Film, Television & Music
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Ian Fleming: The Complete Man
A fresh portrait of the man behind James Bond, and his enduring impact, by an award-winning biographer with unprecedented access to the Fleming family papers.
Ian Fleming’s greatest creation, James Bond, has had an enormous and ongoing impact on our culture. What Bond represents about ideas of masculinity, the British national psyche and global politics has shifted over time, as has the interpretation of the life of his author. But Fleming himself was more mysterious and subtle than anything he wrote.
Ian’s childhood with his gifted brother Peter and his extraordinary mother set the pattern for his ambition to be ‘the complete man’, and he would strive for the means to achieve this ‘completeness’ all his life. Only a thriller writer for his last twelve years, his dramatic personal life and impressive career in Naval Intelligence put him at the heart of critical moments in world history, while also providing rich inspiration for his fiction.
Nicholas Shakespeare is one of the most gifted biographers working today. His talent for uncovering new material that casts fresh light on his subjects is fully evident in this masterful, definitive biography.
‘This is a marvellous book about Ian Fleming, but it’s also one of the most engaging portraits of a particular period of British history that I have read in a long time.’ Antonia Fraser
‘A book so buoyant and delicious that you feel it will be a friend for life.’ Telegraph
The perfect Christmas gift for fans of James Bond and British history.
*A Financial Times and Spectator Book of the Year*
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£23.70£28.50Ian Fleming: The Complete Man
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Jamie – King of the Kitchen: The Biographyof the Man Who Revolutionised the Way Britain Eats.
Jamie Oliver is Britain’s best-loved chef. His matey charm and down-to-earth approach to cooking – from The Naked Chef to 30-Minute Meals – have made him a household favourite the length and breadth of the country. Jamie rose from humble pastry chef to television superstar by catching the eye of producers during a documentary about the River Cafe, where he was working at the time. His on-screen charisma meant that he featured heavily in the final programme, the offers came flooding in …and so The Naked Chef was born. The programme was a huge success, offering an initmate and fresh approach to cooking on TV. Jamie’s passion shone through and a whole generation of young people were captivated by his enthusiasm. Cooking was cool! His television series and books gave Jamie fame and fortune the world over, but he always wanted to do something positive with his success. Through his Fifteen charity restaurants and campaigns to revolutionise school dinners and get Britain cooking again, Jamie had proved himself to be more than simply a celebrity chef. His desire to bring about radical change has seen him meet with top politicans and raise millions of pounds for good causes. But deep down it’s all about the cooking – after the launch of his spectacularly successful 30-Minute Meals TV series and two record-breaking books n 2010 and 2011 – Jamie’s 30-Minute Meals and Jamie’s Great Britain, he has showed that he’s still the nation’s favourite chef.Read more
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Jason Statham Book: The Magnificent Man: The Legend of the Great: A Detailed Biography, Career and Recognitions, Family and Relationship, Interesting … a Lot (Incredible…
The compelling and thorough biography “Jason Statham Book: The Magnificent Man” explores the life and career of one of Hollywood’s most recognizable action performers, Jason Statham. This book takes readers on a thrilling trip through the difficulties, successes, and unwavering drive that have characterized Statham’s renowned career, starting with his early days as a street performer and competitive athlete and ending with his spectacular climb to become a worldwide cinematic phenomenon.The captivating and in-depth “Jason Statham Book: The Magnificent Man” tells the story of a remarkable life that was marked by tenacity, willpower, and unwavering bravery. Fans of action movies, aspiring performers, and anybody looking for motivation from the tale of a guy who took his goals and made them into an unstoppable reality should all read it.
Click the Buy Button to Order a Copy Today!
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Kammy: The Funny and Moving Autobiography by the Broadcasting Legend
Foreword by Ben Shephard
‘Everyone loves Kammy . . . Full of humour and endless blunders’ – The Times
‘What a man, what a life, what a story, and what a great read’ – Paddy McGuinnessPresenter, commentator, (sometimes masked) singer, footballer, manager and campaigner, Kammy has done it all. His irrepressible enthusiasm – and a couple of legendary gaffes on Sky Sports – have seen him become broadcasting royalty.
Now Kammy reveals all in this funny and moving autobiography. What happens when you double cross José Mourinho? What it’s like to play with Vinnie Jones? Who comes off better: Kammy or a rampaging gorilla? How did Kammy end up releasing his own top-ten record? What’s the real story behind his infamous line, ‘I don’t know, Jeff!’?
But despite the crazy tales, it hasn’t all been plain sailing. Kammy had a tough upbringing, faced racism during his playing career and has, in recent years, dealt with a rare brain condition – apraxia – that has affected his speech and seen him say goodbye to Sky Sports. Relating his battle against the condition, Kammy shows how he’s met every challenge with courage, determination and his infectious smile.
Packed with hilarious stories and featuring a cast of famous names, from Elton John to Channing Tatum, this is a book about friendship, courage and why it’s always important to have a good laugh.
‘A talented (and daft) lad from the Boro who has entertained the nation for decades, on and off the pitch. So get the tissues ready – this book will make you laugh and cry in equal measure’ – Steph McGovern
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£12.00£20.90 -
Kammy: The Funny and Moving Autobiography by the Broadcasting Legend
Foreword by Ben Shephard
‘Everyone loves Kammy . . . Full of humour and endless blunders’ – The Times
‘What a man, what a life, what a story, and what a great read’ – Paddy McGuinnessPresenter, commentator, (sometimes masked) singer, footballer, manager and campaigner, Kammy has done it all. His irrepressible enthusiasm – and a couple of legendary gaffes on Sky Sports – have seen him become broadcasting royalty.
Now Kammy reveals all in this funny and moving autobiography. What happens when you double cross José Mourinho? What it’s like to play with Vinnie Jones? Who comes off better: Kammy or a rampaging gorilla? How did Kammy end up releasing his own top-ten record? What’s the real story behind his infamous line, ‘I don’t know, Jeff!’?
But despite the crazy tales, it hasn’t all been plain sailing. Kammy had a tough upbringing, faced racism during his playing career and has, in recent years, dealt with a rare brain condition – apraxia – that has affected his speech and seen him say goodbye to Sky Sports. Relating his battle against the condition, Kammy shows how he’s met every challenge with courage, determination and his infectious smile.
Packed with hilarious stories and featuring a cast of famous names, from Elton John to Channing Tatum, this is a book about friendship, courage and why it’s always important to have a good laugh.
‘A talented (and daft) lad from the Boro who has entertained the nation for decades, on and off the pitch. So get the tissues ready – this book will make you laugh and cry in equal measure’ – Steph McGovern
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Kelsey Parker: With And Without You
“They say the first year is the hardest.”
Kelsey Parker’s world was turned upside down in the summer of 2020 when her husband Tom, singer in boyband The Wanted, was cruelly diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.
Heavily pregnant with their second child and coping with her own heartache at losing her partner of 13 years, Kelsey remained a tower of strength and positivity for Tom during his darkest days. When traditional treatments stopped working, she spent hours researching alternative therapies to give her husband extra time with his young children Aurelia and Bodhi.
Hope came late in 2021 when Tom’s tumour became stable, but sadly his condition quickly deteriorated and on March 30, 2022, aged just 33, he died surrounded by his loyal wife, family and friends.
With And Without You is her moving, deeply personal story of the first 12 months since Tom’s tragic passing. An intimate diary of how she coped with a year of unwanted firsts – first birthdays, first Christmas, first Valentine’s Day – all without the love of her life. It is the story of how she rebuilt her life, and bravely found a way to face the future. Since Tom’s death, Kelsey has been an inspiration to many and a rock to the couple’s children. She has sought to raise awareness of glioblastoma and has bravely campaigned for vital funds for more research into the disease. She has also found spirituality – following Tom’s long held belief there is something greater than just one life.
With And Without You is not only a story of coping with unimaginable heartbreak and grief, but how your love for someone you’ve lost can be turned into something positive and bring hope and light into your life as you carry on your journey without them.
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£16.10£19.00Kelsey Parker: With And Without You
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Life Lessons: Wisdom and Wit from Life’s Ups and Downs
Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.
Let Jay Blades’ words of wisdom – gleaned from his own triumphs over adversity – help you to find your best path through life. Filled with characteristic warmth and humour, Jay talks about the life lessons that have helped him to find positivity and growth, no matter what he’s found himself facing.
Jay shares not only his adventures and escapades but also the way they have shaped his outlook and helped him to live life to the fullest. His insight and advice give you everything you need to be able to reframe your own circumstances and make the best of them.
It’s very easy to be passive in life and just do what you know. But, believe me, you’ll be a lot more excited every day if you shape your own future.
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Lives of the Original Actors in Shakespeare’s Plays
The ensuing volume is chiefly composed of minute particulars; but particulars, however minute, are not on that account trifling or uninteresting, since they obviously assume importance in proportion to the prominence or distinction of the parties to whom they relate. These fascinating details have reference to Shakespeare, to the great dramatists of his day, and to the principal actors engaged in the original performance of their plays, including such towering figures as Richard Burbage, John Heminge, William Kempe, Augustine Phillips and Henry Condell.Read more
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Lon Chaney Speaks
A stunning graphic debut: the life of the legendary silent-film actor Lon Chaney (the original Phantom of the Opera and Hunchback of Notre Dame), as imagined by an artist whose work recalls the style and skill of early-era New Yorker cartoonists.From the artist: “‘No one will ever love me!’ I believe it was this near-universal fear that makes Lon Chaney’s characters continue to resonate with us today. On their surface, most of them are distinctly unlikeable: they are monsters, outcasts, criminals. But through his unique magic, Chaney makes them empathetic. He pioneered the craft of makeup artist long before that term ever existed, and he used his expertise to hide himself from public view–what if nobody loved him?”
PART OF THE PANTHEON GRAPHIC LIBRARY
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£21.50Lon Chaney Speaks
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Loosely Based On A Made-Up Story: A Non-Memoir
This book is inspired by true events but is not a biography.
The truth is My Truth is not The Truth, and that’s as honest as I can be. It’s partially true, rather than painfully true, and I have possibly been economical with the truth, Your Honour.
Basically, I made this sh*t up . . .
While James Blunt’s crimes against music are well-documented, he also has some stories that are not. In Loosely Based On A Made-Up Story, James reveals his most riotous anecdotes to date for your amusement – and his parents’ horror – in this highly anticipated non-memoir.
From his questionable Norfolk roots, eccentric family, boarding school antics, misjudged military service, rise to music stardom and tour escapades, James delves into his (surprisingly) fascinating life to date. What do you do when your mother writes irate emails to the future prime minister defending your honour? What does it take to run a male escort agency? And why exactly should you refrain from crowd-surfing? Find out here, folks . . .
Were the stories in this book grossly exaggerated in an attempt to impress? Maybe. But one thing is for certain: you won’t want to miss it.
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£15.80£19.00Loosely Based On A Made-Up Story: A Non-Memoir
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Marilyn Monroe: A Life From Beginning to End: 1 (Biographies of Actors)
Marilyn Monroe
She vigorously played the dumb-blonde stereotype in her movie roles, but there is nothing at all dumb about Marilyn Monroe. Born to a single mother who suffered from severe mental illness, the odds were stacked against the girl originally named Norma Jeane from the very beginning. She became a ward of the state and bounced around from foster home to foster home. The fact that she rose from such impoverished beginnings to become one of the top-billed acts in Hollywood speaks for itself.Inside you will read about…
– From Foster Child to Movie Star
– The Scene with the White Dress
– Marilyn the Jew
– Diagnosis of Paranoid Schizophrenia
– Marilyn’s First Overdose
– The Presidential Affair
– Locked in the Psych Ward
And much more!Discover the life and legend that is Marilyn Monroe.
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MATTHEW PERRY BIOGRAPHY: From Laughter to Legacy – A Journey Worth Remembering.
“Matthew Perry: From Laughter to Legacy” is a compelling biography that delves into the life and career of beloved actor Matthew Perry.
From his early efforts and rise to stardom as Chandler Bing on “Friends” to his battle with addiction and successful recovery, this book offers a comprehensive exploration of Perry’s multifaceted journey.
It showcases his impact on entertainment, his commitment to philanthropy and mental health advocacy, and the lasting lessons learned from his remarkable story.
Celebrating humor, resilience, and the power of innovation, this book is a must-read for fans and anyone inspired by the indomitable spirit of a Hollywood icon.Read more
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MATTHEW PERRY’S BIOGRAPHY: A BIOGRAPHY OF THE BELOVED ACTOR, HIS RISE TO STARDOM, PERSONAL STRUGGLES, AND TRIUMPHANT RETURN
Matthew Perry: A Biography is a fascinating and intimate look at the life and career of one of the most beloved and iconic actors of our generation.
Matthew Perry is one of the most iconic actors of our time. He is known for his comedic talents, his heartwarming performances, and his inspiring resilience.
From his humble beginnings in Ottawa, Canada, to his meteoric rise to stardom on the hit sitcom Friends, Perry’s story is one of perseverance, resilience, and triumph.
Overcoming personal struggles with addiction and mental health, Perry has emerged as a role model and inspiration to millions around the world.
Key Points
This biography offers a comprehensive and revealing look at Perry’s life and career, from his early days as a child actor to his current status as a successful actor, producer, and philanthropist.
It explores his personal struggles with addiction and mental health, and how he has overcome these challenges to become a role model and inspiration to others.
The book also provides insights into Perry’s work ethic, professionalism, and influence on his co-stars.
It is a must-read for fans of Perry and Friends, as well as anyone interested in the stories of celebrities who have overcome adversity.
Personal Message
In this new biography, You will get to know Matthew Perry on a deeper level. You will learn about his early life, his struggles with addiction, and his journey to recovery. You will also discover his many talents and passions, both on and off the screen.
This book is a must-read for any fan of Matthew Perry or Friends. It is a story of triumph over adversity, and it is sure to inspire You to follow their dreams and never give up.
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Me vs Brain: An Overthinker’s Guide to Life – the instant Sunday Times bestseller!
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER. ORDER THE HILARIOUS BOOK FROM TIKTOK AND INSTA SENSATION HAYLEY MORRIS, NOW!
_____‘An insightful, intimate account of modern life that is a joy to read, with shades of Dolly Alderton’s Everything I Know About Love.’ – Scarlett Sangster, iNews
Brain: We left the oven on!
Me: No don’t say that, I’ve not got time for this!
Brain: The house is probably on fire!
Me: Stop it, I need to write this book description.
Brain: But the blazing fire.
Me: We didn’t even use the oven today.
Brain: But what if –
Me: No. We’re not doing this, I’m finishing this description.Hello there! Hayley Morris here. Or you might know me as the Brain Girl, and don’t be fooled…it’s not because I’m outrageously smart. Just an avid overthinker. I’m on a mission to prove once and for all that You. Are. Normal. Running through imaginary arguments whilst showering, hiding your knickers in the nurse’s office before they look directly into your vagina, or not knowing how to be a normal human when you have the plumber over. I’ve spent the majority of my life saying and doing embarrassing things that wake me up in a cold sweat at 3am as my Brain reminds me of every minor detail.
In this book, I’ve overthought absolutely everything so you don’t have to. I’ll be talking about everything from dating to discharge, mental health to menstrual cups. I might not be able to banish your anxiety or make you feel 100% comfortable in your skin, but I hope I can at least give you a break from the constant brain chatter and we can rejoice and laugh at how similar we actually all are.
DON’T OVERTHINK IT. ORDER NOW.
‘Hilarious…I absolutely loved this book! I almost wet myself from laughing!’ Dr Amir Khan
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Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up – the instant New York Times bestseller from the acclaimed actor and disability rights campaigner
**THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER **
‘Funny and frank, a chance to spend time with a brave and big-hearted woman who’s grown up to be not so mean, after all’ JENNIFER LARUE, WASHINGTON POST
‘Grabs you by the collar and says listen to all that I have to say: about love, pain, motherhood, illness, celebrity and the tidal ferocity that pours through all our lives. Read it and be caught in the voice of one of our luminous stars’ ESMÉ WEIJUN WANG
The first story Selma Blair Beitner ever heard about herself is that she was a mean, mean baby. Although Selma went on to become a celebrated Hollywood actress and model, she could never quite shake the periods of darkness that overtook her, the certainty that there was a great mystery at the heart of her life. Over the course of this beautiful and, at times, shocking memoir, Selma lays bare her addiction to alcohol, her devotion to her brilliant and complicated mother, and the moments she flirted with death. There is violence, love, true friendship, the gift of motherhood and, finally, the simultaneous devastation and surprising salvation of a multiple sclerosis diagnosis.
‘A fascinating exploration about the power of prophecy, of labels, and of one woman’s determination to defy them all. Blair is a rebel, an artist, and it turns out: a writer’ GLENNON DOYLE
‘I laughed out loud more than I cried’ FRANCES RYAN, GUARDIAN
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Miriam Hopkins: Life and Films of a Hollywood Rebel (Screen Classics)
Miriam Hopkins (1902–1972) first captured moviegoers’ attention in daring precode films such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931), The Story of Temple Drake (1933), and Ernst Lubitsch’s Trouble in Paradise (1932). Though she enjoyed popular and critical acclaim in her long career — receiving an Academy Award nomination for Becky Sharp (1935) and a Golden Globe nomination for The Heiress (1949) — she is most often remembered for being one of the most difficult actresses of Hollywood’s golden age. Whether she was fighting with studio moguls over her roles or feuding with her avowed archrival, Bette Davis, her reputation for temperamental behavior is legendary. In the first comprehensive biography of this colorful performer, Allan R. Ellenberger illuminates Hopkins’s fascinating life and legacy. Her freewheeling film career was exceptional in studio-era Hollywood, and she managed to establish herself as a top star at Paramount, RKO, Goldwyn, and Warner Bros. Over the course of five decades, Hopkins appeared in thirty-six films, forty stage plays, and countless radio programs. Later, she emerged as a pioneer of TV drama. Ellenberger also explores Hopkins’s private life, including her relationships with such intellectuals as Theodore Dreiser, Dorothy Parker, Gertrude Stein, and Tennessee Williams. Although she was never blacklisted for her suspected Communist leanings, her association with these freethinkers and her involvement with certain political organizations led the FBI to keep a file on her for nearly forty years. This skillful biography treats readers to the intriguing stories and controversies surrounding Hopkins and her career, but also looks beyond her Hollywood persona to explore the star as an uncompromising artist. The result is an entertaining portrait of a brilliant yet underappreciated performer.Read more
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Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing: The Comedy Classic
The Sunday Times bestsellerTwo comedy greats talk life, friendship and the joys of fishing…
Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse have been friends for 30 years, but when life intervened, what was once a joyous and spontaneous friendship dwindled to the odd phone call or occasional catch up. Then, Glory Be! They were both diagnosed with heart disease and realised that time is short. They’d better spend it fishing…
So they dusted off their kits, chucked on their waders and ventured into the achingly beautiful British countryside to fish, rediscover the joys of their friendship and ruminate on some of life’s most profound questions, such as: How did we get so old? Where are all the fish? What are your favourite pocket meats? What should we do if we find a corpse?
Following the success of the BBC’s Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing series, this wonderful book by two lifelong friends is a love letter to the joys of angling, the thrill of the catch and the virtue of having a right daft laff with your mates. On the fish, the equipment, the food, and the locations, Gone Fishing is the perfect book for fans of Bob Mortimer, Paul Whitehouse and for anyone who wants to read a brilliantly written and endlessly funny joint memoir on life, friendship and joys of fishing.
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Most Popular
From international drag superstar and pop culture icon RuPaul, comes his most revealing and personal work to date—a brutally honest, surprisingly poignant, and deeply intimate memoir of growing up Black, poor, and queer in a broken home to discovering the power of performance, found family, and self-acceptance.
A profound introspection of his life, relationships, and identity, The House of Hidden Meanings is a self-portrait of the legendary icon on the road to global fame and changing the way the world thinks about drag.
Central to RuPaul’s success has been his chameleonic adaptability. From drag icon to powerhouse producer of one of the world’s largest television franchises, RuPaul’s ever-shifting nature has always been part of his brand as both supermodel and super mogul.
Yet that adaptability has made him enigmatic to the public. In this memoir, his most intimate and detailed book yet, RuPaul makes himself truly known.
Stripping away all artifice, RuPaul recounts the story of his life with breath taking clarity and tenderness, bringing his signature wisdom and wit to his own biography. From his early years growing up as a queer Black kid in San Diego navigating complex relationships with his absent father and temperamental mother, to forging an identity in the punk and drag scenes of Atlanta and New York, to finding enduring love with his husband Georges LeBar and self-acceptance in sobriety, RuPaul excavates his own biography, uncovering new truths and insights in his personal history.
Here in RuPaul’s singular and extraordinary story is a manual for living—a personal philosophy that testifies to the value of chosen family, the importance of harnessing what makes you different, and the transformational power of facing yourself fearlessly.
If we’re all born naked and the rest is drag, then this is RuPaul totally out of drag. This is RuPaul stripped bare.
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Once A Saint: An Actor’s Memoir
‘A wickedly entertaining new memoir’ Daily Mail
According to the Daily Mail Ian Ogilvy was ‘the undisputed star of 1970s TV as the dashing Simon Templar in Return Of The Saint’. The show turned him into a household name, causing him to be touted as the next James Bond.
From a liberal upbringing in post-war Britain, boarding school escapades and life at RADA, Ogilvy enjoyed an acting career spanning more than fifty years, including TV show Upstairs, Downstairs and films Witchfinder General, No Sex Please: We’re British and Death Becomes Her. His story plays host to a spectacular all-star cast including Boris Karloff, Hayley Mills, Penelope Keith, Derek Nimmo, Timothy Dalton, Derek Jacobi and Meryl Streep, and Ogilvy gives a vivid account from behind the scenes of the Golden Age of television and film.
Once a Saint is an amusing and unvarnished story: a tremendously endearing tale from a working actor. His story is modest and endlessly charming, told in such a way that opens a reader’s heart to him.
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£6.60£10.40Once A Saint: An Actor’s Memoir
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Out of Mind: Everest Avalanche and a Barefoot Running Recovery
In 2015, climber and documentary maker Joe French was about to fulfil a dream of a lifetime – to climb Everest and film it. Then tragedy struck and Joe found himself at the epicentre of an earthquake which killed nearly 9,000 people. Only a few years previously, his team of Sherpa had been killed in another avalanche, and soon after that, Julie, his wife, was diagnosed with cancer.
The accumulation of trauma took its toll: suffering from post-traumatic stress, Joe was haunted by the horrors he’d witnessed. In an attempt to find a resolution, he turned to his love of the outdoors. Running barefoot through the forests and glens around his house in Scotland, Joe discovered the means to find a return to health and peace of mind.
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Over the Limit: My Secret Diaries 1993-8
Bob Monkhouse has been in show business for over 45 years and is one of Britain’s most enduring comedians. This second volume of his memoirs combines personal disclosures with anecdotes and revelations about the stars he has known.Read more
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Pru and Me: The Amazing Marriage of Prunella Scales and Timothy West
‘A beautiful, witty, moving and joyful portrait of marriage’ Red
‘A memoir laden with laughter and love’ Daily Mail
‘Deeply moving, poignant and enthralling’ Mail on Sunday
Give a heartwarming and cosy tale in this first-hand account of one of the most celebrated partnerships in the history of British entertainment, the 60-year marriage of Timothy West and Prunella Scales
__________Timothy West and Prunella Scales are – first and foremost – actors. Over seventy years they have delighted millions, portraying a host of larger-than-life characters that the nation has taken into their hearts.
But their finest roles, it turns out, have always been as husband and wife – in the extraordinary and enduring double act that is Tim and Pru.
In Pru & Me, Timothy West charts the course of their lives, from the years before they met – treading the boards in the 50s – to their secret courting, marriage and settling in Wandsworth. And then together as they established themselves at the heart of British theatre, television and film over the next seventy years, in some of the nation’s favourite shows, such as Fawlty Towers and Brass.
Crammed full of stories, often funny, sometimes poignant and occasionally jaw-dropping, Pru & Me also vividly recounts the late blaze of glory that introduced the world to the real Tim and Pru via Great Canal Journeys. Here, the couple charmed the nation while at the same time charting Pru’s gentle struggle with dementia.
An honest, charming and above all uplifting story of twin souls who, once they found one another, clung together through thick and thin. Pru & Me is a joyous portrait of a very, very special love story.
__________Read more
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Rambling Man: My Life on the Road
THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING HILARIOUS NEW BOOK FROM THE NATION’S FAVOURITE COMEDIAN, BILLY CONNOLLY
Being a Rambling Man was what I always wanted to be, to live the way I damn well pleased. I’ve met the weirdest and most wonderful people who walk the Earth, seen the most bizarre and the most fantastic sights – and I’ve rarely come across something I couldn’t get a laugh at. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad trip. Well, apart from in the 1970s, but that’s a whole other story . . .
When Billy set out from Glasgow as a young man he never looked back. He played his banjo on boats and trains, under trees, and on top of famous monuments. He danced naked in snow, wind and fire. He slept in bus stations, under bridges and on strangers’ floors. He travelled by foot, bike, ship, plane, sleigh – even piggy-backed – to get to his next destination.
Billy has wandered to every corner of the earth and believes that being a Rambling Man is about more than just travelling – it’s a state of mind. Rambling Men and Women are free spirits who live on their wits, are interested in people and endlessly curious about the world. They love to play music, make art or tell stories along the way but, above all, they have a longing in their heart for the open road.
In his joyful new book, Billy explores this philosophy and how it has shaped him, and he shares hilarious new stories from his lifetime on the road. From riding his trike down America’s famous Route 66, building an igloo on an iceberg in the Arctic, playing elephant polo (badly) in Nepal and crashing his motorbike (more than once), to eating witchetty grubs in Australia, being serenaded by a penguin in New Zealand, and swapping secrets in a traditional Sweat Lodge ritual in Canada, Rambling Man is a truly global adventure with the greatest possible travel companion.
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£11.40£23.80Rambling Man: My Life on the Road
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Rugby: Talking A Good Game: The Perfect Gift for Rugby Fans
Ian Robertson joined the BBC during the golden age of radio broadcasting and was given a crash course in the art of sports commentary from some of the greatest names ever to sit behind a microphone: Cliff Morgan and Peter Bromley, Bryon Butler and John Arlott. Almost half a century after being introduced to the rugby airwaves by his inspiring mentor Bill McLaren, the former Scotland fly-half looks back on the most eventful of careers, during which he covered nine British and Irish Lions tours and eight World Cups, including the 2003 tournament that saw England life the Webb Ellis Trophy and “Robbo” pick up awards for his spine-tingling description of Jonny Wilkinson’s decisive drop goal.
He reflects on his playing days, his role in guiding Cambridge University to a long spell of Varsity Match supremacy and his relationships with some of the union code’s most celebrated figures, including Sir Clive Woodward and Jonah Lomu. He also writes vividly and hilariously of his experiences as a horse racing enthusiast, his meetings with some of the world’s legendary golfers and his dealings with a stellar cast of sporting outsiders, from Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor to Nelson Mandela. It is a hugely entertaining story that begins in a bygone rugby age, yet has much to say about the game in the here and now.
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Secret Knowledge (New and Expanded Edition): Rediscovering the Lost Techniques of the Old Masters
Join one of the most influential artists of our time as he investigates the painting techniques of the Old Masters. Hockney’s extensive research led him to conclude that artists such as Caravaggio, Velázquez, da Vinci, and other hyperrealists actually used optics and lenses to create their masterpieces.In this passionate yet pithy book, Hockney takes readers on a journey of discovery as he builds a case that mirrors and lenses were used by the great masters to create their highly detailed and realistic paintings and drawings. Hundreds of the best-known and best-loved paintings are reproduced alongside his straightforward analysis. Hockney also includes his own photographs and drawings to illustrate techniques used to capture such accurate likenesses. Extracts from historical and modern documents and correspondence with experts from around the world further illuminate this thought-provoking book that will forever change how the world looks at art.
Secret Knowledge will open your eyes to how we perceive the world and how we choose to represent it.
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Shadowplay: The gripping international bestseller from the author of Star of the Sea
Discover the enthralling Richard & Judy Book Club pick from international bestseller Joseph O’Connor.
‘The best novel that I’ve read in the last twenty years… It’s fantastic’ RICHARD MADELEY
‘Breathtaking… A hugely entertaining book about the grand scope of friendship and love’ Sadie Jones, Guardian
__________London, 1878. Three extraordinary people begin their life together – and the idea for Dracula is born.
Fresh from life in Dublin, Bram Stoker – now manager of the Lyceum Theatre – is wrestling with dark demons in a new city, in a new marriage, and with his own literary aspirations. As he walks the streets at night, streets haunted by the Ripper and the gossip which swirls around his friend Oscar Wilde, he finds new inspiration. Soon, the eerie tale of Dracula begins to emerge.
But Henry Irving, volcanic leading man and impresario, is determined that nothing will get in the way of Bram’s dedication to the Lyceum. And both men are growing ever more enchanted by the beauty and boldness of Ellen Terry, the most celebrated actress of her generation.
__________Shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award 2019
Winner of the Irish Book Awards Novel of the Year‘A colourful tale of secret love and public performance…in a romantic, lost London’ The Times
‘Hugely entertaining and atmospheric’ DEBORAH MOGGACH
‘Extraordinary’ SEBASTIAN BARRY
‘A novel I’d recommend to anyone: a rollicking and moving story’ James Naughtie, Radio Times
‘Fabulous… A truly great book you simply cannot put down’ JUDY FINNIGAN
‘Rich, sad, funny, and a beautiful read. You’ll LOVE it’ RICHARD MADELEY
‘Ingenious…hugely impressive and utterly haunting’ Sunday Mirror
*JOSEPH O’CONNOR’S STUNNING NEW NOVEL, MY FATHER’S HOUSE, IS AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW*
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Still a Bit of Snap in the Celery: or K.B.O. *Keep Buggering On
From the bestselling author of A Shed of One’s Own, a very funny memoir about being 60.
Marcus Berkmann’s funny, instantly recognisable description of middle-age in A Shed of One’s Own struck a chord and turned it into a bestseller. Now he realises he has entered a new age category: the Young-Old.
Well, the body continues to provide challenges (every group meeting seems to begin the dreaded ‘organ recital’), and the bank balance may not be doing too well either – but it’s certainly not all doom and gloom. You have come to terms with your deficiencies and eccentricities (although your partner may not); your Fear of Missing Out has become Joy at Staying In; you have embraced the notion of the Power Nap – and though you’re not going to embark on a course of ‘mindfulness’ you nevertheless recognise if living in the moment also includes walking to the local for a pint with an old friend then you’ll sign up for it after all…
You could call it ‘beerfulness’.
‘Berkmann is a fine observer of decline. He says what other men would rather not think about, let alone discuss. Another ten years pottering around in his shed and he’ll have cracked it’ Sunday Times
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Straight from the Heart: BONNIE TYLER’S LONG-AWAITED AUTOBIOGRAPHY
You know the name and you can’t mistake the voice. Now you can read the incredible story of how a shy, music-loving teenager called Gaynor Hopkins morphed into legendary international superstar Bonnie Tyler and carved out an extraordinary career that is still going strong to this day.
After five decades in the business – during which time she has recorded some of the most iconic songs of all time, travelled the world and performed for royalty and the Pope – Bonnie is sharing her fascinating journey for the first time. And she’s not holding back.
From her early days growing up in a tiny mining village in South Wales, to her career as a club singer that led to her accidental discovery by a talent scout, the Top of the Pops devotee had no idea she would one day grace the infamous illuminated stage alongside some of her biggest idols. Her rise to fame would sound like a fairy tale if it wasn’t all true.
Bonnie has always determinedly followed her own path, even when sceptical music execs told her she would fail. Her bravery led to her working with the legendary producer and songwriter Jim Steinman, going on to record the classic power ballads ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ and ‘Holding Out for a Hero’, as well as duetting with some of the best-known names in the business.
She is undoubtedly one of the biggest vocal powerhouses of her generation, but her roots remain firmly in her beloved Wales. She is resolutely down to earth, funny and endlessly charming. Whether she’s talking about the family she adores or sharing hilarious anecdotes from her many years in the spotlight, Bonnie never fails to entertain.
Finally, we get to hear the amazing tale of a woman who has led the way for so many other female artists – and has had a bloody great time doing it. Bonnie’s much-anticipated memoir is inspirational, moving and straight from the heart.
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T.V.: Big Adventures on the Small Screen – Dive into the humour of comedian and bestselling author of The Sound of Laughter Peter Kay with his 2023 autobiography
***Order now to secure the limited Collector’s Edition!***
Featuring a silver foiled design underneath the dust jacket, this special edition is exclusive to the first print run and available only while stock lasts.
THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
Blockbusters, Baywatch … Mastermind, Moonlighting … Porridge, Parkinson … Peter Kay takes you on a journey into the wonders of TV –back to the days when Dusty Bin was a household name, Robin of Sherwood was a pin-up and the Brookside siege was the event of the year. For a young telly-loving Peter growing up in Bolton, TV meant Sunday bath nights with a black-and-white portable, the unbridled excitement of the new Christmas TV guide and his elderly neighbour’s inconvenient hearing problem.
Here, for the first time, he collects his TV memories and adventures together in this brilliant book. Join Peter as he finds success on the small screen, leaving his own unique footprint in the golden age of TV: from making tea at Granada Studios and marching along to ‘(Is This the Way to) Amarillo’ to hanging out in the Rovers Return, having run-ins with Bernard Manning and starring in possibly the worst Doctor Who episode of all time. You’ll go behind the scenes of the legendary Phoenix Nights, take The Road to Nowhere with Max & Paddy and discover how Peter created his BAFTA-winning performance in Car Share.
So sit back and enjoy a journey through the wonderful world of television. Endearing, sidesplittingly funny and utterly unforgettable – T.V. sees Peter Kay at his vivid, nostalgic and hilarious best.
Peter Kay’s book ‘T.V.’ was a No.2 Sunday Times bestseller w/c 25-09-2023.
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The Chateau – Forever Home: The instant Sunday Times Bestseller, as seen on the hit Channel 4 TV Series Escape to the Chateau
Take a journey to Château-de-la-Motte Husson in the spellbinding memoir from Sunday Times bestselling authors, Dick and Angel Strawbridge.
Dick and Angel recount the newest and biggest challenges they faced on the journey to transforming their once derelict and abandoned château in France’s Pays de la Loire into a thriving family home and sustainable business.
When the Covid-19 pandemic engulfs the world, the château faces a new challenge and the Strawbridges must find ways to adapt in order to keep their dream life in France alive. From the cancellation of the wedding season to finding new ways to complete renovations, living in an isolated bubble whilst continuing to film their TV series through to life after the pandemic, this is Dick and Angel at their most honest and heartfelt, revealing many details never seen on TV.
As entertaining, warm and irresistible as ever, Join Dick and Angel on their remarkable journey to find their family’s forever home.
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The Creative Act: A Way of Being: The Sunday Times bestseller
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE FOYLES NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023Many famed music producers are known for a particular sound that has its day and then ages out. Rick Rubin is known for something else: creating a space where artists of all different genres and traditions can home in on who they really are and what they really offer. He has made a practice of helping people transcend their self-imposed expectations in order to reconnect with a state of innocence from which the surprising becomes inevitable.
Over the years, as he has thought deeply about where creativity comes from and where it doesn’t, he has learned that being an artist isn’t about your specific output; it’s about your relationship to the world. Creativity has a place in everyone’s life, and everyone can make that place larger. In fact, there are few more important responsibilities.
The Creative Act is a beautiful and generous course of study that illuminates the path of the artist as a road we all can follow. It distils the wisdom gleaned from a lifetime’s work into a luminous reading experience that puts the power to create moments – and lifetimes – of exhilaration and transcendence within closer reach for all of us.
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The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man: A Memoir
As seen in The Last Movie Stars documentary – the raw, candid, unvarnished memoir of an icon. The greatest movie star of the past 75 years covers everything: his traumatic childhood, his career, his drinking, his thoughts on Marlon Brando, James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, his greatest roles, acting, his intimate life with Joanne Woodward, his innermost fears and passions and joys. With thoughts/comments throughout from Joanne Woodward, Tom Cruise and many others.
In 1986, Paul Newman and his closest friend, screenwriter Stewart Stern, began an extraordinary project. Stuart was to compile an oral history, to have Newman’s family and friends and those who worked closely with him, talk about the actor’s life. And then Newman would work with Stewart and give his side of the story. The only stipulation was that anyone who spoke on the record had to be completely honest. That same stipulation applied to Newman himself. The project lasted five years.
The result is an extraordinary memoir, culled from thousands of pages of transcripts. The book is insightful, revealing, surprising. Newman’s voice is powerful, sometimes funny, sometimes painful, always meeting that high standard of searing honesty. The additional voices – from childhood friends and Navy buddies, from family members and film and theater collaborators such as Tom Cruise, George Roy Hill, Martin Ritt, and John Huston – that run throughout add richness and color and context to the story Newman is telling.
Newman’s often traumatic childhood is brilliantly detailed. He talks about his teenage insecurities, his early failures with women, his rise to stardom, his early rivals (Brando and Dean), his first marriage, his drinking, his philanthropy, the death of his son Scott, his strong desire for his daughters to know and understand the truth about their father. Perhaps the most moving material in the book centers around his relationship with Joanne Woodward – their love for each other, his dependence on her, the way she shaped him intellectually, emotionally and sexually.
THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF AN ORDINARY MAN is revelatory and introspective, personal and analytical, loving and tender in some places, always complex and profound.
Praise for Paul Newman
‘One of the greatest screen actors of all time and a beautiful man.’ Daniel Craig‘He set the bar too high for the rest of us. Not just actors, but all of us.’ George Clooney
”He was my hero.’ Julia Roberts
‘Paul was an American Icon.’ President Bill Clinton
‘The ultimate cool guy, who men wanted to be like and women adored. He was an American icon, a brilliant actor, a Renaissance man and a generous but modest philanthropist … Newman entertained millions in some of Hollywood’s most memorable roles ever, and brightened the lives of amny more, especially seriously ill children, through his charitable works.’ Arnold Schwarzenegger
‘Sometimes God makes perfect people and Paul Newman was one of them.’ Sally Field
‘One of the very finest screen actors of our time. Newman spanned the gap between the golden days of Hollywood, the 40s and 50s with actors like Cary Grant and James Stewart and Clark Gable, and the present lot represented by Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise’ Sir Michael Parkinson
‘Newman was a fine driver, who was famous in Hollywood for doing his own stunt driving as often as not.’ Ron Dennis, Formula 1’s McLaren Chief
‘To say he was an extraordinary man would be an understatement. he saw himself as a working actor, not a movie star, and insisted that everyone else did the same. There was no ego, no entourage, no hangers on. Only Paul, his script and his incredible spirit. One can say this about very few people, but he was a truly great man. It seems to me to be one of the great 20th-century lives: he was famously generous, with his extraordinary and unstinting work for his charities, he was a shining example of how to use global fame for the greater good, and most of all he was one of the great movie actors of this or any other age. [Directing Newman] was the highlight of my professional life.’ Sam Mendes
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The Institute: Stephen King
‘It does everything you’d expect of a masterpiece – and it is one’ Sunday Express
‘Hums and crackles with delicious unease’ Independent
‘Captivating’ The Sunday Times
‘An absorbing thriller’ Mail on Sunday
NO ONE HAS EVER ESCAPED FROM THE INSTITUTE.
Luke Ellis, a super-smart twelve-year-old with an exceptional gift, is the latest in a long line of kids abducted and taken to a secret government facility, hidden deep in the forest in Maine.
Here, kids with special talents – telekinesis and telepathy – like Luke’s new friends Kalisha, Nick and Iris, are subjected to a series of experiments.
There seems to be no hope of escape. Until Luke teams up with an even younger boy whose powers of telepathy are off the scale.
Meanwhile, far away in a small town in South Carolina, former cop Tim Jamieson, looking for the quiet life, has taken a job working for the local sheriff. He doesn’t know he’s about to take on the biggest case of his career . . .
THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY OUT.
‘An epic tale of childhood betrayal and hope regained… an immersive tale full of suspense and thrills that will keep readers up late at night racing towards a heartbreaking yet glorious finale… a dazzling achievement’ – Daily Express
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£9.60£10.40The Institute: Stephen King
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The Last Word: The Sunday Times bestseller telling the true and honest story of Katie Price from a mother’s perspective revealing untold and new facts
Raw and unflinching
This is a mother’s account of her daughter’s life
And of Katie Price and her turbulent rise to fame
The Sunday Times bestselling memoir from Amy Price.
Katie Price’s life has long been lived in the public eye, documented both by her own books, reality tv, and the tabloids. But what does this story look like from the inside?
While battling a terminal illness, Katie’s mother, Amy Price, has the last word in this honest and insightful memoir, where she reveals how her family’s past has shaped her daughter’s future.
The Last Word is the definitive story of how Katrina Amy Alexandria Alexis Infield became Katie Price. It documents how her life has been shaped by a tradition of strong women, by cycles of abuse which have been repeated through generations, and by the impact of fame and trauma on a close family unit.
The Last Word was Number 2 in the Sunday Times Hardback Non-Fiction bestseller list on Sunday 16th July.
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The Real Stanley Baxter
Stanley Baxter delighted over 20 million viewers at a time with his television specials. His pantos became legendary. His divas and dames were so good they were beyond description.
Baxter was a most brilliant cowboy Coward, a smouldering Dietrich. He found immense laughs as Formby and Liberace. And his sex-starved Tarzan swung in a way Hollywood could never have imagined. But who is the real Stanley Baxter?
The comedy actor’s talents are matched only by his past reluctance to colour in the detail of his own character. Now, the man behind the mischievous grin, the twinkling eyes and the once- Brylcreemed coiffure is revealed.
In a tale of triumphs and tragedies, of giant laughs and great falls from grace, we discover that while the enigmatic entertainer could play host to hundreds of different voices, the role he found most difficult to play was that of Stanley Baxter.
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£4.80£9.50The Real Stanley Baxter
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The Smallest Giant: An Actor’s Life
I was happy enough in the circus appearing as the tallest midget in captivity, but when my employer decided that I should also appear as the smallest giant in captivity, I decided it was time to move on and seek my fortune in a different sphere Thus begins Michael Craig’s fascinating, wittily wicked memoir of his life in film, theatre and television. After spending more than fifty years in the hurly burly of show business, Michael Craig has become an essential part of Australian cultural life. In The Smallest Giant, he shares anecdotes about this life and the people he has loved and worked with, including Julie Andrews, Judi Dench, Harold Pinter and Peter O’Toole. Starting as a journeyman actor in English repertory theatre, Michael went on to have an extraordinary international career as a theatre and film actor and writer. He has appeared in more than fifty films and countless television productions, acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company, on Broadway in New York and on London’s West End in major productions like Funny Girl with Barbara Streisand. Coming to Australia in 1972, Michael met actress Sue Walker, the star of such shows as Gypsy, and settled down for good. He most famously starred as Dr William Sharp in the ABC’s long-running television drama GP and has worked with the cream of Australian theatre. With an easy charm, Michael proves himself an exceptional raconteur as he tells the story of a struggling young actor who became the star of film, theatre and television.Read more
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The Strength of Love: Embracing an Uncertain Future with Resilience and Optimism
*** The Sunday Times Bestseller ***
‘Intimate, tender and brutally honest … a remarkable book.’ Decca Aitkenhead, The Sunday Times‘These are probably the toughest times we have faced in many decades, and we all have to find within us the strength and resilience to get through and to find happiness and love in our futures, whatever life throws at us.’
Kate Garraway has had to learn how to adapt ever since her husband Derek began his fight against the devastating impact of Covid, a condition that has left him needing 24-hour care at home and long spells in hospital. Every day brings uncertainty and new challenges to test Kate and her family’s resolve.
In The Strength of Love, Kate explores issues that resonate with so many of us. She looks at the impact of trauma as well as the importance of resilience, adaptability, curiosity and positivity when recovering from it. She talks about identity, purpose, how to embrace uncertainty and take back control of our lives. Through her and Derek’s story, she provides comfort and wisdom that will help anyone who has ever felt desperate, lonely or experienced profound loss, or who is fearful about what the future holds.
Despite all that she and her family have had to endure, Kate shows us that love truly is the most powerful and resilient emotion of all.
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The Tourist: What happens on tour stays on tour … until now!
What Goes on Tour, Stays on Tour…Until Now!
As a cricketer, broadcaster and celebrity jungle-dweller, Phil Tufnell has travelled the world far and wide. From the great cricket tours of Australia and South Africa to his equally memorable jaunts to Benidorm and Blackpool, Phil has spent much of his life living out of a suitcase, meeting a host of colourful and memorable characters along the way.
The Tourist takes you out on the road, into the dressing room and behind the scenes of the commentary box to reveal just what really happens on Tour. Did Phil once push a baby grand piano down the stairs of a plush hotel? Did he accidentally eat a rat? Was he blamed for England being bowled out for 46 against the West Indies without even being in the team?
There’s only one way to find out…
It’s time to take a hilarious trip across the world with one of our most treasured sports personalities.
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The Tourist: What happens on tour stays on tour … until now!
What Goes on Tour, Stays on Tour…Until Now!
As a cricketer, broadcaster and celebrity jungle-dweller, Phil Tufnell has travelled the world far and wide. From the great cricket tours of Australia and South Africa to his equally memorable jaunts to Benidorm and Blackpool, Phil has spent much of his life living out of a suitcase, meeting a host of colourful and memorable characters along the way.
The Tourist takes you out on the road, into the dressing room and behind the scenes of the commentary box to reveal just what really happens on Tour. Did Phil once push a baby grand piano down the stairs of a plush hotel? Did he accidentally eat a rat? Was he blamed for England being bowled out for 46 against the West Indies without even being in the team?
There’s only one way to find out…
It’s time to take a hilarious trip across the world with one of our most treasured sports personalities.
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The Twat Files: A hilarious sort-of memoir of mistakes, mishaps and mess-ups
GET EXTRA TWATTY THIS CHRISTMAS WITH THE PERFECT STOCKING FILLER AND DIVE BEHIND THE SCENES OF A LEGEND IN BRITISH COMEDY!
When I was younger I wanted to be an interesting, sophisticated, semi-heroic, multi-layered person.
BUT.
That kind of perfect is impossible. Being an actual twat is much more the real me. Sorry to boast, but I am a champion twat.
In The Twat Files I will tell you about all the times I’ve been a total and utter twat. The moments where I’ve misunderstood stuff and messed up. In my life these have been key because:
Mistakes tell us about ourselves.
Mistakes tell us about others.
Mistakes are hilarious.
Mistakes expose our flaws.
Mistakes show us ourselves honestly.
Mistakes are gloriously human.My hope is that these stories might fire up yer engines to remind you of just what a massive twat you also are.
Let’s celebrate and revel in this most delightful of traits together.
That would be perfectly twatty.
‘This woman is a national treasure’ Mail on Sunday
‘Dawn French is a wonderful writer’ Daily Mail
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