Autobiographies

In his first full-length autobiography, comedy legend and national treasure Billy Connolly reveals the truth behind his windswept and interesting life. Born in a tenement flat in Glasgow in 1942, orphaned by the age of 4, and a survivor of appalling abuse at the hands of his own family, Billy's life is a remarkable story of success against all the odds. Billy found his escape first as an apprentice welder in the shipyards of the River Clyde. Later he became a folk musician - a 'rambling man' - with a genuine talent for playing the banjo. But it was his ability to spin stories, tell jokes and hold an audience in the palm of his hand that truly set him apart. As a young comedian Billy broke all the rules. He was fearless and outspoken - willing to call out hypocrisy wherever he saw it. But his stand-up was full of warmth, humility and silliness too. His startling, hairy 'glam-rock' stage appearance - wearing leotards, scissor suits and banana boots - only added to his appeal. It was an appearance on Michael Parkinson's chat show in 1975 - and one outrageous story in particular - that catapulted Billy from cult hero to national star. TV shows, documentaries, international fame and award-winning Hollywood movies followed. Billy's pitch-perfect stand-up comedy kept coming too - for over 50 years, in fact - until a double diagnosis of cancer and Parkinson's Disease brought his remarkable live performances to an end. Since then he has continued making TV shows, creating extraordinary drawings... and writing. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529318265 • Author: Billy Connolly • Publisher: Two Roads • Format: Hardback • Pages: 400 • Dimensions: 23.8 x 15.8 x 3.8 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. 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: 9781398505292 • Author: Bob Mortimer • Publisher: Gallery UK • Format: Hardback • Pages: 336 • Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.3 x 2.9 cm

BAFTA-winning actor, voice of everything from Monkey to the Cadbury's Caramel Rabbit to Professor Sprout, Miriam Margolyes, OBE, is the nation's favourite (and naughtiest) treasure. Now, at the age of 80, she has finally decided to tell her extraordinary life story - and it's well worth the wait. Find out how being conceived in an air-raid gave her curly hair; what pranks led to her being known as the naughtiest girl Oxford High School ever had; why Bob Monkhouse was the best (male) kiss she's ever had and more. From declaring her love to Vanessa Redgrave to being told to be quiet by the Queen, this book is packed with brilliant, hilarious stories. With a cast list stretching from Scorsese to Streisand, a cross-dressing Leonardo di Caprio to Isaiah Berlin, This Much Is True is as warm and honest, as full of life and surprises, as its inimitable author. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529379884 • Author: Miriam Margolyes • Publisher: John Murray • Format: Hardback • Pages: 448 • Dimensions: 23.6 x 16 x 4.2 cm

We all know and love the charming elderly man that stole the nation's hearts whilst doing his bit in a time of crisis... but who is Captain Sir Tom Moore? Discover who this inspiring man really is in his new exclusive Autobiography. Where did he come from?  From a childhood in the foothills of the Yorkshire Dales, Tom Moore grew up in a loving family, which wasn't without its share of tragedy. With the storms of the Second World War being threatened, Tom Moore raised his hand and joined the fight.  This war would take him from a country he had never left to the heart of India, and the Far East, to which he would return many years later to view the sight he had missed first time around: the distant peak of Everest. Explore the story we have all been waiting for. This is the story of the past hundred years here in Britain. A time that has seen a lot of change... 'Gloriously enthralling' - Daily Mail. Product Information: • ISBN: 9780241486108 • Author: Captain Tom Moore • Publisher: Michael Joseph  • Format: Hardback • Pages: 400 • Dimensions: 24 x 16.2 x 3.6cm

So, I’ve written a book. Having entertained the idea for years, and even offered a few questionable opportunities (‘It’s a piece of cake! Just do four hours of interviews, find someone else to write it, put your face on the cover, and voila!’), I have decided to write these stories just as I have always done, in my own hand. The joy that I have felt from chronicling these tales is not unlike listening back to a song that I’ve recorded and can’t wait to share with the world, or reading a primitive journal entry from a stained notebook, or even hearing my voice bounce between the Kiss posters on my wall as a child. From hitting the road with Scream at 18 years old, to my time in Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, jamming with Iggy Pop or playing at the Academy Awards or dancing with AC/DC and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, drumming for Tom Petty or meeting Sir Paul McCartney at Royal Albert Hall, bedtime stories with Joan Jett or a chance meeting with Little Richard, to flying halfway around the world for one epic night with my daughters…the list goes on. I look forward to focusing the lens through which I see these memories a little sharper for you with much excitement. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781398503700 • Author: Dave Grohl • Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK • Format: Hardback • Pages: 384 • Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.3 x 3.25 cm

Jürgen Klopp was confirmed as manager of Liverpool FC in October 2015 to a rapturous reception! His super-sized personality and all-or-nothing style of football and management made him the perfect choice to pump up the volume at Anfield and lift Liverpool out of a slump. Fans and club officials were delighted to get the coach they'd long admired from afar and eager to see the impact he would have on the club and the Premier League. Klopp is the manager to turn players into winners. He's authentic, approachable and funny, charming media and fans alike. He's also merciless and exceptionally driven, his quick temper bubbling away barely under the surface. Klopp's pitch-side passion has enthralled fans, leading to 2019's triumphant Champions League win and culminating in 2020 Premier League victory. Product Information: ISBN: 9780224100755 Author: Raphael Honigstein Publisher: Yellow Jersey Format: Paperback Pages: 400 Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.3cm

Laugh along with Michael McIntyre as he lifts the curtain on his life in his long-awaited autobiography. Michael’s first book ended with his big break at the 2006 Royal Variety Performance. Waking up the next morning in the tiny rented flat he shared with his wife Kitty and their one-year-old son, he was beyond excited about the new glamorous world of show business. Unfortunately, he was also clueless . . . In A Funny Life, Michael honestly and hilariously shares the highs and the lows of his rise to the top and desperate attempts to stay there. It’s all here, from his disastrous panel show appearances to his hit TV shows, from mistakenly thinking he’d be a good chat show host and talent judge, to finding fame and fortune beyond his wildest dreams and becoming the biggest-selling comedian in the world. Along the way he opens his man drawer, narrowly avoids disaster when his trousers fall down in front of three policemen and learns the hard way why he should always listen to his wife. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529063653 • Author: Michael McIntyre • Publisher: Macmillan • Format: Hardback • Pages: 352

Joan Collins has been a diarist from the age of twelve, writing enthusiastically over the years. She dictated most of these entries in real time into a mini-tape recorder at the end of the day, and now she is spilling the beans - well, nearly all of them.  What you will discover was written when Joan 'felt like it' between 1989 and 2009. Whether it is an encounter with a superstar or a member of the Royal Family, or her keen and honest insights into other celebrities at dinner parties and events, Joan is honest and unapologetic. Taking us on a dazzling tour around the globe - from exclusive restaurants in Los Angeles to the glittering beaches of St Tropez, from dinner parties in London to galas in New York City - some of the characters you will meet in these pages include Rod Stewart, Princess Margaret, Donald Trump, Michael Caine, Princess Diana, Elizabeth Taylor, Rupert Everett, Roger Moore, Shirley MacLaine, Andrew Lloyd Webber and many more. Her diaries are intimate and witty, and they pull no punches, with NO apologies to anyone mentioned in them! Product Information: • ISBN: 9781474621274 • Author: Joan Collins • Publisher: W&N • Format: Hardback • Pages: 384 • Dimensions: 23.8 x 16.2 x 3.8 cm

A deeply personal and inspiring memoir from one of the most celebrated and influential names in British sport. Tom Daley captured the hearts of the nation with his unforgettable medal-winning performance in the London 2012 Olympics. At this year’s Games in Tokyo, he triumphed to win gold and became the most decorated British diver of all time. In this deeply personal book, Tom explores the experiences that have shaped him and the qualities to which he owes his contentment and success; from the resilience he developed competing at world-class level, to the courage he discovered while reclaiming the narrative around his sexuality, and the perspective that family life has brought him. Candid and perceptive, Coming Up for Air offers a unique insight into the life and mindset of one our greatest and most-loved athletes. Product Information: • ISBN: 9780008217914 • Author: Tom Daley • Publisher: HQ • Format: Hardback • Pages: 304 • Dimensions: 24 x 15.9 x 2.9 cm

''So lithe,' they say. 'So spry and sparkling. So uncannily youthful. How on earth do you do it?' Well, what can I tell you? An hour of tai chi first thing in the morning, an HIIT work-out with my personal trainer, a bowl of steamed kale and a handful of almonds for lunch, and then two hours of yoga in the afternoon followed by an ice bath - this is a routine which I'm sure would work miracles for anyone of any age, although I can't be entirely sure because I haven't myself adopted any aspect of it at any point. Fortunately, during my life and career I have been given all sorts of advice and learned huge amounts from some great and enormously talented people. I've been blessed to play characters such as Derek Trotter, Granville, Pop Larkin and Frost, who have changed my life in all sorts of ways, and taught me lessons that go far beyond the television set. And I've worked a few things out for myself as well, about friendship, ambition, rejection, success, failure, adversity and fortune. With any luck, some of these thoughts and observations will chime with episodes and challenges you have faced, or are facing, in your own life. And if they don't... well, hopefully, at the very least you'll get to have a good old laugh at my expense. So lean back, pour yourself a glass, and try not to fall through the bar flap...' Delve into the hilariously funny but deeply heartfelt autobiography of the national treasure that is David Jason - a must-have read for all those who truly adore Del boy. Product Information: ISBN: 9781529125115 Author: David Jason Publisher: Century Format: Hardback Pages: 336 Dimensions: 24 x 15.6 x 3cm 

Rob Beckett never seems to fit in. At work, in the middle-class world of television and comedy, he’s the laddie, cockney geezer, but to his mates down the pub in south-east London, he’s the theatrical one, a media luvvie. Even at home, his wife and kids are posher than him. Will he always be that fat kid who was told he’d never be a high-flyer? Why does he feel ashamed if he does anything vaguely middle class? Will he ever favour craft beer over lager? What happens if you eat 50 olives and drink two bottles of champagne? In search of answers, Rob relives the moments in his life when the class divide couldn’t be more obvious. Whether it’s the gig for rich bankers that was worse than Matt Hancock hosting the GQ Men of the Year Awards or turning up at a swanky celebrity house party with a blue bag of cans from the offy. In this hilarious exploration of class, Rob compares his life growing up as a working-class kid to the life he lives now, trying to understand where he truly belongs. Product Information: • ISBN: 9780008468187 • Author: Rob Beckett • Publisher: HarperCollins • Format: Hardback • Pages: 288 • Dimensions: 24 x 15.9 x 2.1 cm

To understand how to empower yourself, first of all you have to recognize and accept your vulnerability. In Stronger, Gareth shares how he has managed to deal with the adversity life has thrown at him over the years, from his school years to his most recent difficult announcement that he is living with HIV. Gareth's incredible willingness to expose his deepest emotional frailties as a man have made him a national hero and a role model for us all. Whether he is confronting the physical challenges of an Iron Man or the mental resilience needed to be true to who you are, Gareth is unwaveringly honest. An inspirational rallying call, Stronger is a vital read for anyone who wants to turn their fear into a strength and to not only survive, but to thrive. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529107753 • Author: Gareth Thomas • Publisher: Ebury Press • Format: Hardback • Pages: 336 • Dimensions: 24.3 x 16.1 x 3.1 cm

The weird and wonderful world of primary schools. A heart-warming and hilarious look at life in the classroom from the teachers who host the most popular UK education podcast, Two Mr Ps in a Pod(Cast). Have you ever wondered what really happens during the day when your precious little angels are at school? In this book, The Two Mr Ps will take you on a side-splittingly funny journey through the weird and wonderful world of primary schools. It will also explore the pressures of modern-day teaching, revealing exactly what it takes to wrangle a chaotic classroom (or seven) on a weekly basis. From the absolute characters found in the staffroom to school-trip mishaps and everything else inbetween, Put A Wet Paper Towel on It is a must-read for teachers and parents alike. So sit up straight, four legs on your chair, fingers on lips and get ready to take a trip down memory lane. And remember – when in doubt, just put a wet paper towel on it. Product Information: •    ISBN: 9780008474188 •    Author: Lee Parkinson, Adam Parkinson  •    Publisher: HarperCollins •    Format: Hardback •    Pages:  •    Dimensions: 22.2 x 14.1 x 3 cm

Will She Do? is the story of a girl from a council estate in Tottenham, born in 1934 to an electric-meter reader and a seamstress, who was determined to be an actress. Candid and witty, this memoir takes her from her awkward performances in working-men's clubs at six years of age as dancing 'Baby Eileen', through the war years in London, to her breakthrough at thirty-two on Broadway with The Killing of Sister George, for which she received the first of four Tony Award nominations. She co-created Upstairs, Downstairs and wrote the screenplay for Mrs Dalloway (for which she won an Evening Standard Award) and at aged eighty-six, this is her first autobiographical work. Characterised by an eye for the absurd, a terrific knack for storytelling and an insistence on honesty, Will She Do? is a wonderful raconteur's tale about family, about class, about youthful ambition and big dreams and what really goes on behind the scenes. Product Information: • ISBN: 9780349014661 • Author: Eileen Atkins • Publisher: Virago • Format: Hardback • Pages: 320 • Dimensions: 22 x 14 x 3.4 cm

Match Day. Closing a hotel room door, down into the team room. Up into a hotel lobby full of supporters in red shirts, of cheers and applause and shouts of good luck. This is where the story of Alun Wyn Jones's journey begins, the story that every child who has dreamt of playing rugby for their country starts with. From the tightness in your stomach to the look on your team-mates’ faces, the adrenaline starting to flow within. Belonging is the story about how the boy left Mumbles and returned as the most capped rugby player of all time. It is the story of what it takes to become a player who is seen by many as one of the greatest Welsh players there has ever been. What it takes to go from sitting, crossed legged on the hall floor at school, watching the 1997 Lions Tour of South Africa to being named the 2021 Lions Captain. But is it also about perthyn - belonging, playing for Wales, working your way through the age-grades and the club matches and regional sides. What it takes to earn the right to be there, and what it feels like to make the sacrifices along the way. Feeling the bond to the great players not long gone, and feeling the ties to the millions in front rooms and pubs across the hillsides and the valleys, coast to coast. Knowing that deep down you just want to belong, be a part of it, as everyone does. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529058086 • Author: Alun Wyn Jones • Publisher: Macmillan • Format: Hardback • Pages: 336 • Dimensions: 15.29 x 23.39 cm

'Why me? How could a boy from a Copenhagen tower block say I want to be a champion with Manchester United and Denmark and make it happen?' Peter Schmeichel is a giant of football, who won more Premier League titles (five) than any player in his position and captained Manchester United in the incomparable, last-gasp Treble-clinching win over Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final. 'I don't believe a better goalkeeper played the game,' Sir Alex Ferguson said. One: My Autobiography is Schmeichel's story. In it, he takes us inside the remarkable, winning environment of a club that transformed football during the 1990s, and on to the pitch on that crazy, breathless night in Barcelona in 1999. From Ferguson's unique gifts to Eric Cantona's unique personality, he delivers a close-up and insightful portrait of United's golden era. However, One: My Autobiography goes way beyond the pitch. Peter's life after football, seldom straightforward, is described with astonishing candour. One: My Autobiography is about football, origins, journeys and legacy. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529354096 • Author: Peter Schmeichel • Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton • Format: Hardback • Pages: 416 • Dimensions: 23.6 x 16 x 4 cm

This is a searingly honest memoir by Kailash Limbu, a serving Gurkha soldier who undertook five tours of active service in Afghanistan. Kailash Limbu was in the front line of the fighting in Helmand Province. On dangerous resupply missions and on offensive patrols that took them to the heart of the 'killing zone', he and his men came under frequent attack from Taliban fighters. On many occasions he has feared he would not live to see the end of the day - and, inevitably, he lost several friends and colleagues from the close-knit Gurkha brotherhood. His means of coping with the trauma of conflict was to travel back in his mind to his childhood in a remote Himalayan village in Nepal. But even amid the simplicity of mountain life, danger and tragedy lurked. In this compelling narrative Capt Limbu celebrates his Gurkha heritage and confronts demons that have shaped but never broken him. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781789292572 • Author: Captain Kailash Limbu • Publisher: Michael O'Mara • Format: Hardback • Pages: 272 • Dimensions: 23.39 x 15.29 x 2.39 cm

From one of Britain's best-loved comedians comes this wonderfully funny, sharp and touching memoir and a celebration of the bond between man and dog - an autobidography, if you will. The Lick of Love takes us on a tour of Julian's colourful life - and wherever life has taken him, Julian has had a dog by his side. Fanny the Wonder Dog propelled him up the ranks of the alternative comedy circuit and onto television. Valerie, the whippet cross-breed escorted Julian through his forties, the Germaine Greer to his Bernard Manning. Albert was sent to acclimatise Julian to middle age and helped him get his now husband, before being joined by naughty but nice Gigi. These canine characters have been there, bearing witness, on and off stage. Ultimately, The Lick of Love is the story of a fascinating life and a love letter to the dogs that have played a loving and near constant part of it. Told with humour and great honesty, this promises to be one of the best memoirs of the year. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529412505 • Author: Julian Clary • Publisher: Quercus • Format: Hardback • Pages: 304 • Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.6 x 3.2 cm

Alison Hammond loves to laugh. And the nation laughs with her. Her sunny personality and zest for life have brought joy to millions and made her one of the UK's best-loved television presenters. Known for her hilarious and unforgettable interviews with Hollywood A-listers, Alison is also responsible for countless classic moments of broadcasting gold - from getting stuck on a caravan door to delivering Christmas cash dressed as an elf. Shaped by the influence of her incredible mum, Alison went from small roles on television shows to that life-changing appearance on Big Brother, before landing her dream job on This Morning. And through it all, she found the joy in every day, the positives in any situation. As well as being a hugely entertaining and uplifting read, Alison's story will inspire you to grab life with both hands and make the most of every single moment. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781787635272 • Author: Alison Hammond • Publisher: Bantam Press • Format: Hardback • Pages: 384 • Dimensions: 24 x 16.2 x 3.6 cm

Rob Burrow is one of the greatest rugby league players of all time. And the most inspirational. As a boy, Rob was told he was too small to play the sport. Even when he made his debut for Leeds Rhinos, people wrote him off as a novelty. But Rob never stopped proving people wrong. In December 2019, Rob was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, a rare degenerative condition, and given a couple of years to live. He was only 37, not long retired and had three young children. When he went public with the devastating news, the outpouring of affection and support was extraordinary. When it became clear that Rob was going to fight it all the way, sympathy turned to awe. This is the story of a tiny kid who adored rugby league but never should have made it – and ended up in the Leeds hall of fame. It's the story of a man who resolved to turn a terrible predicament into something positive – when he could have thrown the towel in. Far more than a sports memoir, Too Many Reasons to Live is a story of boundless courage and infinite kindness. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529073249 • Author: Rob Burrow • Publisher: Macmillan • Format: Hardback • Pages: 304 • Dimensions: 24.1 x 16.3 x 3.4 cm