A. Igoni Barrett was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in 1979 and lives in Lagos. He is a winner of the 2005 BBC World Service short story competition, the recipient of a Chinua Achebe Center Fellowship, a Norman Mailer Center Fellowship, and a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Residency. His short story collection, Love is Power, or Something Like That, was published in 2013. In 2014 he was named on the Africa39 list of sub-Saharan African writers under 40. Blackass is his first novel.

A. Igoni Barrett

The short life of A.J.A. Symons (1900-41) was described by his biographer as an intricate and largely harmless confidence trick. His many interests included the collection of musical boxes and rare books as well as the study and practice of forgery; they left him time to edit an anthology of Edwardian verse and compose studies of H.M. Stanley and other notable figures. He is remembered for The Quest for Corvo, one of the most remarkable biographies ever written, and for co-founding the Wine and Food Society.

A. J. A. Symons

A. J. Liebling, born in Manhattan in 1904, joined the staff of the New Yorker in 1935 and contributed innumerable articles to the magazine throughout his lifetime, on subjects ranging from food to boxing and France to horse racing. As a war correspondent during the Second World War, he reported from France, England and Algeria, and participated in the Normandy landings. In later life he married the writer Jean Stafford, his third wife. He died in 1963.

A. J. Liebling

A. J. Rosen is an author of YA fantasy novels and is an ambassador for Wattpad, known as @agatharoza. Entwined is her first novel.

A. J. Rosen

A. K. Davidson

A. O. Scott has been a film critic at the New York Times since 2000. His writing has appeared in many other publications, including the New York Review of Books, Slate, the New Yorker and the Nation. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism in 2010, Scott is currently Distinguished Professor of Film Criticism at Wesleyan University. He lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York. 
 
@aoscott

A. O. Scott

A.S. Byatt (1936-2023) was a novelist, short-story writer and critic of international renown. Her novels include Possession (winner of the Booker Prize 1990), the Frederica Quartet and The Children’s Book, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction. She was appointed CBE in 1990 and DBE in 1999, and was awarded the Erasmus Prize 2016 for her ‘inspiring contribution to life writing’ and the Pak Kyongni Prize 2017. In 2018 she received the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award.

A. S. Byatt

A. T. Williams won the George Orwell Prize for Political Writing in 2013 for his book A Very British Killing: The Death of Baha Mousa. He lives in Warwickshire.

A. T. Williams

A. W. Chase

Dubbed ‘The new queen of spy fiction’ by the Guardian newspaper, and ‘the real thing’ by the Washington Post, A.C. 'Ava' Glass is the CWA Dagger-shortlisted author of Alias Emma (The Chase), The Traitor and The Trap. The Traitor was a 2023 Richard and Judy Bookclub pick. Alias Emma was a Barnes and Noble book of the month. A former crime reporter and communications consultant, for five years Ava worked closely with spies. Her time in that world fascinated her, and the people she met back then inspire every book she writes.

A.C. Glass

A.E. Housman

Arthur Edward Waite was the designer and co-creator of the now famous Rider Waite Tarot deck. 
 
An American-born British poet and scholarly mystic, his strong interest in all esoteric matters - divination, magic, Kabbalism, alchemy and Freemasony - led to him penning a number of books. These include the Key to the Tarot, The Book of Ceremonial Magic and A New Encyclopedia of Freemasony.

A.E. Waite

A.E. Warren is the author of the Tomorrow's Ancestors series, which consists of Subject Twenty-One, The Hidden Base, The Fourth Species and The Final Rising. 
 
After spending eight years working as a lawyer, she began to write in the evenings and early mornings as a form of escapism from life in a very small cubicle with lots of files. She self-published her first novels in her spare time, which were picked up by Del Rey UK which is the science fiction/fantasy imprint of Penguin Random House. 
 
 She is an avid reader, occasional gamer and fair-weather runner. She lives in the UK with her husband, daughter and hopefully, one day, a wise border terrier named Austen.

A.E. Warren

A.G.D. Maran

A.J. Ayer

A.J. Cronin

A K Benedict writes crime and speculative fiction in a room filled with clowns, mannequins and Doctor Who figures. Her first novel, The Beauty of Murder, was nominated for an eDunnit award and is in development for a major 8-part TV series by Company Pictures. Her second, Jonathan Dark or The Evidence of Ghosts, came out in February 2016. She's written Torchwood audio dramas for Big Finish and her short stories have featured in anthologies including Great British Horror and Best British Short Stories. She lives in St Leonards-on-Sea with her dog, Dame Margaret Rutherford.

A.K.Benedict

A. L. Kennedy has twice been selected as one of Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists and has won a host of other awards – including the Costa Book of the Year for her novel Day. She lives in Essex.

A.L. Kennedy

A.M. Ellis is a speculative fiction author and lover of everything steeped in myth and mystery. Her stories often lean into diverse voices, not only in her identity as a Black woman, but in exploring neurodivergence and mental health. A proud introvert and nostalgic gamer, she lives in Maryland, USA, with her husband and three children.

A.M. Ellis

A.N. Wilson was born in 1950 and educated at Rugby and New College, Oxford. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, he holds a prominent position in the world of literature and journalism. He is an award-winning biographer and a celebrated novelist, winning prizes for much of his work. He lives in North London.

A.N. Wilson

A. T. Emerald lives with her husband and baby daughter in Nottinghamshire. She discovered her love of writing in 2020 and has not shut up about enemies to lovers ever since. She loves iced matcha, torrid love confessions with knives pressed to throats (fictional, of course) and does not accept bills for any therapy her books might incur.

A.T. Emerald

A.W. Priest

A.B.C. Merriman-Labor was a barrister, writer and munitions worker born in Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1877. His published works include A Series of Lectures on the Negro Race and The Story of the African Slave in a Nutshell. He also edited two editions of the Handbook of Sierra Leone. He arrived in the UK in 1904 to study law. In 1907, he organised a centenary commemoration of the abolition of the slave trade in Westminster Abbey. He later embarked on an 'entertainment-lecture' tour called Life and Scenes in Britain, travelling across thousands of miles of West, South West and Central Africa, which he expanded on to create Britons Through Negro Spectacles.

ABC Merriman-Labor

AJ Cronin

AJ Molloy

Aabria Iyengar is an American actress and author.

Aabria Iyengar

Aaliya Jaleel is a freelance illustrator, designer, and visual development artist, currently majoring in Animation at the University of Texas at Dallas. She is also the illustrator of Under My Hijab and Muslim Girls Rise. You can visit her online at www.aaliyamj.com.

Aaliya Jaleel

Aaron Allston

After more than fifteen years of experience as a clinical psychotherapist, Dr Aaron Balick has taken the amazing insights from psychology and psychotherapy out of the consultation room and made them accessible to the wider world. 
 
He has been an ‘agony uncle’ for many years for both CBBC and BBC Radio 1, as well as on television, including BBC Worldwide, BBC 3 and BBC Learning.

Aaron Balick

Aaron Carroll

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Alice Vinten

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOK OF THE YEAR, TRUE CRIME AWARDS 
 
Alice Vinten, a former Met Police Constable with over 10 years of service on the force, shares the stories of brave and dedicated policewomen who have been involved in real-life cases in the UK, based on a series of interviews with these women who have spent their entire careers at the sharp end of crime-fighting. 
 
The Real Happy Valley reveals what life on the beat is really like. From dealing with domestic abuse cases to facing personal assaults, gang crime and murder, these courageous women stop at nothing to bring criminals to justice, never failing to put others' safety before their own. 
 
Gripping and inspiring, The Real Happy Valley is a celebration of our finest policewomen's extraordinary courage, and their peerless commitment to protect and serve.

The Real Happy Valley

True stories of crime and heroism from Yorkshire’s front line policewomen

Will Smith

Mark Manson

The Instant Sunday Times Bestseller 
The Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller 
 
PRAISE FOR WILL 
'The best memoir I ever read' Oprah Winfrey 
'If you read one book this year, make it this one' Jay Shetty 
'Incredible' Idris Elba 
'The book is awesome. So candid and considered...fascinating' Chris Evans 
'A triumph...really inspiring, so well written, vulnerable and deep. I highly recommend it' Mindy Kaling 
'It's fantastic...very moving' Zoe Ball 
'Incredibly honest...inspiring' Greg James 
'A wild ride' New York Times 
'Raw, comedic, inspirational' GQ 
 
One of the most dynamic and globally recognized entertainment forces of our time opens up fully about his life, in a brave and inspiring book that traces his learning curve to a place where outer success, inner happiness, and human connection are aligned. Along the way, Will tells the story in full of one of the most amazing rides through the worlds of music and film that anyone has ever had. 
 
Will Smith's transformation from a fearful child in a tense West Philadelphia home to one of the biggest rap stars of his era and then one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood history, with a string of box office successes that will likely never be broken, is an epic tale of inner transformation and outer triumph, and Will tells it astonishingly well. But it's only half the story. 
 
Will Smith thought, with good reason, that he had won at life: not only was his own success unparalleled, his whole family was at the pinnacle of the entertainment world. Only they didn't see it that way: they felt more like star performers in his circus, a seven-days-a-week job they hadn't signed up for. It turned out Will Smith's education wasn't nearly over. 
 
This memoir is the product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind. Written with the help of Mark Manson, author of the multi-million-copy bestseller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Will is the story of how one exceptional man mastered his own emotions, written in a way that can help everyone else do the same. Few of us will know the pressure of performing on the world's biggest stages for the highest of stakes, but we can all understand that the fuel that works for one stage of our journey might have to be changed if we want to make it all the way home. The combination of genuine wisdom of universal value and a life story that is preposterously entertaining, even astonishing, puts Will the book, like its author, in a category by itself. 
 
'The Hollywood star's autobiography is full of indiscretions, drug-fuelled escapades and terrible parenting. Who could ask for more?' Telegraph 
'Candid ... digs into the life events which fine-tuned Smith's weapons-grade charisma and steely determination' Observer 
'I absolutely loved it...no holds barred...I felt as if Will Smith was talking to me. It's a testament to him and to his family' Lorraine Kelly

Will

The Sunday Times Bestselling Autobiography

Brendan O'Carroll

Before he became the nation's favourite Mammy, Brendan O'Carroll was known, simply as Brendan. He's the youngest of ten children from a poor family in Dublin, he's a boy whose father died when he was just nine years old; he's someone whose hope and determination meant he never gave up. Throughout the tough moments, Brendan always had humour and a good story to tell alongside the ever-guiding inspiration of his own Mammy, a formidable figure who became Ireland's first female Labour MP, all whilst raising eleven children by herself. 
 
 Just like the show so brilliantly expresses, Brendan's first autobiography, the real story behind the man who became Mrs Brown, combines uplifting heart, warmth and hilarity.

Call Me Mrs. Brown

The hilarious autobiography from the star of Mrs. Brown’s Boys

Paul McCartney

'More often than I can count, I've been asked if I would write an autobiography, but the time has never been right. The one thing I've always managed to do, whether at home or on the road, is to write new songs. I know that some people, when they get to a certain age, like to go to a diary to recall day-to-day events from the past, but I have no such notebooks. What I do have are my songs, hundreds of them, which I've learned serve much the same purpose. And these songs span my entire life.' 
 
In this extraordinary book, with unparalleled candour, Paul McCartney recounts his life and art through the prism of 161 songs from all stages of his career - from his earliest boyhood compositions through the legendary decade of The Beatles, to Wings and his solo albums to the present. Arranged alphabetically to provide a kaleidoscopic rather than chronological account, it establishes definitive texts of the songs' lyrics for the first time and describes the circumstances in which they were written, the people and places that inspired them, and what he thinks of them now. Presented with this is a treasure trove of material from McCartney's personal archive - drafts, letters, photographs - never seen before, which make this also a unique visual record of one of the greatest songwriters of all time. 
 
We learn intimately about the man, the creative process, the working out of melodies, the moments of inspiration. The voice and personality of Paul McCartney sings off every page. There has never been a book about a great musician like it.

The Lyrics

1956 to the Present

Giles Smith

'In the Spring of 1989, shortly after my twenty-seventh birthday, as I stood in the sleet at a bus stop in Colchester, it dawned on me that I had probably, all things considered, failed in my mission to become Sting. At least, for the time being.' 
 
Lost in Music is about growing up with pop music - about hearing it, buying it, loving it, and attempting to play it in public for money. A brilliant combination of the confessional and the unapologetic, this is a book for anyone who has ever treasured vinyl, or sung into a roll-on deodorant in front of the bedroom mirror and dreamed of playing Wembley. 
 
Praise for Lost in Music 
 
'Very, very funny . . . Giles Smith is a wonderful writer' Nick Hornby 
 
'A wonderfully funny pop-music memoir . . . You don't have to know who Nik Kershaw is to laugh out loud at the chapter about him' Sebastian Faulks, Spectator 
 
'One of the best books about music that you will ever read . . . It is impossible to read Lost in Music without laughing out loud' Daily Telegraph

Lost in Music

The classic laugh-out-loud memoir

Brian Johnson

'It wasn't me. I didn't do it. And I'll never do it again!' says Brian Johnson of The Lives of Brian. That AC/DC's legendary front man got to do it all is one of the most cheering and entertaining stories in rock 'n'roll history. 
 
 The son of a British army sergeant-major and Italian mother, Brian grew up in Dunston, Tyne and Wear, as it emerged from the shadow of the Second World War. Then he saw Little Richard on the BBC and it changed the course of his life. 
 
 The choirboy and cub scout was going to be singer. 
 
 For over a decade he tried to make his mark with a succession of bands. He appeared on to Top of the Pops, toured Australia and yet the big time looked out of reach. Then he was invited to London for an audition for one of the world's biggest rock acts. AC/DC were a band in crisis following the tragic death of their lead singer, Bon Scott, but with Brian on board they would record their masterpiece: Back in Black. It became the biggest selling rock album of all time. The tour that followed played to packed out arenas. Quickly embraced by the band's fans, the new boy had earned his spurs. But there was to be a twist in the tale. In 2016, Brian was forced to quit the band after being diagnosed with hearing loss, only to make a triumphant return to the band he loved with the release of 2020's smash hit album Power Up. 
 It's been a rollercoaster of a life, throughout which Brian's kept his feet firmly on the ground, never losing touch with his roots. 
 
 Warm, vivid, evocative, life-affirming and often laugh-out-loud funny, The Lives of Brian tells the story of one of our most well-loved performers in his own inimitable voice

The Lives of Brian

The Sunday Times bestselling autobiography from legendary AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson

David Hepworth

With a foreword by Paul McCartney 
 
'It's semi-devotional -- a really special place' Florence Welch 
'There are certain things that are mythical. Abbey Road is mythical' Nile Rodgers 
 
Many people will recognise the famous zebra crossing. Some visitors may have graffitied their name on its hallowed outer walls. Others might even have managed to penetrate the iron gates. But what draws in these thousands of fans here, year after year? What is it that really happens behind the doors of the most celebrated recording studio in the world? 
 
It may have begun life as an affluent suburban house, but it soon became a creative hub renowned around the world as a place where great music, ground-breaking sounds and unforgettable tunes were forged - nothing less than a witness to, and a key participant in, the history of popular music itself. 
 
What has been going on there for over ninety years has called for skills that are musical, creative, technical, mechanical, interpersonal, logistical, managerial, chemical and, romantics might be tempted add, close to magic. 
 
This is for the people who believe in the magic.

Abbey Road

The Inside Story of the World’s Most Famous Recording Studio (with a foreword by Paul McCartney)

Sam Lee

'Wondering and wonderful. The nature book of the year.' JOHN LEWIS-STEMPEL 
 
'This lovely book is almost as thrilling as the bird's immortal song - balm for a troubled soul and a glimpse of paradise.' JOANNA LUMLEY 
______________________________ 
Come to the forest, sit by the fireside and listen to intoxicating song, as Sam Lee tells the story of the nightingale. 
 
Every year, as darkness falls upon woodlands, the nightingale heralds the arrival of Spring. Throughout history, its sweet song has inspired musicians, writers and artists around the world, from Germany, France and Italy to Greece, Ukraine and Korea. 
 
Here, passionate conservationist, renowned musician and folk expert Sam Lee tells the story of the nightingale. This book reveals in beautiful detail the bird's song, habitat, characteristics and migration patterns, as well as the environmental issues that threaten its livelihood. 
 
From Greek mythology to John Keats, to Persian poetry and 'A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square', Lee delves into the various ways we have celebrated the nightingale through traditions, folklore, music, literature, from ancient history to the present day. The Nightingale is a unique and lyrical portrait of a famed yet elusive songbird. 
______________________________ 
'Sam Lee has brought the poetic magic that has long enchanted so many of his musical fans into the written word. Allow yourself to glimpse the world Sam sees, to be part of his love affair with the nightingale, and you will no doubt be delighted.' LILY COLE 
 
'A wonderful book.' STEPHEN MOSS 
 
'A magical marriage of the lyrical and practical: a book that makes us want to seek out the nightingale and then reveals how we can.' TRISTAN GOOLEY

The Nightingale

‘The nature book of the year’

Ronnie Archer-Morgan

Janet Gleeson

'Ronnie has overcome a heart-breaking start in life to achieve great success and no one deserves it more. What a dude, what a life!' - Fiona Bruce 
 
'Brilliant...a mercurial memoir of a meritorious life.' - Lemn Sissay 
 
For decades, Ronnie Archer-Morgan has brought to life the fascinating, often surprising backstories behind our most cherished heirlooms and household objects on the Antiques Roadshow. Now, he tells his own unlikely story. 
 
 Born in the fifties to a Sierra Leonean mother battling mental health problems, Ronnie spent his childhood in and out of care. After difficult beginnings, marked by abuse, racism and brushes with both criminals and the police, he got into music, managing to get DJ gigs and, later, worked as a celebrity hairdresser for Vidal Sassoon and Smile in the height of seventies London. A flair for spotting antiques led him to start his own Knightsbridge gallery, ultimately becoming one of the most respected figures in the industry, culminating in a regular spot as an expert on the nation's Sunday favourite, Antiques Roadshow. 
 
 Told with rich warmth, this is an extraordinary journey from deprivation and abuse to adventure and success against the odds - with stories of the incredible objects which shaped the way. 
 
'A surprising story, like many of the objects he appraises on the Antiques Roadshow' - Kate Adie, broadcaster and bestselling author 
 
'A fascinating, rollercoaster read, very well told.' - Times

Would It Surprise You To Know…?

Sara Davies

A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER! THE #1 BESTSELLING BUSINESS BIOGRAPHY OF 2022. 
'Determined, focused and full of heart - this book encapsulates all that has made Sara Davies the powerhouse she is.' Giovanna Fletcher 
 
From student halls to Dragons Den (and Strictly Come Dancing!), this is Sara Davies MBE's story of building her multi-million-pound business from scratch and why we can all make it big. 
------------------------ 
Sara Davies is the queen of crafts. Whilst working as an intern in a small company, Sara noticed a gap in the industry and decided to pursue it. By the time she left university, she was running a business with a half million-pound turnover from her student bedroom. When she became the youngest of BBC 1's iconic Dragons, that turnover was £25 million. Today, she is one of Britain's biggest business names. 
 
In her first book - as full of warmth, wit and wisdom as she is - Sara shares what it took to get there: from manning factories overnight with her mam and dad to hitting the trade shows of Las Vegas alone, armed with little more than ambition and passion. 
 
We Can All Make It chronicles everything from what she looks for in a business investment to how she manages to find time to enjoy family life while running an empire. From the buzz of witnessing your latest product sell out, dancing the cha cha as you broadcast live to 96 million American homes, thriving after lockdown to being at the head of the biggest tables, Sara's unique storytelling answers all the questions for women in business today. 
 
Praise for Sara Davies 
 
'A business whizz' - Radio Times 
'A brilliant read.' Steph McGovern 
'Page-turning, inspiring' - Gethin Jones 
'She is amazing!' - Alison Hammond 
'Energy, focus, commitment: she's relentless!' - Peter Jones

We Can All Make It

the star of Dragons' Den shares her secrets of success

Daisy May Cooper

When things were really bad, Mum would always say to me: 
 
'Don't worry, it will be a good read for your memoir one day.' 
 
I suppose that's a weird way of coping, isn't it? Trying to turn the bleakest situation into a positive. 
 
Life hasn't always been straightforward for Daisy May Cooper: growing up in rural poverty in Gloucestershire with her brother Chaz, she had to work a myriad of low-paid, unrewarding jobs just to make ends meet. Don't Laugh, It'll Only Encourage Her is the endearingly honest and hilarious memoir from the creator and star of award-winning BBC comedy This Country.

Don't Laugh, It'll Only Encourage Her

The No 1 Sunday Times Bestseller

Nick Cave

The perfect gift for Nick Cave fans! Discover the complete lyrics, spanning his entire career to date, with a new foreword by Andrew O'Hagan 
 
From Nick Cave's writing for The Birthday Party, through highly acclaimed albums like Murder Ballads, Henry's Dream, DIG, LAZARUS, DIG!!! and Ghosteen, this is a must-have book for all fans of the dark, the beautiful and the defiant - for all fans of the songs of Nick Cave. 
 
'The greatest living songwriter' NME 
 
'A glowing wire, a mainline to meaning ad feeling and art' New Yorker 
 
'Nick Cave is a true lyrical master. He can conjure empathy and hope out of thin air, light out of darkness' Cillian Murphy 
 
'His lyrics - so rich in the toils of love, so committed to memory and everlasting presence - are the best-made of his generation' Andrew O'Hagan 
 
'A poetic craftsman' Will Self 
 
'Alternative rock legend' Billboard 
 
'Cave's genius rings loud and clear' Evening Standard 
 
Cover art by Aleksandra Waliszewska

The Complete Lyrics

1978–2022

Adam Rutherford

Hannah Fry

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 
 
'Explores just about every area of life' DAILY MAIL 
 
'If only Adam Rutherford and Hannah Fry were on tap to all of us, all the time . . . The pair have such a gift for making life, numbers and the forces at work in the universe all the richer, stranger, funnier and more marvellous.' Stephen Fry 
 
In Rutherford and Fry's comprehensive guidebook, they tell the complete story of the universe and absolutely everything in it - skipping over some of the boring parts. 
 
This is a celebration of the weirdness of the cosmos, the strangeness of humans and the fact that amid all the mess, we can somehow make sense of life. 
 
Our brains have evolved to tell us all sorts of things that feel intuitively right but just aren't true: the world looks flat, the stars seem fixed in the heavenly firmament, a day is 24 hours... This book is crammed full of tales of how stuff really works. With the power of science, Rutherford and Fry show us how to bypass our monkey-brains, taking us on a journey from the origin of time and space, via planets, galaxies, evolution, the dinosaurs, all the way into our minds, and wrestling with some truly head-scratching questions that only science can answer: 
 
What is time, and where does it come from? 
Why are animals the size and shape they are? 
How horoscopes work (Spoiler: they don't, but you think they do) 
Does my dog love me? 
Why nothing is truly round? 
Do you need your eyes to see? 
 
'A wonderfully engaging blend of wit, enthusiasm, clarity and knowledge.' Bill Bryson 
 
'Like the universe itself, this book is multi-faceted, surprising and full of wonders. It's also funny, wise and exceedingly brainy. You really owe it to yourself to read it.' Tim Harford, author of How To Make The World Add Up

Rutherford and Fry’s Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged)

new from the stars of BBC Radio 4

Nora Ephron

A NEW, REVISED EDITION OF THE ULTIMATE NORA EPHRON COLLECTION, PACKED WITH WIT, WISDOM AND COMFORT, WITH AN INTRODUCTION FROM CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS 
 
'The perfect introduction to the iconic writer' STYLIST 
 
INCLUDING: 
 
* Nora's much-loved essays on everything from friendship to feminism to journalism 
 
* Extracts from her bestselling novel Heartburn 
 
* Scenes from her hilarious screenplay for When Harry Met Sally 
 
* Unparalleled advice about friends, lovers, divorces, desserts and black turtleneck sweaters 
 
 
'It's got a little bit of everything, from witty essays on feminism, beauty, and ageing to profiles of empowering female figures' ELLE 
 
 
*PRAISE FOR NORA EPHRON* 
 
'So bold and so vulnerable at the same time. I don't know how she did it' PHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE 
 
'Nora's exacting, precise, didactic, tried-and-tested, sophisticated-woman-wearing-all-black wisdom is a comfort and a relief' DOLLY ALDERTON 
 
'Nora Ephron is the funniest, cleverest, wisest friend you could have' NIGELLA LAWSON 
 
'I am only the one of millions of women who will miss Nora's voice' LENA DUNHAM

The Most of Nora Ephron

The ultimate anthology of essays, articles and extracts from her greatest work, with a foreword by Candice Carty-Williams

The ultimate anthology

Lawrence Chaney

'It's no mystery or secret how much I enjoy Lawrence Chaney.' - RuPaul 
 
'Tackles everything from gender identity, the thrill of a wig and why Scottish talent is often overlooked.' - i News 
 
Lawrence Chaney has wowed audiences across the globe as the winner of RuPaul's Drag Race UK. In Lawrence (Drag) Queen of Scots, Lawrence shares heartfelt and candid moments from their past. From being bullied as a child to what it's like to date as a drag queen, they give us an insight to their journey towards acceptance and better mental health. 
 
The loch ness legend themself takes us through the struggles faced to get to where they are now. From their childhood, growing up as a queer kid in Glasgow, feeling self-conscious and turning to humour to avoid being bullied, Lawrence shares their painfully relatable coming out story, and how finding drag was a vehicle towards confidence and self-love. 
__________ 
 
'Gorgeous, hugely talented, funny, charismatic, adorable, Chaney is a goddess and brings us joy.' - Lorraine 
 
'Lawrence shares some of [their] most intricate and personal stories...such as concocting a drag name, mental health and dating.' - Gay Times 
 
'Lawrence Chaney is the funniest queen by a country mile. She has delivered the laughs a locked down nation needed in abundance. But there's much more to Chaney than her quick wit. Her vulnerability is also part of her natural gift.' - Vogue

(Drag) Queen of Scots

The hilarious and heartwarming memoir from the UK’s favourite drag queen

Gary Barlow

'I just wanted to share my personal journey through the last five decades - the highs and lows, the ups and downs. So in A Different Stage, this is me opening the curtains and sharing moments nobody has heard or seen before...' 
 
In this warm, intimate and humorous book, rich with nostalgia and unexpected intimate detail, Gary Barlow unpacks the people, music, places, things and cultural phenomena that have made him the man that he is. From the working men's club where it all began through to the sold out stadium tours, this is the story of Gary's life told through music. 
 
Filled with a mixture of brand new photography from Gary's current one-man show and incredibly personal unseen personal photos and notebooks, A Different Stage is a beautiful and sumptuous book.

A Different Stage

The remarkable and intimate life story of Gary Barlow told through music

John Illsley

Dire Straits filled giant stadiums around the world and sold hundreds of millions of records. Throughout the eighties, they were one of the biggest bands on the planet. Their classic songs - 'Sultans of Swing', 'Money for Nothing', 'Brothers In Arms' - formed the soundtrack of a generation and live on today. In his memoir, John Illsley - founding member and bassist - evokes the spirit of the times and tells the story of one of the great live acts of rock history. Starting with his own unlikely beginnings, he recounts the band's rise from humble origins in London's spit-and-sawdust pubs to the best-known venues in the world, the working man's clubs to Madison Square Garden and the Live Aid stage at Wembley. Until, ultimately, the demands of touring and living in the spotlight took their inevitable toll. John's story is also a tribute to his great friend Mark Knopfler, the band's lead singer, songwriter and gifted guitarist - the only band members to stay the fifteen-year distance. Told with honesty, soulful reflection and wry humour, this is the first and only account of that incredible story.

My Life in Dire Straits

The Inside Story of One of the Biggest Bands in Rock History

Gyles Brandreth

In Odd Boy Out Gyles Brandreth provides an extraordinarily revealing account of growing up and coming of age in an apparently well-to-do but always strapped-for-cash middle-class English family. 
 
By turns hilarious and moving, and chock full of unforgettable stories, Odd Boy Out is the unexpected and candid autobiography of one of the country's most unlikely personalities. Yet at root it is a powerful and passionate exploration of childhood - how our heritage, our parents and our upbringing make us who we are.

Odd Boy Out

Helena Attlee

From the moment she hears Lev's violin for the first time, Helena Attlee is captivated. She is told that it is an Italian instrument, named after its former Russian owner. Eager to discover all she can about its ancestry and the stories contained within its delicate wooden body, she sets out for Cremona, birthplace of the Italian violin. This is the beginning of a beguiling journey whose end she could never have anticipated. 
 
Making its way from dusty workshops, through Alpine forests, cool Venetian churches, glittering Florentine courts, and far-flung Russian flea markets, Lev's Violin takes us from the heart of Italian culture to its very furthest reaches. Its story of luthiers and scientists, princes and orphans, musicians, composers, travellers and raconteurs swells to a poignant meditation on the power of objects, stories and music to shape individual lives and to craft entire cultures.

Lev's Violin

An Italian Adventure

Mel Brooks

AVAILABLE NOW 
 
At 95, the legendary Mel Brooks continues to set the standard for comedy across television, film, and the stage. Now, for the first time, this EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winner shares his story in his own words. 
 
'Not since the Bible have I read anything so powerful and poignant. And to boot - it's a lot funnier!' - M. Brooks 
 
For anyone who loves American comedy, the long wait is over. Here are the never-before-told, behind-the-scenes anecdotes and remembrances from a master storyteller, filmmaker, and creator of all things funny. 
 
 All About Me! charts Mel Brooks's meteoric rise from a Depression-era kid in Brooklyn to the recipient of the National Medal of Arts. Whether serving in the United States Army in World War II, or during his burgeoning career as a teenage comedian in the Catskills, Mel was always mining his experiences for material, always looking for the perfect joke. His iconic career began with Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows, where he was part of the greatest writers' room in history, which included Carl Reiner, Neil Simon, and Larry Gelbart. After co-creating both the mega-hit 2000 Year Old Man comedy albums and the classic television series Get Smart, Brooks's stellar film career took off. He would go on to write, direct, and star in The Producers, The Twelve Chairs, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Silent Movie, High Anxiety, and Spaceballs, as well as produce groundbreaking and eclectic films, including The Elephant Man, The Fly, and My Favorite Year. Brooks then went on to conquer Broadway with his record-breaking, Tony-winning musical, The Producers. 
 
All About Me! offers fans insight into the inspiration behind the ideas for his outstanding collection of boundary-breaking work, and offers details about the many close friendships and collaborations Brooks had, including those with Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Gene Wilder, Madeleine Kahn, Alfred Hitchcock, and the great love of his life, Anne Bancroft. 
 
Filled with tales of struggle, achievement, and camaraderie (and dozens of photographs), readers will gain a more personal and deeper understanding of the incredible body of work behind one of the most accomplished and beloved entertainers in history.

All About Me!

My Remarkable Life in Show Business

Alison Hammond

'I always say a day is wasted without laughter . . .' 
 
Alison Hammond loves to laugh. And the nation laughs with her. Her sunny personality and zest for life have brought joy to millions and made her one of the UK's best-loved television presenters. Known for her hilarious and unforgettable interviews with Hollywood A-listers, Alison is also responsible for countless classic moments of broadcasting gold - from getting stuck on a caravan door to delivering Christmas cash dressed as an elf. 
 
But who is Alison Hammond really, and how did she become the personality we know and love? Shaped by the influence of her incredible mum, Alison went from small roles on television shows as a youngster to that life-changing appearance on Big Brother, before landing her dream job on This Morning. And through it all, she found the joy in every day, the positives in any situation. 
 
You've Got to Laugh gives a never-before-seen insight into Alison's life: her loves, her losses - with a side order of gossip. As well as being a hugely entertaining and uplifting read, Alison's story will inspire you to grab life with both hands and make the most of every single moment.

You’ve Got To Laugh

Stories from a Life Lived to the Full

Daniel Sloss

One of this generation's hottest and boldest young comedians, Daniel Sloss presents a transgressive and hilarious analysis of all of our dysfunctional relationships, and attempts to point us in the vague direction of sanity. 
Including lovers, ex-lovers, ex-lovers who you hate, ex-lovers who hate you, with parents, with best friends (male and female), not-best friends, with children, with siblings, and even with the global pandemic and our own mortality.

Everyone You Hate is Going to Die

And Other Comforting Thoughts on Family, Friends, Sex, Love, and More Things That Ruin Your Life

Hanif Abdurraqib

At the March on Washington in 1963, Josephine Baker was in a mood to reflect on her life and her legacy. She had spent decades as one of the most successful entertainers the world had ever seen, but, she told the crowd, "I was a devil in other countries, and I was a little devil in America, too". Inspired by these words, celebrated poet and music critic Hanif Abdurraqib has written a profound meditation on Black performance in the modern age, in which culture, history and his own lived experience collide. 
 
 In prose that brims with jubilation and pain, A Little Devil in America explores a sequence of iconic and intimate performances which take Abdurraqib from mid-century Paris to the moon-and back down again, to a cramped living room in Columbus, Ohio. Each moment in each performance he examines has layers of resonance in Black and white cultures, the politics of American empire, and his own personal history of love and grief-whether it's the twenty-seven seconds of 'Gimme Shelter' in which Merry Clayton sings, or the magnificent hours of Aretha Franklin's homegoing; Beyoncé's Super Bowl half-time show or a schoolyard fistfight; Dave Chapelle's skits or a game of spades among friends. 
 
 Infused with the lyricism and rhythm of the musicians Abdurraqib loves, and richly textured with compassion and humour, A Little Devil in America is a unique exaltation of Black performances, cultures and communities.

A Little Devil in America

In Praise of Black Performance

Sinéad O'Connor

Sinéad O'Connor's voice and trademark shaved head made her famous by the age of twenty-one. Her landmark recording of Prince's Nothing Compares 2 U made her a global icon. She outraged millions when she tore up a photograph of Pope John Paul II on American television. Unapologetic and impossible to ignore, she called out hypocrisy wherever she saw it, and has done so for three decades. Now, in Rememberings, O'Connor tells her story - the heartache of growing up in a family falling apart; her early forays into the Dublin music scene; her adventures and misadventures in the world of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll; the fulfilment of being a mother; her ongoing spiritual quest - and through it all, her abiding passion for music. 
 
Rememberings is intimate, replete with candid anecdotes and full of hard-won insights. It is a unique and remarkable chronicle by a unique and remarkable artist.

Rememberings

Laura Tunbridge

Ludwig van Beethoven: to some, simply the greatest ever composer of Western classical music. Yet his life remains shrouded in myths, and the image persists of him as an eccentric genius shaking his fist at heaven. 
 
 Beethoven by Oxford professor Laura Tunbridge cuts through the noise in a refreshing way. Each chapter focuses on a period of his life, a piece of music and a revealing theme, from family to friends, from heroism to liberty. This tour de force provides a fresh overview and a wealth of material that has never been revealed before. It's a compelling, human portrayal of Beethoven and a fascinating journey into one of the world's most amazing creative minds.

Beethoven

A Life in Nine Pieces

Roger Scruton

Wagner's last music-drama tells the story of Parsifal, the 'pure fool, knowing through compassion', who has been called to rescue the Kingdom of the Grail from the sins that have polluted it. The Grail is a symbol of purity in a world of lust and power, but although Parsifal is the culmination of Wagner's life-long obsession with the religious frame of mind, the redemption sought by his characters is far from the Christian archetype. For Wagner, redemption occurs inthis life, when compassion prevails over enslavement, and purity replaces spiritual pollution. His music here ties together suffering and contrition, sin and forgiveness, downfall and redemption in an inextricable knot, healing the fractures and uniting the warring elements in human life in a way that is clear, convincing and uncanny. More than any other of his works, Parsifal expresses in music a depth of feeling for which we do not have words. 
 
This short but penetrating book, by a writer who was uniquely both a leading philosopher and musicologist, shows us how Wagner achieves this profound work, explaining the story, its musical ideas, and their coming together into a sublime whole which gives us the musical equivalent of forgiveness and closure. There are few writers who can so enhance our understanding of one of the greatest works in western music.

Wagner's Parsifal

The Music of Redemption

Patrick Barwise

Peter York

The BBC is a central part of British life, shared culture and international standing. It is the British public's most important and trusted news provider in a world of global fake news; a hugely popular, low-cost source of universally available information, education and entertainment - watched and listened to by most people for at least a couple of hours every day, despite stiff competition; and the crown jewel of the UK's global reputation. 
 
But the BBC is in peril as never before in its long history. It faces ever-increasing competition and threats from new technology and consumption trends. It suffers relentless attacks from a range of hostile players motivated by their own political and commercial interests. And it faces deep funding cuts. These pressures may even destroy it within a generation. We must not end up recognizing what its value was only when it's gone. 
 
If the BBC is destroyed it will be almost impossible to rebuild it. This book is a powerful wake-up call to halt the destruction of one of our greatest assets, built up over almost a century, before it's too late.

The War Against the BBC

How an Unprecedented Combination of Hostile Forces Is Destroying Britain's Greatest Cultural Institution... And Why You Should Care

Florence Welch

The perfect gift for fans of Florence + the Machine, featuring lyrics, never-before-seen poetry, and scrapbook entries from the award-winning singer 
 
‘An alchemy of memoir and imagination’ Waterstones Newsletter 
 
Songs can be incredibly prophetic, like subconscious warnings or messages to myself, but I often don't know what I'm trying to say till years later. Or a prediction comes true and I couldn't do anything to stop it, so it seems like a kind of useless magic. 
 
Florence Welch needs no introduction. 
 
As the lead vocalist of the award-winning band Florence + The Machine, who burst onto the scene with their cult-classic debut album Lungs, she has won the hearts of fans across the globe with her ethereal voice and theatrical stage presence and, more recently, for her collaboration with Taylor Swift on Florida!. 
 
Now, ahead of the release of the band’s new album, Everybody Scream, explore the iconic voice of their acclaimed singer with this stunning collection of her lyrics, poems and scrapbook entries. 
 
Featuring beautiful illustrations and journal-style intimacy, Useless Magic is the must-have book for any Florence + The Machine fan. 
 
Praise for Useless Magic 
 
'Pop's high priestess bares her soul in this candid collection of poems and lyrics' Observer 
 
'A treasure . . . beautiful. Generous in its honesty, by the end you feel as though you have climbed into the colourful, and sometimes tortured, world of a passionate artist' i News 
 
'Makes the reader feel as though they're peeking into a private journal' Refinery29

Useless Magic

Lyrics, Poetry and Sermons

Lyrics and Poetry

Andrew Ridgeley

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 
 
For the first time, Andrew Ridgeley - one half of one of the most famous bands in the world - tells the inside story of Wham!, his life-long friendship with George Michael and the formation of a band that changed the shape of the music scene in the early eighties. 
 
In 1975 Andrew took a shy new boy at school under his wing. They instantly hit it off and their boyhood escapades at Bushey Meads School built a bond that was never broken. The duo found themselves riding an astonishing rollercoaster of success, taking them all over the world. They made and broke iconic records, they were treated like gods, but they stayed true to their friendship and ultimately to themselves. It was a party that seemed as if it would never end. And then it did, in front of tens of thousands of tearful fans at Wembley Stadium in 1986. 
 
Andrew's memoir covers in wonderful detail those years, up until that last iconic concert: the scrapes, the laughs, the relationships, the good and the bad. It's a unique and one-and-only time to remember that era, that band and those boys.

Wham! George & Me

Celebrate 40 Years of Wham! with the Sunday Times Bestseller

Benj Pasek

Justin Paul

When Benj Pasek and Justin Paul set out to write a pivotal song for Dear Evan Hansen, they tapped into their main character's loneliness. The result was 'You Will Be Found' a song that sets in motion a moment that goes viral in the world of the show. 
 
And then something happened in the world outside the show: Fans loved the song. It connected. It went viral. People found comfort in its message of hope. 
 
This beautifully illustrated edition of the 'You Will Be Found' lyrics is for them, and for anyone on the edge of a new chapter in life.

Dear Evan Hansen: You Will Be Found

A Private Thriller

A series of children's modern classic novels by renowned 20th century children's writers. All the titles in this series have the A Puffin Book logo, contemporary-style covers, and child-friendly endnotes.

A Puffin Book

A Ripley Novel

A Slice of the Moon

A Victorian Mystery

A Walk in...

A Women’s Murder Club Thriller

A chef Paul Delamare Mystery

Aberrations

Across the Universe

Actiphons

Adelia Aguilar

Adrian Mole

Adventures in Time

Aftermath

Against War

Age of X

Agent 21

Agent Z

Detective Aidan Waits is a troubled junior detective haunted by his past. Facing an uncertain future, and disconnected from his history, DC Waits and his partner, Detective Inspector Peter 'Sutty' Sutcliffe work on Manchester's streets to uncover the city's worst criminals among the grime of the underworld.

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