New York Times Bestseller ""There is no writer quite like Dolly Alderton working today and very soon the world will know it.” —Lisa Taddeo, author of #1 New York Times bestseller Three Women “Dolly Alderton has always been a sparkling Roman candle of talent. She is funny, smart, and explosively engaged in the wonders and weirdness of the world. But what makes this memoir more than mere entertainment is the mature and sophisticated evolution that Alderton describes in these pages. It’s a beautifully told journey and a thoughtful, important book. I loved it.” —Elizabeth Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love and City of Girls The wildly funny, occasionally heartbreaking internationally bestselling memoir about growing up, growing older, and learning to navigate friendships, jobs, loss, and love along the ride When it comes to the trials and triumphs of becoming an adult, journalist and former Sunday Times columnist Dolly Alderton has seen and tried it all. In her memoir, she vividly recounts falling in love, finding a job, getting drunk, getting dumped, realizing that Ivan from the corner shop might just be the only reliable man in her life, and that absolutely no one can ever compare to her best girlfriends. Everything I Know About Love is about bad dates, good friends and—above all else— realizing that you are enough. Glittering with wit and insight, heart and humor, Dolly Alderton’s unforgettable debut weaves together personal stories, satirical observations, a series of lists, recipes, and other vignettes that will strike a chord of recognition with women of every age—making you want to pick up the phone and tell your best friends all about it. Like Bridget Jones’ Diary but all true, Everything I Know About Love is about the struggles of early adulthood in all its terrifying and hopeful uncertainty.

A heartfelt and humorous exploration of love and friendship, this memoir sparkles with wit and relatable stories. Join Dolly Alderton on her journey through the chaos of adulthood—it's a celebration of life and the bonds that matter.

Everything I Know About Love

A princess desperate to win back the prince who broke her heart follows him to his kingdom's prestigious military academy – and in doing so, falls in love, saves the realm, and continues to look fabulous, in this romantic debut fantasy.‘A romantasy for the (middle) ages’ THE DAILY CHAINMAIL ‘This blonde is a knight to behold – and the queen of our hearts’ ROLLING THRONE ‘Great gowns, beautiful gowns’ COURTLY LIVING Prince Domhnall and Princess Clía are the perfect royal match – that is until he ruins everything by refusing to propose. Heartbroken but determined, Clía wins a place at Domhnall’s military academy to win him back. After all, how hard can duelling really be? Warrior Ronan has no time for blonde princesses. Even if she is…well, cute. He tells himself there’s no harm training her. Even if his heart does race around her. Even if Domhnall is his best friend. But, as they say, love is a battlefield – and unfortunately for them, a very real war is looming on the horizon. It’s a fight that will threaten their kingdoms…and their hearts. 'This book has beauty, brains, and brawn! All that stands between Princess Clía and the handsome prince she’s determined to win back is a stint at a cut-throat military academy – what, like it’s hard? Turns out, blondes can be brutal. I had so much fun reading this! Filled with heartwarming romance and heart-racing quests, Jacobs’ bejeweled debut will dazzle you' Sydney J. Shields, USA Today bestselling author of The Honey Witch 'Grab your sharpest swords and your cutest dresses! The Princess Knight is a charmer, with darling characters, epic battles, and a whole wild world to explore' Jodi Meadows, New York Times bestselling coauthor of My Lady Jane 'Medieval romantasy at its best. Compulsively readable, fantastically paced, and utterly swoon-worthy – only one tent! Prepare to stay up all night' Sara Raasch, New York Times bestselling author 'A heartfelt journey of self-discovery mixed with romance, humour, and fascinating mythology; The Princess Knight is a fun fantasy with a charming lead that will win you over with every new chapter. Debut author Cait Jacobs has written an instant classic. What, like it's hard?' Kamilah Cole, author of So Let Them Burn

What, like it’s hard? Follow a fierce princess as she battles for love at a military academy, where friendship, rivalry, and a looming war challenge her heart. This romantic fantasy debut sparkles with humor and epic quests.

The Princess Knight

'This is every woman’s dream revenge plot come to life.' Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Are you on a date that doesn’t feel right? Can’t shake that creepy guy at the bar?Worried you’re being followed home?Message M.After one too many terrifying encounters, Millie Masters sets up a hotline for women who feel unsafe walking home alone at night: Message M. But very quickly she realises that there’s much more to be done to help the women who call in. Because the men just do it again the next night, and the next, and the next… And when her own sister is assaulted on a night out, the temptation to take the law into her own hands becomes too much to resist. Because M can also stand for murder… A deliciously dark, hilariously twisted serial killer thriller with a villainous female lead. Perfect for fans of Bella Mackie’s How to Kill Your Family, Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister, the Serial Killer, or anyone who enjoyed watching You. Readers are OBSESSED with How to Kill a Guy in Ten Ways!‘A masterclass in murder. Millie is the serial killer you never knew you needed in your life.’ LM Chilton ‘Deliriously dark and incredibly funny. How to Kill a Guy in Ten Ways is a wild revenge comedy that had me reading all night…Addictive and twisty, I loved it!’ Katie Marsh ‘We love the dark humour in this thriller.’ That’s Life Crime Scene ‘Eve Kellman – I applaud you. This was absolutely fantastic.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I loved this book! Brilliant twists all the way through and so cleverly written. A must read!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is … clever, quick-paced, and such a twist on the serial killer genre.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I absolutely LOVED this book! I flew through it! The feminine rage and the witty banter was *chefs kiss*. I can't wait for this to come out so I can buy copies for all my friends!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A deliciously dark revenge comedy awaits you. When Millie's hotline for women turns into a twisted journey of justice, she discovers the power of feminine rage. Dive into this addictive serial killer thriller today!

How to Kill a Guy in Ten Ways

The multi-million copy number one bestseller One of The Sunday Times's top 100 bestselling books of the past 50 years Welcome to Bridget's first diary: mercilessly funny, endlessly touching and utterly addictive. A dazzlingly urban satire on modern relationships? An ironic, tragic insight into the demise of the nuclear family? Or the confused ramblings of a pissed thirty-something? As Bridget documents her struggles through the social minefield of her thirties and tries to weigh up the eternal question (Daniel Cleaver or Mark Darcy?), she turns for support to four indispensable friends: Shazzer, Jude, Tom and a bottle of chardonnay. Helen Fielding's first Bridget Jones novel, Bridget Jones's Diary, sparked a phenomenon that has seen four books, newspaper columns and the smash-hit film series Bridget Jones's Diary, The Edge of Reason, Bridget Jones's Baby and Mad About the Boy. Bridget Jones's Diary was featured in 'The 100 bestselling books of the past 50 years' published by The Sunday Times on 18/08/2024

Picador Collection

Dive into the hilarious and heartwarming world of a thirty-something navigating love and friendship with wit and charm. This bestselling contemporary classic will leave you laughing and reflecting on modern relationships.

Bridget Jones's Diary

Peter Kay returns with his most entertaining autobiography yet! The Collector’s Edition: The first hardback print run will feature an exclusive foiled board design. Order now to avoid missing out! ‘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.

A heartfelt and hilarious journey through a year in the life of one of Britain's favorite comedians. Expect dodgy decisions and laugh-out-loud moments in this entertaining autobiography filled with warmth and wit.

Peter Kay’s Diary

Writer, comedian, and content creator Elyse Myers gets real about life’s awkward moments in her bold, funny, and unfiltered debut book. Elyse brings her trademark style to the audiobook edition through her candid, conversational delivery—equal parts humor, vulnerability, and self-awareness. She shaped the pacing herself, occasionally layering in subtle sound effects that add texture and atmosphere to the listen. The result feels like she’s talking directly to her listeners, just as she does in her videos. Elyse Myers is known to her twelve million followers as “The Internet’s Best Friend,” sharing her relatable stories and comedic sketches and serving as an advocate for topics such as neurodivergence, impostor syndrome, body image, and more. Whether she’s making people laugh with tales of disastrous dates or giving a voice to that awkward internal monologue many of us have, she has three simple goals behind everything she makes: To make people feel known, loved, and like they belong. In That's a Great Question, I'd Love to Tell You, Elyse delivers a debut collection of deeply personal stories and hand-drawn illustrations, offering even more intimate reflections beyond what fans have seen on her social media, including: Spending 7 Minutes in Heaven accidentally friend-zoning her crushHow Lucy, the Magic 8 Ball keychain, changed her life by accidentMoving from California to Australia to Texas to Nebraska to like (maybe even love!) herselfHow to Fold Hospital Corners in 10 EASY STEPS!—a practical guide and a rumination about…everythingThe “meat cute” when she met her smoke show of a husband at a butcher’s counter in Australia—and how she revealed herself to be an emotional runnerPlus, tales involving bad dates and is-this-a-dates; the tempting yet futile urge to reinvent yourself, panic attacks and escape hatches, and favorite pens and systems to use them, all while loving and letting yourself be loved, preferably at the same time.

That's a Great Question, I'd Love to Tell You

‘A thrill for the sickos among us’ JIA TOLENTINO ‘Utterly inimitable’ RAVEN LEILANI ‘Unrelentingly brutal and gut-bustingly funny and spares no one’ CARMEN MARIA MACHADO 'Symbiotically serious and funny' MEGAN NOLAN 'The funniest, darkest thing' ST VINCENT LONGLISTED FOR THE 2024 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN FICTION An audacious, original and unforgettable novel-in-stories that follows a cast of intricately linked characters as rejection throws their lives and relationships into chaos. Sharply observant and outrageously funny, Rejection is a provocative plunge into the thorniest problems of modern life: sex, relationships, identity and the internet. We see a young man’s passionate allyship turn to a furious and debilitating nihilism as he realizes, over thirty lonely years, that his feminism isn’t getting him laid; a young woman’s unrequited crush spirals into borderline obsession and the systematic destruction of both her sense of self and her group chat; and witness a shy late bloomer’s flailing efforts at a first relationship lead to a life-upending mistake. As these characters pop up in each other’s dating apps and social media feeds, or meet in dimly lit bars and bedrooms, they reveal the ways that our delusions can warp our desire for connection. Written with the accomplished authority of a modern classic and the manic intensity of a losers’ manifesto, Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte radically redefines what it means to be rejected by lovers, friends, society and oneself. ‘A book of mad, madcap genius’ Garth Greenwell ‘He writes about these things in the way Anthony Bourdain wrote about restaurants… Tulathimutte is a big talent’ The New York Times Book Review ‘Blistering … takes a magnifying glass to the mind in the internet age’ Vogue ‘There’s a volatile thrill to the writing … snortingly funny’ Wall Street Journal ‘Obsessively readable, acerbic, Foster Wallace–inflected’ Vanity Fair ‘A master comedian with a virtuoso prose style … audacious, original and highly disturbing’ New York Times Magazine A Book of the Year in Wall Street Journal, New York Times, New Yorker, NPR, Time Magazine, Vanity Fair, Esquire, Kirkus Review and Electric Literature.

A provocative exploration of modern chaos, this audacious novel-in-stories intertwines humor and heartbreak. Dive into a world where rejection redefines connection in a darkly funny and brutally honest way. A must-read for today's seekers.

Rejection

'This book had sex with my brain!' SARA PASCOE 'Hilarious. Intimate. Vital.' JAMEELA JAMIL 'I couldn't put the book down!' LAURA BATES Comedian Sofie Hagen has not had sex in 3,000 days (and counting). And it turns out, she's not the only one . . . In an attempt to find out why we're not having the sex we want, Sofie asks the questions: can we blame a lacking sex education? Is it all just sexual trauma? Where's the radical sexual liberation we were promised? What are we going to do about this? Should she have slept with that guy in that bush that one time? How do you overcome being a 35-year-old virgin (when it comes to queer sex, that is)? How do the socially awkward and the neurodiverse have sex? In Will I Ever Have Sex Again?, Sofie Hagen explores the quirks and difficulties of being an 'involuntary celibate' (but one of the feminist, progressive ones). With a blend of memoir and conversations with experts, therapists, sex workers, porn stars, comedians and public figures, this is a humorous and bold undertaking to gain a better understanding of how we can think, talk and feel about sex. The audiobook includes an exclusive bonus interview with fellow comedian, friend and author, Sara Pascoe. 'I was expecting a tad more tahini' YOTTAM OTTOLENGHI 'Refreshingly honest' ROSIE JONES 'Warm, Curious, Charming' AUBREY GORDON

Can we talk about sex? This refreshingly honest and hilarious exploration dives into the struggles of modern intimacy through Sofie Hagen's witty lens. Discover the quirks of desire, intimacy, and everything in between.

Will I Ever Have Sex Again?

Newly minted doctor Jane McGill is in hell. Not literally, of course. But between her drug addict patients, sleepless nights on call, and battling wits with the sadistic yet charming Sexy Surgeon, Jane can’t imagine an afterlife much worse than her first month of medical internship at County Hospital. And then there’s the devil herself: Jane’s senior resident Dr. Alyssa Morgan. When Alyssa becomes absolutely hell-bent on making her new interns pay tenfold for the deadly sin of incompetence, Jane starts to worry that she may not make it through the year with her soul or her sanity still intact.

Dr. Jane McGill

Welcome to the chaotic world of medical internship, where humor collides with heart. Follow Jane McGill as she navigates drug-addicted patients, a charming yet sadistic surgeon, and a devilish mentor. Can she survive the year?

The Devil Wears Scrubs

From the author of Everything I Know About Love and longtime Sunday Times Style columnist comes advice and answers to your questions about dating, love, sex, family, friendship and more. “One of the foremost ‘it’ writers of our time. . . . There is no writer quite like Dolly.”—Lisa Taddeo, author of #1 New York Times bestseller Three Women “Nora Ephron for the millennial generation.”—Elizabeth Day, author of How to Fail and The Party For years, New York Times bestselling author Dolly Alderton has been sharing her wisdom, warmth, and wit with the diverse universe of fans who have turned to her “Dear Dolly” column seeking guidance on a host of life problems. Dolly has thoughtfully answered questions ranging from the painfully—and sometimes hilariously—relatable to the occasionally bizarre. They include breakups and body issues, families, relationships platonic and romantic, dating, divorce, the pleasures and pitfalls of social media, sex, loneliness, longing, love and everything in between. Without judgement, and with deep empathy informed by her own, much-chronicled adventures with love, friends, and dating, Dolly helps us navigate the labyrinths of life. In this wonderful collection, she brings together her collected knowledge in one invaluable volume that will make you think, make you laugh, and help you confront any conundrum or crisis.

Dear Dolly

*Nominated for Best Book at the 2025 Chortle Awards* 'Outstanding, I want to press it into the hands of every newly diagnosed person' Fern Brady 'Like a Martian's guide to living on Earth. Funny, enlightening and gobsmacking' Frank Skinner 'A hilarious, crystal-clear guide to autism' Phil Wang 'An illuminating and joyously entertaining book' Daily Express Why were the other kids at school obsessed with Britney Spears instead of The Goon Show? Why don't people ever say what they mean? And... Why is everyone chewing so loudly? Comedian Pierre Novellie was on stage when a heckler suggested he was autistic. Usually, this disruption would be water off a duck's back but two things made this heckler different: first, he was himself autistic. Second, he turned out to be absolutely right. This random encounter led to a diagnosis of autism at the age of 31 that unravelled his world, explained his struggles and answered questions that had bothered him for his entire life. At once a hilarious and insightful journey through autism and neurodivergence, an entertaining explainer for the uninitiated and observational comedy for the neurodiverse, this is the perfect read for anyone who has ever asked themselves: why can't I just enjoy things? The audiobook includes an exclusive Q&A with comedian and BudPod co-host, Phil Wang.

Why Can't I Just Enjoy Things?

Read by the author, this is Louis Theroux's hilarious and thought-provoking journey through weird America. For 10 years, Louis Theroux has been making programmes about off-beat characters on the fringes of US society. Now he revisits America and the people who have most fascinated him to try to discover what motivates them, why they believe the things they believe, and to find out what has happened to them since he last saw them. Along the way, Louis thinks about what drives him to spend so much time among weird people and considers whether he's learned anything about himself in the course of ten years working with them. Has he manipulated the people he's interviewed, or have they manipulated him? From his Las Vegas base, Louis revisits the assorted dreamers and outlaws who have been his TV feeding ground. Attempting to understand a little about himself and the workings of his own mind, Louis considers questions such as: what is the difference between pathology and "normal" weirdness? Is there something particularly weird about Americans? What does it mean to be weird, or "to be yourself"? And do we choose our beliefs or do our beliefs choose us?

Embark on a hilarious and insightful journey through weird America with Louis Theroux. Delve into the minds of eccentric characters and explore what it means to be "normal." A unique blend of comedy and introspection awaits.

The Call of the Weird

Hear all about Nat's life in this audiobook narrated by the one and only Natalie Cassidy herself, jam-packed with exclusive, audio-only content!Natalie Cassidy has been on our screens for over three decades. We’ve grown up alongside Sonia on EastEnders, but what about Nat’s life beyond Albert Square? In her hilarious and brilliantly relatable memoir, Nat gives us an unfiltered take of what goes on behind the scenes. From outfit fails and tabloid headlines to life as a single mum, falling in love, and the devastating grief that nearly broke her, Nat shares her experiences, life lessons, and hard-won wisdom with the trademark honesty we all know and love her for. Like sitting down for a natter with your best mate over a cuppa, Happy Days is packed with laughs, love, loss and the joy of the everyday! So what are you waiting for? Kick back, relax and whip out with this charming book, where you'll share a warming moment (and a lot of riotous laughs!) with the telly star you grew up with so you can learn who she truly is beyond the screen. If you love your soap operas and sitcoms, your EastEnders and Boarders, this is the perfect book for you. It's official! Readers are raving: ‘Everyone knows and loves Natalie Cassidy, and this book is a joyous insight into her life on and off the telly.’ – Rylan Clark 'Truly delightful. What an incredible debut.’ – Donna Ashworth 'The joy of Natalie Cassidy shines from the page, there is no one better to be in the company of.' – Josh Widdicombe 'Natalie is magical and her book is deeply personal. Through Natalie’s words we can all gain happiness and hope. This book is one that we all need!’ – Gaby Roslin

Dive into a hilarious memoir that feels like a cozy chat with your best friend. Join Natalie Cassidy as she shares laughs, love, and life lessons from behind the scenes. Perfect for soap opera fans seeking warmth and wisdom.

Happy Days

“Roxane Gay is so great at weaving the intimate and personal with what is most bewildering and upsetting at this moment in culture. She is always looking, always thinking, always passionate, always careful, always right there.” — Sheila Heti, author of How Should a Person Be? A New York Times Bestseller Best Book of the Year: NPR • Boston Globe • Newsweek • Time Out New York • Oprah.com • Miami Herald • Book Riot • Buzz Feed • Globe and Mail (Toronto) • The Root • Shelf Awareness A collection of essays spanning politics, criticism, and feminism from one of the most-watched cultural observers of her generation In these funny and insightful essays, Gay takes us through the journey of her evolution as a woman (Sweet Valley High) of color (The Help) while also taking readers on a ride through culture of the last few years (Girls, Django in Chains) and commenting on the state of feminism today (abortion, Chris Brown). The portrait that emerges is not only one of an incredibly insightful woman continually growing to understand herself and our society, but also one of our culture. Bad Feminist is a sharp, funny, and spot-on look at the ways in which the culture we consume becomes who we are, and an inspiring call-to-arms of all the ways we still need to do better, coming from one of our most interesting and important cultural critics.

Bad Feminist

Inspired by The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, this book will light a fire under your untidy ass with humor and helpful organizing tips that you’ll actually want to use. Like a delightfully foul-mouthed best friend, this book dishes out the funny, unpretentious advice you need to hear most. You’ll discover how to deal with your sh*t like there’s no tomorrow, live in the moment without the f*cking mess, and make your life and your eventual death a hell of a lot easier. With this witty guide, you’ll learn how to -ditch the d*mn indecision -get your sh*t together and feel fantastic -give your busy family a f*cking break -and more! Whether you’re getting ready to move in, move on, or just move your ass, Nobody Wants Your Sh*t will help you take control of your f*cking life.

Nobody Wants Your Sh*t

‘Dark and funny’ Jackie Kabler, author of The Murder List ‘Deliciously dark and hilariously witty’ Sunday Post 'A razor-sharp revenge thriller with bite, brains and a body count' The Observer Say hello to Sally. ​ This is the story of how I killed Harry Collins. Destined to be the great love of my life – until one day I wake up in the Big Apple with the world's worst hangover, an empty bank account, and the sinking feeling that my life just nosedived. How it happened is a blur, but one thing is clear: I’ve been swindled and I’m not happy about it.​ ​She’s the woman of your dreams.​ And it's all thanks to Harry – a total dreamboat and a devil in disguise. He’s got charm, secrets, and a smile that screams trouble. Little did I know, Harry's not just a pretty face – he's a liar and conman.​ Or is she your worst nightmare?​ ​When I discover I’m not the only victim, I decide it’s only right I take my revenge. And with a group of wronged women behind me, murder isn’t on the agenda yet because Harry’s in for a nightmare and I’m only just getting started…​ ​A wicked, whip-smart revenge thriller, perfect for fans of Katy Brent, Bella Mackie and anyone who wants to take their revenge on The Tinder Swindler or Sweet Bobby.​ Readers LOVE When Sally Killed Harry!‘Darkly funny’ i News ‘Witty and sharp’ Bella ‘Everything a romcom gone wrong should be’ BookTrib ‘Sharp, brilliantly written, addictive’ Cosy Moose ‘Incredibly pacy, funny, oh-so-dark, devious and dare I say, relatable… I loved everything about it!’ Noelle Holton, author of His Truth Her Truth ‘Wow! I loved it. Devoured it in two days. It was dark, delicious and deadly.’ Louise Swanson, author of End of Story ‘I couldn't put it down … I'll have what Lucy Roth is having’ L.M. Chilton, author of Don’t Swipe Right ‘A bold and clever coming-of-rage story that gives a razor sharp twist on the classic romcom’ Victoria Hawthorne, author of The Darkest Night ‘The characters leapt off the page, their back stories were compelling and drove the story well. The Sally and Harry names riff was also good fun.’ Kay Wilson, author of The Stand-Up Mam 'Whip-smart characters and a compelling story' Lucy Vine, author of Date with Destiny ‘Found family, found salvation and found mission – plus a few surprises along the way. And yep, you will root for all of them.’ Reader review ‘Sally is a compelling anti-heroine who reminds me of Jason Dean – Christian Slater’s character from Heathers. She’s unhinged… and watching her unravel is part of the glee.’ Reader review ‘A darkly funny and unhinged wish fulfilment tale about women pushed to the edge to get justice in a patriarchal society.’ Reader review ‘If you’re looking for a rom-com that’s anything but conventional When Sally Killed Harrywill have you laughing, gasping and rooting for Sally and her crew every step of the way.’ Reader review ‘Sardonic and sharply written… a fun, fast-paced read’ Reader review ‘A bold, unapologetic and raw exploration of frustration, fury, and the simmering rage women feel when the world constantly asks them to tiptoe around their own pain’ Reader review ‘Hilariously witty, sharp and unfiltered’ Reader review ‘A book that tackles toxic masculinity head-on, not with kid gloves, but with a sledgehammer’ Reader review ‘It’s about amplifying the voices that have been silenced and empowering women to claim their space, their stories and their anger.’ Reader review

A bold, unapologetic exploration of women's anger and revenge unfolds in this darkly humorous thriller. Join Sally and her crew as they take on a charming conman in a wickedly witty tale that defies convention.

When Sally Killed Harry

Read brilliantly by the author, Ben Elton. From The Young Ones and Blackadder theme music to snippets of his stand-up comedy shows, this audiobook includes bonus audio recordings showcasing special moments throughout Ben's incredible career. ‘What Have I Done? snaps, crackles and pops with wit, bravado and glorious Ben-ness. A triumph’ – Stephen Fry ‘A big life chronicled by truly the Upstart Crow of our generation’ – Dawn French Ben Elton has done everything and worked with everybody. Now, in this frank, forthright, and hugely entertaining book, he tells the whole story. Discover the truth behind iconic hits like The Young Ones, Blackadder, and We Will Rock You. Relive the pioneering stand-up of Saturday Live that birthed a comedy revolution. From being the BBC’s youngest-ever sitcom writer to his most recent, critically acclaimed stand-up tour, Ben reveals unique insights into his groundbreaking work. He talks honestly about his relationships with brilliant friends, inspiring contemporaries, and occasional foes. His life off-screen has been just as challenging and funny as it has been on, and he unpacks it all with wit, insight, and of course, a ‘little bit of politics’. For decades, Ben’s been making people laugh, think, and getting on plenty of wicks - these are the uncensored stories. ‘Funny and fascinating, it’s a story of triumph and disaster and is the closest you’ll get to understanding where great comedy comes from’ – David Mitchell 'Bloody marvellous' – Jo Brand

A hilarious journey through the life of a comedy legend, blending wit and insight. Discover the secrets behind iconic shows and unforgettable moments, all narrated by the brilliant Ben Elton himself. A must-listen for comedy lovers.

What Have I Done?

The Sunday Times top 10 bestseller. Laugh along with Michael McIntyre as he lifts the curtain on his life in his revealing autobiography. This audio edition is hilariously read by Michael himself. 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. Michael has had a silly life, a stressful life, sometimes a moving and touching life, but always A Funny Life.

A hilarious journey through life awaits! Join Michael McIntyre as he candidly shares his comedic rise from a tiny flat to global fame in this top 10 bestseller. Laugh, reflect, and enjoy the chaos of his funny life.

A Funny Life

Wren Daniels is in over her head. Between organizing a charity auction and trying to renovate a cabin she can’t afford, she’s barely keeping her head above water. The only bright spot is her new friend she met on an anonymous dating app four months ago. That is, until she discovers he’s the last person she would have expected—her grumpy neighbor who she’s never gotten along with. Holden Blankenship likes his life just the way it is. After his wife left him, he spent years putting his life back together. Now he’s got his daughter who is the light of his world, his family, and surprisingly, an anonymous friend. But when his anonymous friend turns out to be his neighbor who drives him crazy, he’s not sure what to make of it. Especially when her contractor backs out of her cabin renovation project and he finds himself offering to help her. Now Wren is getting under his skin in a completely different way and turning all his carefully laid plans upside down. As Wren continues to show up for Holden and Holden keeps proving to Wren that he’s not really as standoffish as he seems, the lines between friendship and more start to blur.

The Mountains Are Calling

Off the Beaten Path

An unsettling, unputdownable dark and witty crime thriller that's perfect for fans of Bella Mackie, Katy Brent, Alex Michaelides' The Silent Patient and true crime like Mindhunter.I'm psychologist Dr Emy Rose, but that's not my real name.I work with serial killers who've hidden their victims. My job is to find the bodies - and I'm kind of awesome at it.The trick is to get inside these murderers' minds. And there's one in particular I'm hellbent on breaking.Why? None of your business! Just know, I'll stop at nothing to read that killer's mind...Tam Barnett's brilliant new novel will get into your head and under your skin...'A fast-paced, tension-building mystery with a shattering finale. Tam Barnett is a name to watch.' Daily Mail on How to Get Away With Murder

How to Read a Killer's Mind - A BRAND NEW enthralling, unsettling and darkly funny thriller (Unabridged)

Erasure is Percival Everett's hilarious satire about race and publishing, now an Oscar-nominated film, American Fiction, directed by Cord Jefferson and starring Jeffrey Wright and Tracee Ellis Ross. 'Hilarious . . . Everett is a first-rate word-wrangler.' – Nicholas Lezard, The Guardian Thelonious 'Monk' Ellison's once-acclaimed writing career has bottomed out: his latest manuscript has been rejected by seventeen publishers. He seethes on the sidelines of the literary establishment as he watches the meteoric success of We's Lives in Da Ghetto, a first novel by a woman who once visited 'some relatives in Harlem for a couple of days'. Meanwhile, Monk struggles with real family tragedies – his aged mother is fast succumbing to Alzheimer's, and he still grapples with the reverberations of his father's suicide seven years before. In his rage and despair, Monk dashes off an outlandish novel full of stereotypes. He doesn't intend for My Pafology to be published, let alone taken seriously, but it is, and soon it becomes the Next Big Thing. How Monk deals with the personal and professional fallout galvanizes this audacious, hysterical and quietly devastating novel. 'Sublime . . . brilliant, uproarious . . . A wise novel about how we live.' – Brandon Taylor, author of the Booker Prize-shortlisted Real Life 'Seminal doesn't even come close. This novel is Everett at his finest, full of trademark protest, humanity and incisive humour, all wrapped up in one hell of a story.' – Courttia Newland, author of A River Called Time Read Percival's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel James in paperback now.

Erasure

Fran Donoghue has just killed her neighbour. Don’t worry, you’ll agree, he deserved it. Detective Gareth Donoghue has a terrible feeling about his missing neighbour. By the time this is over, that will be the least of his worries… A dark, sharp and hilarious novel about love, marriage, and murder, with an ending you won’t see coming… Gareth certainly didn’t. Perfect for fans of How to Kill Your Family, Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone and Killing Eve.

My Wife, the Serial Killer

A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A Waterstones Best Nature & Travel Writing Book 2025 'Educational, smart and funny’ Richard Osman ‘This book is superb’ Charlie Brooker ‘Brilliant. Fascinating. Hilarious.’ Jonn Elledge, bestselling author of A History of the World in 47 Borders The debut book from the YouTube sensation and all-round cartographical nerds, The Map Men! Hello, we're the Map Men, and in the following pages we've selected what we believe to be some of the very best wrong maps. Some of them are decades old, some are centuries old and some are so recent they're being published today (or yesterday, if you’re reading this tomorrow). They include world maps, colonial maps, corporate maps, Soviet maps, pioneer maps, news maps and maps whose intended use was hijacked for a French surrealist political movement in the 1950s. Whether you’re an avid map junkie or simply ‘map-curious’, you will uncover a unique tale of adventure, error and unexpected humour in each chapter, as we attempt to answer the question: ‘What on earth happened here?’ So, ditch the compass (or disable location services) and set out on a journey with us, the Map Men, into a world of cartographic chaos and mappy mishaps. Because the worst maps are the best maps.

This Way Up

Cat's Cradle is Vonnegut's satirical commentary on modern man and his madness. An apocalyptic tale of this planet's ultimate fate, it features a little person as the protagonist; a complete, original theology created by a calypso singer; and a vision of the future that is at once blackly fatalistic and hilariously funny.

Cat's Cradle

Once, I knew this girl who sent a video of herself to her brother's best friend…while she was hopped up on pain meds. And he didn’t reciprocate her feelings. Sounds like a hilarious story, right? WRONG. This really happened…to ME, Melanie Taylor. That was five years ago, so I’m over it—over him. At least, I thought I was…until West got traded to the D.C. Eagles and moved to the same city as me! Oh yeah, did I forget to mention my brother’s best friend is Weston Kershaw? An incredibly talented and famous professional hockey player? Of course, I set out to avoid him completely but end up going to one of his games—against my will, I might add. When I have to face him again all of those stupid butterflies in my stomach return full force. Except this time, the attraction doesn’t feel so one-sided. This is a closed-door, dual POV romcom with mild language and innuendo. Trigger warnings: childhood trauma/anxiety.

D.C. Eagles Hockey

Passion or Penalty

An action-packed, hilarious enemies-to-lovers thriller for fans of How to Kill Men and Get Away With It, Love Letters to a Serial Killer, and Dial A for AuntiesShe always gets her man … but has Maisie Baxter met her match?Maisie Baxter has a particular set of skills honed over a very successful career. She’s determined not to let her job at a boutique, ethical assassin agency get in the way of her social life, but it's tough when your hours are extremely unpredictable and you can't share any details of your day. So she can't tell her friends about the guy that keeps showing up on her missions. Will. He's cute – really cute – and he's desperate to speak to her. Maisie is sure Will works for the competition but it soon becomes clear that a much greater danger stalks them both. And they're going to have to put aside their professional rivalry and their budding sexual tension if they have any hope of uncovering a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top. Tropes: Enemies to Lovers Rivals to Lovers Forced proximity Morally (very) grey characters Found family Caretaking *** For fans of Benjamin Stevenson and Katy Brent *** 'Hitwoman is funny, sexy, and strangely relatable. I cheered for the protagonist even as she committed multiple murders and loved the rom-com style romance.' Tasha Coryell ‘Who’d have thought murder could be such fun? … A wonderful not so cosy crime masterpiece.’ Graham Bartlett ‘Hitwoman is the most fun I’ve had reading a thriller this year! Elsie Marks has created a fun, funny, and fast-paced romp that’s pitch-perfect.’ Kellye Garrett 'This fun, quirky read really hits the mark!' The Sun *** Readers are OBSESSED with Hitwoman …'Incredibly addictive… It's fast-paced, exhilarating and I was totally there for every last word' 'Totally bonkers, and that is a such a good thing' 'The perfect balance of romance, espionage and murder' 'Fresh and cinematic… perfect for anyone who loves a fast-paced spy story with a charming lead'

Hitwoman

**An instant New York Times bestseller** From TikTok star and the author of I Didn’t Know I Needed This Eli Rallo, a reflection on the anxiety of transitioning into adulthood, navigating the quarter-life crisis, and realizing you’re actually not alone. Does anyone else feel like they’re the only one having a quarter-life crisis? As a senior in college, Eli Rallo expected her post-grad years to be filled with certainty, that she would finally feel that she was the “adult” she had long dreamed she’d be, with a cool job, an amazing apartment, fabulous friends, and lots of fun and flirty date nights. Instead she was met with crippling social anxiety, no idea what direction her career was taking, an inability to stop comparing herself to her peers’ picture-perfect lives on social media, and a looming sense that she may never feel certain—about her dating life, friendships, career, or even herself. With deep honesty, raw emotions, humor, and relatability, Eli analyzes life in your twenties with a candid and heartfelt approach, asking and answering questions like: How do you manage losing a best friend?How do you know who you are or what you want to do with your life?How do you find time and space for all of your priorities?How do you navigate the choppy waters of the social media world, and not fall victim to the comparison game?What happens when the timeline you made for yourself as a child is long in your past?How do you know you’re making the right decisions?Even though early adulthood doesn’t look just like Sex and the City or Thirteen Going on Thirty the way Eli thought it would, with Does Anyone Else Feel This Way? Eli shows you that you’re not the only one who misses the days when they could swing by the dining hall or just wants to call their mom to make it all go away. With a look at her own misadventures and hard-won life lessons, Eli shares the journey she’s been on to find herself as an adult, and the twists and turns she’s taken while navigating her own quarter-life crisis.

Does Anyone Else Feel This Way?

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2024 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN FICTION • A NEW YORK TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR ""A master comedian with a virtuoso prose style has produced an audacious, original and highly disturbing book . . . an incandescent satire."" —Giles Harvey, The New York Times Magazine From the Whiting and O. Henry–winning author of Private Citizens (“the first great millennial novel,” New York Magazine), an electrifying novel-in-stories that follows a cast of intricately linked characters as rejection throws their lives and relationships into chaos. Sharply observant and outrageously funny, Rejection is a provocative plunge into the touchiest problems of modern life. The seven connected stories seamlessly transition between the personal crises of a complex ensemble and the comic tragedies of sex, relationships, identity, and the internet. In “The Feminist,” a young man’s passionate allyship turns to furious nihilism as he realizes, over thirty lonely years, that it isn’t getting him laid. A young woman’s unrequited crush in “Pics” spirals into borderline obsession and the systematic destruction of her sense of self. And in “Ahegao; or, The Ballad of Sexual Repression,” a shy late bloomer’s flailing efforts at a first relationship leads to a life-upending mistake. As the characters pop up in each other’s dating apps and social media feeds, or meet in dimly lit bars and bedrooms, they reveal the ways our delusions can warp our desire for connection. These brilliant satires explore the underrated sorrows of rejection with the authority of a modern classic and the manic intensity of a manifesto. Audacious and unforgettable, Rejection is a stunning mosaic that redefines what it means to be rejected by lovers, friends, society, and oneself. ""Rejection is unrelentingly brutal and gut-bustingly funny and spares no one—not you, not me. Tulathimutte is a pervert and a madman and a stone-cold genius."" —Carmen Maria Machado, author of Her Body and Other Parties “One of the foremost fiction writers exploring the subject of his own generation.” —Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker

The Instant New York Times Bestseller A practical guide to taking control of your mental health for today, tomorrow, and the days after, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author and beloved entertainer. ‘There’s a moment at the end of every day, where the world falls away and you are left alone with your thoughts. A reckoning, when the things you have been pushing to the background, come forward and demand your attention.’ Written by Daniel Howell, in consultation with a qualified psychologist, in an entertaining and personal way from the perspective of someone who has been through it all—this no-nonsense book gives you the tools to understand your mind so you can be in control and really live. Created with exclusive audio features, it is split into three chapters for each stage of the journey: This Night - how to get through your toughest moments and be prepared to face anything. Tomorrow - small steps to change your thoughts and actions with a big impact on your life. The Days After - help to look after yourself in the long term and not just survive, but thrive. You will laugh and learn—but most of all, this book will assure you that even in your darkest times, there is always hope. You will get through this night.

You Will Get Through This Night

“Start with Douglas Adams’s comic science fiction (A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and J.R.R. Tolkien’s alternative worlds, mix in James Ellroy’s gritty realism and Jonathan Swift’s unflinching satire and, if you’re lucky, you’ll get something like Terry Pratchett’s Thud!” —Wall Street Journal City Watch Commander Sam Vimes must solve the murder of a prominent dwarf or watch as Discworld is plunged into a bloody civil war in Terry Pratchett’s delightful Discworld satire, a brilliant tale of prejudice, ancient feuds, and tender fatherhood Long, long ago, in a gods-forsaken hellhole called Koom Valley, trolls and dwarfs met in bloody combat. Centuries later, each side still views the other with simmering animosity that has been heightened of late because of one Grag Hamcrusher. The influential dwarf has been fomenting unrest among a section of Ankh-Morpork’s citizenry—a volatile situation made far worse when the petite provocateur is discovered bashed to death . . . with a troll club lying conveniently nearby. If he doesn’t solve the murder of just one dwarf, Commander Sam Vimes of Ankh-Morpork City Watch is going to see it fought again, right outside his office. But more than one corpse is waiting for Vimes in the eerie, summoning darkness of a labyrinthine mine network being secretly excavated beneath Ankh-Morpork’s streets. With war-drums beating ever louder, Vimes must unravel every clue, outwit every assassin, and brave any darkness to find the solution. And the darkness is following him, pulling him deep into the muck and mire of superstition, hatred, and fear—and perhaps all the way to Koom Valley itself. Until six o’clock every day, when without fail, the Commander goes home to read Where’s My Cow?, with accompanying farmyard noises, to his little boy. Because there are some things you must do. The Discworld novels can be read in any order but Thud! is the 7th book in the City Watch collection and the 34th Discworld book. The City Watch collection in order: Guards! Guards!Men at ArmsFeet of ClayJingoThe Fifth ElephantNight WatchThud!Snuff

Discworld

Thud!

I'm the notoriously angry, grouchy D.C. Eagles defenseman who just can’t keep his temper in check—a temper that leads to a fifteen-game suspension from the NHL. As if that’s not bad enough, I'm forced into a short-term youth-hockey coaching gig—which my manager swears will “rebuild my image.” But what I didn’t expect was for a gorgeous, spunky blonde to stomp onto the ice on day one and lecture me about being rude to her little brother. Something about this spitfire of a woman, and the boy she’s so protective of, has my defenses melting. And if I’m not careful, I’ll burst into flames, forever melting the ice I’ve carefully kept around my heart. This is a closed-door romcom with mild language. Trigger warnings include parental substance abuse and dealing with grief/loss of parents.

Desire or Defense

After getting my heart broken, I’ve sworn off athletes forever. Then my best friend has to go and marry an NHL player, and his teammate, Colby Knight, won’t leave me alone. Colby is a master at scoring (on and off the ice), and he’s not used to being told no. So he takes my disinterest as an invitation to pursue me even harder. I ignore him…until I realize I can use his expertise to help me get my crush’s attention. But now that he’s my dating coach, and we’re spending so much time together, I’m growing more and more distracted. I mean, those dimples? Very enticing. Just when I think he might be more than just a playboy hockey player, a blast from the past comes back and reminds me why I swore off athletes in the first place. Can I trust Colby, or is he just another jerk who will break my heart? Trigger warnings: cheating exes; mild language

Flirtation or Faceoff

Finley Blankenship is tired of always coming up short. When her long-time boyfriend dumps her because he isn’t ready to commit, only to announce his engagement to someone else months later, she’s had it. So when her now ex comes to her flower shop to check how she’s doing after hearing the news, she lies and tells him she’s moved on. Only for her brother’s best friend to walk in at the same time and get roped into her story. Committed to playing the part, she reluctantly agrees to pretend to be in a relationship with the one man in their small town that would never actually date her. Grey Sutton has been in love with Finley for fifteen years, but he’s never thought he had a chance. After all, he’s an honorary member of the Blankenship family because his own is so dysfunctional. He has no idea how to give Finley what she wants. Especially since he was offered a job out of state, and Finley is as rooted in this town as the trees. But as their relationship starts to feel less and less like a charade, it leaves them with more uncertainty than ever. Lines start to blur, and Grey and Finley have to decide if they’re willing to risk their hearts to have everything they’ve ever dreamed of.

Only in Your Dreams

Hilariously read by the author, Adrian Edmondson. A Financial Times Best Audio of the Year The instant Sunday Times bestseller From brutal schooldays to 80s anarchy, through The Young Ones, Bottom and beyond, Berserker! is the one-of-a-kind, hilarious memoir from an icon of British comedy, Adrian Edmondson. Ade Edmondson revolutionized the comedy circuit in the 1980s and, alongside Rik Mayall, brought anarchy to stage and screen. How did a child brought up in a strict Methodist household – and who spent his formative years incarcerated in repressive boarding schools – end up joining the revolution? With wisdom, nostalgia and uniquely observed humour, Ade traces his journey through life and comedy: starting out on the alternative scene, getting arrested in Soho, creating outrageously violent characters and learning more about his curious (possibly Scandinavian) heritage. With star-studded anecdotes and set to a soundtrack of pop hits which transport the reader through time, it’s a memoir like no other. Nominated for Radio Times Moment of the Year for sharing his memories of Rik Mayall on Desert Island Discs. 'The Berserker from The Young Ones and Bottom tells his story with self-effacing charm and no end of backstage anecdotes' - Ian Rankin 'Amazing' - Richard Osman 'Gloriously candid and wise all at once' - Sara Pascoe 'It is incredibly funny, but it is also a lot, lot more than that' - Miles Jupp ‘More fun than reading Hegel, and also more enlightening’ - Louis de Bernières

Berserker!

A Sunday Times Bestseller ‘I Love You, Byeee is poignant and properly funny; a bracing dip into nostalgia, but self-aware, too.’ Observer The long-awaited new memoir and follow-up to the bestselling Ramble Book. Hey, how you doing, casual browser? Adam Buxton here. Are you ready for some hot hyperbole about this book? Here we go … In I Love You, Byeee, the highly anticipated follow up to the bestselling Ramble Book, I reminisce with hilarious and heartwarming candour about the highs and lows of working with Joe Cornish and revolutionising the worlds of DIY TV and podcasting in the process. You’ll hear about my crazy times hanging out with notorious rock’ n’ roll hellraisers like Travis and Radiohead. I write with humour and heartbreaking poignancy about the challenges of parenting, losing my mother (to death, that is – we didn’t get separated in a shop) and the drug hell that led to me nearly dying in the arms of a comedy legend. There’s also a bit about arguing with my wife, getting instructions on edginess from Louis Theroux, going on Bake Off and much more that you didn’t ask for but definitely need. For all that, plus hours of bonus waffle and original music, why not download the audiobook, too? Phew! I think we both need a shower after that. Take care – I love you, byeee!

Dive into a world of laughter and nostalgia with this Sunday Times Bestseller. Adam Buxton's memoir delivers a mix of humor and heart, chronicling wild adventures in music, parenting, and DIY TV. A must-read for fans of comedy and life’s quirks.

I Love You, Byeee

A Waterstones Best History Book 2025 ‘Learned, entertaining and highly approachable’ BOB MORTIMER ‘A treat’ ALICE LOXTON ‘Five stars from me…’ AL MURRAY An unmissable collaboration between two comedy legends – an irresistible, family-friendly deep dive into the murky lives of the British monarchy. Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee, Harry, Dick, John, Harry three. One, two, three Neds, Richard Two, Henries, four, five, six, then who? Charlie Higson has always been fascinated by the story of the monarchy: from the b*stardly to the benevolent, the brilliant to the brutal. In this wonderful new book, using the famous rhyme he learned at school as his trusty guide, Charlie takes us through the history of this bizarre and long-lasting institution, introducing readers to every single ruler since poor Harold got it in the eye at the Battle of Hastings (or did he?). Who were all these people, and what did they do? It’s all here. Bloody treachery? Check. Unruly incest? Check. A couple of Cromwells? Check. The War of Jenkins Ear? Sadly, for Robert Jenkins, check. A rip-roaring journey that takes in the Normans, Plantagenets, Tudors, Stuarts, Hanoverians and Windsors, not to mention the infamous Blois (how can we forget them?), Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee is an utterly engrossing and grossly entertaining guide to who ruled when and whether they were any good at it.

Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee

THE INSTANT CULT CLASSIC FROM THE WINNER OF THE O. HENRY PRIZE ‘Full of dark, deadpan humour, Brat is a raucous story of the messy, messed-up business of living, dying and having a family.’ Financial Times ‘A moving coming-of-age family story’ Observer 'Beautifully written, hilarious, and heartbreaking' Daily Mail 'A raw, delicate tale about grief and growing up' The New Yorker 'Iconic', Radio 1 'The novel crackles with gothic horror, deadpan humor, and a damning sense of alienation that you won’t soon shake.' Chicago Review of Books 'Instead of resolving his novel’s many mysteries, Smith explores how this family navigates the disputed borders of its shared memories, pondering what it means to choose one story over another—as well as the consequences of refusing to choose, especially in the wake of grief.' The New York Times --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gabriel’s skin is falling off. His dad is dead. He owes his editor a novel. His girlfriend won’t answer his calls. Tasked by his horribly well-adjusted brother with clearing out the family home for sale, Gabriel’s sanity quickly begins to unravel. His parents’ old manuscripts appear to change each time he reads them. A bizarre home video hints at long-buried secrets. And there’s a hideous man in the garden. Disquieting and hilarious, taut yet lyrical, blisteringly-paced but formally inventive, Brat is a mediation on grief, art and love that will leave you altered, breathless and desperate for more. From a stunningly original new talent, this is a debut novel unlike anything you have read before.

BRAT

A Waterstones Best Book of 2024'Marriage to Mike Leigh, the minutiae of working on Gavin and Stacey: it's a tribute to her range that there's something here to interest everybody' Telegraph The first memoir from the national treasure, critically acclaimed actress and much-loved Gavin and Stacey star. Candice Marie in Nuts in May. Beverly in Abigail’s Party. Mrs Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. Betty in Fat Friends. Sue in Here We Go and Pamela in Gavin & Stacey – we can all name a beloved, iconic character brought to life by the magnificent Alison Steadman. Growing up in post-war, working-class Liverpool, the young Alison – ever the entertainer – would address the world from the stage of her bedroom window, until she got a taste for performing in front of an actual audience at her progressive 1960s drama school. By the time she left, her mind was made up: she was going to be an actress! If only she could conquer the onstage giggling … Always pushing boundaries – reclining naked on a sofa in her first role, embracing groundbreaking female characters from day one – Alison has deservedly found acclaim and recognition, succeeding in her TV and theatre career while juggling family life – a difficult feat for any working mother, but particularly for an actress in the twentieth century. From the nervy Mrs Bennet to the robo-dancing Pam-el-aah, Alison has proved herself again and again to be a comedy genius. Here, with her distinctive warmth and humour, she vividly recalls all the must-read moments of a life spent in and out of character.

Out of Character

Jack Gladney is the creator and chairman of Hitler studies at the College-on-the-Hill. This is the story of his absurd life; a life that is going well enough, until a chemical spill from a rail car releases an 'Airborne Toxic Event' and Jack is forced to confront his biggest fear – his own mortality. White Noise is an effortless combination of social satire and metaphysical dilemma in which Don DeLillo exposes our rampant consumerism, media saturation and novelty intellectualism. It captures the particular strangeness of life lived when the fear of death cannot be denied, repressed or obscured and ponders the role of the family in a time when the very meaning of our existence is under threat. 'America's greatest living writer.' - Observer

White Noise

‘A gloriously uplifting celebration of middle age. I loved it.’ Katie Fforde––––––––––- **Selected as a Waterstones Best Romance Paperback of 2024** Hot Not Bothered is the new hilarious, no-holds-barred and heartfelt novel about the rollercoaster of menopause, from hot flushes to HRT and everything in-between. –––––––––––- It’s a bloody mess but she ain’t stressed… Heidi is tired. Tired, grumpy and hot as hell. Juggling the stresses of her job whilst parenting two children is proving chaotic, and Heidi has well and truly run out of f**ks to give. When her menopause symptoms skyrocket, Heidi dives headfirst into a sea of comically contradictory advice, absurd doctors' appointments, and the wild world of online support forums that range from cult-like to totally bloody batshit. But the last straw comes when she receives a patronising company-wide email from HR supporting ‘women of a certain age’. Heidi accidentally hits ‘reply all’ when calling out the bullshit, only to suddenly find herself the inadvertent new face of the menopause in her office… Don't miss the new hilarious novel about the menopause, second (or third) chance love – and the unexpected ways we can find our tribe at any age. –––––––––––––––– ‘A gloriously uplifting celebration of middle age. I loved it.’ Katie Fforde 'Bloody brilliant! All the Bridget Jones romance drama with added hot flushes and feminine rage!' Helen Fields 'A hilarious take on the pressure cooker of midlife…I loved it!' Fiona Gibson 'A joy of a book…like a hug from a friend!' Kate Galley 'I LOVED IT!' Amanda Prowse 'Very relatable and a reminder of the power we have as women when we come together.' Jo Middleton 'Blisteringly honest and laugh-out-loud funny!' Aliya Ali-Afzal 'An absolute gem!' Rosie Hannigan 'Like having a rant with your best friend.’ Helga Jensen 'You'll devour it in one sitting!' Annabel French ‘Hilarious, hopeful and relatable!’ Rosie Wilby 'A joy from first page to last!' Catherine Balavage –––––––––––––––– READERS LOVE HARPER FORD! 'Harper Ford is back with her no-nonsense, straight to the point writing, It's another hoot of a book!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Made me laugh more than any book I have ever read!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This will be an important book to many, many women!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Absolutely raced through this irreverently funny, clever and thoughtful book. A whip smart novel with a clever heroine!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Better than Sex and the City!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A heartwarming and relatable romance novel that celebrates second chances!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A fabulous, funny five-star read for me!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘It felt like I was listening to my best friend.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘It’s so empowering!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Absolutely brilliant, truly capturing the trials and tribulations of the Perimenopause and Menopause.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Wonderful characters – just ordinary women struggling with everyday problems' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Brilliant. Heart warming and inspiring, with a sprinkling of wonderful humour too.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I wish this book had been about when I was going through this era of my life!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Midlife Mayhem

Hot Not Bothered

GRAMMY NOMINEE Audie Award, Humor, 2015 Amy Poehler is hosting a dinner party and you're invited! Welcome to the audiobook edition of Amy Poehler's Yes Please. The guest list is star-studded with vocal appearances from Carol Burnett, Seth Meyers, Michael Schur, Patrick Stewart, Kathleen Turner, and even Amy's parents - Yes Please is the ultimate audiobook extravaganza. Also included? A one-night-only live performance at Poehler's Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. Hear Amy read a chapter live in front of a young and attractive Los Angeles audience. While listening to Yes Please, you'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll become convinced that your phone is trying to kill you. Don't miss this collection of stories, thoughts, ideas, lists, and haikus from the mind of one of our most beloved entertainers. Offering Amy's thoughts on everything from her ""too safe"" childhood outside of Boston to her early days in New York City, her ideas about Hollywood and ""the biz"", the demon that looks back at all of us in the mirror, and her joy at being told she has a ""face for wigs"" - Yes Please is chock-full of words, and wisdom, to live by.

Yes Please

For fans of Really Good Actually and I'm Glad My Mom Died 'A deftness that catches your breath' - Fern Brady 'An incredible piece of writing' - Brett Goldstein 'Interrogates moments of trauma with insight, kindness and humanity' - John Robins This is a book about mistakes. And why we should de-flower shame in all its messy, complicated glory... Hello! It's Lou here... I've poured my heart and guts on to the page and shared my soul in this book. This won't be for everyone but I hope it helps the people it does connect with. We all have stories and I think its useful to share them, I think it helps unite us and in some ways it helps us release some shame. I've been alarmingly truthful and sincere, because I think society would be better if we could all be honest. I've of course used humour too, not as a way to cope (I've processed the darker things that have happened to me), but as a change in pace, some gorgeous light relief, because life is light and dark dancing together in the wind. And I love jokes. If this is the sort of thing you're after, please pick me up and take me to bed (that's the book speaking so a little joke there).

What's That Lady Doing?

Journalist, presenter, broadcaster, husband, father, vigorous all-rounder – Alan Partridge – a man with a fascinating past and an amazing future. Gregarious and popular, yet Alan’s never happier than when relaxing in his own five-bedroom, south-built house with three acres of land and access to a private stream. But who is this mysterious enigma? Alan Gordon Partridge is the best – and best-loved – radio presenter in the region. Born into a changing world of rationing, Teddy Boys, apes in space and the launch of ITV, Alan’s broadcasting career began as chief DJ of Radio Smile at St. Luke’s Hospital in Norwich. After replacing Peter Flint as the presenter of Scout About, he entered the top 8 of BBC sports presenters. But Alan’s big break came with his primetime BBC chat show Knowing Me, Knowing You. Sadly, the show battled against poor scheduling, having been put up against News at Ten, then in its heyday. Due to declining ratings, a single catastrophic hitch (the killing of a guest on air) and the dumbing down of network TV, Alan’s show was cancelled. Not to be dissuaded, he embraced this opportunity to wind up his production company, leave London and fulfil a lifelong ambition to return to his roots in local radio. Now single, Alan is an intensely private man but he opens up, for the second time, in this candid, entertaining, often deeply emotional – and of course compelling – memoir, written entirely in his own words. (Alan quickly dispelled the idea of using a ghost writer. With a grade B English Language O-Level, he knew he was up to the task.) He speaks touchingly about his tragic Toblerone addiction, and the painful moment when unsold copies of his first autobiography, Bouncing Back, were pulped like ‘word porridge’. He reveals all about his relationship with his ex-Ukrainian girlfriend, Sonja, with whom he had sex at least twice a day, and the truth about the thick people who make key decisions at the BBC. A literary tour de force, I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan charts the incredible journey of one of our greatest broadcasters.

I, Partridge: We Need To Talk About Alan

From iconic tortured artist/everyman Charles Bukowski, Hollywood is the fictionalization of his experience adapting his novel Barfly into a movie by the same name. Henry Chinaski, Bukowski’s alter-ego, is pushed to translate a semi-autobiographical book into a screenplay for John Pinchot. He reluctantly agrees, and is thrust into the otherworld called Hollywood, with its parade of eccentric and maddening characters: producers, artists, actors and actresses, film executives and journalists. In this world, the artistry of books and film is lost to the dollar, and Chinaski struggles to keep his footing in the tangle of cons that comprise movie making. Hollywood is Dirty Old Man Bukowski at his most lucid. It overflows with curses, sex, and alcohol. And through it all, or from it all, Bukowski finds flashes of truth about the human condition.

Hollywood

This new edition, which is reproduced from a first printing of the book, is introduced by the author Martin Edwards, archivist of the Detection Club, and includes a never-before-published Preface by Agatha Christie, ‘Detective Writers in England’, in which she discusses her fellow writers in the Detection Club. Lord Comstock is a barbarous newspaper tycoon with enemies in high places. His murder in the study of his country houseposes a dilemma for the Home Secretary. In the hours before his death, Lord Comstock’s visitors included the government Chief Whip, an Archbishop, and the Assistant Commissioner for Scotland Yard. Suspicion falls upon them all and threatens the impartiality of any police investigation. Abandoning protocol, the Home Secretary invites four famous detectives to solve the case: Mrs Adela Bradley, Sir John Saumarez, Lord Peter Wimsey, and Mr Roger Sheringham. All are different, all are plausible, all are on their own – and none of them can ask a policeman… This classic whodunit adopted a completely new approach: Milward Kennedy proposed the title, John Rhode plotted the murder and provided the suspects, and four of their contemporaries were asked to lend their well-known detectives to the task of providing solutions to the crime. But there was to be another twist: the authors would swap detectives and use the characters in their sections of the book. Thus Gladys Mitchell and Helen Simpson swapped Mrs Bradley and Sir John Saumarez, and Dorothy Sayers and Anthony Berkeley swapped Lord Peter Wimsey and Roger Sheringham, enabling the authors to indulge in skilful and sly parodies of each other. The contributors to ASK A POLICEMAN are: John Rhode, Helen Simpson, Gladys Mitchell, Anthony Berkeley, Dorothy L. Sayers, Milward Kennedy with Agatha Christie and Martin Edwards.

Ask a Policeman

"Impro is the most dynamic, funny, wise, practical, and provocative book on theatre craft that I have ever read." (James Roose-Evans, British theatre director, priest, and writer) Keith Johnstone's involvement with the theatre began when George Devine and Tony Richardson, artistic directors of the Royal Court Theatre, commissioned a play from him. This was in 1956. A few years later, he was associate artistic director, working as a playreader and director, in particular helping to run the writers' group. The improvisatory techniques and exercises that evolved there, fostering spontaneity and narrative skills, were developed further in the actors' studio and, then, in demonstrations to schools and colleges. This ultimately resulted in the founding of a company of performers called The Theatre Machine. Divided into four sections - "Status", "Spontaneity", "Narrative Skills", and "Masks and Trance" - and arranged more or less in the order a group might approach them, the audiobook sets out the specific techniques and exercises which Johnstone has himself found most useful and most stimulating. The result is both an audiobook of ideas and a fascinating exploration of the nature of spontaneous creativity. This audio edition of Impro is skillfully narrated by William Reay and includes as a second appendix a previously unpublished essay "The Full Mask", which Johnstone wrote 50 years after the original publication of the book. Produced and published by Echo Point Books & Media, an independent bookseller in Brattleboro, Vermont. ©1979, 1981 Keith Johnstone, Irving Wardle.

Impro

"Like hanging with your funniest, sunniest, most sound, wise friend. " – Marian KeyesEverything good, bad and downright mad that has shaped Vogue’s life and career is laid bare in Big Mouth. So get ready for sharply observed, hilarious and very personal insights into divorce, anxiety, family life, and showbiz, alongside important life lessons, such as how to sellotape a bottle of vodka to your inner thigh on a night out and why you should never be friends with a celebrity. Growing up in her beloved Howth, a seaside town in Co Dublin, Vogue’s life had its ups and downs. Her parents separated when she was five, a time in Ireland when priests were still ranting against broken marriages from the pulpit. Bouncing between the routine of her mum Sandra’s house and the pub for a few years (her dad, Freddie, was ‘fond of the drink’), everything changed overnight when Sandra (a complete ride) met Scottish businessman Neil and they moved to the big house on the cliff. In the school halls of Santa Sabina, Vogue made friends for life and spent her teenage years hanging out around off-licences, playing Beat the Slapper and getting kicked out of home. After school, she was packed off to Aberdeen by Neil to begin her short career as a builder but soon jacked it in when she was cast in reality TV show Fade Street. What follows is a behind-the-scenes peek at a rollercoaster life full of highs, lows, marriages, mistakes, misdemeanors and triumphs. Loudly, Vogue tells her whole story, moles and all, for the first time in this candid and funny dive into her hyperactive life.

Big Mouth

With dazzling wit and astonishing insight, Bill Bryson—the acclaimed author of The Lost Continent—brilliantly explores the remarkable history, eccentricities, resilience and sheer fun of the English language. From the first descent of the larynx into the throat (why you can talk but your dog can't), to the fine lost art of swearing, Bryson tells the fascinating, often uproarious story of an inadequate, second-rate tongue of peasants that developed into one of the world's largest growth industries.

The Mother Tongue

The cult classic that can still change your life… Let the dice decide! When a bored psychologist hands over all of his decisions to chance, making choices on the roll of a die, he transforms his life – and the world. Because when you follow the dice, anything can happen. Entertaining, shocking, funny, and frightening – fifty years after its first publication, THE DICE MAN remains one of the most influential and subversive cult novels of all time.

The Dice Man

‘Pacy, witty and affectionate’ Guardian 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. 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. 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? Why is ‘boner’ such a funny word? 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, turning up at a swanky celebrity house party with a blue bag of cans from the offy or identifying the root of his ambition as a childhood incident involving soiled pants and Jurassic Park, Rob digs deep. A Class Act is his funny, candid and often moving account of what it feels like to be an outsider and the valuable (sometimes humiliating) life lessons he’s learned along the way.

A Class Act

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