Najnovšie - Biografie - Životopisy strana 8 z 497

'Readable and expert - a brilliant guide to the life and thought of 17th century Europe's supreme polymath'Tom Holland'A richly detailed account of Pascal's life and times, which displays an energetic sympathy for Pascal's startling combination of intellectual precocity and humble faith.'Rory Stewart'A beautiful, accessible account of one of the era's most remarkable lives'Katherine Rundell He lived for just 39 years, yet Blaise Pascal was one of the most remarkable and creative figures of the seventeenth century. He is known for his famous (though often misunderstood) argument 'the Wager', but there's so much more to him than that. Pascal can lay claim to have built an early version of the modern computer, done ground-breaking work in mathematics and geometry, invented urban bus transport and virtually invented probability theory. He also produced one of the most haunting and effective works of Christian apologetics ever written. He is a major intellectual figure at the beginning of the modern age who blends together in his own person and thinking issues that are critical to our age. Blaise Pascal is therefore a crucial figure: not just in the history of European thought, but for how he can shed light on our many contemporary debates. From science to scepticism; mystical experience to distraction; religion to politics, self-love and death, Pascal's thinking was far-reaching. In this captivating biography, Graham Tomlin explores Pascal's short but extraordinary life, and the sweeping impact and relevance of his ideas to the modern world.

Jungkook is one of the world's biggest stars, period. His first album, Golden, sold more than 2 million copies on the day of its release and stayed on the Billboard 200 for twenty-four consecutive weeks. How did a young prodigy from South Korea make music histor? he Meaning of Jungkook is an unofficial kaleidoscopic exploration of the forces that made Jungkook into the triumph he is today. This book does more than just chronicle his humble beginnings in Busan and meteoric rise to fame. A lively narrative, it places Jungkook in a larger cultural and historical context, shedding light on the inner workings of the K-pop industry, internet culture, ARMY, and more. We learn that Jungkook's ruthless work ethic is a symptom of Korean culture and its singular pursuit for excellence; his style of dance places him in the lineage of Michael Jackson; and "the soldout king" has a unique visual appeal that meets high, intensive Korean beauty standards but also subverts it with his irreverent style choices. Jungkook's success is not an accident. Talent and training, the livestreams and good looks, globalization and timing all contributed to the making of Jungkook, "the Golden Maknae," the South Korean pop superstar who overcame the odds, and through his success, changed the status quo. This is an unauthorized elevated tribute to the singer, for both his fans and others interested in the genre. Monica Kim has delivered a tour-de-force, filled with vivid detail, that makes sense of the world of a music icon who has captured the devotion of millions of fans worldwide.

A novelist once wrote, “There are stories one must tell, and years when one must tell them.” Jill Biden’s time to discuss her four years in the White House is now. Jill Biden became First Lady at a complicated moment in US history, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the shadow of the January 6 insurrection. These were the circumstances under which she set up office in the East Wing, where she hit the ground running. Throughout her husband’s presidency, Jill remained a tireless advocate for her causes, including women’s health, military families, vaccine awareness, cancer initiatives, and education. She made history as the first-ever First Lady to hold an outside job while her husband was in office, continuing to work as a professor at a nearby community college. Yet all the while, she saw herself as an ordinary woman living an extraordinary life. In View from the East Wing, Jill shares her White House experiences for the first time, in her own words. She reflects on the Biden presidency and its impact on her family. She brings you behind the scenes, from Camp David to Air Force One, from grading papers in the Rose Garden to witnessing the abrupt end of her husband’s bid for reelection. This is the story of a woman dedicated to her roles as a wife, mother, grandmother, teacher—and First Lady of the United States.

'This book is NUTS! – in the best possible way. A relentless roller coaster ride through the heaven and hell of modern Russia' PETER POMERANZEV 'Written with all the pace and energy of a John Grisham novel … An incredible true story and a great read!' BILL BROWDER 'An astonishing glimpse into a rollercoaster life. A real page-turner' CATHERINE BELTON 'If you want to know how Putin ruined Russia and to understand why it matters, you should read Rule of Lies' OLIVER BULLOUGH 'Jamison Firestone is a legend … his book is a remarkable firsthand account' FIONA HILL An American lawyer’s brilliant, propulsive story of witnessing and playing a part in the transformation of Russia under Yeltsin and Putin. A true tale of fascinating personalities, criminal intrigue, harrowing situations, audacious actions and international politics that combines Bill Browder’s Red Notice with Michael Lewis’s Liar's Poker. Raised by his father, a multimillionaire conman and crack addict who owned Manhattan’s most expensive brothel, twenty-four-year-old Jamison R. Firestone decided to change the channel. He graduated from law school in 1991 and sought his fortune in Gorbachev’s USSR, establishing Russia’s first independent foreign law firm. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, Jamison lived in the maelstrom that was Russia, defending himself and his clients from mafia attacks, dealing with corrupt police officers, having his law office raided by armed commandos, and once having to bug the offices of the Russian police. Jamison was at the centre of some of Russia’s most important events. He employed Sergei Magnitsky who was murdered for uncovering the largest tax theft in Russian history and teamed up with Bill Browder and Alexei Navalny to expose his killers. Along the way he inadvertently taught Navalny to make videos exposing corruption and started a war with the Russian government over passage of the Magnitsky Acts which threatened to sanction Russia’s most powerful people. A real-life story that reads like a spy novel, Rule of Lies goes deep inside contemporary Russia and events that have reshaped the globe. Darkly comic, sometimes horrifying and deeply moving, it is a chilling warning of what can happen when a nascent democracy succumbs to one man’s corrupt iron rule, becoming not only an authoritarian nation but a profoundly criminal one—a true mafia state.

From comedian and TikTok star Kevin James Thornton comes a hilarious and heartfelt story of growing up in a Christian fundamentalist church, turning trauma into comedy, and finding your own way. ‘If you’re an outlier or feel like a total outsider, you’ll find aspects of yourself inside these pages.’ANNIE LENNOXGrowing up in the 90s in a small town in Indiana, Kevin James Thornton had little notion he would one day make a career as a comedian. Like most kids in his deeply Christian town, his free time revolved around his church community—drinking Messiah Macchiatos at the youth group cafe, bedazzling his jacket with the words “Jesus Is Lord,” and evangelizing in the streets of Spanish Harlem dressed as a sin-themed clown. But when he started to question his sexuality, life became complicated. Kevin began to realize that the community that raised him might never truly accept him. What follows is a winding story of self-discovery, following Thornton from a revelatory summer in New York City to the transformative years of college—where he finds like-minded people, a knack for performance, and first loves—all the way to adulthood, where he navigates complicated relationships, finds his way into the comedy scene, and forms a special bond with a black cat named Comet (who might just have the power to travel between dimensions). Through it all, he redefines himself again and again, realizing that few things go as planned, and that “driving off into the sunset” is never really the end of the story. Told in his unique brand of brash but emotionally honest humor, and filled with 90s nostalgia, Big Baby is a coming-of-age tale that speaks to anyone who feels like they don’t fit in.

FULLY REVISED AND UPDATEDThis in-depth biography details Harry’s life so far. From his humble beginnings and his journey to fame on The X Factor to releasing wildly successful solo music and becoming a fashion icon, this is the story of one of the most recognizable faces of our era. From the start of his career, and through the roller coaster of emotions as One Direction eventually broke up, we learn how Harry reinvented himself free from the shackles of the boyband. Not content with being one of the world’s biggest popstars, Harry has also cultivated a career as a Hollywood film star, kicking off with a starring role in box-office hit Dunkirk before taking the lead in My Policeman and Don’t Worry Darling, starring Florence Pugh and directed by Olivia Wilde. He has also hosted the Met Gala and is universally acknowledged as fashion royalty. His 2022 album, Harry’s House, soared to the top of the charts in both the UK and the US, and his 2022 tour ‘Love on Tour’ sold out globally. This fully revised and updated edition brings the reader fully up to date, covering the release of Harry’s fourth studio album – Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally – in 2026, alongside the announcement of his 50-date worldwide tour, ‘Together, Together’. In short, his phenomenal success shows no signs of slowing down. This new edition also covers the emotional impact of Liam Payne’s death and Harry’s response, alongside reflections on his relationships, family life and evolving public image. Get to know the iconic singer in greater depth with this book that gets you to the heart of a very modern pop star – a must read for all of Harry's fans. Also available:Ariana: The Biography (9781782439745)Adele: To 30 and Beyond: The Unauthorized Biography (9781789294361)Britney: The Unauthorized Biography (9781789294590)Taylor: Era by Era (9781789297584)

SHORTLISTED FOR AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR AT THE 2026 SPORTS BOOK AWARDSA WATERSTONES SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025'EVOCATIVE' The Guardian'COMPELLING AND BRILLIANTLY CANDID' Daily Mail'A GREAT BOOK' Jake Humphrey, High Performance PodcastCANDID, RAW AND UNFORGETTABLE, THIS IS JOE COLE'S STORY - A MUST-READ FOR ANY FOOTBALL FANOne of the best players of his era, Joe Cole grew up playing football in North London's estates, and his ability, grit and hard work took him to the very top. But Joe was often mistrusted by managers and out of step with the style of English football in the 2000s. The game was suspicious of creative footballers it considered luxury players - the kind it could regard as an indulgence. With honesty and an eye for the absurdities of football, Joe takes us inside the dressing room to reveal it all. From his days at the FA's School of Excellence at Lilleshall and rising through the ranks at West Ham, to winning it all under José Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea, whilst playing with England's so-called Golden Generation. But the trophies, goals and moments of magic couldn't last forever. After battling severe injuries - and suffering devastating family loss - Joe walked away from the sport that had given him everything, bringing one of football's most remarkable careers to a close.

"I have watched every Dumbfoundead battle so many times that I have most of the insults memorized."—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker “Jonnie ‘Dumbfoundead’ Park's story is the definition of winning life on hard mode: Start as an undocumented Korean immigrant from Argentina and become a once-in-a-generation battle rapper and artist in Los Angeles.”—Ronny Chieng, ComedianSPIT is the raw and electrifying memoir of Jonnie Park—better known by his rap moniker, Dumbfoundead—whose rise from an unruly childhood in Los Angeles’s iconic Koreatown to international rap stardom is as unlikely as it is exhilarating. Born in Argentina to Korean parents and smuggled by a coyote across the US-Mexico border at age three, Park grew up in L.A. amid cultural dislocation, his father’s violent alcoholism, and the turbulent protests and riots of the early 1990s. Searching for belonging, he found salvation in the highly competitive underground world of battle rap, where he was among the only successful Asian American battle rappers. He honed his freestyle superpowers at Project Blowed, the legendary South Central L.A. open-mic venue, amid a motley crew of characters who took him in as one of their own. Told through the lens of his life’s greatest battles—his father’s rage, racist stereotypes, the “model minority” myth, the pressures of fame, and his own addictions—Park tells his story with his trademark humor, lyrical style, and unflinching honesty. Like Eminem’s 8 Mile, SPIT charts the author’s course from high-school dropout to cultural pioneer, one verse at a time. Featuring a dozen vivid graphic novel–style illustrations that bring his journey to life, SPIT visualizes the inner demons and outer adversaries Park faced along the way. From open-mics in South Central to freestyle cyphers in Seoul to music festivals across the globe, Park’s memoir is a testament to creativity, grit, and the power of speaking your truth—even when the world isn’t ready to hear it. More than just a chronicle of an artist’s path to success, SPIT is a groundbreaking story of identity, resilience, and reinvention. It is also the story of an American outsider who turned life’s challenges into his stage and battled his way to triumph.

On the Waterstones Best Books of 2025 List'Davies has done it again, damn him. Irritatingly good. Maddeningly funny. Annoyingly fine.' STEPHEN FRY'Emotional, entertaining and startlingly honest. I was totally engrossed.' AMY LIPTROT, author of The Outrun. 'Really honest and really funny' Lorraine KellyFollowing Just Ignore Him, the bestselling memoir of his traumatic childhood, White Male Stand-Up is what happened next to Alan Davies. It's the story of how he threw himself into the joyous and idealistic world of stand-up comedy, leading to a television career, but how echoes from the past, and the thought that everyone might prefer it if he disappeared, saw him repeatedly dismantle everything around him. With a cast of well-known comedians, actors, agents and producers, Alan awkwardly navigates his life from the camaraderie of the comedy circuit via life-changing fame as TV's Jonathan Creek, to the unwelcome realisation that most people know him from a bank advert and think he's had a perm. Often very funny and always honest, this very personal memoir is a rich tale of uplifting highs and painful lows, of success and excess, and the dangers of both. How Alan Davies survived it - and very nearly didn't - is the compelling tale of White Male Stand Up.

The instant Sunday Times bestseller, now with a new bonus chapter. What do you do when you’ve lost everything? You bet it all on a mad idea. After a broken heart and a bankrupt business left him at rock bottom, Bobby Bolton made a drunken promise in a Wigan pub: he was going to drive to Australia in a converted truck with his dog, Red. He thought it would be a story of one man and his dog. How wrong he was. Just weeks into his journey, a chance encounter with a beautiful hiker named Marie changed everything. After only two dates, she bravely joined him on the adventure of a lifetime, and their epic love story began. But their new life on the road was forged in the face of constant danger:Bribing corrupt Russian policeSurviving a mountain track collapse in ItalyBeing interrogated at a Taliban checkpointRescuing his new girlfriend from a 200-metre fall down a cliff faceAction-packed, hilarious, and full of Northern charm, Truck It! is the inspirational true story of what happens when you leave it all behind and find love, adventure, and a reason to live again. Sunday Times bestseller at no 5, as of 29/07/2025.

'Insightful and bracing: a personal and political journey through the seasons' Melissa Harrison, author of All Among the Barley'A wonderfully unmooring passage through a year that connects to life that is deeper, looser, and more true than the tightly wound, unnatural calendars so many of us keep' Amina Cain, author of Indelicacy'This book is a precious and life-affirming gift to our hearts and intellects' Rebecca May Johnson, author of Small FiresAt festive gatherings celebrating summer's peak, in reflective moments as winter gave way, Rebecca Tamás began to hear another rhythm. A faint hint that, underneath the rush of clocks and calendars, another, richer kind of time might exist.As she suffered from grief and burnout, Tamás sought a deeper connection to the movement of the seasons through an immersion in old folkways. She set out on a journey across the UK guided by the Pagan wheel of the year, marking each solstice, equinox and the midpoints between them with a ritual drawn from ancient traditions. From a confrontation with the sharp pains of winter at Samhain in Edinburgh to a giddy experience of collective joy at Padstow's May Day, she found in these traditional practices electric potential for transforming our relationship to the natural world.Intellectually penetrating and richly lyrical, The Book of Mysteries follows the drumbeat of seasonal ritual towards an immersion in the wild time of the earth. Ecstatic, radical and irreverent, this book is a rallying cry to wrest time away from the structures of work and capital, so as to encounter the life-giving mystery of the natural world.

In his brilliantly original Tonight the Music Seems so Loud, bestselling author Sathnam Sanghera portrays the extraordinary life, and times, of one of Britain''s most beloved musical icons – George Michael.Through the lens of George Michael''s life, Sathnam Sanghera, the prize-winning author of Empireland, writes a kaleidoscopic story of immigration; homophobia; fame; the 80s and 90s; creative and musical genius; the tabloids; addiction; obsessive fans; shame; and why the love for George Michael has only grown in the years since his tragic death on Christmas Day 2016.

People say to me, if you could do it all again, knowing what you know now, would you change anything? I'm like, f*** no. If I'd been clean and sober, I wouldn't be Ozzy. If I'd done normal, sensible things, I wouldn't be Ozzy. Look, if it ends tomorrow, I can't complain. I've been all around the world. Seen a lot of things. I've done good... and I've done bad. But right now, I'm not ready to go anywhere. At the age of sixty-nine, Ozzy Osbourne was on a triumphant farewell tour, playing to sold-out arenas and rave reviews all around the world. Then disaster. In a matter of just a few weeks, he went from being hospitalised with a finger infection to having to abandon his tour - and all public life - as he faced near-total paralysis from the neck down. Last Rites is the shocking, bitterly hilarious, never-before-told story of Osbourne's descent into hell. Along the way, he reflects on his extraordinary life and career - including his turbulent marriage to wife Sharon, his regrets over Black Sabbath's reunion, his friendships with Slash and Zakk Wylde, and the harrowing final moments he spent with Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister. Unflinching but surprisingly life-affirming, Last Rites demonstrates once again why Ozzy has transcended his status as 'The Godfather of Metal' and 'The Prince of Darkness' to become a modern-day folk hero and national treasure.

Jennifer Potter's new bookresurrects the pivotal artist Kurt Schwitters and places him firmly in The LakeDistrict, where he lived as a penniless refugee in the years after the SecondWorld War. Derided as a 'degenerate artist' by the Nazis he fled Germany forNorway and then Britain, where he was interned as an 'enemy alien.' At the endof the war he travelled to the Lakes with his young English girlfriend. Renownedfor incorporating found objects and rubbish into his art, Schwitters let thespirit of the Lakes creep into his work, dashing off a stream of collages,sculptures, landscapes, portraits, flowers, abstracts and assemblages, which hesold or bartered for essentials. Just months before his pauper's death inKendal, he embarked upon his last masterpiece, never finished, a walk-insculpture magicked from a disused barn in the Langdale Valley. Potter adopts a thread ofmemory and personal connections to tell a wider story about the process ofmaking, and seeing, art. She turned Schwitters into one of the foundationalmyths of her life as a writer. But how true are her memories? Why did this longdead emigre artist take control of her imagination? And what can he tellher about the place she looks on as home? Looking for Mr Schwitters isnot a biography, nor an art book, nor a memoir, but occupies a beguiling spacebetween these genres, a book in its own class. Rigorously researched butwritten for the general reader this new book shines a light on the artist'sfinal years and reclaims his rightful place in the history of modern art. Looking for Mr Schwitters includes black and white images, a full colour section of Kurt Schwitters' art and a photo essay by Rob Petit.

'ABSOLUTE HEAVEN' INDIA KNIGHT'WARM AND UPLIFTING' AJ PEARCE'THE PERFECT ANTIDOTE TO THE WORLD RIGHT NOW' JENNIE GODFREYMany of us dream of owning a bookshop, but for Katie Clapham it happened by accident, when she moved back to the seaside town she grew up in and went into business with her mum. Once a week, Katie sits behind the counter and chronicles the day's comings and goings - mostly people who were actually hoping to catch her mother. The triumphs here are small but hard won: a tea crisis averted, a book title correctly identified from a cryptic clutch of clues. Not to mention the emotional rollercoaster of being named the Seventh-Best Bookshop in the Country by The Times on a day where takings came to around L16.98. Customers appear for a browse and a chat, in search of a recommendation or the perfect gift. Others enter the shop for more unexpected reasons - to borrow a screwdriver, locate a priest or simply to ask if there's 'a nice place for an omelette around here'. Each day brings its own joys and frustrations, though not always in equal measure . . . Funny, surprising and affectionate, here is a bookseller's year in all its weirdness and wonder - a life-affirming celebration of bad weather, good books and the irreplaceable role of a local bookshop.

THE INSTANT BESTSELLER'Vivid, bright and beautiful' – Guardian'Wonderful. I wish I'd written it – I couldn't put it down' Miriam MargolyesKathy Burke is one of Britain's most distinctive voices. Even as a fearless kid in Islington, she did things her own way; roaming the estate that raised her to find her own path. A place at the Anna Scher Theatre in her teens changed the course of her life, and she found unimaginable success as an actress and writer – and national fame. But the rare gift that has always set her apart, beyond the stage or screen, is her ability to see the truth and tell it like it is. This spellbinding memoir is not just Kathy's story, but the story of her class, her gender and her time. A Mind of My Own is funny, profound and deeply entertaining. 'This is a book about being raised as a feral, motherless child; starting work at 17; immortalising several of this country’s most endearing catchphrases; triumphing at Cannes; being told you’re a genius by Peter Cook; and, at one party, accidentally taking some of Shaun Ryder’s crack, then attempting to set fire to a woman’s arse' – Caitlin Moran, Times Magazine'Glorious, very funny and no-nonsense, just like Kathy Burke' – Jo Brand

Betsy Cornwell left home with her baby on his first birthday, checking into a hotel under a false name so her husband could not track them down. Over the long months of housing insecurity that followed, bouncing around cheap motel rooms and friend's couches, Betsy's determination to offer her son something she'd never had - a safe, stable home - took on the force of obsession. In The Old Knitting Factory, Cornwell invites readers to join her on the path that led out of her violent marriage and into renovating a run-down house on a lake in rural Ireland, transforming a largely abandoned and abused vacation house into a family home and childcare-inclusive arts retreat space for other single parents. Along the way, she creates community and finds family wherever she goes - even when she has to build it herself, brick by brick. Mixing Maid's gripping portrait of single motherhood's precarity with The Salt Path's wild, romantic sense of place - in this case among rural Ireland's cool mists, nubbly Aran yarns, and whispering turf fires - The Old Knitting Factory invites readers to experience the magic of found family and new beginnings.

Mark Agnew was part of the first team to ever kayak the north-west passage - spending 103 days in the Arctic. The infamous route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans had defeated countless explorers for centuries, and Mark himself had failed two previous expeditions where he attempted to row across the Atlantic. Pushed to the brink, on the verge of turning his back on the adventures that had made him feel alive, he experienced a mental health crisis and almost abandoned the water forever. Charting an inspirational journey from failure to world record breaker, in There Will Be Headwinds Mark reflects on his struggles and reveals the lessons from sports psychology that allowed him to conquer his demons and achieve something truly remarkable. As well as exploring Mark rebuilding himself following his lowest ebb, this is also an astonishing story of ice, suffering and camaraderie. It's a testament to the power of teamwork, determination and ambition - and a celebration of the human spirit of adventure. AUTHOR: Mark Agnew is an adventure, journalist and motivational keynote speaker. Mark was a novice kayaker when he cast off from shore to paddle the entire Northwest Passage - 103 days later, Mark and his teammates made history as they entered the Beaufort Sea marking the other end of the Northwest Passage, setting two World Firsts in the process. He now works as a motivational keynote speaker, sharing his story and the lessons from his time in the Arctic.

'Back in 2012, everyone knew who Bradley Wiggins was. Everyone, that is, but me. Thirteen years after the summer that defined me, I have finally defined myself. The disguises have gone. I've made peace with myself.' Shortlisted for Autobiography of the Year at the 2026 Sports Book Awards A WATERSTONES SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025 A GUARDIAN BEST SPORTS BOOK OF 2025 A DAILY TELEGRAPH BEST BOOK OF 2025 'WHAT A STORY. SO HONEST. I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY.' JOE WICKS 'IT'S NOT A LIGHT READ BUT, BLIMEY, IT IS BRILLIANT.' POLLY VERNON, THE TIMES 'DISARMINGLY HONEST AND ROGUISHLY HUMOROUS.' JONATHAN LIEW, THE GUARDIAN 'SUCH A BRAVE BOOK: SUPER OPEN, SUPER HONEST. IT'S GOING TO HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE.' CHRIS EVANS, VIRGIN RADIO 'SEARING AND INSIGHTFUL … HARROWING … COMPELLING …DEFINITELY WORTH READING.' DAVID WALSH, THE SUNDAY TIMES 'RAW AND GRAPHIC' DAILY TELEGRAPH Think you know Bradley Wiggins? Think again. Join Bradley Wiggins on a remarkable journey of self-discovery during which he faced his greatest ever opponent – the demons inside his head. He has cast aside his fragile shell and is the person he always wanted to be. Finally, he is happy in his own skin. He has broken the chain. Bradley Wiggins is the greatest British cyclist of his generation. A national hero on both track and road, he won five Olympic gold medals, eight world titles and the Tour de France. But his is a story mired in contradiction, controversy, and confusion. Sat on a throne after winning gold at London 2012, just ten days after becoming the first Briton to win the Tour de France, here was a man with the world at his feet. Sporting hero. People’s champion. Legend. Everyone knew who ‘Wiggo’ was. Everyone, that is, but him. Bradley’s own truth was one of a chaotic and disturbing upbringing characterised by abandonment and abuse. The bike had been his escape but he knew that the second he got out of the saddle he was a shadow-man with no self-belief and even less self-worth. With zero confidence in his value as a human being, attention was his worst nightmare. Bradley’s answer was to wear a mask. He became ‘Sir Wiggo’, the loveable rogue, the disguise slowly suffocating the real him, crushing the last few remnants of self-esteem. Bradley descended into a deep personal despair marked by drug addiction. It was his lowest point, and one which, he freely admits, could have resulted in his death. Bradley’s saviour has been himself. Incredibly he found the strength to embark on a remarkable journey of self-discovery during which he faced his greatest ever opponent – the demons inside his head. In so doing he reached an understanding of what and who he is. The result is this powerful memoir, The Chain. It is a journey he now wants to share. He wants others to understand they are not alone in their mental battles; that embracing honesty and openness is the key to personal happiness. Bradley Wiggins has cast aside his fragile shell. Now, as the person he always wanted to be, he has become an inspiration to us all. Forget the jerseys, the medals. Finally, Bradley Wiggins is who he is, in his own skin. He has broken the chain.