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Many people think they know who Ben Elton is – but does he?For the first – and only – time, Ben tackles this question head on in his frank, forthright and entertaining autobiography. Taking a deep dive into his life and times, both private and public, to reveal the true stories behind iconic hits such as The Young Ones, Blackadder and We Will Rock You, his pioneering routines hosting Saturday Live, which birthed a revolution in stand-up comedy, and so much more. Ben recounts his life and uniquely varied career from his Catford childhood and being the BBC’s youngest ever sit com writer at 21 right up to the present day, with yet another hit sit com, Upstart Crow; a surprise late-life BAFTA; and his most critically acclaimed stand-up comedy show to date.Alongside unique insights into his ground-breaking work, Ben talks honestly and hilariously about his personal and professional relationships with two generations of brilliant friends, inspiring contemporaries, occasional foes, and the times in which they all lived. And Ben’s life has been just as challenging, rewarding and funny off screen as it has been on. He unpacks it all with wit, insight and complete honesty. And of course, there’s a ‘little bit of politics’.After living sixty five years on the planet, forty-five of them in public, tickling many funny bones and getting on a respectable number of wicks, Ben has a lot of stories to tell, and he tells them unvarnished and uncensored – because that’s who he is.

JENS STOLTENBERG OFFERS AN HONEST AND CANDID ACCOUNT OF A DRAMATIC DECADE AS THE LEADER OF NATO. When Stoltenberg took office as Secretary General of NATO in 2014, the world was already changing. What followed was a decade marked by war, diplomatic crises, and decisions that helped shape our shared security. This book takes readers behind closed doors and offers a rare insight into how the world's most powerful military alliance handles crises. Stoltenberg describes the effort to keep NATO united, and addresses key issues such as the war in Ukraine, NATO's withdrawal from Afghanistan, relations with Russia and China, and cooperation with world leaders like Angela Merkel, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky. This is not a book about division. It is a story of unity, of friendship - and of why NATO still matters. Through reflections on disagreement and difficult dilemmas, Stoltenberg shows why openness is essential to preserve cohesion - and to face the challenges of tomorrow. On My Watch offers a unique insight into the art of diplomacy and the hard choices that must be made when global peace is at stake.

The instant Sunday Times bestseller‘A straight-talking yet frequently astonishing memoir’ – The Times‘A book as idiosyncratic as it is nostalgic’ – The ObserverWhen ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ propelled Rick Astley into the pop stratosphere, it irrevocably changed his life. Nothing could have prepared the boy from Lancashire for what was in store for him.At just nineteen years old, Rick agreed to sign with legendary production team Stock Aitken Waterman, giving him a peek into the mechanics of the music industry and eventually leading him to platinum-selling albums and global tours. To outsiders, it would appear that the world was at Rick’s feet. Then, suddenly, at the height of his fame, it wasn’t.Behind the hits and the glitz and glamour was a young man coming to terms with his new-found fame, the realities of a career in the pop-music machine and the pressures of life on the road, not to mention the fallout from a childhood spent torn between divorced parents in a volatile family dynamic. Time away from the industry offered Rick room for much-needed reflection – and, unknowingly, helped set the stage for his triumphant return to music.This is Rick’s story, in his own words.

Get a rare glimpse into the mind of Karrion Kross, the 6''4", 265-pound powerhouse known for his ferocity in the ring but admired for his thoughtful perseverance outside of it. This book is packed with heartache, humor, and invaluable lessons, revealing the real man behind the menacing exterior and his relentless journey to the top of sports entertainment.Karrion Kross’s physique — a hulking 6''4", 265 pounds — and the unbridled intensity in his eyes is enough on its own to inspire fear in opponents. Factor in his unique combination of precision and abject ruthlessness, and it becomes clear that anyone stepping in the ring with Kross is in immediate danger. A master of catch wrestling and sambo, Kross has done battle around the world. He boasts an array of devastating suplexes, including his dreaded Doomsday Saito. And if that’s not enough, he’s more than happy to put opponents to sleep with the Kross Jacket. For all his menacing exterior, the human being behind the character — whose real name is Kevin Kesar — is a soft-spoken, highly thoughtful individual with a powerful story. Recognized by peers for his exceptional love for his profession, Kesar endured numerous setbacks on the way to achieving his dream. Along with his wife, Elizabeth — known in WWE as Scarlett — he has repeatedly found the fortitude to bounce back stronger, personally and professionally. This book is full of fascinating stories, heartache, humor, and even some advice for those with similar aspirations. Readers will be immersed into Kesar’s unique mindset as he pulls back the curtain on what the journey (and the fight) to the top of sports entertainment is really like.

*PLUTARCH AWARD FOR THE BEST BIOGRAPHY OF 2024* *SHORTLISTED FOR THE DUFF COOPER PRIZE* ‘SUBLIME’ A NEW STATESMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024 ‘STUNNINGLY GOOD’ THE TIMES BEST HISTORY BOOKS 2024 ‘COMPULSIVE’ A PROSPECT BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024 ‘BRILLIANT’ A SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024 ‘A delicious, grippingly paced tale of rogues, riotous sex, regicide and realpolitik’INDEPENDENT BEST BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS ‘This is the page-turner that Buckingham’s short, racy life deserves’DAILY TELEGRAPH ‘Vivid, erudite and sympathetic … The Scapegoat shows that [Hughes-Hallett’s] eye for the seamy realities of an extraordinary life is as sharp as ever’ THE TIMES ‘Lord Buckingham rockets off the page of this gloriously epic, seductively detailed biography’ OLIVIA LAING As King James I’s favourite, Buckingham was also his confidant, gatekeeper, right-hand man and lover. When Charles I succeeded his father, he was similarly enthralled and made Buckingham his best friend and mentor. A dazzling figure on horseback and a skilful player of the political game, Buckingham rapidly transformed the influence his beauty gave him into immense wealth and power. He became one of the most flamboyant and enigmatic Englishmen at the heart of seventeenth-century royal and political life. With a novelist’s touch, Lucy Hughes-Hallett transports us into a courtly world of masques and dancing, exquisite clothes, the art of Rubens and Van Dyck, gender-fluidity, same-sex desire and appallingly rudimentary medicine. Witch hunts coexisted with Francis Bacon’s empiricism and public opinion was becoming a political force. Falling from grace spectacularly, Buckingham came to represent everything that was wrong with the country. From kidnappings and murder plots to men weeping in Parliament over civil liberties, The Scapegoat navigates love, war-fever and pacifism in a society on the brink of cataclysmic change. In this immersive and authoritative account, Hughes-Hallett summons an era that still resonates today. - ‘Written with such verve and invention … Fascinating book’ TOM SUTCLIFFE, BBC RADIO 4's FRONT ROW 'The Scapegoat brilliantly dramatises the complex and glittering Duke of Buckingham and the political and sexual intrigue of the court of James I. Hughes-Hallett combines the instincts and talents of a novelist with a historian's vivid sense of period and social change’ COLM TÓIBÍN ‘A flamboyant character, an epic rise and tragic fall, brought to life with intelligence, tenderness and profound scholarship’ ADAM ZAMOYSKI ‘Buckingham’s rise and fall is as old as Tiberius’ love for Sejanus and as contemporary as a celeb crash-and-burn. Hughes-Hallett is a matchless historian with an unfailing eye for the revealing detail’ SUE PRIDEAUX ‘A true Jacobean drama, except bloodier and sexier. Lucy Hughes-Hallett writes with gusto and insight’ PAUL THEROUX ‘Compulsively readable and elegantly written … [Lucy Hughes-Hallett] has brought Buckingham gloriously alive’ FINANCIAL TIMES ‘Crisp and vivid … The story is a tragic one, no less so for being told here with verve, erudition and empathy’ NEW STATESMAN ‘Richly multilayered … Hughes-Hallett proves herself alive to the nuances of gender and sexuality in the early seventeenth century…refreshingly light and contemporary, while at the same time suited to the seventeenth century’ TLS ‘This is an absorbing, even thrilling journey through the dark and tangled networks of Stuart England … outstanding’ DIANE PURKISS

Peter Kay returns with his most entertaining autobiography yet!‘Think of this autobiography as a twelve-month subscription to my memories and meanderings across the calendar year. With each month reflecting a different phase of my life, complete with dodgy decisions, bizarre plot twists and more than a few laugh-out-loud moments.’ Peter Kay is back – and funnier than ever – with his most heartfelt and hilarious autobiography yet. Take a whistlestop journey through his life, in a year. From hitting the gym in January, falling in love in February and a nostalgic trip to Ireland at Easter, to buying his first house in May. Then it’s summer holidays at Butlins, a September wedding and, before you know it, he’s packing away the Halloween decorations and sipping a glass of Bailey’s in front of the Christmas telly.With his trademark warmth and wit, Peter offers a unique take on the calendar year – in a way only he can – cementing his place as one of Britain’s best-loved comedians and a true national treasure.

Autobiografický sprievodca intímnym životom Japoncov aj originálna sociologická sonda v jednom. Vanessa Montalbano si v Japonsku založila profil na zoznamke, aby si zlepšila jazyk. Namiesto toho objavila, ako Japonci vnímajú partnerstvo, sex a manželstvo. Sex v meste po japonsky Japonsko si väčšinou predstavujeme ako dynamickú modernú krajinu s tradíciou harmonického životného štýlu. Fascinujú nás ulice plné neónových nápisov, často však nevieme, čo znamenajú – mnohé z nich sa pritom týkajú sexu. Táto kniha ponúka kaleidoskop príbehov a osobných skúseností autorky a jej známych, ktoré sa sústreďujú na intímny život v Japonsku. Japonský štýl života Keď sa autorka sťahovala do Japonska, nevedela po japonsky a na život si zarábala v krčme, kam si chodia zamestnanci kancelárií odpočinúť po práci. Bývala v rôznych štvrtiach Tokia a mohla tak zblízka sledovať život bežných Japoncov. Japonsko tak poznala úplne inak, než sa pošťastí väčšine jeho návštevníkov, a ako milovníčka módy a subkultúr veľmi pozorne zaznamenávala špecifiká japonského spôsobu života. Päťdesiat odtieňov randenia Kniha Vanessy Montalbano je až neuveriteľne kompletná. Aj v Japonsku sa samozrejme chodí na rande do reštaurácií či kaviarní, ale objavíte tu až neuveriteľne bizarné spôsoby zoznamovania a trávenia chvíľ vo dvojici. Navštívite aj chrám, kde môžete požiadať o väčšie prsia a prečítate si o fenoménoch, ktoré u nás takmer neexistujú, akými sú tzv. love hotely či gigolovia. Kniha nielen pre japonistov Nezáleží na tom, či vás fascinuje svet randenia, alebo radšej objavujete iné kultúry – táto kniha vás vtiahne. Zaujme aj tých, ktorí o Japonsku veľa nevedia, a milovníkom krajiny vychádzajúceho slnka ponúkne nový pohľad na ich vysnívanú destináciu. Navyše odhalí, aké náročné je v japončine voliť správne slová podľa situácie či pohlavia – a práve v tom sa skrýva jej jazykové čaro.

During Admiral Thomas Cochrane’s demolition of imperial Spain’s naval presence in the Pacific during the revolutionary wars for Spanish South America, all the raids were carried out by his marines under a young officer called William Miller. He came from nowhere – one of three sons of a baker in a small village in Kent, with no family influence, money, or even secondary education – but, following his service as a teenaged soldier in Wellington’s Peninsular War, went on to have a meteoric rise in the armies that liberated the nations of Chile and Peru. Inspired by some South Americans’ wish to leave Spain’s colonial empire, Miller went not to join Simón Bolívar in the north (as did many demobilised European soldiers), but to the south, to José de San Martín in Argentina and Chile. By the time of Ayacucho in 1824, the large battle that ended Spanish rule in South America, there were seven generals in the royalist Spanish army and five on the patriot side. Eleven of these generals were Hispanic; Miller was the only foreigner. Miller was passionately anti-imperialist, anti-slavery, and unusually kind to ordinary people and peasant farmers due to his own humble origins. He was highly regarded by all the leaders of independence and popular with his men and fellow officers, and when he died decades after the battles in which he made his name he was buried in the Pantheon of founding fathers of Peru. William (or Guillermo, as he is known in South America) Miller is well recognised and loved particularly in modern Peru, but also across the swathe of nations liberated from Spanish rule during this period.

How much could the victims of the Holocaust have known of what awaited them? How much should they have known? The Right of Passage reveals how different members of a single German-Jewish family tried to flee the Nazi regime. The discovery of a cache of photographs leads the authors to hundreds of letters, on which the book is based. Newly translated from German, these exchanges among leading thinkers of the period vividly record an intellectual culture in flight, though none could grasp the nature of the evil that was coming. Most members of the family found safety in England, Ireland or America, some only just in time; the logician and philosopher Kurt Grelling, exiled in Belgium, was arrested when the Nazis invaded. Deported to France and interned by the Vichy regime, despite the efforts of friends, Grelling’s attempts to find passage to America ultimately came to nothing. But his letters speak across the decades, urging us to question our unconscious attitudes to the millions of victims of the worst mass atrocity in history.

<p><b>At the age of 28, Randal Plunkett inherited the title of Baron Dunsany, alongside Dunsany Castle and the 1,600-acre estate and found himself at a crossroads. A reluctant aristocrat, he n</b><b>ow lets nature run wild on grounds his ancestors farmed for centuries.</b><br><br>What Randal had was a vision of Dunsany given back to nature. <i>Wild Thing</i> is a brilliant memoir-with-a-mission, showcasing how this poisoned chalice - a cold, leaky, needy castle, with all the responsibilities to the generations before - became a personal journey toward fulfilment, a vital mission toward a better, more sustainable, future, and a call to arms for the environment, and the people who live in it.</p>

A deluxe, large-format edition of this beautifully illustrated introduction to Utagawa Hiroshige, thought to be the most successful ukiyo-e artist of Japan’s Edo period. From the author of Hokusai: A Life in Drawing comes an illuminating account of Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), the last great artist of the ukiyo-e tradition. Ukiyo-e, meaning ‘images of the floating world’, was a ubiquitous genre of Japanese woodblock prints during Japan’s Edo period, often depicting popular actors, sumo wrestlers, beautiful women and majestic landscapes. Hiroshige’s serene, atmospheric prints stood out from his predecessors, capturing the essence of the world around him, and eventually gained widespread acclaim in Europe and America, influencing western European artists like Manet, Monet and van Gogh. This book offers a fascinating look at Hiroshige’s life and work, tracing the journey of a fire warden who turned to printmaking later in life. It invites readers to follow in Hiroshige’s footsteps through 19th-century Tokyo, discovering the iconic landscapes he immortalized while traveling the famed Tokaido and Kiso Kaido roads. It features an exceptional selection of works accompanied by vivid text, drawing from Hiroshige’s diaries, his talent for humorous poetry, taste for travel (with all its pleasures and challenges) and deep affinity for the natural world. In making accessible a deep understanding of Hiroshige’s body of work, this volume transports readers to Edo, Japan, via the artist's timeless prints.

‘I salute him with the most heartfelt respect and admiration’ PHILIP PULLMAN ‘Entrancing … a creative manifesto’ TELEGRAPH ‘Mesmerising … vibrating with life and curiosity’ OBSERVER In this lyrical and revelatory memoir, Alan Garner, Booker shortlisted author of Treacle Walker, traces the line of his life: from a working-class childhood in the landscape of Cheshire during World War II, through a grammar school education and on to the University of Oxford, and then home to see if he could become what he most desired: a writer. We see the serendipitous moments that drove his course, from coming-of-age in a period of great cultural change, to crossing paths with a famous mathematician while out long-distance running, to the fateful day he chanced across Blackden, the medieval hall, miraculously located next to the giant telescope at Jodrell Bank, that was to become his lasting home and the setting for Treacle Walker. As Garner tells us, a lifetime of working with a pen produces the powsels and thrums of research, imagination and story. These oddments can be shaped into something more than its parts: a vivid tapestry of a creative life that will inspire any reader, and what a celebration it is. ‘Advice is practical as well as profound … Garner is a magus. Read him’ Guardian ‘Offers a remarkable window into Garner’s mind and heart … Garner’s prose is as clear as glass’ Spectator ‘A creative manifesto … We are all the richer for it’ Byline Times

Identity Theft, Second Edition is an award-winning book that follows Stanford professor Debra Meyerson’s journey to recover from a severe stroke that initially left her physically incapacitated and unable to speak. In addition to providing realistic expectations for the hard work needed to regain everyday capabilities, Meyerson and Zuckerman focus on the less frequently documented emotional journey as she and her family rebuild identity in recovery.  Virtually every stroke survivor is haunted by questions like “Who am I now?” and “How do I rebuild a meaningful and rewarding life?” after losing so much of what they had before—capabilities, careers and jobs, relationships, and more. This is a book full of hope for survivors—from stroke or other life-changing injuries or illnesses—as well as their care partners, families, and communities.   The first edition of Identity Theft centers on Debra’s experience: her stroke, her extraordinary efforts to recover, and her journey to redefine herself. But she also draws on her skills as a social scientist, sharing stories from several dozen fellow survivors, family members, friends, colleagues, therapists, and doctors she has met and interviewed. By sharing this diversity of experiences, Debra highlights how every stroke is different and every recovery is different. She provides a valuable look at the broad possibilities for successfully navigating the challenging physical recovery—and the equally difficult and frequently unspoken emotional journey toward rebuilding one’s identity and a rewarding life after a trauma like stroke. This second edition is written by Debra and her husband, Steve Zuckerman. As they have shared in countless talks, “Just as the original book was headed to the printers, we decided that ‘the finish line had become a new starting line.’” They co-founded the nonprofit Stroke Onward, where they have been working side by side to build an organization that can catalyze change in the healthcare system to better integrate the emotional journey of rebuilding identity into a lifelong recovery process. This edition draws on five more years of experience as a post-stroke couple and what they’ve learned from thousands more survivors, family members, and healthcare professionals. They’ve added new insights about the long-term recovery process and how we can change the stroke system of care to better support all survivors and their families.    Their 4,500-mile bike ride called Stroke Across America in 2021 helped raise awareness for Stroke Onward and stroke suvivorship care.   

Geraint Thomas is one of Britain''s most loved sports stars. He''s won Olympic gold medals, finished first, second and third at the Tour de France, and stayed at the top of his sport for almost two decades as other riders and eras have come and gone.This is the story of his epic journey - from the streets of suburban Cardiff to the Champs-Elysees in Paris, from the mountains of the Alps to the cobbles of northern Europe. The races, the rivals, the triumphs and the magical moments none of us will ever forget.

On her son's first birthday, Betsy Cornwell fled her home, checking into a hotel under a false name so her husband couldn't find them. In the uncertain months that followed, her fierce determination to give her child what she never had - a safe and stable home - saved them. In Ring of Salt, Betsy traces her journey from that desperate moment to Ireland's windswept west coast, where the Atlantic Ocean crashes against ancient cliffs. There, nestled beside a quiet lake in the wilds of Connemara, she discovers a long-abandoned knitting factory - forgotten, but full of possibility. She sets out to restore it into a sanctuary for herself and her son - and, eventually, a creative refuge for single mothers. As she renovates the crumbling house and fights to keep custody of her son, Betsy begins to rebuild something more: a sense of belonging. In the cool mists of the countryside, and with the help of fellow survivors and an unexpected community, she pieces together a new kind of family. Mixing Maid's gripping portrait of single motherhood with Wintering's wild, romantic sense of place, this is a powerful memoir of survival, new beginnings, and the quiet, everyday magic of finding home on one of the world's most storied and soul-stirring coastlines.

This year will see singing legend Sir Cliff Richard turn 85 as he performs to tens of thousands across the country with his Can't Stop Me Now tour. In celebration of his virtually unparalleled and illustrious life and career, Mirror Books highlights a selection of hand-picked photos, some never published before. Mirrorpix represents Britain's largest and most comprehensive press photographic collection, containing millions of images from the archives of our national and regional newspapers and celebrity magazines. The collection includes works from the pioneering Daily Mirror newspaper, the Daily Express and hundreds more leading regional newspapers. Our archive is an unbeatable resource for in-depth coverage of more than a century of news, entertainment, sport, royalty and social history. With a truly dedicated fan base that spans generations, Sir Cliff is one of a kind and this book will be a definitive account of an extraordinary life both on stage and off. Covering everything from his early years, first forays onto the stage, and screen to his exploits with the biggest names in show business and beyond, it will be a collector's item for any devotee.

Po prvý raz vychádza v slovenčine jeden z najznámejších a najlepšie spracovaných životopisov svätého Františka z Assisi, ktorý napísal – možno trochu prekvapivo – dánsky autor Johannes Jorgensen. Plynulým a poetickým jazykom nás vovádza do tajomstva muža zapáleného pre evanjelium, ktorý ani po ôsmich storočiach neprestáva fascinovať celý svet, a pomáha nám odhaliť pravú tvár svätca z Assisi. Kniha Svätý František z Assisi od Jorgensena právom patrí k veľkej klasike františkánskej literatúry. Johannes Jorgensen (1866 – 1956) bol dánsky spisovateľ a básnik. V roku 1894 navštívil Assisi a život a dielo svätého Františka ho očarili natoľko, že o dva roky neskôr konvertoval na katolícku vieru a táto skutočnosť zásadne ovplyvnila celú jeho ďalšiu tvorbu. Spoznávanie svätca z Assisi ho v roku 1907 inšpirovalo k napísaniu jeho životopisu. Tvorbe diela predchádzalo niekoľko rokov mravčej práce, ktorá pozostávala z bádania vo františkánskych archívoch a z hĺbkových rozhovorov so znalcami Františkovho života a spirituality. Niekoľko mesiacov strávil aj vo Svätej zemi. Úspech knihy, ktorú držíte v rukách v slovenskom preklade – dodnes jedného z najpopulárnejších diel dánskej literatúry – priniesol autorovi čestné občianstvo Assisi a Svendborgu.

Celebrating 50 years of Iron Maiden, this incomparable visual book, featuring commentary by band members past and present, and never-before-seen photography from the Iron Maiden archives, chronicles the evolution of heavy metal’s most influential and enthralling band since 1975. Presenting iconic album and single artworks, photographs of the band’s instruments past and present, stage props, hand-written lyrics and artefacts from the Maiden archive and the band’s personal collections, as well as landmark photographs by Ross Halfin and John McMurtrie, Iron Maiden: Infinite Dreams is rife with revelatory stories and intriguing insights from pivotal band members and management. It also features a foreword by band founder Steve Harris and an afterword by vocalist Bruce Dickinson. Iron Maiden: Infinite Dreams is the official, definitive legacy volume, celebrating the band’s creativity, dedication, personality and success.

For fans of Stephanie Foo’s What My Bones Know, a memoir of a middle-aged Japanese immigrant mother’s struggle to raise her teenage son and save her marriage when she finds herself triggered by memories of her own childhood trauma as he enters adolescence.At age twenty-two, Shigeko Ito immigrated to America to escape Japan’s rigid society and a neglectful childhood home that landed her in a mental hospital at seventeen. She thrived in her new, healthier environment and thought her traumatic past was all behind her.  Until it wasn’t. Motherhood, she realized, was far more challenging than she could have ever imagined. But it was her son’s high school years that proved to be particularly daunting, and that was when her past reemerged—in the form of intense flashbacks to her childhood trauma and tumultuous teenage years. With the stream of daily stresses compounded by menopausal irritability, Shigeko often found herself regressing into a bunker-like mentality with childish coping mechanisms, a pattern that threatened to undo her most prized achievement: her happy family. In The Pond Beyond the Forest, Shigeko faces her past head-on, taking the reader along on her quest to uncover the root causes of her lifelong struggles—a journey that leads to deeper self-awareness, understanding, and acceptance, and ultimately saves her family and marriage.