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Strictly Me: My Life Under the Spotlight
by Mark RamprakashMark Ramprakash is arguably the greatest English batsman of his generation, but he is also an enigma. He is among an elite group of players who have scored 100 first-class centuries, yet has never flourished as he should have done at Test level. To many people in the UK, he is just as well known for his exploits on the dance floor: he won Strictly Come Dancing in 2006 and went on to win the Champion of Champions final in 2008 for Sport Relief.In Strictly Me, Ramprakash covers in detail all aspects of his cricket career - from the hot-headed cricketing prodigy who made his Test debut for England at the age of 21 to finally being cast aside by his country in 2002. He discusses how he has become one of the UK's best celebrity dancers and how his newfound status as a media celebrity has flourished since then.
We Are the Damned United: The Real Story of Brian Clough at Leeds United
by Phil RostronBrian Clough's forty-four-day tenure as manager of Leeds United in 1974 is one of the most infamous episodes in British football history. While the bestselling The Damned United was a fictional account of Clough's short-lived but controversial reign at the club, We Are the Damned United reveals the true story, as told by the players he managed at the time. It includes candid contributions from legendary names such as Peter Lorimer, Eddie Gray and Terry Yorath, who reveal what it was like to make the transition from the relatively smooth management style of Don Revie to a constant crossing of swords with the outspoken Clough, who left the club flailing at the foot of the league upon his premature departure. We Are the Damned United tells it how it really was rather than how it might have been.
Shane Warne's Century: My Top 100 Test Cricketers
by Shane WarneWith a flamboyant approach to the game on and off the pitch, Australia's greatest bowler Shane Warne is an irresistible cricketing force. In Shane Warne's Century, he candidly profiles 100 players from every Test nation who have had the most significant impact on his cricketing life.Warne is famous for having never scoring a Test century, although he came tantalisingly close on several occasions. He now wants to set the record straight by writing about a century of cricketing stars he has encountered during his illustrious career, The famous names featured here include fellow Australian legends Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting and Glenn McGrath, as well as adversaries such as Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Jonty Rhodes and Freddie Flintoff. Warne also puts together a dream Test match of those he would have loved to have played alongside versus a team of international legends. Pulling no punches and giving a fascinating insight into the game, Warne serves up highly readable anecdotes and opinions.Throughout the book, Warne covers the serious issues affecting cricket today, such as cheating and match-fixing, and assesses a large number of professional relationships he has enjoyed and endured, including those with Sri Lankan star Arjuna Ranatunga and South African captain Graeme Smith.Shane Warne's Century is a genuine page-turner by one of cricket's most popular stars and is a must-read for all cricket fans.
Shane: My Story
by Delme Parfitt Shane WilliamsShane Williams has spent almost a decade thrilling the rugby world with his evasive running skills and a box of tricks that has left the best defences grasping thin air, disproving the notion that size matters in modern professional rugby. He's been called the little wizard, the artful dodger and a whole host of other superlatives, and wherever Williams has played, the crowd have been on the edge of their seats.As his teenage years came to an end, Williams looked set for a life of relative obscurity playing scrum-half for his local side, Amman United, and scratching around in a variety of day jobs. All that changed, however, when he was plucked from nowhere by then Neath coach Lyn Jones, and his rise to become Wales's most dangerous strike runner was meteoric. Following his international debut aged 21, Williams lit up Wales's 2003 World Cup campaign and went on to become an integral part of the Grand Slam-winning side of 2005, a year in which he also toured with the British Lions to New Zealand. In 2008, when Wales took the Grand Slam once more, he made a sensational contribution to the side's glorious victory. After leading the great Bryan Habana a merry dance on the way to two mesmerising tries on Wales' tour to South Africa just two months later, Williams became the first Welshman crowned IRB World Player of the Year that autumn. He then completed the 2008-09 season with a second Lions tour, touching down twice in the 28-9 third Test victory against the Springboks. In Shane, Williams reveals the inside story of his incredible rugby career so far, the personal trials that have come with success and how he has managed to defy the odds to become a living Welsh rugby legend.
Sex, Lies and Handlebar Tape: The Remarkable Life of Jacques Anquetil, the First Five-Times Winner of the Tour de France
by Paul HowardSex, Lies and Handlebar Tape is the astonishing biography of French cycling star Jacques Anquetil. For the first time since his death in 1987, it reveals the extraordinary truth behind the legend, the man and the cyclist.His list of 'firsts' alone makes him worthy of a place in the cycling pantheon: the first man to win the Tour de France five times; the first man to win all three grand tours - the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España; and the first man to win both the Tour and Vuelta in the same year.However, the extraordinary life of Anquetil does not stop at his achievements on a bike. He candidly admitted to using drugs, offended legions of fans by confessing that his only motivation for riding was financial and infamously indulged his enthusiasm for the high life. He also seduced and married his doctor's wife, had a child with her daughter and then sustained a ménage à trois with both wife and stepdaughter under the same roof for 12 years. When this 'family' eventually imploded, he attempted to inspire jealousy in his former lovers by having a child with his stepson's ex-wife.Containing exclusive contributions from Anquetil's family, friends, teammates and rivals, Sex, Lies and Handlebar Tape untangles myth from reality and confirms that fact is definitely stranger than fiction.
Since I Was a Princess: The Fourteen-Year Fight to Find My Children
by Jacqueline PascarlIn Once I Was a Princess, Jacqueline Pascarl related the gripping story of her abusive childhood and her subsequent teen marriage to a prince. What should have been a fairy tale with a happy ending deteriorated into a nightmare of deceit and betrayal - ending in the kidnapping of her two small children by her former husband, who spirited them back to Malaysia.In Since I Was a Princess, Pascarl peels back the layers of her life after the abduction. She tells how she channelled her grief, forging an existence as an aid worker and humanitarian ambassador in war-torn countries and working with refugees and the dispossessed. She describes how she persuaded some of the world's most influential figures to support her aid work and became a human rights activist on the international stage, championing the cause of other parents whose children had been kidnapped and reuniting scores of families.Pascarl also explains how she lived frenetically as she painfully rebuilt her life and re-evaluated her relationships, grappling with the emotional complexities of a new pregnancy and beginning a second family. And she reveals for the first time the dramatic details of how, at last, she was able to be reunited with her long-lost children and make her family whole.Candid and compelling, Since I Was a Princess is an unforgettable ride through tragedy, loss and, finally, triumph.
Serpentine
by Tom MortonA name from the murkiest corners of Britain's secret war in Ireland: Serpentine. At first it's just gossip and fearful whispers. But then people begin to die and all hell breaks loose from Palestine to the remote Highlands of Scotland. Fresh from the toughest assignments in the mercenary world comes former SAS officer Murricane. Can he find Serpentine before it's too late and before the horrific secrets of the past threaten to cause chaos not just in Ireland but in the Middle East too?In a trail of mayhem that leads through Scotland, Gaza and Ireland, Murricane battles his own demons, as well as a monstrous former RUC officer, a disgraced policeman and a series of unreliable Land Rovers, until Serpentine plays his final, devastating game . . .Serpentine is an explosive, bitterly funny journey into the darkest heart of the Irish Troubles and the violence that lurks in Scotland's most scenic Highland communities.
Voices Against War: A Century of Protest
by Lyn SmithBased on nearly 200 personal testimonies from the Imperial War Museum's Collections, this landmark book tells the stories of those of those who participated in anti-war protest from the First World War 1914-18 to the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.Voices Against War is a compelling, emotional and very moving human story, essential for understanding war in its entirety.
The Underworld Captain: From Gangland Goodfella To Army Officer
by Alexander Shannon David LeslieAlexander Shannon escaped a shady past to enjoy a glittering career in the army, only to end up back in the thick of criminal activity.Shannon's time as a soldier saw him posted to the Falklands, Northern Ireland and war-torn Bosnia. The rigours of army life took their toll and he found himself drawn into a series of ruthless gang wars. He used the skills he'd learned in the forces to hide weapons, work for drugs racketeers and plot a massacre, and he was offered a fortune to work as a Mafia-style contract assassin.He was questioned over brutal killings and accused of a triple murder attempt, yet his dedication and determination to succeed in the army brought him accolades and a series of promotions. In The Underworld Captain, Shannon explains how he managed to combine a successful army career with dangerous gangland dealings for so long and how he finally broke free for good.
This May Help You Understand the World
by Lawrence PotterThis is a life raft for anyone who finds themselves floundering amidst a sea of ten-second soundbites, wishing they had a better grasp of complexities of world politics and global issues. Clear, concise language sets the record straight on a diverse range of topics as Lawrence Potter presents answers to fifty-seven questions about the world we live in, stretching from "What is jihad?" to "is fair trade a good thing?" and "Is there still a war in Chechnya?" . Important information including the latest research on environmental issues and the history behind current events worldwide is presented in enough detail to be useful without overwhelming readers with too much making for a balanced, informed reference guide.Also covering... What is the problem with plastic bags? What did Sadaam do to the Kurds? What is the difference between a sunni and a shia and is it possible that global warming is not taking place in a thoroughly updated new edition complete with a new chapter explaining the problem of Afghanistan
Short Walks from Bogotá: Journeys in the new Colombia
by Tom FeilingFor decades, Colombia was the 'narcostate'. Now travel to Colombia and South America is on the rise, and it's seen as one of the rising stars of the global economy. Where does the truth lie? Writer and journalist Tom Feiling, author of the acclaimed study of cocaine The Candy Machine, has journeyed throughout Colombia, down roads that were until recently too dangerous to travel, to paint a fresh picture of one of the world's most notorious and least-understood countries. He talks to former guerrilla fighters and their ex-captives; women whose sons were 'disappeared' by paramilitaries; the nomadic tribe who once thought they were the only people on earth and now charge $10 for a photo; the Japanese 'emerald cowboy' who made a fortune from mining; and revels in the stories that countless ordinary Colombians tell. How did a land likened to paradise by the first conquistadores become a byword for hell on earth? Why is one of the world's most unequal nations also one of its happiest? How is it rebuilding itself after decades of violence, and how successful has the process been so far? Vital, shocking, often funny and never simplistic, Short Walks from Bogota unpicks the tangled fabric of Colombia, to create a stunning work of reportage, history and travel writing.
Winds of Change: Britain in the Early Sixties
by Peter HennessyFollowing Never Again and Having It So Good, the third part of Peter Hennessy's celebrated Post-War Trilogy'By far the best study of early Sixties Britain ... so much fun, yet still shrewd and important' The Times, Books of the Year Harold Macmillan famously said in 1960 that the wind of change was blowing over Africa and the remaining British Empire. But it was blowing over Britain too - its society; its relationship with Europe; its nuclear and defence policy. And where it was not blowing hard enough - the United Kingdom's economy - great efforts were made to sweep away the cobwebs of old industrial practices and poor labour relations. Life was lived in the knowledge that it could end in a single afternoon of thermonuclear exchange if the uneasy, armed peace of the Cold War tipped into a Third World War.In Winds of Change we see Macmillan gradually working out his 'grand design' - how to be part of both a tight transatlantic alliance and Europe, dealing with his fellow geostrategists Kennedy and de Gaulle. The centre of the book is 1963 - the year of the Profumo Crisis, the Great Train Robbery, the satire boom, de Gaulle's veto of Britain's first application to join the EEC, the fall of Macmillan and the unexpected succession to the premiership of Alec Douglas-Home. Then, in 1964, the battle of what Hennessy calls the tweedy aristocrat and the tweedy meritocrat - Harold Wilson, who would end 13 years of Conservative rule and usher in a new era.As in his acclaimed histories of British life in the two previous decades, Never Again and Having it so Good, Peter Hennessy explains the political, economic, cultural and social aspects of a nation with inimitable wit and empathy. No historian knows the by-ways as well the highways of the archives so well, and no one conveys the flavour of the period so engagingly. The early sixties live again in these pages.
Tove Jansson: Work and Love
by Dr Tuula KarjalainenThe definitive illustrated biography of one of the most unique and beloved children's authors of the 20th century, the creator of the Moomins. Tove Jansson (1914-2001) led a long, colourful and productive life, impacting significantly the political, social and cultural history of 20th-century Finland. And while millions of children have grown up with Little My, Snufkin, Moomintroll and the many creatures of Moominvalley, the life of Jansson - daughter, friend and companion - is more touching still. This book weaves together the myriad qualities of a painter, author, illustrator, scriptwriter and lyricist from fraught beginnings through fame, war and heartbreak and ultimately to a peaceful end.
Bridesmaids
by Jane CostelloFour weddings, without the funeral... With less than an hour before her best friend walks down the aisle, Evie is attempting to fulfil her most important role as a bridesmaid: to deposit the bride at the start-line at the appointed time. But with a bride famed for her chaotic sense of time, the odds are stacked against her. Evie herself, meanwhile, has never been in love and doubts she ever will be. Small wonder that the prospect of being a bridesmaid at no less than THREE impending weddings fills her with trepidation. But then she meets Jack, who is dating the beautiful, self-obsessed Valentina and can&’t possibly be as good as he seems. Can he?
The Nearly-Weds: The Sunday Times bestselling enemies to lovers, grumpy boss, romcom - the perfect laugh out loud spring read
by Jane CostelloRNA Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year Award winner! After being dumped on her wedding day, Zoe jumps on a plane to Boston, USA, to find work as a nanny and leave the drama at home in England behind her. She&’s finds two lovely kids but a hellish boss in dad Ryan, who is so wrapped up in grief after the death of their mom that he barely registers their existence. But as Zoe attempts to inject some fun back into the children&’s lives – and remind handsome, broken Ryan where his priorities lie – she glimpses a side of him that is entirely unexpected. She&’s no Mary Poppins. He&’s no Employer of the Year. With the stakes so high, will they ever start to understand each other? The Sunday Times bestselling enemies to lovers, grumpy boss, romcom - the perfect laugh out loud spring read. &‘Heart-warming and hilarious - the funniest novel we&’ve read in years&’ Heat
The Sloop of War, 1650–1763: 1650-1763
by Ian McLaughlan&“A delight . . . fulfills a long-felt need to do justice to the smaller ships of war that did such sterling service for the sailing Royal Navy.&”—Ships in Scale This is the first study in depth of the Royal Navy&’s vital, but largely ignored small craft. In the age of sail, they were built in huge numbers and in far greater variety than the more regulated major warships, so they present a particular challenge to any historian attempting a coherent design history. However, for the first time this book charts the development of the ancillary types, variously described in the 17th century as sloops, ketches, brigantines, advice boats and even yachts, as they coalesce into the single 18th-century category of Sloop of War. In this era, they were generally two-masted, although they set a bewildering variety of sail plans from them. The author traces their origins to open boats, like those carried by Basque whalers, shows how developments in Europe influenced English craft, and homes in on the relationship between rigs, hull-form and the duties they were designed to undertake. Visual documentation is scanty, but this book draws together a unique collection of rare and unseen images, coupled with the author&’s own reconstructions in line drawings and watercolor sketches to provide the most convincing depictions of the appearance of these vessels. By tackling some of the most obscure questions about the early history of small-boat rigs, the book adds a dimension that will be of interest to historians of coastal sail and practical yachtsmen, as well as warship enthusiasts. &“Fascinating . . . It combines a truly scholarly delivery with a lovely presentation. History brought to life.&”—tomcunliffe.com
Seaforth World Naval Review 2015: 2015
by Conrad WatersThe &“profusely illustrated&” yearly military reference that features world fleet reviews, significant ship developments, and technological advancements (Ships Monthly). Now in its seventh year, this annual has established an international reputation as an authoritative but affordable summary of all that has happened in the naval world in the previous twelve months. It combines regional surveys with one-off major articles on noteworthy new ships and other important developments. Besides the latest warship projects, it also looks at wider issues of importance to navies, such as aviation and electronics, and calls on expertise from around the globe to give a balanced picture of what is going on and to interpret its significance. The 2015 edition looks in detail at the French Navy and the Bangladesh and Myanmar navies, while significant ships include the Montford Point class mobile landing platforms, the Samuel Beckett offshore patrol vessels, and the Skjold class fast attack craft. There are technological reviews dealing with naval aviation by David Hobbs, and current mine warfare developments by Norman Friedman, while warship recycling is discussed by Ian Buxton. Intended to make interesting reading as well as providing authoritative reference, there is a strong visual emphasis, including specially commissioned drawings and the most up-to-date photographs and artists&’ impressions. For anyone with an interest in contemporary naval affairs, whether an enthusiast or a defense professional, this annual has become required reading.
DORNIER Do 17–The Luftwaffe's 'Flying Pencil': Rare Luftwaffe Photographs From Wartime Collections (Air War Archive)
by Chris GossFor the first three years of the Second World War, the Dornier Do 17 was the Luftwaffe&’s principal light bomber. Designed to be fast enough to outrun contemporary fighter aircraft, the Dornier helped to spearhead Germany&’s Blitzkrieg as Hitler&’s armies raced through Poland and then France and the Low Countries. Until its withdrawal to secondary duties in 1941, the Dornier Do 17 served in every theatre of war involving German forces. This included the invasion of the Balkans and Greece as well as the battle to capture Crete. After suffering heavy losses at the hands of Fighter Command in the Battle of Britain, the Do 17 was employed in Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. The Do 17 was withdrawn from frontline service later in 1941 but continued to be used by the German Air Force in various roles until the end of the war, including seeing service as a glider tug and in the defence of the Reich in 1944 as a night fighter. In this compilation of unrivalled images collected over many years, and now part of Frontline's new War in the Air series, the widespread deployment of the Dornier Do 17 is portrayed and brought to life.
MIG Menace Over Korea: The Story of Soviet Fighter Ace Nicolai Sutiagin
by Yuri Sutiagin Igor SeidovThis fascinating biography of a Russian flying ace offers a rare glimpse into the role of the Soviet Air Force during the Korean War. Nikolai Vasil'evich Sutiagin was the top-scoring Soviet flying ace of the Korean War. He flew his MiG-15 in lethal dogfights against American Sabres and Australian Meteors, winning twenty-two victories. For his distinguished service, he was named a Hero of the Soviet Union, the Soviet military&’s highest honor. Now, with the opening of the Russian archives, this authoritative biography presents a full account of Sutiagin&’s life and career. Beyond these official records, the authors draw from the reminiscences of Sutiagin's comrades and his wife's personal diary to present a nuanced and vividly detailed portrait of one of Russia&’s greatest fighter pilots.
The Gods of Battle: The Thracians at War, 1500 BC - 150 AD
by Chris WebberHerodotus described the Thracians (who inhabited what is now roughly modern Bulgaria, Romania, the European part of Turkey and northern Greece) as the most numerous nation of all - apart from the Indians - and said that they would be the most powerful of all nations if they didnt enjoy fighting each other so much. There may have been a million Thracians, divided among as many as 40 tribes.Ancient writers were hard put to decide which of the Thracian tribes was the most valiant; they were employed as mercenaries by all the great Mediterranean civilizations. Thrace had the potential to field huge numbers of troops, and the Greeks and Romans lived in fear of a dark Thracian cloud descending from the north, devastating civilization in the Balkans. The Thracian way of warfare had a huge influence on Classical Greek and Hellenistic warfare. After Thrace was conquered by the Romans, the Thracians provided a ready source of tough auxiliaries to the Roman army. Chris Webber gives an overview of Thracian history and culture, but focuses predominantly on their warfare and weapons. The latest archaeological finds are used to give the most detailed and accurate picture yet of their arms, armor and costume. He identifies and differentiates the many different tribes, showing that their weapons and tactics varied. The resulting study should be welcomed by anyone interested in the archaeology and history of the region or in classical warfare as a whole.
Albert Ball VC: The Fighter Pilot Hero of World War I
by Colin PengellyAn action-packed military biography of a British fighter pilot and his rise through ranks during World War I. World War I pilot Albert Ball&’s invincible courage and determination made him a legend not only in Britain but also amongst his enemies, to whom the sight of his lone Nieuport Scout brought fear. Ball enlisted in the British army in 1914 with the 2/7th Battalion (Robin Hoods) of the Sherwood Foresters, Notts, and Derby Regiment. By October, 1914, he had reached the rank of Sergeant and then became Second-Lieutenant to his own battalion in the same month. In June, 1915, he trained as a pilot in Hendon. Then in October, he obtained Royal Aero Club Certificate and was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. He further trained at Norwich and Upavon, being awarded the pilot&’s brevet in January, 1916. In May, he opened his score, shooting down an Albatros C-type over Beaumont. Days later he shot down two LVG C-types, while flying his Nieuport 5173. Captain Albert Ball made his final flight on May 7, 1917, when he flew as part of an eleven-strong hunting patrol into action against Jagdstaffel 11, led by Lothar Von Richthofen. Albert was pursuing the Albatros Scout of Lothar, who crash-landed, wounded. Then many witnessed Albert dive out of a cloud and crash. He died minutes later in the arms of a French girl, Madame Cecille Deloffre. Ball rose from obscurity to the top rank of contemporary fighter pilots in only 15 months. In that period, he had been awarded the MC, DSO, and two Bars, and was credited with at least 44 victories.
Escape, Evasion and Revenge: The True Story of a German-Jewish RAF Pilot Who Bombed Berlin and Became a PoW
by Marc H. Stevens&“A truly remarkable story . . . Marc Stevens has produced a fitting tribute to his father . . . who played a full part in the defeat of Nazi Germany.&” —HistoryOfWar.org Peter Stevens was a German-Jewish refugee who escaped Nazi persecution as a teenager in 1933. He joined the RAF in 1939 and after eighteen months of pilot training he started flying bombing missions against his own country. He completed twenty-two missions before being shot down and taken prisoner by the Nazis in September 1941. To escape became his raison d&’être and his great advantage was that he was in his native country. He was recaptured after each of his several escapes, but the Nazis never realized his true identity. He took part in the logistics and planning of several major breakouts, including The Great Escape, but was never successful in getting back to England. After liberation, when the true nature of his exploits came to light, he was awarded the Military Cross. He then served as a British spy at the beginning of the Cold War before emigrating to Canada to resume a normal life. This is the story of a heavily conflicted young man, alone in a world that is in the midst of destruction. He is afforded an opportunity to help his persecuted people to obtain a small measure of revenge. It is at once a sad yet uplifting tale of thankless and unheralded heroism.&“This is a wartime career that would make any son proud, but Steven&’s real triumph is in writing a biography that will satisfy the most discerning historian.&” —National Defence Journal
One Day: Now a major Netflix series
by David Nicholls***Pre-order David Nicholls' new novel YOU ARE HERE now - Coming April 2024***THE MULTI-MILLION COPY BESTSELLER, NOW A MAJOR NETFLIX SERIES'A wonderful, wonderful book' THE TIMES 'Perfect' NEW YORK TIMES 'A modern classic' DAILY MIRROR 'You'd be hard pressed to find a sharper, sweeter romantic comedy' INDEPENDENT 'Big, absorbing, smart, fantastically readable' NICK HORNBYTWENTY YEARS, TWO PEOPLE, ONE DAY15th July 1988. Emma and Dexter meet for the first time on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways. So where will they be on this one day next year? And the year after that? And every year that follows?ONE OF BRITAIN'S MOST ACCLAIMED WRITERS 'One of the most astute chroniclers of England as it is now' FINANCIAL TIMES 'An uncanny ability to make us laugh out loud, but also care passionately about his characters' DAILY TELEGRAPH 'Nicholls writes with such tender precision about love' THE TIMES 'No one else writes novels that are both relatable and revelatory in the way he does' EVENING STANDARD 'Genuinely brilliant' NEW STATESMAN
Starter For Ten: The debut novel by the author of ONE DAY
by David Nicholls***Pre-order David Nicholls' new novel YOU ARE HERE now - Coming April 2024***THE DEBUT NOVEL BY BELOVED BESTSELLER DAVID NICHOLLSA comedy about love, class, growing up and the all-important difference between knowledge and wisdom'Painfully funny'ELLE'Hugely entertaining'DAILY MAIL'Wincingly good'TIME OUT'Unrivalled'GLAMOUR'I laughed a lot'JEREMY PAXMANIt's 1985 and Brian Jackson has arrived at university with a burning ambition - to make it onto TV's foremost general knowledge quiz. But no sooner has he embarked on 'The Challenge' than he finds himself falling hopelessly in love with his teammate, the beautiful and charismatic would-be actress Alice Harbinson.When Alice fails to fall for his slightly over-eager charms, Brian comes up with a foolproof plan to capture her heart once and for all: he's going to win the game, at any cost. Because - after all - everyone knows that what a woman really wants from a man is a comprehensive grasp of general knowledge . . .ONE OF BRITAIN'S MOST ACCLAIMED WRITERS'One of the most astute chroniclers of England as it is now'FINANCIAL TIMES'An uncanny ability to make us laugh out loud, but also care passionately about his characters'DAILY TELEGRAPH'Nicholls writes with such tender precision about love'THE TIMES'No one else writes novels that are both relatable and revelatory in the way he does'EVENING STANDARD'Genuinely brilliant'NEW STATESMAN
The Understudy: A comic masterpiece by the author of ONE DAY
by David Nicholls***Pre-order David Nicholls' new novel YOU ARE HERE now - Coming April 2024***A COMIC MASTERPIECE BY BELOVED BESTSELLER DAVID NICHOLLSA scintillating comedy of ambition, celebrity, jealousy and love'Irresistible' DAILY MAIL 'Wonderfully chaotic' THE TIMES 'Delightful' OBSERVER 'Brilliant' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 'Funniest book of the year' MARIE CLAIRE For Josh Harper, being in show-business means everything he ever wanted: money, fame, a beautiful wife and a lead role on the London stage. For Stephen C. McQueen, it means being stuck with an unfortunate name, a hopeless agent and a job as understudy to Josh Harper, the 12th Sexiest Man in the World. When Stephen falls in love with Josh's clever, funny wife, Nora, things get even more difficult. But might there yet be a way for Stephen to get his big break?ONE OF BRITAIN'S MOST ACCLAIMED WRITERS'One of the most astute chroniclers of England as it is now'FINANCIAL TIMES'An uncanny ability to make us laugh out loud, but also care passionately about his characters'DAILY TELEGRAPH'Nicholls writes with such tender precision about love'THE TIMES'No one else writes novels that are both relatable and revelatory in the way he does'EVENING STANDARD'Genuinely brilliant'NEW STATESMAN