Biographies
56 Products
Discover the lives behind the legends with our collection of biographies at The Works. From inspiring memoirs of modern icons to fascinating stories of historical figures, these books offer a unique glimpse into extraordinary journeys. Whether you're interested in sports stars, political leaders, entertainers or everyday heroes, our range of biographies brings real life experiences and achievements to the page. Perfect for readers who love true stories that motivate and captivate.
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THE PHENOMENAL INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER | TRANSLATED BY INTERNATIONAL BOOKER SHORTLISTEE ANTON HUR PSYCHIATRIST: So how can I help you? ME: I don't know, I'm – what's the word – depressed? Do I have to go into detail? Baek Sehee is a successful young social media director at a publishing house when she begins seeing a psychiatrist about her – what to call it? – depression? She feels persistently low, anxious, endlessly self-doubting, but also highly judgemental of others. She hides her feelings well at work and with friends; adept at performing the calmness, even ease, her lifestyle demands. The effort is exhausting, overwhelming, and keeps her from forming deep relationships. This can't be normal. But if she's so hopeless, why can she always summon a desire for her favourite street food, the hot, spicy rice cake, tteokbokki? Is this just what life is like? Recording her conversations with her psychiatrist over 12 weeks, Baek begins to disentangle the feedback loops, knee-jerk reactions and harmful behaviours that keep her locked in a cycle of self-abuse. Part memoir, part self-help book, I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki is a book to keep close and to reach for in times of darkness. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781526648099 • Author: Baek Sehee • Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc • Format: Paperback • Pages: 208 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 1.6 cm
A gripping compendium of some of the world's most infamous and shocking mass murderers, such as John Wayne Gacy, the Boston Strangler, the Moors murderers and Harold Shipman, as well as some lesser-known figures. Who was the Zodiac Killer? What drove Jeffrey Dahmer to dismember his 17 victims? How many women really fell prey to Ted Bundy? Maybe it's because our animal instincts draw us to dangerous situations; maybe it's because reading about predators allows us to learn about their behaviours in a safe setting. Whatever the reason, serial killers and their crimes have fascinated us for centuries. This true crime compendium not only relates the disturbing events that transpired but also delves into the psychology of the perpetrators. The stories within are shocking and often difficult to comprehend, but with this deep dive into the world of the macabre, readers may gain a greater understanding of the motivations and thought processes of these murderers. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the psychology of crime and the human mind. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781837991228 • Author: Jamie King • Publisher: Summersdale • Format: Paperback • Pages: 304 • Dimensions: 12.9 x 19.7 x 2.2 cm
Enthusiastic trainee farmer Jeremy Clarkson made just £144 in his first year at Diddly Squat Farm. This year he's determined to do better. Not because he now knows what he's doing. But because he's fed up of getting stick from Kaleb. Yet farming continues to be a challenge. For instance... Loading a grain trailer was more demanding than flying an Apache gunship? Cows were more dangerous than motor-racing? It's easier to get planning permission to build a nuclear plant than to turn a barn into a restaurant? Jeremy's always got a plan. Loads of them. Often cunning. Not always greeted with wild enthusiasm by Kaleb and Cheerful Charlie, however... Product Information: • ISBN: 9781405954631 • Author: Jeremy Clarkson • Publisher: Penguin • Format: Paperback • Pages: 240 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 1.5 x 12.9 cm
In this poignant, moving book, Muhammad Ali shares the beliefs he has come to live by and which he has passed on to his children. Some of the wisdom is his own; some comes from the teachings of true Islam, from his spiritual studies, and from people he has met in the course of his extraordinary life. Here, as he recalls his early days as a young warrior in Louisville, Kentucky, and his meteoric rise to fame as Heavyweight Champion of the World, a title he won three times, he tells of the many battles he won and lost, both inside and outside the ring and his conversion to Islam in the 1960s. Now, working tirelessly as a worldwide ambassador for peace, he talks of the damage caused when religion is used to tear people apart, the essential need for unity in this troubled world, and how his faith sustains him on this, the most important journey of his life - the journey to forgiveness and peace. Together with his daughter Hana, in this timely spiritual memoir Ali draws upon his rich reserve of notes, tapes and journals, and writes with compassion, warmth and, of course, humour on how we can liberate mind, body and spirit when we pursue and embrace the one essential truth - love. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781911754831 • Author: Muhammad Ali & Hana Yasmeen Ali • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback
It is never too late to build the life you’re seeking. Part-memoir, part-inspirational manual for better living, Simply More by Cynthia Erivo is for anyone seeking greater harmony and fulfilment in their lives. Cynthia Erivo learned the music to Wicked a decade before she needed it, not knowing that those same lyrics would change her life. Ten years later, she performed those songs on a world stage, showing us that there is always time to keep discovering ourselves, and that the journey of becoming is not a finite one. In Simply More, through a series of powerful, personal vignettes, Cynthia reflects on the ways that she has grown as an actor and a person, shares the lessons she’s learned over years of performing, and reminds us how we are capable of so much more than we think. In this profoundly honest and moving memoir, Cynthia draws from her experiences running marathons, both real and metaphorical, on stage and on screen, to show how each challenge can help us. Through personal anecdotes, lessons and advice, she urges readers to lean into the wisdom of their bodies and to understand and strive for a physical and mental balance. Because when we chase our deepest desires, each small step leads us closer to where we want to go. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781035086016 • Author: Cynthia Erivo • Publisher: Macmillan Distribution Limited • Format: Hardback • Pages: 208
Bear Grylls has always sought out adventure. From childhood escapades to would-record-breaking expeditions, to his infamous survival challenges, Bear has spent a lifetime in the wild. In his autobiography, the global adventurer, Chief Scout and TV presenter reflects on the extraordinary adventures that have shaped his life. Sharing personal stories from his toughest expeditions and capturing the exhilarating reality behind some of the hairiest survival missions, Bear takes readers up mountains and across oceans, through jungles and deserts. Immersing us in the behind-the-scenes action on his celebrated television shows, and with a rare insight into his family life, Bear recounts his most death-defying and life-defining moments. Packed with deeply personal and wildly entertaining tales, Never Give Up is a testament to the value of adventure. It celebrates the power of the wild and what it can teach us, and highlights the importance of courage, kindness and a resilient attitude - a 'never give up spirit' - to navigate the great adventure of life. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781837321001 • Author: Bear Grylls • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 432 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.9 cm
Revealing the most outrageous secrets and fiercest rivalries, The Mechanic follows Priestley as he travels the world working in the high-octane atmosphere of the F1 pit lane. While the spotlight is most often on the superstar drivers, the mechanics are the guys who make every World Champion, and any mistakes can have critical consequences. However, these highly skilled engineers don't just fine-tune machinery and crunch data through high-spec computers. These boys can seriously let their hair down. Whether it's partying on luxury yachts or photo opportunities aboard gravity-defying aeroplanes, this is a world which thrills on and off the track. This is Formula One, but not like you've seen it before. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781787290631 • Author: Marc 'Elvis' Priestley • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 256 • Dimensions: 19.7 x 12.9 x 1.7 cm
It's 3 a.m. and Elizabeth Gilbert is sobbing on the bathroom floor. She's in her thirties, she has a husband, a house, they're trying for a baby - and she doesn't want any of it. A bitter divorce and a turbulent love affair later, she emerges battered and bewildered and realises it is time to pursue her own journey in search of three things she has been missing: pleasure, devotion and balance. So she travels to Rome, where she learns Italian from handsome, brown-eyed identical twins and gains twenty-five pounds, an ashram in India, where she finds that enlightenment entails getting up in the middle of the night to scrub the temple floor, and Bali where a toothless medicine man of indeterminate age offers her a new path to peace: simply sit still and smile. And slowly happiness begins to creep up on her. Product Information: • ISBN: 9780747585664 • Author: Elizabeth Gilbert • Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc • Format: Paperback
In the world of espionage, where the accounts of renowned spies often dominate the narrative, this is a rare gem - an untold story of a completely unknown spy. Baron William de Ropp, a Baltic German aristocrat, wasn't just any ordinary spy; he was MI6's top secret agent in Nazi Germany from 1931 to 1939, managing to escape Berlin just before war broke out. This unsung hero had direct access to Adolf Hitler and an inside track on the Nazi regime. His reports, shrouded in secrecy, had the power to shape British policy toward Germany in a pivotal period of history. The Spy and the Devil is a riveting tale of espionage, intrigue, and the untold impact of one man's secret mission on the course of history. A journey into the shadows of Nazi Germany, where a forgotten British spy worked tirelessly to avert catastrophe, and discover the secrets that history almost left behind. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781789468717 • Author: Tim Willasey-Wilsey • Publisher: Bonnier Books UK Limited • Format: Paperback
Tracing its beginnings as an underground society which sprang up in Sicily, to the Mob which went on to run organised crime throughout Italy and America, The Mafia: The First 100 Years tells the gripping story of the most mythical and misunderstood criminal organisation. How did the Mob evolve from a gang of bumbling killers into the smooth-running international 'corporation' of today? Drawing on nearly two decades of research, William Balsamo - great-nephew of the original godfather - and George Carpozi Jr. reveal the Mafia's coalescence into an organisation whose insidious influence reached across the Atlantic and into a presidential administration. Delving behind the headlines to uncover the true extent of the Mafia's influence, The Mafia: The First 100 Years reads like the most compelling crime fiction, yet is the terrifying, deadly truth. Product Information: • ISBN: 9780753562987 • Author: William Balsamo & George Carpozi Jr • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 496 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.6 x 2.9 cm
Under the stewardship of Gareth Southgate and captained by Harry Kane, a cultural transformation saw England reach two finals, a semi-final and a quarter-final in four tournaments. Now, with Thomas Tuchel at the helm, the team and its playing style has evolved once more. After years of intricate planning and preparation, they come into the 2026 World Cup as genuine contenders with a star-studded squad that's the envy of the world. How did we get here? Inside England: Behind the Scenes of the Three Lions' World Cup Dream charts the progress from Gareth Southgate's appointment, including the dizzying highs and the near-misses of his tenure, the fallout post-Euro 2024, the FA's search for a successor and how Thomas Tuchel shaped a team in his image. Bestselling and award-winning football writers Jonathan Northcroft and Rob Draper have had extraordinary access to the England team during both manager's reigns and take us behind the scenes of England's transformation over the last decade. For the first time, this is the real story of England's evolution both on and off the pitch, revealing how Southgate and Tuchel inched the team ever closer to their ultimate dream: winning the World Cup. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781785122545 • Author: Jonathan Northcroft & Rob Draper • Publisher: Bonnier Books UK • Format: Paperback
Bestselling writer and criminologist Christopher Berry-Dee turns his attention to a new kind of victim: the wives or partners of serial murderers who remained unaware of exactly who they had fallen for until after their other half's arrest or, in some cases, conviction, for multiple murders. Sonia Sutcliffe first discovered that her husband, Peter, was leading a secret existence as 'the Yorkshire Ripper' only when he was arrested. The wife of the 'Hillside Strangler' only learned of her husband's crimes when state police smashed down her door in search of him. On finding out the truth, these innocents often experience a strange kind of guilt for not having recognised the killer in their home, as well as having to face the grim reality of betrayal and deceit. Christopher Berry-Dee speaks directly to killers and their oblivious loved ones to get inside the minds of the men and women who fall for murderers. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781789465617 • Author: Christopher Berry-Dee • Publisher: Bonnier Books UK Limited • Format: Paperback • Pages: 304 • Dimensions: 19.7 x 12.8 x 2.2 cm
Johnny Herbert was one of the most brilliant natural talents to emerge in motor racing, but for all his bravery and prowess, he's lucky to be alive. After becoming British Junior Karting Champion (losing part of a finger in the process), then the Formula 3 title for Eddie Jordan in 1987, he was all set for a glittering debut season in Formula 1 when he was caught in a mass pile-up at Brands Hatch. That horrific crash threatened to end his career, but Herbert made a miraculous recovery, was a hugely popular winner of the British Grand Prix in 1995, and enjoyed 25 years of competitive motorsport, becoming the only British driver to win the 24 hours of Le Mans followed by a Grand Prix. And all that despite driving every pace in extreme pain; in fact, as the first and only disabled driver in F1 history. While chronicling an extraordinary life behind the wheel with cheer and his trademark cheeky humour, What Doesn't Kill You... contains a wealth of stories from the hard end of Formula 1: on Johnny's team-mate Michael Schumacher, legends like Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, his fellow British adversaries Damon Hill, Martin Brundle and Nigel Mansell, and of course all those gruesome accidents. With an encyclopaedic knowledge and love of the sport, Johnny Herbert's autobiography, much like the man himself, delivers brilliance from the back of the grid. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781911754541 • Author: Johnny Herbert • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 320 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.7 x 1.9 cm
Hilarious stories and heartfelt advice from one of the UK’s most celebrated presenters, Claudia Winkleman MBE. Funny, moving and truthful… Quite Claudia Winkleman’s warmth, humour, no-holds-barred attitude and smoky eye have made her the favourite broadcaster of millions and a much-loved household name. In her first ever book, Claudia invites us all into her world. She shares her observations on topics such as the importance of melted cheese, why black coats are vital, how it’s never okay to have sex with someone who has an opinion on your date outfit, how nurses are our most precious national treasure, and why colourful clothing is only for the under 10s (if you’re reading this sporting a bright red jumper and you’re 9, great! If you’re older, sorry). This is a love letter to life – the real, sometimes messy kind. Quite celebrates friendship, the power of art, the highs and lows of parenting, and of course, how a good eyeliner can really save your life. Product Information: • ISBN: 9780008421694 • Author: Claudia Winkleman • Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers • Format: Paperback • Pages: 256 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2 cm
Bob Mortimer’s life was trundling along happily until suddenly in 2015 he was diagnosed with a heart condition that required immediate surgery and forced him to cancel an upcoming tour. The episode unnerved him, but forced him to reflect on his life so far. This is the framework for his hilarious and moving memoir, And Away… Although his childhood in Middlesbrough was normal on the surface, it was tinged by the loss of his dad, and his own various misadventures, from burning down the family home to starting a short-lived punk band called Dog Dirt. As an adult, he trained as a solicitor and moved to London. Though he was doing pretty well, a chance encounter in a pub in the 1980s with a young comedian going by the name Vic Reeves set his life on a different track. And now, six years on, the heart condition that once threatened his career has instead led to new success on BBC2’s Gone Fishing. Warm, profound, and irrepressibly funny, And Away… is Bob’s full life story (with a few lies thrown in for good measure.) Product Information: • ISBN: 9781398505322 • Author: Bob Mortimer • Publisher: Gallery UK • Format: Paperback • Pages: 352 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 13 x 2.2 cm
A deeply moving and unforgettable portrait of an ordinary and yet an extraordinary teenage girl. First published over sixty years ago, Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl has reached millions of young people throughout the world. In July 1942, thirteen-year-old Anne Frank and her family, fleeing the occupation, went into hiding in an Amsterdam warehouse. Over the next two years Anne vividly describes in her diary the frustrations of living in such close quarters, and her thoughts, feelings and longings as she grows up. Her diary ends abruptly when, in August 1944, they were all betrayed. Product Information: • ISBN: 9780241657959 • Author: Anne Frank • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 372 • Dimensions: 20 x 13 x 2.2 cm
'I am a survivor. That comes with a survivor's obligation to represent one and half million Jewish children murdered by the Nazis. They cannot speak. So I must speak on their behalf.' Tova Friedman was one of the youngest people to emerge from Auschwitz. After surviving the liquidation of the Jewish ghetto in Central Poland where she lived as a toddler, Tova was four when she and her parents were sent to a Nazi labour camp, and almost six when she and her mother were forced into a packed cattle truck and sent to Auschwitz II, also known as the Birkenau extermination camp, while her father was transported to Dachau. During six months of incarceration in Birkenau, Tova witnessed atrocities that she could never forget, and experienced numerous escapes from death. She is one of a handful of Jews to have entered a gas chamber and lived to tell the tale. As Nazi killing squads roamed Birkenau before abandoning the camp in January 1945, Tova and her mother hid among corpses. After being liberated by the Russians they made their way back to their hometown in Poland. Eventually Tova's father tracked them down and the family was reunited. In The Daughter of Auschwitz, Tova immortalizes what she saw, to keep the story of the Holocaust alive, at a time when it's in danger of fading from memory. She has used those memories that have shaped her life to honour the victims. Written with award-winning former war reporter Malcolm Brabant, this is an extremely important book. Brabant's meticulous research has helped Tova recall her experiences in searing detail. Together they have painstakingly recreated Tova's extraordinary story about the world's worst ever crime. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529423501 • Author: Tova Friedman & Malcolm Brabant • Publisher: Quercus • Format: Paperback • Pages: 352 • Dimensions: 12.8 x 3 x 19.6 cm
Christopher Berry-Dee is a world-renowned investigative criminologist. He has gained the trust of murderers across the world and now delves into the mind of perhaps the most sadistic and psychopathic killer of all time. Between 1978 and 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer murdered and dismembered seventeen boys and men. But he is most notorious for what happened to his victims after their grisly deaths and the shocking depravity that led to Dahmer being dubbed the ‘Milwaukee Cannibal’. Using his long experience and psychological expertise, Berry-Dee seeks to understand the motivation, the amoral urges and the merciless horror behind Dahmer's inhuman behaviour: what could make a man do this? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781913543310 • Author: Christopher Berry-Dee • Publisher: Ad Lib Publishers Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 256 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 cm
Following on from the bestselling Inside Broadmoor and Inside Wakefield Prison, Jonathan Levi and Emma French will deploy their trademark combination of exclusive access to prisoner testimony and staff revelations, weaving a compelling, unfiltered story examining the lives and crimes of Belmarsh Prison's most deadly and notorious prisoners. From the Hatton Garden gang to the Securitas robbers, Julian Assange to Jonathan Aitken, they offer unique insights on inmates past and present including Steven Barker, Mark Dixie, Abu Hamza, Michael Adebowale and Wayne Couzens. Through attacks, drugs, gangs and, sometimes, redemption, Emma and Jonathan will discover the truth about what it's like to live and work in 'Hellmarsh', Britain's toughest and most renowned prison. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781789468885 • Author: Jonathan Levi & Emma French • Publisher: Bonnier Books UK Limited • Format: Paperback • Pages: 352 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.3 cm
The definitive biography of the greatest Formula One driver of all time, now including an exclusive chapter on the 2025 season. At the pinnacle of motorsports, a humble young man from Stevenage has risen to become the greatest Formula One driver of all time. Lewis Hamilton’s journey from remote-controlled car hobbyist to seven-time world champion is evidently the stuff of modern legend. Michael Sawyer follows Hamilton’s path and we witness Hamilton’s single-minded determination to reach the top along the way, even as he challenged racial barriers and opposition at every turn. Beyond his unparalleled on-track exploits – equalling the records held by the legendary Michael Schumacher – Hamilton has used his platform to advocate for social justice, environmental sustainability and diversity, inspiring the next generation by not only encouraging them to pursue their own dreams but by also extending his legacy and impact beyond the track. As Hamilton nears the twilight of his racing career, this electrifying book by acclaimed professor of African American Literature and Culture, and lifelong Formula One fan, Michael Sawyer, examines his lasting legacy. Sir Lewis culminates with Hamilton’s potential final act – chasing a record-setting eighth world title at the wheel of the iconic Ferrari team – and shows how he continues to set new benchmarks for greatness. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781035071661 • Author: Michael E. Sawyer • Publisher: Macmillan Distribution Limited • Format: Paperback • Pages: 288 • Dimensions: 19.7 x 13.4 x 1.9 cm
