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<b>'The book of the year' <i>SUNDAY TIMES</i><br/>'One of the very best biographies I have ever read' STEPHEN FRY<br/>'A hot thunderstorm of a book' DAVID HARE<br/>'<i>Erotic Vagrancy</i> gave me a week of pure joy' CRAIG BROWN<br/>'Unputdownable' TONY PALMER<br/>'A genius writer' LYNN BARBER<br/>'ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE . . . ONE OF THE GREAT READING EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE' MARINA HYDE<br/>A TOP 25 BEST BOOK OF 2023 <i>(INDEPENDENT)</i></b><br/><br/>Thirteen years in the writing, Erotic Vagrancy doesn't only surpass every other biography of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton yet to appear, this rich, vital and passionately articulated book, which is as extravagant and wayward as its two subjects, is also about celebrity, creativity, being flawed, being brilliant, sexuality, the intermingling of a low and a highbrow existence, pride, insecurity, attraction and repulsion, and devilry.<br/><br/>We see Taylor the child actress exchanging dogs and horses for husbands. We see Burton emerging from the mists and brimstone of Wales to be the greatest theatrical animal of his generation. The pair come together in Rome during the making of Cleopatra, which gives Lewis the opportunity for a major farcical set-piece. We then enter a world of jewels and private jets, vodka, yachts and furs - the splendid vulgarity of the Sixties, where the narrative of Taylor and Burton becomes a Pop Art story.<br/><br/>Then, inevitably, it all goes wrong, with alcoholism, violence, recrimination and divorce ( twice ) - with Burton, whom Lewis depicts as a Faustus figure, damned by fame, dead at fifty-eight.<br/><br/>Stephen Fry has said, 'It is one of the very best biographies I have ever read. One of the best books about fame, desire, Hollywood and mid-to-late twentieth century culture ever written. Inside which, brilliant, hilarious and sensitive insights on all manner of subjects fizz and froth. Magnificent, terrible, tragic, triumphant.'

<i>"I loved writing, I loved chronicling life and every moment I was cogent, sober, or blitzed, I was forever feeding off my surroundings, making copious notes as ammunition for future compositions. . . . The thing is good, bad or indifferent I never stopped writing, it was as addictive as any drug."</i><br/><br/>This is the memoir music fans have been waiting for. Half of one of the greatest creative partnerships in popular music, Bernie Taupin is the man who wrote the lyrics for Elton John, who conceived the ideas that spawned countless hits, and sold millions and millions of records. Together, they were a duo, a unit, an immovable object. Their extraordinary, half-century-and-counting creative relationship has been chronicled in biopics (like 2019's <i>Rocketman</i>) and even John's own autobiography, <i>Me</i>. But Taupin, a famously private person, has kept his own account of their adventures close to his chest, until now.<br/><br/>Written with honesty and candour,<i> Scatterhot</i> allows the reader to witness events unfolding from Taupin's singular perspective, sometimes front and center, sometimes from the edge, yet always described vibrantly, with an infectious energy that only a vivid songwriter's prose could offer. From his childhood in the East Midlands of England whose imagination was sparked and forever informed by the distinctly American mythopoetics of country music and cowboys, to the glittering, star-studded fishbowl of '70s and '80s Beverly Hills, <i>Scattershot </i>is simultaneously a <i>Tom Jones -</i>like picaresque journey across a landscape of unforgettable characters, as well as a striking, first-hand account of a creative era like no other and one man's experience at the core of it.<br/><br/>An exciting, multi-decade whirlwind, <i>Scattershot</i> whizzes around the world as we ride shotgun with Bernie on his extraordinary life. We visit New York with him and Elton on the cusp of global fame. We spend time with him in Australia almost in residency at an infamous rock 'n' roll hotel in an endless blizzard of drugs. And we spend late, late night hours with John Lennon, with Bob Marley, and hanging with Frank Sinatra. And beyond the world of popular music, we witness memorable encounters with writers like Graham Greene, painters like Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali, and scores of notable misfits, miscreants, eccentrics, and geniuses, known and unknown. Even if they're not famous in their own right, they are stars on the page, and we discover how they inspired the indelible lyrics to songs such as "Tiny Dancer," "Candle in the Wind," "Bennie and The Jets," and so many more.<br/><br/>Unique and utterly compelling, <i>Scattershot</i> will transport the reader across the decades and around the globe, along the way meeting some of the greatest creative minds of the 20th century, and into the vivid imaginings of one of music's most legendary lyricists.

<strong>Would you want to know what your colleagues say behind your back? </strong> <br/><br/> <strong>'Darkly funny with a brilliant premise' Emma Gannon</strong> <br/><br/> <strong>For readers who loved <em>The Office US</em> and <em>Really Good, Actually</em> comes the awkward heroine you're about to fall in love with</strong> <br/><br/>Jolene certainly doesn't. <br/><br/>She's riddled with anxiety, depressed, and hates her coworkers. The less she knows about them, the better. <br/><br/>So when a catastrophic IT f*ck up grants her access to all of their emails and private messages, she's initially horrified. The last thing she wants is to be privy to their sad discussions about dying desk plants and marital troubles. <br/><br/>That's until with job cuts looming, she realises the power this new-found knowledge gives her. <br/><br/>But as she digs deeper and deeper into the private lives of her colleagues, Jolene uncovers a lot more than she bargained for... And the walls she'd so carefully built start crumbling down.

Celebrated for both her powerful voice and generous spirit, Dolly Parton is equally cherished for her unforgettable way with words. This little book is a joyful tribute to a woman with plenty to say - and a one-of-a-kind way of saying it.<br/><br/>Brimming with her trademark wit, honesty and optimism, this charming collection brings together Dolly's most memorable quotes and reflections. Whether she's offering tough love or timeless advice, her words lift spirits and warm hearts.<br/><br/>From hilarious one-liners to down-to-earth insights, <i>The Little Book of Dolly's Wisdom</i> captures the essence of someone who's never been afraid to speak her mind. A perfect gift for Dolly fans or anyone in need of a quick pick-me-up, it's a reminder to be kind, work hard - and smile!<br/><br/><b>Sample Content:</b><br/><br/>"Find out who you are. And do it on purpose."<br/><br/>"I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb - and I also know that I'm not blonde."<br/><br/>"If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one."<br/><br/>"Well, I always just thought if you see somebody without a smile, give 'em yours!"<br/><br/>"I am a self-made woman, and I have the doctor bills to prove it."

Uncover the full story behind the War of the Scaleborn in this official companion novel to World of Warcraft: Dragonflight.<br/><br/>When the world was young, all life shook before the might of Galakrond, a massive primal dragon whose hunger could not be sated. Five primal dragons rose valiantly beside the titan-forged Keeper Tyr to combat this threat. Though the fight was desperate, Galakrond fell by their teeth and talons, and the five were chosen to become protectors of Azeroth. The titans gifted Nozdormu, Ysera, Alexstrasza, Malygos, and Neltharion with Order magic, transforming them into the Aspects: powerful dragons with command of time, nature, life, magic, even the earth itself. Other primal dragons followed on their path, and, imbued with the titans' power, the dragonflights rose to shape the world and serve the Aspects.<br/><br/>That is the tale the dragonflights have always told . . . but it is not the whole story.<br/><br/>For as Alexstrasza and her flights set to reshaping Azeroth, not all of dragonkind sees Order magic as a gift. Spurning the titans' interference, a group of rebel primal dragons are imbued with the elemental powers of the planet and are reborn as the Incarnates. Led by Iridikron, the Incarnates believe that dragonkind should be subservient to no one. They foment a rebellion against the Aspects: what they are and all they represent.<br/><br/>Despite the efforts of Alexstrasza and her primal friend Vyranoth to preserve peace, both sides slip closer to violence, as dragons are forced to choose a side or be swept up in the growing conflict. With battle lines and allegiances drawn, the war among dragonkind shakes the foundation of the world. Both sides realize they will have to make sacrifices to secure the future of their kind, sacrifices that will cascade through the ages.

At this high school, instead of jocks and nerds, the students are divided into predators and prey. At a high school where the students are literally divided into predators and prey, friendships maintain the fragile peace. Who among them will become a Beastar-a hero destined to lead in a society naturally rife with mistrust? Guess who's coming to dinner? Every rabbit parent wants their daughter to date a wolf, right? Beastar horse Yahya hires gray wolf Legoshi to help him apprehend a mixed-species felon, but Legoshi is a sucker for a sob story.<br/><br/>At college, red deer Louis's status has fallen from the most popular student to the limping one with the dark past. The temptation to reclaim his status as leader of the Shishi-gumi lion gang is strong...especially when he meets the beast who replaced him. Plus, more about the tragic life of Legoshi's mother.

<b>A marriage of convenience threatens to go off track in <i>RIDE WITH ME, </i>a steamy Formula 1 romance from Simone Soltani, author of <i>CROSS THE LINE.</i></b><br/><br/>Stella Baldwin thought her life couldn't get worse. Being left at the altar was bad enough, and the drunken rant she posted to her half a million social media followers in the aftermath was the cherry on top. But having to show up at her cousin's bachelorette party in Las Vegas barely two weeks later feels like a cruel joke.<br/><br/>Thomas Maxwell-Brown is just looking for a good time. With his aristocratic family's expectations pressing down, his career as a Formula 1 driver threatened by fresh talent, and a new reputation as the most hated man on the grid, he needs a break to clear his head. And what better way to decompress than with a stag party in Vegas?<br/><br/>Stella isn't the woman Thomas expects to meet that night. And Thomas isn't the man Stella expects to wake up next to in the morning-with a ring on her finger. Staying married might be the perfect solution to all their problems, even if it is a little wild. Sometimes, what happens in Vegas doesn't need to stay there...