Secondhand Biographies

Russell Brand grew up in Essex . His father left when he was three months old, he was bulimic at 12 and left school at 16 to study at the...

The SUNDAY TIMES bestselling inside story of the real relationship between King Charles III and his mother, our late Queen, by the acclaimed royal biographer, Ingrid Seward. 'Incisive, emotive and...

The No. 1 Sunday Times Bestseller. At just eight years old, Jodie is violent, aggressive and extremely challenging. Five carers in four months have been unable to cope, but there...

John and Geraldine Gleeson, teenage sweethearts in Carlow, had only one wish in life after they got married: to have a child. Promises to Keep is John Gleeon's heartrending account...

'Vivid and compelling and so moving... Kit's depiction of her parents' dynamic is both painful and comforting to read' Marian Keyes*Soon to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4*From the award-winning...

Now a Netflix original series! Unorthodox is the bestselling memoir of a young Jewish woman's escape from a religious sect, in the tradition of Ayaan Hirsi Ali's Infidel and Carolyn...

A harrowing memoir of life with manic depression. All In My Head reveals the terrible reality of the condition and it's devastating impact on the life of a young woman....

This is Esther William's witty autobiography, all about an 18-year-old girl who reluctantly answers the call of MGM and finds herself launched in a career that lasted almost 20 years.

Ken Clarke needs no introduction. One of the genuine 'Big Beasts' of the political scene, during his forty-six years as the Member of Parliament for Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire he has...

After a lifetime of impartial reporting for the BBC from the world's war zones and trouble spots, Martin Bell writes about the human misery and political cynicism that makes up...

The dramatic and inspiring story of one woman's incredible journey into the heart of a man and his nation.Born into a distinguished Arab-American family, Lisa Halaby was a strongly independent...

The Sisterhood explores God's vision for women: what they should believe about God, themselves, and their ability to make the world a better place. Bobbie shows readers how to embrace...

Gilda O'Neill's The East End traces the East End of London - cockneys, criminals, street markets, pub singalongs, dog racing, jellied eels. London's East End it is a place at...

Hoping to improve her Chinese and broaden her cultural horizons, Rachel DeWoskin went to work for an American PR firm in China. Before she knew it, she was not just...

** BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK 29 JUNE - 3 JULY 2020 READ BY SANJEEV BHASKAR (GOODNESS GRACIOUS ME, THE KUMARS AT NO. 42 AND MORE) ** 'Enthralling...

A vividly rendered and empathetic exploration of how two of the greatest poets of the 20th century-Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton-became bitter rivals and, eventually, friends. Introduced at a workshop...

A confessional, uplifting memoir from the beloved YouTube personality. Twenty-three year old Joey Graceffa has captured the hearts of millions of teens and young adults through his playful, sweet, and...

This is a remarkably honest and moving account of fathering over the past century, with a particular focus on Richard Madeley's own turbulent family history.Richard Madeley is fascinated by the...

Katie Piper's extraordinary story of strength and recovery after a brutal rape and acid attack has captivated Britain. In this powerful sequel to her bestselling memoir, Katie tells the remarkable...

After ten years living abroad, Tarquin Hall wanted to return to his native London. Lured by his nostalgia for a leafy suburban childhood spent in south-west London, he returned with...

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON FICTION AND THE RATHBONES FOLIO PRIZE.A GUARDIAN AND OBSERVER BOOK OF THE YEAR.An intimate, deeply reported account of the women who made...

When Edwina Ashley, god-daughter of Edward VII, came out in 1920 she was the most intriguing and intelligent of the debutantes of her day. When her grandfather, Sir Ernest Cassell,...

The Life and Adventures of John Nicol, Mariner is a recently rediscovered text that vividly renders the unforgettable story of a man whom history had nearly forgotten.In his many voyages,...

'Highly engaging . . . The creeping escalation of oppression and rebellion is often thrillingly told . . . A powerful story of a history that remains far from settled'...

On 15 March 1996, Bruno de Stabenrath made love for the last time; the next day he was lying in a coma in hospital. He spent the following fourteen months...

An idea came to Simon Cowell one night as he watched an episode of The Sopranos. Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman were providing the background music singing 'Time to Say...

Jennie, Lady Randolph Churchill, mother of England's greatest statesman, was a single-minded and dynamic woman, who overcame the scandal of a criminal father and an upbringing spent largely in exile...

Vitali's fearless journalism made him a national hero in the USSR, as well as a sitting target for the criminals he has helped to convict. In this book he investigates...

David Taylor was a supremely resourceful backbencher, a polymath and a unique parliamentary craftsman whose sudden death on Boxing Day 2009 shocked and saddened all of Westminster. In this biography,...

One forgotten street, 12 unforgettable women. ''Ang on boy, Joan's got sumfink to show yer.' She rummaged in a drawer for a moment, pulled out a piece of paper and...

'Hilarious, informative, enlightening, instructive ... It's the funniest book I've read all year' - Chris Evans***You're about to die. What would your final meal be?This question has long troubled Jay...

In the early 1960s, Anne Watts was a newly qualified nurse, eager to use her skills. Her father expected her to work locally, not too far from North Wales, where...