Michael Symmons Roberts’s fourth book of poetry, Corpus, was the winner of the 2004 Whitbread Poetry Award, and was shortlisted for the T. S. Eliot Prize, the Forward Prize, and the Griffin International Prize. His sixth collection, Drysalter, was the winner of both the Forward Prize and the Costa Poetry Prize in 2013. He collaborated with Paul Farley on Edgelands (Cape/Vintage) and will do so again in The Deaths of the Poets (Cape, 2017). He has also worked many times with the composer James MacMillan. He has published two novels, and is Professor of Poetry at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Michael Symmons Roberts

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Bob McCabe

Ronnie Barker is one of the best-loved and most celebrated entertainers in British television history. As well as starring in the ever popular and critically acclaimed sitcoms Porridge and Open All Hours, he was, of course, one of the bespectacled Two Ronnies, who topped the TV Charts for more than 15 years and are returning to our screens in spring 2005. 
 
 A celebration of Ronnies life and career, published to coincide with Ronnies 75th birthday, this book contains original contributions from people who have worked with and know him best including John Cleese, David Jason (who provides the foreword), David Frost, Eric Idle, Michael Palin. 
 
 Written with the full consent and collaboration of Ronnie himself, this biography is full of interviews and unseen personal illustrations from his own collection. 
 
 Bob McCabe is a respected author and journalist and contributes regularly to film magazines and BBC radio arts programmes. He is the author of several books.

Ronnie Barker Authorised Biography

David Croft

As the writer and creator of some of the best loved series in British TV history, David Croft has captivated audiences with such timelessly lovable sitcoms as Dads Army, Hi de Hi, Allo Allo and Are You Being Served.      David's autobiography reflects on a life that has always revolved around showbusiness  his mother was the famous actress Annie Croft  and provides a privileged insight into the workings of British TV in what Croft suggests was the golden era of the 60s to 80s.  The book also illuminates Croft as a person as he tells of his experiences during the war years and the ups and downs of his family life.      Characteristically warm and funny, David Crofts Autobiography is a first-class account of a life surrounded by celebrities. Devotees of his programmes will enjoy a wealth of anecdotes about actors such as Clive Dunn and Wendy Richards and relish the behind-the-scenes insights into the personalities and working styles of some of Britains most famous television actors.

You Have Been Watching - The Autobiography Of David Croft

Sally Wainwright

Anne Choma

The real Anne Lister, and the official companion to the hit BBC series created by Sally Wainwright and starring Suranne Jones. 
 
In Gentleman Jack, historian and series consultant Anne Choma draws from the explosive diaries of Anne Lister to recreate the life and times of one of the most fascinating figures of the 19th century. Anne’s remarkable diaries, partly written in a secret code, detailed her innermost thoughts on everything from sex, menstruation and money to relationships, politics and society. As Choma shows, they have opened up a previously unknown world to us. 
 
Fearless, charismatic and determined to explore her lesbian sexuality, Anne forged her own path in a society that had no language to define her. This is the real Gentleman Jack, following Anne from her crumbling ancestral home in Yorkshire to the glittering courts of Denmark as she resolves to put past heartbreak behind her and find herself a wife. The official companion to the first series, it also features unpublished journal extracts decrypted for the first time, as well as a foreword by series creator Sally Wainwright.

Gentleman Jack

The Real Anne Lister The Official Companion to the BBC Series

John Lewis-Stempel

Set in Glasgow in the 1930s, Young James Herriot is the fascinating story of Herriot’s formative years at veterinary college, recounting the tales behind his calling to work with animals and his early friendships. With no modern drugs, and a lot of trial-and-error, James sets about learning how to treat the local farm animals and the pets of city folk. 
 
Accompanied by a cast of eccentric professors and an ensemble of aspiring veterinarians, this book reveals a world now lost to us, showing how life in pre-war Britain changed an enthusiastic young student named Alf Wight into the man who would charm millions of readers the world over.

Young James Herriot

The Making of the World’s Most Famous Vet

Karen Farrington

Based on the popular Radio 4 series, Great Lives highlights some of the world's most fascinating and influential characters. Chosen by the show's guests, each biography reveals the life and times of artists, sportsmen, statesmen, authors, monarchs, actors, musicians and scientists, showing why they inspire, what they achieved and how they have influenced the world at large. Discover the intriguing lives of Clement Attlee and Henri Matisse, King Alfred and Samuel Johnson, Tommy Cooper and Robert Kennedy, Robin Day and Edith Wharton, along with many more. 
 
From the famous to the obscure, the historical to the contemporary, each biography provides an insight into the character's personality, why they were driven to achieve so much, and separates fact from fiction. With a foreword by the show's presenter, Matthew Parris, Great Lives is an ideal gift for history and biography enthusiasts, and for fans of the Radio 4 series.

Great Lives

As heard on Radio 4

Sam Wasson

Don't dance for the audience. Dance for yourself. 
 
The basis for a lavish new drama series from Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, Fosse is the definitive book on one of Broadway's and Hollywood's most complex and dynamic icons. 
 
The only person ever to win Oscar, Emmy and Tony awards in the same year, Bob Fosse revolutionised almost every facet of American entertainment. A ground-breaking dancer, choreographer, and theatre and film director, his innumerable achievements include Cabaret, All That Jazz and Chicago, one of the longest-running Broadway musicals ever. Yet his offstage life was equally dramatic, marked by deep psychological wounds and insatiable appetites. 
 
In this richly detailed and beautifully written biography, Sam Wasson draws on a wealth of unpublished material and over 300 interviews with Fosse's family, friends, enemies, lovers and collaborators, many of them speaking publicly about Fosse for the first time. Fosse is a book bursting with energy and style, pleasure and pain - much like the man himself.

Fosse

The Biography

Adam Henson

‘People say “Like father, like son”, and the story of my life has mirrored my father’s to a quite uncanny degree. Right from when I was a little boy, he was my rock; my mentor; my hero. It is no exaggeration to say that he taught me virtually everything I know about both country life and television. Without him, I certainly would not be doing what I am today ...’ 
 
Like Farmer, Like Son is a truly remarkable account of Adam’s life that explores a hidden family history and the unbreakable bond between Adam and his life-long hero: his father Joe. In the 1940s and ‘50s, Joe, the son of stage and film star Leslie Henson, chose a completely different path, alien to his thespian parents and decided to pursue a career as a farmer. In addition, Joe overcame a serious stammer to become a regular broadcaster on Country Matters and also became the saviour of Britain’s rare breeds. He even put his business and his reputation at stake to open the world’s first Farm Park. 
 
Here, for the first time, Adam reveals the family traits, childhood experiences and farming wisdom which have made him the man he is today. As he trawls the family archive and discovers his own bloodline, Adam learns to understand and appreciate the famous grandfather he never knew and pays tribute to the wonderful father he has so recently lost.

Like Farmer, Like Son

Simon du Beaumarche

Who is The Stig? Where did he come from? Why does he never speak? 
 
To answer these questions, award-winning biographer Simon du Beaumarche spent a year chasing The Stig and talking to those closest to him, including Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and leading figures from Formula 1, music, movies and the military. 
 
What he discovered is an explosive story of intrigue, influence and a sensational conspiracy that seeks to hide the truth about one of the 21st century’s greatest icons. 
 
Get behind the visor of the man, the myth, the driver, the legend, THE STIG. 
 
This book contains adult humour and some themes that may be unsuitable for children.

The Stig

The Untold Story

Gary Morecambe

In this fascinating autobiography Erics son, Gary Morecambe, describes what it’s like to grow up in the presence of one of the best-loved and most fondly remembered of all British comedy greats. 
 
Eric and Ernie brought sunshine and laughter to the people of Britain for an amazing 22 years. 
 
Includes photos from the Morecambe family archive and unseen extracts from his father’s personal diaries. 
 
Frank and outspoken, this book provides a compelling insight into the man behind the laughter, a man who was constantly worried that one day he would be found out, who never lost his love of Long John Silver impressions, and who continued to work until heart disease finally killed him at only 58 years of age.

Eric Morecambe: Life's Not Hollywood It's Cricklewood

Graham McCann

From its first episode in 1973, Open All Hours was an instant hit. Audiences around Britain loved its familiar setting, good natured humour, and the hilarious partnership of Ronnie Barker and David Jason. Whilst it only ran for 26 episodes, it firmly cemented itself as a British comedy classic. 
 
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the show in 2014, the BBC revived it for a one-off Christmas Special. Still Open All Hours was swamped by a tsunami of audience affection and the BBC promptly commissioned a full series. The first episode of the fifth series is expected to air in late 2014. 
 
With recollections from David Jason, his fellow cast members, and from the scriptwriter Roy Clarke, plus never before seen BBC archive material, acclaimed popular TV historian Graham McCann tells the inside story of this very British sitcom, with wit, insight and affection.

Still Open All Hours

The Story of a Classic Comedy

Discover a forgotten British heritage. 
 
The protection and promotion of the UK’s native rare breeds is something that’s in Adam Henson’s blood. His father, Joe, established the Rare Breeds Trust in 1973, and they have been a core attraction at their Cotswold Farm Park, and a part of the Henson family story ever since. 
 
In A Breed Apart, Adam Henson takes readers on a very personal journey around the nation, discovering the animals that have shaped our lives and our land throughout the centuries. From postcard perfect Highland Cows to the Cotswold sheep (for whom the Cotswolds are named), to the fearsome, four-horned Manx Loagthan ram and the Ulster White Pig, Adam travels the length and breadth of the British Isles, uncovering the history of these ancient animals, meeting the specialists and farmers who are passionate about their preservation, and shares his hopes for the future of these magnificent and unique breeds and his fight for their survival. 
 
This is the story of Britain, told through the native breeds that have nourished and nurtured the nation.

A Breed Apart

My Adventures with Britain’s Rare Breeds

Don Haworth

When Fred Dibnah debuted on television in 1979, British audiences immediately embraced a new cultural icon: a steeplejack from Bolton who fell in love with England's decaying industrial landscape and an exhaustive storyteller whose charm and wit was matched only by his down-to-earth manner. The Producer of that first film, Don Haworth, would go on to make nineteen films about this unlikely celebrity and true British eccentric. 
 
Did You Like That? collects the best stories from these films: colourful tales told by Fred himself, recounting key moments in his life, his experiences as a steeplejack, his fascination with machinery, his work as an engineer, craftsman, artist, inventor and steam enthusiast, and his forthright views on life in general. 
 
Told with true Northern grit, Did You Like That? is the story of a man who never shied away from a hair-raising challenge, and the closest thing to Fred's autobiography we're likely to get. In paperback for the first time, this is Fred's story, in his own words.

Did You Like That? Fred Dibnah, In His Own Words

Danny Robins

'A wonderfully entertaining ride' - Mark Gatiss, co-creator of Sherlock 
 
'A brilliant book, engaging and filmic' - Reece Shearsmith, co-creator of Inside No. 9 
 
'Scarily good!' - Danny Wallace, author of Yes Man 
 
‘The ghosts of today don’t live in castles or stately homes, they’re in normal houses and workplaces, witnessed by people just like you and me. But are they the dead returning from the “undiscovered country” of death, or the product of that equally mysterious location, the human mind?’ 
 
Danny Robins is on a mission to try to solve the greatest of all mysteries – do ghosts exist? This thrilling book tells the stories of ordinary people who have experienced extraordinary things and want to understand them. It is also a journey of self-discovery, as Danny explores what the paranormal means to us, and considers the exciting yet terrifying prospect that we are not alone. 
 
From poltergeists and apparitions, to UFOs and strange messages from beyond the grave, Into the Uncanny is a page-turning real-life supernatural adventure. So, are you Team Believer or Team Sceptic – and do you dare to find out? 
 
With a new and exclusive bonus chapter containing case updates

Into the Uncanny

In 2001, Adam Henson was chosen from 3,500 applicants to become a presenter on Countryfile. Adam's agricultural knowledge and open manner soon made him a popular figure and when the programme moved to its current Sunday evening slot in 2009, he began to present a weekly report from his own farm in the Cotswolds. 
 
There, the ups and downs of the farming calendar, as told in Adam's straight-talking fashion, soon became one of the most popular parts of the programme as viewers watched him endure the stress of TB testing and his sadness at losing valuable cattle as well as the highs of spring lambing. 
 
This is the first book by Adam Henson, and it is an enthralling, first-person account of the drama, emotion and sheer hard work that is life on Adam's Farm.

Countryfile: Adam's Farm

My Life on the Land

Maureen Orth

A true story of dark forces that ended a colourful life. 
 
The basis for the Emmy Award winning American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace, a 10-part drama series on BBC2, starring Penelope Cruz and Ricky Martin, this is the unforgettable account of a sociopath, his savage crimes, and the devastation he left in his wake. 
 
In the glamorous and hedonistic fashion world in the 1990s there was one world-famous name that everyone knew – Gianni Versace. Vulgar Favours details the events that led to his murder at the hands of Andrew Cunanan on July 15th, 1997. 
 
Maureen Orth, investigative journalist, was researching an article for Vanity Fair about the Miami Beach serial killer two days before Versace was brutally killed outside his mansion by Cunanan. Drawing on over 400 interviews and thousands of pages of police reports, Orth recounts in gripping detail how Cunanan became one of America's most notorious serial killers, evading the police and leaving his other victims’ families in disarray.

Vulgar Favours

The book behind the Emmy Award winning ‘American Crime Story’ about the man who murdered Gianni Versace

Andrea Begley

Andrea Begley stunned the nation with her unique voice and was the brilliant winner of series two of The Voice UK. This is the exclusive story of her journey to the top. From her childhood in Ireland, coming to terms with the loss of 90% of her vision, to her university days and her passion for politics and above all, music. 
 
 The Voice was the opportunity Andrea had been waiting for and she made sure nothing would hold her back. In this book, Andrea reveals the moments of terror and triumph, the pressure and euphoria, what it’s really like to work with Danny O’Donoghue and what it feels like to have finally achieved her dream against all odds. 
 
 An incredible voice, an incredible woman. This is her story.

I Didn’t See That Coming

Five Women. Five families’ search for justice. 
 
All Sarah Chesham wanted was to survive, at a time when crops were poor and money was tight. By the time she died she was branded a merciless child killer. 
 
All Emily Swann wanted was the love of a man who wouldn’t abuse her. By the time she died she was depicted as a vengeful, drunken hussy. 
 
All Edith Thompson wanted was a romance with a man who adored her. By the time she died she was seen as a scheming and manipulative adulteress. 
 
All Louie Calvert wanted was to be heard. Yet when she died she slipped almost immediately into the shadows, like thousands of other women like her. 
 
All Charlotte Bryant wanted was a distraction from a dreary life. By the time she died she was deemed a seductress and an arch poisoner. 
 
No one wants to believe that their mother, sister or daughter is capable of murder. When a woman is charged with a killing, we judge more harshly and punish more severely than when a man does the same. 
 
Murder, Mystery and My Family explores five historical true-crime tales from the hit BBC series, each with a woman at the heart of the story, from a case of ‘poison panic’ in the 19th century to a post-war murder that gripped the nation. Tales of infidelity and greed, corruption and deceit run throughout – but was justice served for all? Descendants of those convicted revisit each case in search of answers. 
 
Based on extensive research, including original court records and interviews with descendants, Murder, Mystery and My Family delves deeper into each crime, while also looking at our changing attitudes to women who have found themselves at the centre of our darkest dramas.

Murder, Mystery and My Family

A True-Crime Casebook from the Hit BBC Series

There is nothing quite like the relationship between a farmer and his dog. 
 
‘For me, the bond I have with Peg, my border collie sheepdog is priceless. I know how very lucky I, and thousands of other shepherds and farmers, are to have these extraordinarily bright, enthusiastic dogs at our side.’ 
 
In A Farmer and His Dog, Adam Henson explores the unique relationship between a farmer and his most loyal friend. Sheepdogs come in a variety of shapes and sizes from border collies to Australian kelpies (rumoured to be a distant relative of the dingo). Not only are they essential to the running of a farm, but they are also fiercely intelligent and exceptionally devoted companions, having evolved over millennia to make the make the work of a shepherd possible. 
 
But it is not just the farmer working the land who benefits from the extraordinary relationship between man and dog. Beginning by introducing us to the dogs who have been faithful companions to the Henson family over the years, Adam goes on to explore the impact made by the UK’s hardest working breeds. From traditional herding dogs and gundogs – such as the Labrador’s he grew up with and the Hungarian wire-haired Vizslas like Boo and Olive who live with him now – to the assistance dogs, sniffer dogs and even search and rescue dogs, whose stories have reinforced Adam’s belief that we humans owe an enormous debt to our wet-nosed, four-legged friends.

A Farmer and His Dog

David Attenborough

David Attenborough is one of the most influential and admired figures in English television. When 26, he applied for a job in the BBC – which then meant radio – and was promptly turned down. But someone saw his rejected application and asked, would he like to try television? He would, and sixty years later, he is still at it. Elegantly told, often very funny, here is his story. 
 
At home there is his rise to controlling BBC2, introducing colour television to Britain, encounters with Montgomery, Anthony Eden, singers, athletes, explorers, the Queen, Benjamin Britten. Abroad there are people just as remarkable, journeys up tropical rivers, to the interior of New Guinea or the Australian outback, dragons, birds of paradise, flying snakes and walls of cockroaches. 
 
Now updated to cover his work since 2009, Life on Air is a remarkable account of David Attenborough’s passion for the natural world and his lifelong quest to understand it. .

Life on Air

Alan Titchmarsh

In When I Was a Nipper Alan Titchmarsh goes on a personal and nostalgic journey through post-War Britain in search of treasured values and traditions that were once the soul of society. With characteristic wit, warmth and humour he draws on the experience of his own childhood, and also takes a broader perspective, creating a wonderfully detailed and evocative portrait of a way of life that is fast disappearing, and asks what can we learn from this era of austerity to make our lives better today? 
 
Born in Yorkshire in 1949 and brought up in a Britain still recovering from World War 2, Alan remembers a time of relative calm, when it was enough to return home at night knowing that the house would still be standing. We were known throughout the world for our patience, resourcefulness and resilience. 'Mustn't grumble' was almost a national catchphrase, and queuing was second nature. Peppered with wonderful archive photographs and advertisements, When I Was a Nipper takes us back to those days, down high streets and through farmyards, on to trolley buses and into local pubs. 
 
As we move towards a global economy, as communities fragment and customs are lost, When I Was a Nipper captures a world that is fast receding into history. It's powerfully nostalgic for those who remember those days, but it's also Alan's timely call to all recession-hit Brits to heed the lessons of austerity Britain: 'make do and mend'; 'look on the bright side' and 'take the knocks on the chin'.

When I Was a Nipper

The Way We Were in Disappearing Britain

Monty Halls

'Truly incredible' - Bear Grylls 
 
'Barnstorming' - Sir Ranulph Fiennes 
 
The Royal Marine Commandos have become a byword for elite raiding skills and cutting-edge military operations. They are globally renowned, yet shrouded in mystery. With unique insight and authority, Commando captures the essence and heart of this revered military unit then and now, exploring their role patrolling the high seas and policing coastlines around the globe, and revealing their rich history and what it means to win and wear the legendary green beret. 
 
With full and exclusive access to every level of the organisation, author and former Royal Marine Monty Halls tells the real stories of extraordinary individuals through a period of historic global unrest: from Future Commando forces on high-profile drug busts to Mountain Leaders training across glaciers north of the Arctic Circle; from medics who serve as global first responders in conflict to wounded veterans raising vast sums to support their brethren in the Corps Family. These are the modern vanguard of a legendary unit, descendants of the misfits and eccentrics who were so effective and feared in WW2 that Hitler famously ordered them to be shot on sight. 
 
Accompanying a major BBC series on the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War, Commandos is an unforgettable glimpse into a rarified world of danger, drama, and valour.

Commando

The Inside Story of Britain’s Royal Marines

William Shakespeare

The most quoted writer in English literary history, Shakespeares work continues to grip audiences and delight readers.  His plays fill our theatres and have inspired countless films, most recently the immensely popular Romeo & Juliet starring Leondardo Di Caprio and the Oscar winning film Shakespeare in Love.    Bringing together 150 of the most famous extracts from his plays, sonnets and poems, this collection offers the definitive guide to Shakespeares work.  Whether you wish to philosophise over To be or not to be, stir up the emotion with Once more unto the breach dear friends, or simply enjoy the beauty of Shall I compare thee to a summers day? this is the book for you.    Arranged for easy reference under the plays, the Comedies, Tragedies and Histories, and with separate sections for the sonnets and poems, the book will also contain brief notes to accompany each extract and position them within the action of the play.

The Nation's Favourite Shakespeare

Famous Speaches And Sonnets

Pam Ayres

The Works contains 120 of Pam Ayres' best-known poems, including 'The Battery Hen', 'Please Will You Take Your Children Home Before I Do Them In?', 'Sling Another Chair Leg on the Fire, Mother' and, of course, 'Oh, I Wish I'd Looked After Me Teeth'. 
 
This edition includes a general introduction by Pam, as well as individual introductions to these classic poems of the seventies and eighties, many of which are now illustrated with specially commissioned line drawings by Susan Hellard. The Works is certain to delight Pam's fans of all ages.

Pam Ayres - The Works: The Classic Collection

Terry Wogan

Terry Wogan was one of Britain's best-loved radio and television celebrities witty, charming and relaxed and undoubtedly captured the nation's heart. Here, Terry tells his life story from his beginnings as a young Limerick boy to his incredible success as an enduring celebrity with shows such as Wogan and The Eurovision Song Contest. 
 
 Is It Me? is written in Terry's own inimitable style, with self-deprecating humour and a wry take on everyday life. The story is a delightfully observed, light-hearted journey through Terry's personal and professional lives. 
 
 After reluctantly starting his career in banking, Terry escaped to make a sucessful break into broadcasting with RTE. Fronting Children in Need, Wogan and The Eurovision Song Contest and collecting millions of listeners to his morning BBC 2 radio show, Wake Up To Wogan, he is now the most prolific and popular presenter at the BBC. 
 'I am sure it's a challenging read' Sir David Frost 'I don't remember him' Jimmy Young

Terry Wogan - Is it me?

Simon Cox

BASED ON THE CELEBRATED BBC NEWS INVESTIGATION 
 
'gripping and bitingly cold… full of fine detail and outrage' – Sunday Times 
 
'Gripping' - Evening Standard 
 
 A true story of false memories. 
 
‘Over decades and decades in Iceland people have gone missing without anyone finding anything out. They just sort of disappear...’ 
 
In 1974, 18-year-old Gudmundur disappears after a boozy night in a fishing town near Reykjavik. Eleven months later Geirfinnur, a quiet family man, goes missing from Keflavik harbour in the southwest of Iceland after being summoned by a mysterious phone call from home. Both men are eventually presumed dead, but their bodies are never found. 
 
This quiet island is in an uproar - two disappearances with no forensics, no leads, no clue what has happened. Soon, the vanishings set in motion an almost surreal series of events, a remarkable tale of corruption, forced confession, false memory and madness that stretches over 40 years. 
 
Based on author Simon Cox's celebrated BBC News investigation, The Reykjavik Confessions is a chilling journey of discovery into a dark corner of Icelandic history, and a riveting true-crime thriller that will have you gripped until the very last page.

The Reykjavik Confessions

The Incredible True Story of Iceland’s Most Notorious Murder Case

Ian Gittins

Eight tracks. Endless stories. 
 
Allow yourself to be cast away in eight glorious decades of the most iconic show on radio. To mark this momentous occasion, The Definitive Desert Island Discs focuses on 80 of the most powerful and unforgettable interviews, revisiting every era of Desert Island Disc's storied history. 
 
Reflecting on how times have changed, the book will feature brand new material as castaways are interviewed about their experiences - did the conversation go how they expected? Would Sir Patrick Stewart still take his beloved billiards table (and a shed to keep it in, of course)? And does Hilary Devey stick by her endless supply of Cointreau? 
 
Get lost in lists of the weirdest and most wonderful luxury items, most popular tracks and books throughout the years, and more. Introduced by Lauren Laverne, The Definitive Desert Island Discs is a must-have gem, celebrating an incredible institution that has captured the hearts of a nation for 80 years.

The Definitive Desert Island Discs

80 Years of Castaways

Maggie Aderin

'I'd toast the moon and look at the sky... I think it draws us to it; we wonder what lies beyond.' 
 
Maggie Aderin-Pocock’s destiny was always written in the stars. From the age of three, inspired by The Clangers, her dream was to go into space. Throughout a chaotic childhood, ricocheting between divorced parents and acrimonious custody battles, she attended thirteen schools in fourteen years – but while her environment regularly changed, her fascination with the Universe did not. It became enmeshed in her desire to succeed as a scientist even when her school careers advice was to become a nurse. 
 
Starchild is Maggie’s emotionally honest and revealing memoir, telling a story of education and prejudice, adversity and ambition, motherhood and the moon – all recounted in her characteristically warm and relatable style. From being the only Black woman on her physics course at Imperial College London, to her groundbreaking work on the James Webb and Gemini telescopes, to starting her own public speaking company and sharing the wonders of science with thousands of children every year, Maggie’s story will inspire you to never give up on your dreams.

Starchild

My Life Under the Night Sky

Shirley Ballas

‘The true star of Strictly’ - The Telegraph 
 
After twenty years of shiny floors and sequins, we’re more captivated than ever by the ‘Strictly journey’ – a contestant’s inspirational roller-coaster ride of personal growth that teaches you as much about yourself as it does the dance. 
No one knows this more deeply than Strictly head judge and best-selling author Shirley Ballas. In a candid reflection on her own personal journey, Best Foot Forward is woven through with the tools she has developed to live life to the fullest, and the lessons she has learnt along the way. With heartfelt advice and quick-witted observations, Shirley takes you by the hand and leads you through the twists, dips and turns of life’s dance floor.

Best Foot Forward

Life lessons from the world of dance

Billy Connolly

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 
 
'Where do you come from? It's one of the most basic human questions of all. But there is another question, which might sound a wee bit similar but is actually very different: What do you come from? And, let me tell you, that question can take you all sorts of strange places...' 
 
In Made in Scotland, legendary comic and national treasure Billy Connolly returns to his roots, reflecting on his life, his homeland and what it means – then and now – to be Scottish. 
 
Full of Billy's distinctive humour, Made in Scotland is a hilarious and heartfelt love letter to the place and the people that made him.

Made In Scotland

My Grand Adventures in a Wee Country

Simon Reeve

In Tropic of Capricorn, bestselling author Simon Reeve embarks on a 23,000-mile trek around the southernmost border of the tropics - a place of both amazing beauty and overwhelming human suffering. Heading east through Africa, Australia and South America, Simon encounters breathtaking landscapes and truly extraordinary people: from Bushmen of the Kalahari and Namibian prostitutes battling with HIV to gem miners in Madagascar and teenagers in the Brazilian favela once described as the most dangerous place on earth. It is a collection of daring adventures, strange rituals and exotic wildlife, all linked together by one invisible line. 
 
Like the best travel writing, Tropic of Capricorn confronts important issues of our time - our changing environment, poverty, globalisation - by taking us on an unforgettable journey of discovery.

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