Seriously Silly is an intimate portrait of Terry Jones – Python, actor, director, historian, reluctant national treasure and purveyor of sincere silliness – written by the man he chose to tell the story of his life.

From his Welsh upbringing in Colwyn Bay, to meeting his lifelong friend Michael Palin at Oxford through revue sketches, anarchic children’s shows and the creative genius of Monty Python, this is the story of a comedy legend. Throughout this journey, Terry’s extraordinary determination and resilience shine through, not least in his final years as he battled with dementia.

Written by his close friend Robert Ross, with a foreword from Michael Palin (and the blessing of and cooperation of his family and the people who knew him best) Seriously Silly is not only the definitive celebration of a true pioneer of comedy, but a loving portrayal of the man behind the laughter.

This stunning volume captures the raw, behind-the-scenes magic of a film that would go on to become a cultural phenomenon. From candid moments with Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon and Richard O’Brien to intimate shots of the cast between takes, every page offers a glimpse into the bold, bizarre and beautiful world of Rocky Horror as it was being brought to life.

Featuring hundreds of images plus personal commentary and stories from the cast, crew and celebrity fans, this book is a must-have for fans of the film, photography lovers and pop culture enthusiasts alike. Each photo drips with glam, grit and the rebellious spirit that made Rocky Horror a revolution in sequins.

Whether you’re a devoted fan or a Time Warp virgin, Mick Rock’s Rocky Horror is your VIP pass to one of the most legendary productions in movie history.

‘A warm, deeply moving, life-enhancing novel’
SARAH WINMAN, author of Still Life

Frankie Howe was never quite sure enough of herself to take centre stage – after all, life had already judged her harshly. Now in her eighties, she finds it easier to forget the life that came before.

Then Damian, a young Irish carer, arrives at her London flat to keep an eye on her as she recovers from a fall. A memory is sparked, and the past crackles into life as Damian listens to the story Frankie has kept stored away all these years.

From post-war Ireland to the dazzling art scene of 1960s New York, Frankie shares a world in which friendships and chance encounters collide. A place where life blazes with an intensity that can’t last but will perhaps live on in other ways and in other people.

‘A real-time, moving and intimate portrait of a year living under the Taliban’ DUA LIPA’S SERVICE95
‘An intimate, courageous chronicle of life’ OBSERVER, BOOK OF THE DAY
‘A hugely important book’ BERNARDINE EVARISTO
‘A deeply moving collective memoir’ LYSE DOUCET

In August 2021, as the Taliban approached the gates of Kabul, twenty-one women writers in Afghanistan messaged their WhatsApp group chat: they asked what news other had heard and if everyone was safe.

These women had been brought together as a writing group and were about to publish their first collection of short stories. Some were students, some newly married, one was a grandmother; all were afraid of what was now to come. Over the next year, in their makeshift online refuge, they shared the day-to-day reality of life after the Taliban retook Afghanistan. This is their collective diary, forming a powerful chorus of resistance and solidarity.

‘Fascinatingly detailed and fiercely brave’ GUARDIAN
‘Its courage is momentous’ ALI SMITH

Josie’s life is fine. Absolutely, completely fine.

Her gorgeous house in London is fine. Her husband is fine. It’s the life she wanted – isn’t it?

So why this feeling, nibbling away at the edges of Josie’s thoughts? Why can’t she stop thinking about the life she used to have, back on the farm where she grew up? Why does she feel like something is missing?

When her childhood home comes up for sale, Josie realises that there is the chance of a different life altogether. The question is, does she want to take it? And is she willing to risk her heart all over again? After all, everything’s fine as it is . . .

To find the right future, sometimes you have to go back – way back.

Western civilisation is a powerful brand, full of accepted wisdoms like ‘knowledge is power’, ‘time is money’, and ‘justice is blind’ that we rarely question. Taking cues from Greek philosophy and honed in the Enlightenment, certain notions about humanity and society grew into the tenets many of us still live by today.

But when we take a closer look at these ideas, it seems they’re not all they are cracked up to be. In fact, some of them are outright lies – and we can start to ask who really benefits from them. What is the value of a scientific worldview that conjured up ‘race’? Are the Western concepts of ‘saving’ and ‘wasting’ time really the best ways to live? Who are our laws actually designed to serve? And the real question: is the West as civilised as it likes to think it is?

You know the name and you can’t mistake the voice. Now you can read the incredible story of how a shy, music-loving teenager called Gaynor Hopkins became legendary international superstar Bonnie Tyler, and carved out an extraordinary career that is still going strong to this day.

After five decades in the business – during which she has recorded some of the most iconic songs of all time, including ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ and ‘Holding Out for a Hero’ – Bonnie is at last sharing her fascinating journey, and she’s not holding back: this is her amazing story, told straight from the heart.

‘An intimate, courageous chronicle of life as it unfolds under Taliban rule’
OBSERVER, *Book of the Day*

‘A hugely important book’
BERNARDINE EVARISTO

‘A deeply moving collective memoir’
LYSE DOUCET

In August 2021, as the Taliban approached the gates of Kabul, twenty-one women writers in Afghanistan came online in their WhatsApp chat group: they asked what news others had heard and if everyone was safe.

These women had been brought together as a writing group. They were about to publish their first collection of short stories, while working regular day jobs. Some were students, some newly married, one was a grandmother: all were afraid of what was now to come. Over the next year, in the makeshift refuge of their WhatsApp group, they shared the day-to-day reality of life after a fall.

Publishing on the anniversary of the Fall of Kabul, this is the women’s courageous collective diary: in it the writers watch cities transform, schools close, families change and freedoms disappear. They share stories of chaos, protest and flight – and of life continuing. Check-points are a daily trial; men start behaving differently. Children can’t afford the ice-cream man’s wares; passports are near impossible to obtain. Together, their messages form a powerful chorus of resistance and solidarity.

‘Its courage is momentous’
ALI SMITH