Gyles Brandreth

Academy Award–nominated actor Richard E. Grant’s “genuine and compelling” (The New York Times), “moving and entertaining” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) memoir about finding happiness in even the darkest of days. Richard E. Grant emigrated from Swaziland to London in 1982, with dreams of making it as an actor. Unexpectedly, he met and fell in love with a renowned dialect coach Joan Washington. Their relationship and marriage, navigating the highs and lows of Hollywood, parenthood, and loss, lasted almost forty years. When Joan died in 2021, her final challenge to him was to find a “pocketful of happiness in every day.” This honest and frequently hilarious memoir is written in honor of that challenge—Richard has faithfully kept a diary since childhood, and in these entries, he shares raw details of everything he has experienced: both the pain of losing his beloved wife and the excitement of their life together, from the role that transformed his life overnight in Withnail and I to his thrilling Oscar Award nomination thirty years later for Can You Ever Forgive Me?. In “one of the bravest, strongest, funniest memoirs I’ve ever read” (Bonnie Garmus, New York Times bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry), A Pocketful of Happiness is a powerful, funny, and moving celebration of life’s unexpected joys.

The definitive portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by a renowned royal biographer. As seen on Good Morning America, CNN, and the BBC Shy but with a steely self-confidence; inscrutable despite ten decades in the public eye; unflappable; devout; indulgent; outwardly reserved, inwardly passionate; unsentimental; inquisitive; young at heart. Even with her recent passing at age ninety-six, she remains a twenty-first century global phenomenon commanding unrivalled respect and affection. Sealed off during the greatest peacetime emergency of modern times, she has stuck to her own maxim: "I have to be seen to be believed." Robert Hardman, one of Britain’s most acclaimed royal biographers, now wraps up the full story of one of the undisputed greats in a thousand years of monarchy. Hardman distills Elizabeth's complex life into a must-read study of dynastic survival and renewal. It is a portrait of a world leader who remains as intriguing today as the day she came to the Throne at age twenty-five. With peerless access to members of the Royal Family, staff, friends, and royal records, Queen of Our Times brings fresh insights and scholarship to the modern royal story. There will be no more thorough, more readable, more original book on Elizabeth II as we celebrate a life and reign that, surely, will never be equaled.

This fascinating, absorbing, and beautifully illustrated work tells the story of one small London street which played host to some of the greatest artistic and intellectual minds of the Victorian era. Quiet and unassuming on first glance, Tite Street in Chelsea, West London was nevertheless one of the most influential and important streets in the cultural life of the capital during the 19th and 20th centuries. Playing host to the likes of Oscar Wilde,John Singer Sargent, James Whistler and Radclyffe Hall, the rich cultural history of this street is explored in characterful and captivating detail by acclaimed art historian Devon Cox. This brilliant and lively biography gets inside the lives of those who lived here, creating a vivid image of one small street which became the beating heart of London’s artistic life. Throughout its turbulent existence, Tite Street mirrored the world around it. From the Aesthetic movement and its challenge to Victorian values, through the Edwardian struggle for women’s suffrage, to the bombs of the Blitz in the 1940s, it remained home to innumerable artists and writers, socialites and suffragettes, musicians and madmen. With beautiful and insightful writing, Cox paints a vibrant picture of a street where artists and intellectuals flocked, exploring the connections, rivalries and competing artistic visions of the great minds who lived and thrived here. The Street of Wonderful Possibilitiesreveals this complex history, tying together private and professional lives to form a colourful tapestry of art and intrigue, illuminating their relationships to each other, to Tite Street and to a rapidly modernising London at the fin de siècle.

*NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* *USA TODAY BESTSELLER* Iconic actress Hayley Mills shares personal memories from her storied childhood, growing up in a famous acting family and becoming a Disney child star, trying to grow up in a world that wanted her to stay forever young. The daughter of acclaimed British actor Sir John Mills was still a preteen when she began her acting career and was quickly thrust into the spotlight. Under the wing of Walt Disney himself, Hayley Mills was transformed into one of the biggest child starlets of the 1960s through her iconic roles in Pollyanna, The Parent Trap, and many more. She became one of only twelve actors in history to be bestowed with the Academy Juvenile Award, presented at the Oscars by its first recipient, Shirley Temple, and went on to win a number of awards including a Golden Globe, multiple BAFTAs, and a Disney Legacy Award. Now, in her charming and forthright memoir, she provides a unique window into when Hollywood was still 'Tinseltown' and the great Walt Disney was at his zenith, ruling over what was (at least in his own head) still a family business. This behind-the-scenes look at the drama of having a sky-rocketing career as a young teen in an esteemed acting family will offer both her childhood impressions of the wild and glamorous world she was swept into, and the wisdom and broader knowledge that time has given her. Hayley will delve intimately into her relationship with Walt Disney, as well as the emotional challenges of being bound to a wholesome, youthful public image as she grew into her later teen years, and how that impacted her and her choices--including marrying a producer over 30 years her senior when she was 20! With her regrets, her joys, her difficulties, and her triumphs, this is a compelling read for any fan of classic Disney films and an inside look at a piece of real Hollywood history.

Starring David Tennant and Michael Sheen, along with A-list guests, the award-winning and critically acclaimed British television comedy series Staged was an instant hit. Launched during the global coronavirus pandemic, the show follows the two thespians playing fictionalised versions of themselves as they try to rehearse a play during lockdown... over Zoom. Completely Staged presents the complete text of the BBC screenplays from Staged’s writer and director Simon Evans and co-creator Phin Glynn, illustrated throughout in full colour with stills from the show, original drawings, sheet music for the theme tune, Georgia Tennant's carrot cake recipe, tips on how to draw a pineapple and much more. This treasure trove is a must-have for every fan of Staged, a show which perfectly combines comedy and poignancy to encapsulate the collective feelings of a reluctantly virtual world

Jane McCulloch Writer, dramatist, lyricist and director of theatre and opera. After leaving drama school, Jane specialised in writing biographical dramas of modern and historical characters, ranging from Byron to Buster Keaton - from Beethoven, to Roosevelt and Churchill. After a long association with the famous London Old Vic Theatre, Jane started her own company in l985, the English Chamber Theatre; Dame Judi Dench is the President. Jane wrote, devised and directed over thirty new works for ECT. These works divided into two categories, full scale plays and literary entertainments. ECT Productions were performed all over the world, including seasons at the Doolittle Theatre Los Angeles, and in the West End London and for these productions Jane worked with many of the great names in British Theatre, including Sir Derek Jacobi, Julian Glover, Timothy West and the late Fenella Fielding. Jane also worked with the late Margot Fonteyn and Anthony Quinn on various biographical dramas. Outside ECT Jane also worked as a freelance director for theatre, opera and music theatre. In 1999 Jane staged Jessye Norman's "THE SACRED ELLINGTON" at the Barbican and at the Epidaurus Theatre in Greece. In 2000 she staged it at the Chatelet in Paris. In 2006 and 2007 she was the first English director and first woman in 70 years to direct the longest running American outdoor drama, THE LOST COLONY in North Carolina. Jane became the Artistic Director of Opera UK in 2007 and for them directed many productions, including, Cosi Fan Tutte, The Merry Widow, The Barber of Seville and La Traviata. As a writer she has worked in theatre, radio, television and the recording studio. In 2014 she gave up most of her theatre work in order to concentrate on her writing - and most especially, fiction books. Jane has four children and ten grandchildren and lives in Putney, London.

In 1963, a young man from Limerick took his £25 savings and journeyed to London to become an actor. To pay his way through drama school he worked as a security guard (once for The Beatles) and served drinks to Miss World contestants at the Lyceum Theatre, then a Mecca Ballroom. While still a student, he was picked to play a small role in Andorra in the inaugural season of the National Theatre at the Old Vic...Fifty years later, while appearing in his fifty-sixth NT production – Pirandello’s Liolà – he was invited by Director Nicholas Hytner to take part in 50 Years on Stage, the NT’s anniversary celebration. Four days on, he is on stage in New York for the Press Night of Trevor Nunn’s production of Beckett’s All That Fall with Michael Gambon. James Hayes has worked with most of the leading actors in the country from Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, Anthony Hopkins and Paul Scofield to Michael Gambon, Ian McKellen, Penelope Wilton and Anne-Marie Duff. Touring the world, he has played in Greece, Poland, the USA, Japan, India, Hong Kong, South Korea and China. And, of course, Milton Keynes, Sunderland and Truro! Shouting in the Evenings covers many of the famous (Amadeus) and infamous (The Romans in Britain) productions Hayes has appeared in, and records with affection and humour the changes along the way. It will appeal to seasoned and amateur actors alike, as well as those with an interest in all things theatrical.

This book is an approachable and comprehensive guide to ageing well in eight simple steps. Bursting with bite-sized tips and inspirational quotes, each chapter is a joyful treasure-trove for anyone who wants to live a full and happy life. "I commend this book to everyone of all ages, and let us all Age Joyfully!" Dame Judi Dench Getting older should be something to enjoy and celebrate. And it can be. Research shows that we can make a big difference to how well we age. From staying active to connecting with others, this uplifting book shares the secrets to ageing well in eight steps, to help keep you healthy and happy. Each step has easy-to-follow tips, alongside inspiring words both ancient and modern... and more! Whether you choose to follow some of the advice or all, this is the perfect guide for living a more fulfilled, healthy and joyful life.

A vivid, beautifully written and often moving book, skilfully dovetailing memoir, history, art and a cycling pilgrimage across Europe into a unique and uplifting whole. If you think you know who Timmy Mallett is, you're in for a rewarding surprise!' Proffesor Brain Cox 'A must read. This is a journey brimming with love and laughter that's also deeply moving. Timmy's glass isn't just half full, it's positively overflowing!' Lorraine Kelly Timmy Mallett, host of Wacaday' has cheered millions of lives with his fantastic specs, vivacious personality and 'Utterly brilliant!' catchphrase. In 2018 he certainly needed every bit of his natural exuberance: to honour his brother Martin, he cycled the El Camino de Santiago just as the 'Beast from the East' hit northern Europe. Utterly Brilliant!: My Life's Journey is a moving autobiography of courage and determination in the face of heartache. With humour and honesty Timmy tells of his pilgrimage along a route travelled by so many over the centuries, weaving together history and personal stories in a hugely entertaining manner. This is an autobiography that will be loved by Timmy's fans and enjoyed by those interested in discovering the human face behind a celebrity name, and those considering going on pilgrimage themselves. Full of heart and Timmy's characteristic charm, Utterly Brilliant will leave you uplifted and poignantly aware of how important it is to live every moment of every day.