A beautiful new edition of I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS, the iconic, beloved and deeply moving first volume of Maya Angelou's autobiography. The international classic and bestseller, Maya Angelou's memoir paints a portrait of 'a brilliant writer, a fierce friend and a truly phenomenal woman' BARACK OBAMA'I write about being a Black American woman, however, I am always talking about what it's like to be a human being. This is how we are, what makes us laugh, and this is how we fall and how we somehow, amazingly, stand up again' Maya AngelouIn this first volume of her seven books of autobiography, Maya Angelou beautifully evokes her childhood with her grandmother in the American south of the 1930s. Loving the world, she also knows its cruelty. As a Black woman she has known discrimination, violence and extreme poverty, but also hope, joy, achievement and celebration. 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings liberates the reader into life simply because Maya Angelou confronts her own life with such a moving wonder, such a luminous dignity' JAMES BALDWIN'She moved through the world with unshakeable calm, confidence and a fierce grace . . . She will always be the rainbow in my clouds' OPRAH WINFREY'She was important in so many ways. She launched African American women writing in the United States. She was a real original. There is no duplicate' TONI MORRISON Read more

‘Evocative’ Sarah Perry‘Immersive’ Katherine May‘Profoundly moving’ Mark HaddonDiscover Catherine Coldstream’s compelling account of life as a nun in the 1990s, and the dramatic events which led to her flight from the monastery.After the shock of her father’s death, and with the rest of her family scattered, Catherine was left grieving and alone at twenty-four. A search for meaning led her to the nuns of Akenside Priory.Here she found a tight-knit community of dedicated women and peace in an ancient way of life. But as she surrenders to her final vows, all is not as it seems behind the Priory’s closed doors.Catherine comes to realise that divine authority is mediated through flawed and all-too-human channels. She is faced with a dilemma: should she protect the serenity she has found, or speak out?‘Gripping… A rich memoir’ Daily Telegraph‘Absorbing and beautifully written’ Financial Times Read more

'Mama, it's me.' I held her hand in mine, hoping it would give her the strength to hold on.Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.'Do not cry when I die.''Quite simply the most important book you will read this year' Hazel Gaynor'An extraordinary read' Lorraine Kelly'Deeply moving' Daily MailFrom invasion to liberation, September 1939 to April 1945, as Renee was marched from ghetto to camp, there was one constant. One hand that clutched hers - her mother's. Every day for nearly six years, mother and daughter were bound together in hell. From Auschwitz-Birkenau to Bergen-Belsen, they were a powerful source of solace and hope for one another.The strength of Sala's love gave them both something fragile yet beautiful to cling to in an ugly, depraved world. It was her mother who hid Renee, lied to the SS, went right when she was directed left - whose small actions had life-saving consequences. Now, for Renee, the need to share has finally overcome the desire to forget.A Mother's Promise is a love letter to a mother eighty years in the making.*****'Will stay with me for a long time... A beautiful account, so movingly told' Anna Stuart'Powerful, poignant, and deeply important. A must-read' Elizabeth Bellak 'This is a story the world needs to know' Madeline Martin 'This book travels to the very heart of existence' Joshua Levine Read more

A nostalgic, warm-hearted memoir from one of the producers of the cult-hit TV show Father Ted.'What a treat - it brought the whole experience flooding back. A feast for fans of the show or indeed anyone interested in the creative chaos of making television' Graham NortonThree decades after it first appeared on screen, Father Ted is still cherished, quoted and endlessly re-watched. Its beloved main characters, unforgettable lines and extraordinary visual jokes have given birth to a thousand gifs and t-shirts and a million catchphrases.Unforgettable to watch, it was also unforgettable to work on. Lissa Evans, as producer of the second and third series, spent three years hovering anxiously over every moment, from the first glimpse of script to the last revolution of a runaway milk-float round a specially-built plywood roundabout. There was no ‘average Father Ted episode’ – each of them was stuffed with challenges; endless rain, lustful rabbits, clerics crashing through windows, sheep doubles, collapsing crosses and a never-ending stream of eccentric priests – and the work that went into its creation was often nearly as bizarre as what was happening on screen.Picnic on Craggy Island is a hugely affectionate and anecdotal account of what lay behind some of those moments of comic genius – so pull on your kagoule, spread out your blanket, unwrap the sandwiches (they’re all egg) and enjoy the picnic… Read more

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2024 WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION'Vivid and empowering' GILLIAN ANDERSON'A stunning book’ BERNARDINE EVARISTO‘Dazzling’ TARA WESTOVER‘A story about hope, imagination and resilience’ GUARDIANAn award-winning, inspiring memoir of family, education and resilience.Born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, where luxury hotels line pristine white sand beaches, Safiya Sinclair grew up guarding herself against an ever-present threat. Her father, a volatile reggae musician and strict believer in a militant sect of Rastafari, railed against Babylon, the corrupting influence of the immoral Western world just beyond their gate. To protect the purity of the women in their family he forbade almost everything.Her mother did what she could to bring joy to her children with books and poetry. But as Safiya’s imagination reached beyond its restrictive borders, her burgeoning independence brought with it ever greater clashes with her father. Soon she realised that if she was to live at all, she had to find some way to leave home. But how?How to Say Babylon is an unforgettable story of a young woman’s determination to live life on her own terms.A Guardian and Observer summer read.‘I adored this book … Unforgettable’ ELIF SHAFAK‘Electrifying’ OBSERVER‘To read it is to believe that words can save’ MARLON JAMES‘Breathless, scorching’ NEW YORK TIMESSafiya Sinclair's book 'How To Say Babylon' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2024-09-23. Read more

On 22 May 2017, a bomb exploded in the middle of a crowd of young fans leaving an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena. Twenty-two people were killed and hundreds more were injured.Saffie-Rose Roussos, aged eight, was the youngest victim to die in the attack. She had been at the concert with her mother, Lisa, and her elder sister, Ashlee.While Ashlee’s injuries were not life-threatening, Lisa was so badly hurt doctors gave her a fifteen per cent chance of survival and a ninety per cent chance of being paralysed from the neck down if she did survive. Lisa would spend eight days in a coma and only learned Saffie was gone when she regained consciousness.As the bomb went off, Saffie’s father Andrew was outside waiting to pick up Lisa, Ashlee and Saffie, with his son Xander. He heard the explosion and embarked on a desperate, terrifying search for his wife and daughters through a city that was now more like a war zone.Saffie is Andrew and Lisa’s story, one of unimaginable suffering and heartbreak as the family faced down a nightmare but also a story of inspiration, courage and optimism, as they search for happiness and meaning in their lives, whilst fighting MI5 to reveal what they knew about the bomber.Most of all, though, this is a story of love, for each other and for Saffie, and how she was their guiding light in the very worst of times.__________‘A highly personal journey of an exceptional family as they navigate devastating loss. Saffie is as harrowing a read as you’d expect, but ultimately uplifting and affirmative in its humanity . . . an absolutely compelling combination. Once you start, you simply can’t stop reading’ Janice Hallett‘Incredibly powerful’ Andy Burnham‘An extraordinary book’ Daily Mail‘Really brilliant’ Coleen Nolan‘A heartbreaking journey of love, loss, and resilience against unimaginable tragedy’ Scooter Braun Read more

Soon to be an ITV drama starring Lucy Boynton, A Cruel Love is the definitive story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in Britain. Previously published as A Fine Day for a Hanging.'A forensically researched book that casts a haunting new light on the last woman to be hanged in Britain.' —DAILY MAILIn 1955, former nightclub manageress Ruth Ellis shot her lover, David Blakely, dead. A two-day trial followed, but despite huge public outcry, she was found guilty and sentenced to death. At 28, Ruth became the last woman executed in Britain, her hanging one of the most notorious under prolific hangman Albert Pierrepoint.Carol Ann Lee examines the facts behind the headlines surrounding this infamous case, which many believe led to the dismantling of the death penalty a decade later. Drawing on interviews and in-depth research into the full range of sources, she reveals the woman behind the crime.Previously published as A Fine Day for a Hanging, this is the acclaimed biography that inspired the ITV drama,A Cruel Love – a portrait of 1950s club life in all its seedy glamour, and a tragic true tale of murder, class, love and betrayal.'Wonderful . . . it will become the standard reference on Ruth Ellis' Stewart P. Evans, crime historian Read more

The heart-led way to get unstuck, find your purpose and live your passion.This book is a collection of heart-felt and uplifting stories and insight from 11 inspirational business owners who have shared how they have overcome challenges and adversity to find their purpose and follow their passion, with wisdom on how readers can do the same. They've opened their hearts in these chapters, to truly inspire and bring hope to so many others across the world.Featuring:Alvina MenziesDr Bharti RajputClaudia RomeroDanielle Gaffney du PlooyGenna DelaneyJen CadgerKirsty J McLeanMichelle De AlmeidaRadka TelyckovaRenata TariVicki Ostrowski All proceeds from the sale of this book will go to BWC Futures, an initiative dedicated to providing vital support to young women under the age of 25 who are eager to start their own businesses. Read more

Pre-order Sandi Toksvig's new novel FRIENDS OF DOROTHY now - coming in September 2024The long-awaited memoir from one of Britain's best-loved characters - presenter of QI, former host of The Great British Bake Off'Wise and kind... part celebration, part confession... it will make you miss your stop' Observer'A fun-filled, fact-packed, memorable ride' Sunday Times 'Life-affirming and addictive' Sunday ExpressBetween the Stops is a sort of a memoir, my sort. It's about a bus trip really, because it's my view from the Number 12 bus. From a brief history of lady gangsters at Elephant and Castle to anecdotes about boarding school, this is the long-awaited memoir from one of Britain's best-loved characters. Presenter of QI, former host of The Great British Bake Off, writer, broadcaster, activist and comic on stage, screen and radio for nearly forty years: this is an autobiography with a difference - as only Sandi Toksvig can tell it. A funny and moving trip through memories, musings and the many delights on the number 12 route, Between the Stops is also an inspiration to us all to get off our phones, look up and talk to each other because as Sandi says: 'some of the greatest trips lie on our own doorstep'. Read more

The Inspirational No.1 Sunday Times BestsellerThe life-affirming memoir of Lindsey Burrow, the working mother of three young children who has inspired the nation through her selfless commitment to husband Rob Burrow (CBE), the rugby league legend she cared for throughout his heroic battle with motor neurone disease (MND). _____________________________________________________________________‘A story of compassion, perseverance and love. By sharing her story, Lindsey is shining a light on those who are dealing with incredibly difficult situations, putting other’s needs before their own and making great personal sacrifices every day. I hope this book provides all those going through their own challenges with some comfort and optimism, and that it inspires us all to look out for one another’ Prince William 'A tender, powerful and life affirming book by one of the bravest people I know. The story of Lindsey, Rob and their amazing children will make you want to live every day to the fullest' Kevin Sinfield, CBE'Deeply moving and inspiring' Clare Balding*Foreword by HRH Prince William* *A Pride of Britain Award Winner*‘Take Care is a heart-opening book that gives light and hope when we need it.' Julia Samuel, Author of Grief Works‘(Lindsey's) modest memoir is humbling but also rousing, its title as much a call to action as a valediction, urging us to do more for those who give their all: society’s unpaid carers.' Guardian'Moving' Sunday Times ‘Lindsey is inspirational’ BBC Breakfast ‘Superwoman’ Daily Mail_____________________________________________________________________ Take Care: A Memoir of Love, Family & Never Giving Up explores the deepest reserves of resilience, personal sacrifice and hope that Lindsey Burrow exhibited on a daily basis when her family’s life was upended by the terminal MND diagnosis. Juggling her day job for the NHS as a physiotherapist, with round-the-clock care for Rob, who couldn’t move or talk, and could only eat with Lindsey’s assistance, she simultaneously raised her brilliant young family and helped to raise awareness for MND. The efforts of Rob, Lindsey and Kevin Sinfield have raised over £15 million for charity. In 2024, Lindsey presented her debut ITV1 documentary, ‘Who Cares for Our Carers?’ which highlighted the emotional and practical hardships faced by thousands of her fellow unpaid carers, whose hidden work is worth an estimated £162bn a year in the UK, the equivalent of another NHS. Told in Lindsey’s characteristically humble, charming and inspirational style, Take Care explores her life and shares her honest experiences of finding strength in the good and the bad times, in order to offer readers and families hope to overcome challenges in their own lives. The book sheds a light on the many families across the UK who care for their loved ones with little support. Finally, the book is a rousing call to action, for us all as a society to take better care of one another.__________________________________________________________________________ ‘Thank you for what you are teaching us, about what it is to fight, what it is to love, and what it is possible for us to do and to be as human beings’ Michael Sheen, Pride of Britain Awards 2023, to Rob and Lindsey Burrow ‘Lindsey’s strength and love shines through’ Lorraine, ITV ‘You are an inspirational couple’ Loose Women ITV ‘Lindsey and Rob Burrow's moving love story from teenage sweethearts to 'superhero' wife’ has stood the test of time - overcoming the hardest and most heartbreaking of challenges. MirrorA No.1 Sunday Times Bestseller - March 2025 Read more

'A gripping story of a cold-blooded murder... This is true crime at its best' Wendy Moore'Drama so addictive it should be illegal' Sam ChristerA true Victorian murder mystery...Great Yarmouth, September 1900: A young woman is found dead on the beach, a bootlace tied tightly around her neck. Despite her death attracting national attention in the press, nobody claims her. Detective Inspector Robert Lingwood of the Great Yarmouth police force declares he will not rest until the mystery of the young woman's death is solved. But it's only once the case has been referred to Scotland Yard that the layers of mystery start to peel away... 'Mrs Hood' was in fact Mary Jane Bennett, and this is her story. Following clues and tracking red herrings leads the police to close in on their one and only suspect. With arson, fraud, an affair and a sensation-hungry press, the murder gripped the nation in one of the most eagerly anticipated trials of the early twentieth century. Author Kim Donovan finally tells her great-great-aunt's story and the truth of evil duplicity in Victorian England.'As atmospheric and absorbing as any murder mystery... A combination of your favourite whodunnit and your favourite true crime podcast. A real triumph!' Books by Your Bedside blog*A fascinating historical true crime case perfect for fans of The Suspicions of Mr Whicher and The Five* Read more

'Fierce. Game-changing. Urgently necessary. Brilliant, brilliant and did I say brilliant?' EMMA THOMPSON 'Is it worth the hype? Absolutely' LAURA PULLMAN, STYLE -------Actor, writer and hopeless romantic Rebecca Humphries had often been called crazy by her boyfriend. But when paparazzi caught him kissing his Strictly Come Dancing partner, she realised the only crazy thing was believing she didn't deserve more.A flood of support poured in on social media, but amongst the well-wishes was a simple question with an infinitely complex answer: 'If he was so bad, why did you stay?'Empowering, unflinching and full of humour, this book takes that question and owns it. Using her relationship history and experiences since the scandal during Strictly, Rebecca explores why good girls are drawn to darkness, whether pop culture glamourises toxicity, when a relationship 'rough patch' becomes the start of a destructive cycle, if women are conditioned for co-dependency, and - ultimately - how to reframe disaster into something magical.-------'Pacy, vivid, compelling and very, VERY funny... it will help so many' MARIAN KEYES'A fucking classic. Required reading for all women and men' BRYONY GORDON'A funny, brave and honest book that will change lives. I have not stopped talking about it' THE TIMES'So funny and heart-breaking. So stunningly written. ' SUSAN WOKOMA'A magical, magical book' GLAMOUR'So thoughtful and moving and funny and sad and great, I love it so, so much. I resented having to put it down' DAISY BUCHANAN'Her thought-provoking story should be required reading for anyone in a relationship' DAILY MIRROR'This book isn't an ice-cold revenge opus; it's a diary of self-discovery, a celebration of friendship, resilience and finding one's self-worth...is it worth the hype? Absolutely: I had to stop myself from reading it one grateful gulp' LAURA PULLMAN, STYLE Read more

THE UPLIFTING AND HEARTWARMING LOVE LETTER TO FAMILY AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS 'Glorious springtime, haystacks and a herd of cows can all be found in this' Sunday Times Bestseller'Cox is a natural storyteller... she brings that authentic voice to bear in her memoir. The tone is so intimate, chatty and friendly, so you feel as though she could be sitting next to you' Daily Express'endearing, engaging and very funny' Mirror'Coxy's memoir about growing up on a farm is as funny as you'd expect, genuinely touching and has some excellent 80s and 90s details. Her love of animals is infectious' Alexandra Heminsley, Grazia'The book is like a big warm hug, full of local characters and misadventures' Sophie Heawood, ObserverTill the Cows Come Home is DJ and TV presenter Sara Cox's wonderfully written, funny coming of age memoir of growing up in 1980s Lancashire. The youngest of five siblings, Sara grew up on her father's cattle farm surrounded by dogs, cows, horses, fields and lots of 'cack'. The lanky kid sister - half girl, half forehead - a nuisance to the older kids, the farm was her very own dangerous adventure playground, 'a Bolton version of Narnia'. Her writing conjures up a time of wagon rides and haymaking and agricultural shows, alongside chain smoking pensioners, cabaret nights at the Conservative club and benign parenting. Sara's love of family, of the animals and the people around them shines through on every page. Unforgettable characters are lovingly and expertly drawn bringing to life a time and place. Sara later divided her childhood days between the beloved farm and the pub she lived above with her mother, these early experiences of freedom and adventure came to be the perfect training ground for later life.This funny, big-hearted and often moving telling of Sara Cox's semi rural upbringing is not what you'd expect from the original ladette, and one of radio's most enduring and well loved presenters. Read more

Selected to be read on Radio Four's Book of the Week. 'One of the best books I've read in the last five or ten years... Wild is angry, brave, sad, self-knowing, redemptive, raw, compelling, and brilliantly written, and I think it's destined to be loved by a lot of people, men and women, for a very long time.' --Nick HornbyAt twenty-six, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother's rapid death from cancer, her family disbanded and her marriage crumbled. With nothing to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life: to walk eleven-hundred miles of the west coast of America - from the Mojave Desert, through California and Oregon, and into Washington state - and to do it alone. She had no experience of long-distance hiking and the journey was nothing more than a line on a map. But it held a promise - a promise of piecing together a life that lay in ruins at her feet. Strayed's account captures the agonies - both mental and physical - of her incredible journey; how it maddened and terrified her, and how, ultimately, it healed her. Wild is a brutal memoir of survival, grief and redemption: a searing portrayal of life at its lowest ebb and at its highest tide. Read more

A celebration of our female friendships, of our messy years, and of growing up together. Glittering with wit, heart, and humour, it’s a book to share with every woman you’ve ever been lucky enough to call a friend.“Nearly everything I know about love, I've learnt from my long-term friendships with women.”I know that love can be loud and jubilant. It can be dancing in the swampy mud and the pouring rain at a festival and shouting “YOU ARE AMAZING” over the band. It’s laughing until you wheeze. It’s walking along the street together on a Saturday night and feeling an entire city is yours.I also know that love is a pretty quiet thing. It’s lying on the sofa together drinking coffee, talking about where you’re going to go that morning to drink more coffee. It’s folding down pages of books you think they’d find interesting.I know that love happens under the splendour of fireworks and sunsets, but also happens when you’re lying on blow-up airbeds in a childhood bedroom, sitting in A&E or in the queue for a passport.*****WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:‘A book every girl in her 20s needs to read’‘I’ll never stop recommending this book’‘This is my comfort book! I LOOOOVE THIS BOOK TO MY CORE’‘I wish I could read it for the first time again’A Sunday Times bestseller, September 2022TikTok Book Awards Winner, August 2023 Read more

THE MULTI-MILLION COPY BESTSELLERA BETWEEN THE COVERS PICKSelected as a book of the year by AMAZON, THE TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES, GUARDIAN, NEW YORK TIMES, ECONOMIST, NEW STATESMAN, VOGUE, IRISH TIMES, IRISH EXAMINER and RED MAGAZINE'One of the best books I have ever read . . . unbelievably moving' Elizabeth Day 'An extraordinary story, beautifully told' Louise O'Neill 'A memoir to stand alongside the classics . . . compelling and joyous' Sunday TimesTara Westover grew up preparing for the end of the world. She was never put in school, never taken to the doctor. She did not even have a birth certificate until she was nine years old.At sixteen, to escape her father's radicalism and a violent older brother, Tara left home. What followed was a struggle for self-invention, a journey that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one's life through new eyes, and the will to change it.'It will make your heart soar' Guardian'Jaw-dropping and inspiring, everyone should read this book' Stylist'Absolutely superb . . . so gripping I could hardly breathe' Sophie Hannah Read more

THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLERAs seen on This MorningBack in the day, I was Governor of Security and Operations for HMP Wormwood Scrubs. If you’re easily shocked or offended, you best look away now…Having worked for 16 years in a high-security women’s prison dealing with the likes of Rosemary West and Myra Hindley, Vanessa Frake thought she’d seen it all. That was until she was transferred to the notorious Wormwood Scrubs.Thrust into a ‘man’s world’, her no-nonsense approach and fearless attitude saw her swiftly rise through the ranks. From dealing with celebrity criminals and busting drug rings, to recruiting informers and being subject to violent attacks, this hard-hitting but often humorous memoir reveals all about life behind bars in unflinching detail.Now, for one last time, The Gov opens the prison gates. Prepare for the madness and horror of daily life with the UK’s most ruthless criminals. Read more

The inspirational true story of one woman's fight to survive on the streets of LondonI, Lorna Tucker, have lived a life that most you can't even begin to imagine...'You need to read this book' MICK JAGGER'Lorna is one of the most incredible and interesting people you will hear from. I urge you to read this' FEARNE COTTON, HAPPY PLACE BOOK CLUB'Unflinching and unforgettable' VOGUE'An essential read showcasing the resilience of the human spirit' JUANO DIAZI have lived in London's piss-soaked streets, I have lived with the sweet embrace of heroin, I have lived when I should have died.I have lied, I have thieved, I have stripped, I have tricked, I have loved, I have fallen, I have survived. I could be your daughter, your mother, your lover - I could be you.Come to hell and back with me.AN EYE-OPENING, PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF FEMALE HOMELESSNESS, FROM ONE OF BRITAIN'S MOST EXCITING FILM-MAKERS Read more

“ROOM ELEVEN!” she screams as half a dozen staff members rush towards it, including one of the head doctors; he is usually upstairs on the adult ward, but he appears at the double doors, frantic and desperate to quickly get to whoever needs his help.I am so taken aback by all the commotion that it doesn’t even register which patient belongs to room eleven at first. But then I realise: it’s me. That emergency alarm is coming from my room.This book is about seventeen-year-old me, navigating anxiety and a panic disorder whilst trying to be a normal teenager. I tell you all about what life was like inside a mental health unit as an in-patient, all the highs, lows and honest accounts.This is the most open and personal story of my life that I have ever shared and I truly hope you enjoy reading and learning about this side of me.Chloe x Read more

In the early hours of dawn in Amsterdam, Deepa Paul rises from her boyfriend’s bed. She gets dressed, slips away with a kiss and cycles home, where she is welcomed into the arms of her husband, whose contentment is mellow alongside her own. There isn’t a glimmer of shame, deception or guilt, only the honesty and compassion needed to make this kind of life possible — even if it wasn’t always this easy.You might have questions. Whose idea was it? What are the rules? Are you ever jealous? In this memoir, Deepa offers her answers openly and tenderly, as she explores the truth to questions of her own. Can I ask for what I want, and still honour the life I have chosen? Do I deserve it? Is it worth it?Unexpectedly relatable and joyfully vibrant, this is one woman’s story of discovering her own desires and how to liberate them, of shifting identities from mother to lover and back again, and of finding the courage to ask for the marriage she wanted, beyond the marriage she had.One question at a time. Read more