quarter. And that was before lockdown. Home alone, classified as ‘extremely vulnerable’, she finds herself yelling at the TV and talking to the pigeons. But she can at least take a good long look at life – her work and family, her beliefs (many of them the legacy of her wartime childhood) and, uncomfortable as it might be to face, her future. In Old Rage, one of Britain’s best loved actors opens up about her ninth decade. Funny, feisty, honest, she makes for brilliant company as she talks about her life as a daughter, a sister, a mother, a widow, an actor, a friend and looks at a world so different from the wartime world of her childhood. And yet – despite age, despite rage – she finds there are always reasons for joy. _______________ 'The much-loved actor candidly shares the fear, joy and frustration she has found in her ninth decade' - Guardian, Books of the Year 2022 'Sheila Hancock reflects upon her life and career with all the winning candour and warm-heartedness we have come to expect from the legendary actress' - WaterstonesTrade ReviewThe much-loved actor candidly shares the fear, joy and frustration she has found in her ninth decade * GUARDIAN, BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2022 *A sparkling memoir, as funny and insightful as it is moving. Hancock is brilliant company as she looks back on her life as a daughter, mother, widow and still an excellent performer, while railing against much of the modern world. In the end, all that matters is love. A wonderful read * DAILY MAIL, The perfect companion on your sun lounger (non-fiction summer reads) *This book should be required reading for EVERYONE! I was belly laughing but also reduced to tears. Sheila is the wisest of women ... I want to be Sheila Hancock when I grow up -- LORRAINE KELLYSheila Hancock reflects upon her life and career with all the winning candour and warm-heartedness we have come to expect from the legendary actress * WATERSTONES *Sheila Hancock’s memoir Old Rage promises to be funny, feisty and honest * IRISH INDEPENDENT, BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2022 *A warm and thoughtful memoirist ... Hancock discovers many reasons for joy and optimism - and you're quite likely to find yourself nodding in agreement with her. * WOMAN & HOME, The best non-fiction books to read in 2022 to inspire and enthral *Praise for Sheila Hancock: ‘Her writing is starkly honest… she is never less than courageous and often desperately moving * Daily Telegraph *Terrific … shining through it is the spirit of Sheila herself: brave, indomitable and full of a desire to change the world for the better -- Judy Finnigan * Daily Express *Entertaining * SPECTATOR *Glorious -- Paul O'GradyEmotionally wrenching … captures her heartfelt grief as much as it does her bittersweet philosophy that life goes on, and there are adventures to be had yet -- Arifa Akbar * Independent *Heartbreakingly moving wise, funny and deeply touching * Daily Mail *A naturally gifted writer * Sunday Times *Her gift for directly communicating the open-heartedness and spirit of adventure with which she confronts her life … is the stuff of bestsellers -- Joan Bakewell * Guardian *She scorns the idea she’s a national treasure and insists that wisdom doesn’t come with age . . . But every page of Sheila Hancock's new memoir shimmers with laughter, defiance and profound insights into life as an old RAGE pensioner * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER WITH EXCLUSIVE NEW MATERIAL 'I want to be Sheila Hancock when I grow up' - Lorraine Kelly 'Wise, witty, kind and true' – Sunday Times 'A sparkling memoir as funny and insightful as it’s moving' – Daily Mail 'A captivating memoir' – Mail on Sunday In 2016, Sheila Hancock sat down to write a book about a serene and fulfilled old age. This is not that book. In Old Rage, one of Britain’s best-loved actors opens up about her tenth decade. Funny, feisty, honest, she makes for brilliant company as she talks about her life and takes an uncompromising look at a world so different from the one of her wartime childhood. And yet – despite age, despite rage – she finds there are always reasons for joy. 'The much-loved actor candidly shares the fear, joy and frustration she has found in her ninth decade' Guardian, Books of the Year 2022 'Sheila Hancock reflects upon her life and career with all the winning candour and warm-heartedness we have come to expect from the legendary actress' WaterstonesTrade ReviewThe much-loved actor candidly shares the fear, joy and frustration she has found in her ninth decade * GUARDIAN, BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2022 *This book should be required reading for EVERYONE! I was belly laughing but also reduced to tears. Sheila is the wisest of women ... I want to be Sheila Hancock when I grow up -- LORRAINE KELLYSheila Hancock reflects upon her life and career with all the winning candour and warm-heartedness we have come to expect from the legendary actress * WATERSTONES *Sheila Hancock’s memoir Old Rage promises to be funny, feisty and honest * IRISH INDEPENDENT, BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2022 *A warm and thoughtful memoirist ... Hancock discovers many reasons for joy and optimism - and you're quite likely to find yourself nodding in agreement with her. * WOMAN & HOME, The best non-fiction books to read in 2022 to inspire and enthral *Entertaining * SPECTATOR *

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Book SynopsisLook closely behind the lives of the stars who appeared in a host of legendary war films and discover how memories of their real-life experiences in the armed forces were haunted with heartbreak and yet filled with extraordinary heroism. Just what did America's most decorated soldier Audie Murphy go through in battle which led him to star as himself in the classic war film, To Hell and Back? When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Murphy joined the US Army aged just 17. He went on to fight at Anzio, the Colmar Pocket, and Nuremberg. And for single-handedly holding off an enemy attack he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. But Murphy's military and celebrity stardom did little to extinguish the pain of his private battle to fit in to a new post-war world he perceived as disappointing, shallow and unfulfilling. Tormented by PTSD Murphy was a man unable to escape from his past. Only the great director and decorated wartime documentary maker John Huston gained Murphy's true respect. When war broke out on 3 September 1939, a number of British stars, including Laurence Olivier, his future wife Vivien Leigh, and David Niven, were in the United States under contract to the Hollywood Studios. Keen not to 'shirk their duties at home', and against advice from the British Consul, they made their way back to Blighty. Olivier joined the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm as a pilot. Then with Churchill's approval he directed and starred in powerful propaganda films, including Shakespeare's Henry V. In 1943 the beautiful Vivien Leigh ruined her health by enduring the brutalities of the North African climate to entertain the troops in the desert. Meantime, Dirk Bogarde was a British Army intelligence officer seconded to the pioneering RAF Medmenham where he studied aerial photographs and pinpointed enemy targets for Bomber Command. As Lieutenant van den Bogaerde he was posted to France just after D-Day. He went on to star in many leading war films such as Appointment in London (1953) and King and Country (1964). Years later in 1991 Sir Dirk Bogarde was interviewed by the author of this book. He had witnessed the horrors of Belsen in April 1945 and said it changed his attitude to life forever. In this book, the author honours the real-life stories of some big screen idols who showed true grit behind the glamour.

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Book SynopsisCharlie Chaplin's career has been described, critiqued, and scrutinized. There are book-length studies on Chaplin's music hall career, his career at Keystone Studios and the Mutual Studios. Somehow, his tenure with First National studios, however, has been largely neglected, even though it was during this several-year contractual time period that Chaplin built and occupied his own studio for the first time, that he attempted and succeeded in filming a comedy feature (The Kid) and that he helped to set up United Artists, an organization that protected the salaries and creative freedom of actors in Hollywood. This period in Chaplin's story is especially interesting because such landmark moments are accompanied by Chaplin's first marriage and divorce, the death of his first child, his friendship with French silent film comedian Max Linder, World War I and the role he would play in it, and the production and release of several unsuccessful films that marked Chaplin's first creative blockage - one that threatened his future career. This book will discuss the transitional periods just before and after the First National contract, as well as the all-important period satisfying it. Archival evidence provides most of the support for the book's assertions, from the Chaplin archive (property of Roy Export, digitised by Cineteca di Bologna, Italy), and the personal archives of other individuals or institutions discussed. Rare photos will illustrate the story.

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Book SynopsisIn this entertaining and poignant autobiography, EastEnders star Sid Owen chronicles a life filled with incredible highs and devastating lows, with his trademark humour and charm. Sid Owen is best known for playing the hapless but loveable EastEnders character Ricky Butcher, one of Britain’s most enduring soap icons. What people don’t know is that Sid’s early life saw more drama than anything his character endured. His father was an armed robber who was sent to prison when Sid was very young. Sid went out 'on the rob' from an early age, breaking into shops and seeing it as a big adventure.Sid lived happily with his mum and siblings on a sprawling north London council estate until he was seven, when his mum died and the brothers were split up. Feeling confused, unloved and unhappy, Sid was heading towards a life of crime. Acting offered an escape from his troubled home life and his teen years played out between extremes – at thirteen he was working with Al Pacino and Donald Sutherland on the movie Revolution; at sixteen he was living in an Islington squat with his brothers when his work brought him to the attention of the EastEnders producers.From Rags to Ricky is Sid’s moving, unforgettable account of his north London childhood during the late 1970s and 80s. His natural storytelling skills, authentic voice, ear for dialogue and sharp eye for detail transform this story of loss and deprivation into a timeless tale of one individual’s struggle to defy the hand fate dealt him and come out winning.

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Book SynopsisFrom one of the stars of C4's Banged Up, this is Sid Owen's entertaining and poignant autobiography, as the troubled kid heading towards a life of crime found success in EastEnders.Sid Owen is best known for playing the hapless but loveable EastEnders character Ricky Butcher, one of Britain’s most enduring soap icons. What people don’t know is that Sid’s early life saw more drama than anything his character endured. His father was an armed robber who was sent to prison when Sid was very young. Sid went out 'on the rob' from an early age, breaking into shops and seeing it as a big adventure.Sid lived happily with his mum and siblings on a sprawling north London council estate until he was seven, when his mum died and the brothers were split up. Feeling confused, unloved and unhappy, Sid was heading towards a life of crime. Acting offered an escape from his troubled home life and his teen years played out between extremes – at thirteen he was working with Al Pacino and Donald Sutherland on the movie Revolution; at sixteen he was living in an Islington squat with his brothers when his work brought him to the attention of the EastEnders producers.From Rags to Ricky is Sid’s moving, unforgettable account of his north London childhood during the late 1970s and 80s. His natural storytelling skills, authentic voice, ear for dialogue and sharp eye for detail transform this story of loss and deprivation into a timeless tale of one individual’s struggle to defy the hand fate dealt him and come out winning.

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Book SynopsisWalking with Ghosts is the stunningly evocative memoir by Irish actor and Hollywood star, Gabriel Byrne.'Dreamy, lyrical and utterly unvarnished' – Colm TóibínAs a young boy growing up in the outskirts of Dublin, Gabriel Byrne sought refuge in a world of imagination among the fields and hills near his home, at the edge of a rapidly encroaching city. Born to working-class parents and the eldest of six children, he harboured a childhood desire to become a priest. When he was eleven years old, Byrne found himself crossing the Irish Sea to join a seminary in England. Four years later, Byrne had been expelled and he quickly returned to his native city. There he took odd jobs as a messenger boy and a factory labourer to get by. In his spare time he visited the cinema, where he could be alone and yet part of a crowd. It was here that he could begin to imagine a life beyond the grey world of ’60s Ireland.He revelled in the theatre and poetry of Dublin’s streets, populated by characters as eccentric and remarkable as any in fiction, those who spin a yarn with acuity and wit. It was a friend who suggested Byrne join an amateur drama group, a decision that would change his life forever and launch him on an extraordinary forty-year career in film and theatre. Moving between sensual recollection of childhood in a now almost vanished Ireland and reflections on stardom in Hollywood and on Broadway, Byrne also courageously recounts his battle with addiction and the ambivalence of fame.Walking with Ghosts is by turns hilarious and heartbreaking as well as a lyrical homage to the people and landscapes that ultimately shape our destinies.‘Make no mistake about it: this is a masterpiece . . . poetic, moving and very funny’ – Colum McCann, author of Let the Great World SpinTrade ReviewThe wonder of this memoir is its unembellished truth. It is written by a man whose amazing story is the stuff of literature -- Edna O'BrienSo beautiful, it seems extraordinary that [Byrne] has kept this light under a bushel all this time . . . Gorgeous -- Graham Norton, BBC Radio 2An absolutely marvellous book . . . beautifully written, poetic . . . it’s a really riveting read -- Colm TóibínGabriel Byrne has written the most beautiful memoir. This is haunting prose and wondrous, sad, uplifting, my book of the year -- Claire KeeganWalking With Ghosts is lavish with lyricism, but presents a pretty unvarnished version of its author . . . The book is also a conscious departure: stylistically ambitious, purposefully (and successfully) so * The Guardian *Thoughtful, moving and without a trace of self-indulgence, this honest and beautifully-written book reads more like a novel than a memoir, drawing the reader into a narrative that is full of courage, humour and above all, humanity. I really loved Walking with Ghosts and can't recommend it highly enough -- Christine Dwyer HickeyImagine Séamus Heaney's eye falling on Hollywood's glare . . . it really did remind me of Séamus Heaney, it seemed to have that very sharp focus and also that wonderfully lyrical way of expressing it -- Richard Coles, BBC Radio 4Make no mistake about it: this is a masterpiece. A book that will wring out our tired hearts. It is by turns poetic, moving and very funny. You will find it on the shelf alongside other great Irish memoirs including those by Frank McCourt, Nuala O'Faolain and Edna O’Brien -- Colum McCann, author of Let the Great World SpinThe allure of Gabriel Byrne's memoir is that it persuasively humanizes what it is to be a big deal movie star. Byrne is wonderfully without cant or bluster or phony humility. Instead he leads with felicity, candor, humor and empathy. In the end, he seems to be somebody you'd be glad to know -- Richard FordByrne arrives at a truth greater than an honest and sensitive memoir; he verges on a profoundly touching articulation of our short time on earth, time that will make of each of us nothing more or less than a ghost -- Mia Colleran * Irish Independent *A wry and warm, swirling poetic reverie of a memoir -- Colin BarrettA joy of a book - full of heart and humour, beautifully told -- Sinéad GleesonDestined to be a classic . . . What makes Gabriel Byrne a great writer is that he knows that whether we are wicked or good, few of us get what we deserve * Sunday Independent *Reading the book was a beautiful experience; it’s superb. It really is a very special book so if you love someone buy it for them for Christmas -- Eamon DunphyStructured around an imaginary, haunted visit to the Dublin of his youth, the book does offer sketches from the movie wonderland – John Boorman being bossy on Excalibur, testy encounters with Laurence Olivier in the 1980s – but it is more to do with conjuring up a now-vanished Ireland. The smell of the Guinness brewery. Early acting experiences in a nativity play. The church, everywhere the church * Irish Times *The writing is so vivid it’s as if we are by Gabriel Byrne’s shoulder through the sorrowful times and the joyous moments. He weaves an intimate and absorbing tapestry of the poignant and the funny -- Kirsty WarkA working-class family memoir as well as a meditation on fame and its discontents -- Sena O'Hagan * Observer *Walking with Ghosts is exquisite. This book feels like the culmination of a long literary career and not the debut of a famous actor. Byrne makes himself fully vulnerable while in total command of language and form. There is great truth and great beauty in this close examination of a life and the passage of time. I’ve never read a memoir so raw and honest and literary and absolutely, staggeringly brilliant -- Lily King[Byrne] writes with much more depth than the typical celebrity memoirist, accessing some of Seamus Heaney’s earthiness and James Joyce’s grasp of how Catholic guilt can shape an artist . . . A melancholy but gemlike memoir, elegantly written and rich in hard experience * Kirkus (starred review) *Mercurial, ferociously honest and moving . . . A poignant symphony of memories and dreams, longing and loss, in a search for the immigrants most elusive prize, home -- Karl Geary, author of MontpelierA poetic journey into those secret realms of memory which dominate our lives, but are rarely spoken about. By revealing himself with such courage, compassion, and exquisite poise, Gabriel Byrne gives readers that rare gift of being able to see themselves in the feelings of another person. This book is more than a memoir—it’s a mirror that reflects the deepest parts of us in exile -- Simon Van BooyA remembrance of the Ireland Byrne left behind, one which is no longer there * Hot Press, '2020 Books of the Year' *Dazzles with unflinching honesty, as it celebrates the exuberance of being alive to the world despite living through pain. [Byrne's] portrait of an artist as a young boy is steeped in nostalgia of the best sort, re-creating the pull of home . . . With this tender book — full of warm and often funny stories — Byrne shows us the depth of his true character * Washington Post *In emotional, evocative prose, Walking With Ghosts describes the town outside Dublin where [Byrne] grew up, the oldest of six children crammed into a small house, their father working as a barrel-maker for the Guinness brewery, everyone in each other’s business. They were steeped in Catholicism . . . In passages that are horrifying, then funny, then both, he describes, for instance, learning the story of Adam and Eve from a fire-and-brimstone nun, in a lesson that ends with God declaring to the fallen pair: 'And by the way, your children will be miserable as well.' ('That’s why the world is such an unhappy place,' the nun adds.) . . . Can you go home again? That is the tantalizing question raised by Walking With Ghosts -- Sarah Lyall * The New York Times *This is a book about grief, loss, the secrets that we keep and the joys of creativity. It's also about dealing with addiction and the vertigo of fame. We always knew Gabriel Byrne was an astonishing actor but now we also know what an elegant, intelligent and dignified writer he is -- Mariana Enríquez, author of Dangers of Smoking in BedByrne is very honest and interspersed with all of the beautifully evoked sadness [in Walking With Ghosts] are very funny moments . . . you know he has a very good sense of humour but he probably wouldn’t admit it -- Jane SmileyIn pared down prose both luminous and raw, Walking with Ghosts is about first things—parents, siblings, loves, heartbreaks, parts, failure, success, loss, but most of all it is a tender embrace of the past as Byrne discovers and accepts the truth of who he is in all his human struggle to be at peace with oneself and one’s imperfections. In a voice full of warmth, compassion, humor and wonder, Byrne steps into the role of writer with the same assurance, humility and intensity that he brings to his acting roles. More, this debut marks a welcome new voice that blends memory and imagination for an all-encompassing and wise memoir that reads like a novel -- Vanessa Manko, author of The Un-AmericanIt is at times a heartbreakingly tender excursion between the living and the dead. The actor is an artist of the written as well as the spoken word -- Tommy Condren * Sunday Independent *A beautifully judged blend of sparkling anecdotes spliced with the darkest of memories -- Sarah Halliwell * The Gloss Magazine *The diary of a poet who also happens to be a famous movie star -- Monique RoffeyActor Byrne channels his fellow countrymen and Ireland's literary masters - Beckett, Heaney, Joyce, Yeats - to create an exceptionally lyrical and expressive memoir about his childhood and early career . . . Bracingly revealing about his struggle with alcoholism, achingly passionate about the Ireland of his youth, and piercingly frank about his acting life, Byrne is a vivid, evocative, and sumptuously compelling memoirist * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisWinner at the 2022 Parlimentary Book AwardsBaroness Floella Benjamin is an inspiration, an actress and much-loved children’s television presenter who is a member of the House of Lords. But how did the girl from Trinidad end up lunching with the Queen?In What Are You Doing Here? Floella describes arriving in London as a child, part of the Windrush generation, and the pain caused by the racism she encountered every day. It was offset by the love of her parents, who gave her the pride in her heritage, self-belief and confidence that have carried her through life. From winning a role in groundbreaking musical Hair (while clearly stating she would not take her clothes off) to breaking down barriers on Play School, from refusing to be typecast in roles to speaking out for diversity at the BBC and BAFTA, she has remained true to herself.She also reveals how she met husband Keith, became a mother of two, was befriended by Kenneth Williams, hugged President Obama, and found a purpose that would underpin everything she did – campaigning for the needs of children. Sharing the lessons she has learned, imbued with her joy and positivity, this autobiography is the moving testimony of a remarkable woman.

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Book SynopsisWinner at the 2022 Parlimentary Book AwardsBaroness Floella Benjamin is an inspiration, an actress and much-loved children’s television presenter who is a member of the House of Lords. But how did the girl from Trinidad end up lunching with the Queen?In What Are You Doing Here? Floella describes arriving in London as a child, part of the Windrush generation, and the pain caused by the racism she encountered every day. It was offset by the love of her parents, who gave her the pride in her heritage, self-belief and confidence that have carried her through life. From winning a role in groundbreaking musical Hair (while clearly stating she would not take her clothes off) to breaking down barriers on Play School, from refusing to be typecast in roles to speaking out for diversity at the BBC and BAFTA, she has remained true to herself.She also reveals how she met husband Keith, became a mother of two, was befriended by Kenneth Williams, hugged President Obama, and found a purpose that would underpin everything she did – campaigning for the needs of children. Sharing the lessons she has learned, imbued with her joy and positivity, this autobiography is the moving testimony of a remarkable woman.

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Book Synopsis'Can you smell what The Rock is cooking?!' He has yet to encounter an obstacle he couldn't overcome. He's the WWE legend as eight-time champion, he's outlasted being buried up to his neck in a desert (The Scorpion King), battled the giant Tamatoa (Moana), ruthless mercenaries (Jumanji), and murderous racers (the Fast and Furious series) all thanks to his motivation and drive.Do you want to learn how to do the same? Then get inspired with this uplifting collection of quotes from the man himself on success, wrestling, fitness, family and more.What else can we say, except, you're welcome?!

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Book SynopsisGet the kettle on, the biscuits out and settle in for a belting read.Let Paddy McGuinness take you back, far, far away from celebrity land, to a two-up, two-down terrace in 1970s Bolton, where he grew up. They were happy times, but money was tight. Paddy slept on a mattress he dragged in from the street, and at 17 he struggled severely with the stress of juggling a college course and two jobs to support his beloved mum.But while cash may have been short, grit and wit were in over-supply, and this is the improbable true story of the lad who went from kipping in abandoned cars in Bolton to racing supercars on Top Gear, via laying concrete floors in prisons, a lively career in a leisure centre, a showbiz intervention by school pal Peter Kay and eye-popping adventures in the world of teledom.There has been mischief and misadventure, joy and sorry, huge success and unexpected challenges. It's a lifey well lived, and an unforgettable personal memoir written from the heart.Trade Review'Many hilarious anecdotes' * The Sun *

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Book SynopsisDenise Van Outen, original 90s 'ladette', West End star and primetime TV favourite, reveals for the first time the true story of grit and graft beneath the famous Essex sparkle.In this refreshingly candid memoir, Denise speaks openly and sensitively about her rollercoaster career, her struggles in a past high-profile relationship and the betrayal she suffered at the hands of those once closest to her, with the hope that in doing so, she can help empower others to avoid and overcome any similar difficulties they may face.Denise shot to fame on The Big Breakfast in her early twenties. After a decade grafting through theatre jobs and children's TV shows, she was finally living the dream. However her life soon turned into a nightmare off-screen and behind the headlines as her heart was broken in a very public relationship, whilst her every move was printed in the tabloids thanks to her phone being tapped. After receiving a panning by the critics for her late night TV show aimed at the post-pub crowd, she then auditioned for and accepted an offer to play Roxie Hart in Chicago, which turned out to be a life-changing experience. The role took her to Broadway, where she caught the eye of one Andrew Lloyd Webber, eventually landing a judging role on Any Dream Will Do, which saw her rise back to primetime and the career that she loves, where she has stayed and flourished. Now, in her first memoir, Denise tells her story with disarming candour, unafraid to reveal vulnerabilities beneath the cheerful exterior. Tackling difficult subjects of corrosive self-doubt, betrayal, invasions of privacy and professional struggles, interjected with the familiar humour that we all know and love, A Bit of Me is personal, at times raw, often mischievous and always compelling. Denise has lived the life, learned the lessons, and Basildon to Broadway and back is a hell of a journey.

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Book SynopsisKeanu Reeves: actor, musician, dog lover. He's the internet's boyfriend. The poetic petrolhead. The guru on a surfboard. Part samurai, part samaritan. He is, very simply, 'The One'.'James has been my movie guru for years and now he's my spiritual guru too! From now on I'm going to ask myself: 'What would Keanu do?'Jo WhileyIn this hilarious book of pocket philosophy, film critic and Keanu fan James King reveals what makes Mr Reeves so special. He unpacks iconic films from the Bill & Teds to the John Wicks, as well as the star's own free-spirited life, showing us why the great man with the great hair has all the answers.And how everyone can #bemorekeanu.'A handsome, cool, enigmatic Gen X'er who never seems to age, James King is the perfect man to write about Keanu Reeves.'Stephen MerchantTrade ReviewA handsome, cool, enigmatic Gen X’er who never seems to age, James King is the perfect man to write about Keanu Reeves. -- Stephen MerchantJames has been my movie guru for years and now he's my spiritual guru too! From now on I'm going to ask myself: 'What would Keanu do?' -- Jo WhileyHilarious! * HELLO! Magazine *With light-hearted as well as serious advice, expect chapters that cover each Keanu iteration, from The Guru to The Lover and The Pioneer. * The Scotsman Magazine *

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