Biography

Matthew Dennison traces the triumph and contradictions of Vita Sackville-West's extraordinary life. His narrative charts a fascinating course from Vita's lonely childhood at Knole, through her affectionate but 'open' marriage to Harold Nicolson (during which both husband and wife energetically pu...

'Being Elvis' takes a clear-eyed look at the most-loved entertainer ever, and finds an unusual boy with a dazzling talent who grew up to change popular culture; a man who sold a billion records and had more hits than any other singer, but who became trapped by his own frailties in the loneliness ...

During a wildly unpredictable sixty-nine year life, Richard Wagner became the hero of his era and the official protagonist of a new unified Germany: his music was its music. The architect of the vast four-day, fifteen-hour epic, he unleashed through his thousands and thousands of words gods and d...

At London 2012, Nicola Adams made history. The flyweight boxer became the first woman ever to win an Olympic Gold medal for boxing. In Rio 2016, with the nation cheering her on, she did it all over again. Years of relentless training, fundraising and determination have seen Nicola battle through ...

Writing with the same candour and razor-sharp insight evident in his comedy, Eddie Izzard reflects on a childhood marked by unutterable loss, sexuality and coming out, as well as a life in show business, politics, and philanthropy. Honest and generous, 'Believe Me' is an inspired account of a ver...

Dame Beryl Bainbridge was one of the best loved and most recognisable English novelists of her generation. She was shortlisted for the Booker Prize five times and her critically acclaimed novels 'The Dressmaker' (1973), 'The Bottle Factory Outing' (1974), 'An Awfully Big Adventure' (1990), 'Every...

With nearly 20 years as a player - plus almost 25 years as a coach and manager - under his belt, Sam Allardyce is one of the most recognisable figures in British football. Big Sam has been a robust defensive general throughout the 70s and 80s, and an imposing touchline presence as a gaffer since ...

There's only one Christopher Biggins. His radiant personality and wicked sense of humour have made him a hit with millions of fans. But just who is the person behind the infectious laugh? In this biography, Biggin's trademark wit shines through as he relates the full story of his colourful life.

For the first time, more than 15 years after four boys from London were first thrown together to form what would go on to become one of the most successful and infamous groups of the boyband era, Lee, Antony, Duncan and Simon tell their full, no-holds-barred story in their own inimitable words.

This is a biographical dictionary of saints canonised by the Roman Catholic Church. It includes the names of over 10,000 saints, including all modern ones, with information about their lives and achievements.