This post contains affiliate links. Prices correct at time of publishing post.
There are so many amazing books out at the moment to gift to your family and friends this Christmas. To help you choose, we’ve compiled a list of 20 of the best new releases for Christmas 2023. Read on to find the top 20 Christmas gift books and for a chance to win a book of your choice (from the list):
- 1. Worthy by Jada Pinkett Smith
- 2. The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
- 3. Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
- 4. Karma: My Autobiography by Boy George
- 5. The Twat Files by Dawn French
- 6. The Simple Life by Sarah Beeny
- 7. T.V.: Big Adventures on the Small Screen by Peter Kay
- 8. Berserker! by Adrian Edmondson
- 9. Big Beacon: A lighthouse rebuilt, a broadcaster reborn by Alan Partridge
- 10. Oh Miriam!: Stories from an Extraordinary Life by Miriam Margolyes
- 11. Rambling Man: My Life on the Road by Billy Connoly
- 12. Making It So by Patrick Stewart
- 13. My Account: The Autobiography by Coleen Rooney
- 14. The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business & Life by Steven Bartlett
- 15. On the Road with the Fab Four: The Mal Evans Story: Living the Beatles Legend by Kenneth Womack
- 16. Pageboy: A Memoir by Elliot Page
- 17. A Life Worth Living by Tommy Jessop
- 18. Have A Little Faith: Life Lessons on Love, Death and How Lasagne Always Helps by The Reverend Kate Bottley
- 19. Behind The Shoulder Pads – Tales I Tell My Friends by Joan Collins
- Which Book is Your Favourite?
- Win a Christmas Bestseller
- Pin this post for later:
1. Worthy by Jada Pinkett Smith
The New York Times bestseller
A gripping, painfully honest and ultimately inspirational, New York Times bestselling memoir from global superstar and creator of the Red Table Talk series Jada Pinkett Smith.
‘It’s a shame that Pinkett Smith’s marriage has taken up so much attention because, as Worthy shows, it’s far from the most interesting thing about her’ Sunday Times Magazine
In a media driven landscape that crafts narratives for our celebrities, Smith recounts her story in an intimate conversation with readers. Along the way, she explores her path to accepting her power as a woman, and her discovery that a strong sense of self is every woman’s right and saving grace.
An impactful and rare memoir that engages and educates, Worthy is a courageous love song to self, to family, to life, and to the world.
From an unconventional upbringing in Baltimore, to an unconventional marriage to one of the most famous men in the world, adhering to the status quo has never been a familiar road for Jada Pinkett Smith. In Worthy, Smith strips herself of all the labels and stories crafted by others, and reclaims her narrative with radical self-love. Worthy teaches us who Jada is, and how to embrace our most authentic loveable souls.
This is the book I’m most looking forward to finding in my Christmas stocking this year. People are always making assumptions about Jada Pinkett Smith, as a huge Red Table Talk fan (I really miss it!) I can’t wait to read the truth in her own words.
Price: RRP: £25 Current price (at time of publishing): £12.50
Buy here: https://amzn.to/3urB4cv
2. The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.
In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.
Written with remarkable candour and humour, Spears’s ground-breaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.
Britney has been silenced for too long, she deserves this chance for her words to be shared and read.
Price: RRP: £25 Current price (at time of publishing): £12
Buy here: https://amzn.to/3R52fTD
3. Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
‘Funny, fascinating and compelling’ -The Times
‘There’s never been a more honest or raw memoir … and it may just save lives’ Daily Mail
‘Funny, fascinating, compelling … also a wonderful read for fans of Friends‘ The Times
The beloved star of Friends takes us behind the scenes of the hit sitcom and his struggles with addiction in this candid, funny, and revelatory memoir that delivers a powerful message of hope and persistence.
Here is the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, who takes us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who travelled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us. . . and so much more.
In an extraordinary story that only he could tell – and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it – Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he’s found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humour, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fuelled it despite seemingly having it all.
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that is both intimate and eye-opening – as well as a hand extended to anyone struggling with sobriety. Unflinchingly honest, moving, and uproariously funny, this is the book fans have been waiting for.
‘An unflinching and often harrowing must-read for 90s pop culture fans’ Guardian
‘Written with Chandler’s trademark sarcasm and self-deprecation’ Telegraph
‘A hopeful read … I started to think of [it] not as a celebrity memoir about addiction, but as an addiction memoir written by a man who understands his own history through the prism of showbiz’ Independent
I know this book isn’t new. It was actually released last year. However, I hope you don’t mind me sneaking it in as so many people are missing Matthew Perry, as he was taken from us, far too soon. I’m sure if anyone hasn’t read it already, now they will definitely want to.
Price: RRP: £25 Current price (at time of publishing): £12.50
Buy here: https://amzn.to/47i43hx
4. Karma: My Autobiography by Boy George
‘The most entertaining music memoir since Elton John’ – Observer
THE OFFICIAL STORY OF A MUSICAL ICON – TOLD IN FULL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS OWN WORDS
‘In what might be the most entertaining music memoir since Elton John’s Me, Boy George’s Karma weaves a meandering path through several decades’ of fame, success, crash and burn, before delivering him into a kind of autumnal meditative serenity… This is George O’Dowd in all his exhausting glory.’ Observer
‘I went to a lot of trouble to create Boy George and then I went through a whole battle for years about not wanting to be him. But now I enjoy and embrace it in a way that I wasn’t able to as a young person…. I’m finally learning to be George Alan O’Dowd from Eltham.’
Karma is the definitive autobiography from the incomparable Grammy, Brit and Ivor Novello award-winning lead singer of Culture Club and LGBTQ+ vanguard: Boy George. Told in his inimitable style, Karma tells the story of the charismatic frontman – the drama, the music, his journey of addiction and recovery, surviving prison, meeting legends like David Bowie, Prince and Madonna, and the highs and lows of a life lived in the spotlight and in the headlines.
This is the explosive and searingly honest account of Boy George’s life as a child growing up in sixties London, coming out to his Irish Catholic family and exploring his sexuality through the hedonism of the seventies – the glam rock and punk rock revolution that birthed Culture Club – and the heydays of the nineties, to finally embracing the man and artist that he is today. With all the humour, honesty, sarcasm (and hats!) that you’d expect, Karma gives us a unique insight into Boy George’s incredible story and the true evolution of a music icon.
‘Culture Club is always going to be one of those lovers I go back to. I’ve railed against it and that Boy George character I created. For years I convinced myself I was a creature of habit, unchangeable, immovable. But eventually you have to look in the mirror. Not looking for spots, looking for something deeper. Why the hell am I here? I would say life is the point of life.’
I can’t remember a time when I’ve not loved Boy George. He’s been there since my childhood. This book will be a great read.
Price: RRP: £22 Current price (at time of publishing): £16.89
Buy here: https://amzn.to/49CZbFr
5. The Twat Files by Dawn French
A hilarious sort-of memoir of mistakes, mishaps and mess-ups
GET EXTRA TWATTY THIS CHRISTMAS WITH THE PERFECT STOCKING FILLER AND DIVE BEHIND THE SCENES OF A LEGEND IN BRITISH COMEDY!
When I was younger I wanted to be an interesting, sophisticated, semi-heroic, multi-layered person.
BUT.
That kind of perfect is impossible. Being an actual twat is much more the real me. Sorry to boast, but I am a champion twat.
In The Twat Files I will tell you about all the times I’ve been a total and utter twat. The moments where I’ve misunderstood stuff and messed up. In my life these have been key because:
Mistakes tell us about ourselves.
Mistakes tell us about others.
Mistakes are hilarious.
Mistakes expose our flaws.
Mistakes show us ourselves honestly.
Mistakes are gloriously human.
My hope is that these stories might fire up yer engines to remind you of just what a massive twat you also are.
Let’s celebrate and revel in this most delightful of traits together.
That would be perfectly twatty.
‘This woman is a national treasure’ Mail on Sunday
‘Dawn French is a wonderful writer’ Daily Mail
Price: RRP: £22 Current price (at time of publishing): £11
I love Dawn French and everything she writes so this is sure to be hilarious.
Buy here: https://amzn.to/3G3xRCF
6. The Simple Life by Sarah Beeny
Join Sarah Beeny on her journey to live more simply and find her forever home…
Throughout her life, Sarah Beeny has been obsessed with the idea of home. From her childhood growing up in a countryside cottage to renovating her very first flat in London to restoring a stately home in Yorkshire, she has never been afraid of the hard work needed to turn a house into a home. Now, in her most recent adventure, Sarah and her family have moved to a former dairy farm in Somerset to build the home of their dreams.
In The Simple Life, Sarah tells the story of her life, sharing tales and experiences in everything including parenting, property, friendships, nature and the environment, all the way through to her recent cancer diagnosis and treatment. Through it all, Sarah tackles challenges and troubles with signature wit and wisdom, discovering life is never as ‘simple’ as you’d like it to be.
Price: RRP: £20 Current price (at time of publishing): £11
Fan’s of Sarah Beeny’s New Life in the Country will adore this book chronicling that time and so much more.
Buy here: https://amzn.to/3QZIEnA
7. T.V.: Big Adventures on the Small Screen by Peter Kay
THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
Blockbusters, Baywatch … Mastermind, Moonlighting … Porridge, Parkinson … Peter Kay takes you on a journey into the wonders of TV –back to the days when Dusty Bin was a household name, Robin of Sherwood was a pin-up and the Brookside siege was the event of the year. For a young telly-loving Peter growing up in Bolton, TV meant Sunday bath nights with a black-and-white portable, the unbridled excitement of the new Christmas TV guide and his elderly neighbour’s inconvenient hearing problem.
Here, for the first time, he collects his TV memories and adventures together in this brilliant book. Join Peter as he finds success on the small screen, leaving his own unique footprint in the golden age of TV: from making tea at Granada Studios and marching along to ‘(Is This the Way to) Amarillo’ to hanging out in the Rovers Return, having run-ins with Bernard Manning and starring in possibly the worst Doctor Who episode of all time. You’ll go behind the scenes of the legendary Phoenix Nights, take The Road to Nowhere with Max & Paddy and discover how Peter created his BAFTA-winning performance in Car Share.
So sit back and enjoy a journey through the wonderful world of television. Endearing, sidesplittingly funny and utterly unforgettable – T.V. sees Peter Kay at his vivid, nostalgic and hilarious best.
I love Peter Kay and I’m so glad he’s back! I couldn’t get tickets to see his show but will console myself having a chuckle over this!
Price: RRP: £25 Current price (at time of publishing): £10
Buy here: https://amzn.to/3QQ9OfE
8. Berserker! by Adrian Edmondson
The instant Sunday Times bestseller.
From brutal schooldays to 80s anarchy, through The Young Ones, Bottom and beyond, Berserker! is the one-of-a-kind, fascinating memoir from an icon of British comedy, Adrian Edmondson.
*****
‘Everything Adrian Edmondson writes about makes you love him desperately’ – Caitlin Moran
‘The Berserkers from The Young Ones and Bottom tells his story with self-effacing charm and no end of backstage anecdotes’ – Ian Rankin
‘This is a bloody good book. Lots of people live interesting lives, but very few people can write genuinely interesting books about those lives. Adrian Edmondson has done both. It is incredibly funny, but it is also a lot, lot more than that’ – Miles Jupp
‘More fun than reading Hegel, and also more enlightening’ – Louis de Bernières
‘A hilarious romp through a golden era of comedy and a searingly honest and moving memoir’ – Red Magazine
‘The bravest, most affecting celebrity book of the year’ – Daily Express
‘Edmondson can be very funny and very poignant simultaneously’ – Daily Mirror
*****
Ade Edmondson smashed onto the comedy circuit in the 1980s, stormed The Comedy Store and, alongside Rik Mayall, brought anarchy to stage and screen. How did a child brought up in a strict Methodist household – and who spent his formative years incarcerated in repressive boarding schools – end up joining the revolution? Well, he is part Norse. Could it be his ‘berserker’ heritage?
With wisdom, nostalgia and uniquely observed humour, Ade traces his journey through life and comedy: starting out on the alternative scene, getting arrested in Soho, creating his outrageously violent characters and learning more about his curious (possibly Scandinavian) heritage. With star-studded anecdotes and set to a soundtrack of pop hits which transport the reader through time, it’s a memoir like no other.
Berserker [noun]: A Norse warrior frenzied in battle and held to be invulnerable; often off his tits on henbane and large quantities of alcohol; one who is out of control with anger or excitement.
Adrian Edmondson’s Berserker is sure to be an interesting read.
Price: RRP: £22 Current price (at time of publishing): £11
Buy here: https://amzn.to/47kle2e
9. Big Beacon: A lighthouse rebuilt, a broadcaster reborn by Alan Partridge
“Not only has Alan Partridge created an entirely new storytelling structure, it’s very funny indeed.” Jon Ronson
‘Partridge… has become the man our time deserves. Aha!‘ The Times
In Big Beacon, Norwich’s favourite son and best broadcaster, Alan Partridge, triumphs against the odds. TWICE.
Using an innovative ‘dual narrative’ structure you sometimes see in films, Big Beacon tells the story of how Partridge heroically rebuilt his TV career, rising like a phoenix from the desolate wasteland of local radio to climb to the summit of Mount Primetime and regain the nationwide prominence his talent merits.
But then something quite unexpected and moving, because Big Beacon also tells the story of a selfless man, driven to restore an old lighthouse to its former glory, motivated by nothing more than respect for a quietly heroic old building that many take for granted, which some people think is a metaphor for Alan himself even though it’s not really for them to say.*
Leaving his old life behind and relocating to a small coastal village in Kent, Alan battles through adversity, wins the hearts and minds of a suspicious community, and ultimately shows himself to be a quite wonderful man.
* The two strands will run in tandem, their narrative arcs mirroring each other to make the parallels between the two stories abundantly clear to the less able reader.
Even the cover of this book makes me laugh out loud. I’m sure this parody will be hilarious.
Price: RRP: £25 Current price (at time of publishing): £12.50
Buy here: https://amzn.to/3R2L0Cl
10. Oh Miriam!: Stories from an Extraordinary Life by Miriam Margolyes
‘Oh Miriam! risks the curse of the sequel, and pulls it off . . . A force of nature, a tour de farce. Bold, brave and bright, but also revealing, shocking and touching. Miriam is an icon, a cocksucker – and the star of her show’ ROBERT McCRUM, Independent
‘Our naughtiest national treasure . . . famously filthy, funny and phlegmatic . . . Oh Miriam! is Margolyes’s manifesto for a fulfilled life . . . She loves to tell it straight. And the older she gets, the straighter she tells it’ SIMON HATTENSTONE, Guardian
‘Irrepressible . . . A life-enhancing rollercoaster of a ride . . . this book is like Margolyes herself – outspoken, ebullient and unexpectedly wise’ EMMA LEE-POTTER, Daily Express
‘Snortingly funny . . . deliciously unbridled . . . There is something heroic in her unruliness. Let Miriam take the lead and enjoy the show’ RHIK SAMADDER, Observer
‘Insanely interesting, full of profanity and profundity, Oh Miriam!‘s title comes from all the people who have ever exclaimed her name in every tone from horror to hilarity; and her unfiltered personality leaps off the page – honesty, kindness, generosity, sanity, erudition, outspokenness’ SUZANNE HARRINGTON, Irish Examiner
‘Endearingly eccentric’ WOMEN’S WEEKLY
From declaring my love to Vanessa Redgrave to being fed cockroaches by Steve Buscemi, from turnip-based comedy with Blackadder to being farted on by Arnold Schwarzenegger, from Graham Norton’s sofa to Alan Cumming’s camper van, my life has been (and continues to be) an uproarious adventure.
Oh Miriam! has been such a constant refrain in my life, said in all kinds of tones – laughs, surprised gasps and orgasmic sighs (I’m hoping for all of those from you as you read on!) – that it had to be the title of this book. And with a cast list that stretches from Churchill to DiCaprio, Dahl to Dietrich, Princess Margaret to Maggie Smith, I’ve so much more to tell you and so much more to say.
My chapters range from ‘How to Stay Married’ to ‘Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down’. Discover how to break the thickest conversational ice; why swearing is actually good for you (though not on the Today programme); the unexpected things I learned at school and what my Spice Girl name would be. Not to mention my Tale of the Unexpected and my very own Vagina Monologue.
Buckle up and join me on another unforgettable adventure, but this time through my heart and head . . .
Miriam always has the best stories. I can’t wait to read more!
Price: RRP: £25 Current price (at time of publishing): £12.50
Buy here: https://amzn.to/3QIe5l1
11. Rambling Man: My Life on the Road by Billy Connoly
THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING HILARIOUS NEW BOOK FROM THE NATION’S FAVOURITE COMEDIAN, BILLY CONNOLLY
Being a Rambling Man was what I always wanted to be, to live the way I damn well pleased. I’ve met the weirdest and most wonderful people who walk the Earth, seen the most bizarre and the most fantastic sights – and I’ve rarely come across something I couldn’t get a laugh at. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad trip. Well, apart from in the 1970s, but that’s a whole other story . . .
When Billy set out from Glasgow as a young man he never looked back. He played his banjo on boats and trains, under trees, and on top of famous monuments. He danced naked in snow, wind and fire. He slept in bus stations, under bridges and on strangers’ floors. He travelled by foot, bike, ship, plane, sleigh – even piggy-backed – to get to his next destination.
Billy has wandered to every corner of the earth and believes that being a Rambling Man is about more than just travelling – it’s a state of mind. Rambling Men and Women are free spirits who live on their wits, are interested in people and endlessly curious about the world. They love to play music, make art or tell stories along the way but, above all, they have a longing in their heart for the open road.
In his joyful new book, Billy explores this philosophy and how it has shaped him, and he shares hilarious new stories from his lifetime on the road. From riding his trike down America’s famous Route 66, building an igloo on an iceberg in the Arctic, playing elephant polo (badly) in Nepal and crashing his motorbike (more than once), to eating witchetty grubs in Australia, being serenaded by a penguin in New Zealand, and swapping secrets in a traditional Sweat Lodge ritual in Canada, Rambling Man is a truly global adventure with the greatest possible travel companion.
Oh Billy! I love him! If my dad was alive, I would buy him this book for Christmas (along with a new rugby memoir, no doubt). Guaranteed to be a great read.
Price: RRP: £25 Current price (at time of publishing): £12
Buy here: https://amzn.to/3MP7N23
12. Making It So by Patrick Stewart
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
‘He writes as well as he acts, with insight, truth and passion’ – Sir Ian McKellen
‘Highly entertaining… You don’t need to be a fan of Stewart the man of stage and screen to be as beguiled by the decades of professional acting that follow’ – The Times
The long-awaited memoir from iconic, beloved actor and living legend Sir Patrick Stewart.
From his acclaimed stage triumphs to his legendary onscreen work, Sir Patrick Stewart has captivated audiences around the world and across multiple generations in a career spanning six decades with his indelible command of stage and screen.
No other British working actor enjoys such career variety, universal respect and unending popularity, as witnessed through his seminal roles – whether as Captain Jean-Luc Picard of Star Trek fame, Professor Charles Xavier of Marvel’s X-Men hit film franchise, his more than forty years as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company and in such critically lauded roles for Hamlet and The Tempest on the West End and Broadway, his unforgettable one-man show adapted from Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, or his comedic work in American Dad!, Ted, Extras and Blunt Talk, among many others.
Now, he presents his long-awaited memoir, Making It So, a revealing portrait of a driven artist whose astonishing life – from his humble and hardscrabble beginnings in Yorkshire, to the dizzying heights of Hollywood and worldwide acclaim – proves a story as exuberant, definitive and enduring as the author himself.
Fan’s of Patrick Stewart’s career will love his new memoir.
Price: RRP: £25 Current price (at time of publishing): £12
Buy here: https://amzn.to/46lmBwa
13. My Account: The Autobiography by Coleen Rooney
GIVE THE STORY ON EVERYONE’S LIPS THIS CHRISTMAS: COLEEN ROONEY’S OFFICIAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
A candid, intimate, behind the scenes look at the reality of a life lived on social media and under the scrutiny of the public eye.
‘It was the biggest thing that had ever happened to me, and like nothing I’d ever experienced…
Looking back on it now, it still amazes me how inflated it all got, how ridiculous, how serious.
That’s why I need to tell what happened in full…’
——————————————————————————-
Coleen Rooney has always been true to herself.
In My Account, she tells us how her upbringing prepared her for a life in the full glare of public and media scrutiny. In fact, from an early age, she was no stranger to responsibility, having two younger brothers as well as welcoming disabled foster sister Rosie into the family.
At just seventeen, she and boyfriend Wayne left their childhood homes to live together and
in time they had their own young family to care for. But being married to one of the world’s most successful sportsmen has also meant that any private difficulties they faced were inevitably exposed very publicly.
And that is no more true than in the now infamous tale of how a casual acquaintance of
Coleen’s ended in an extraordinary deception.
Here, she recounts how she first suspected someone was betraying her trust (and how devastated it left her), and then the meticulous steps she took to identify, trap and finally reveal to the world her suspect.
With the consequences playing out around the world and Coleen dragged unwillingly into a devastating court case whose outcome was far from certain, only now can she candidly give us her side of the story.
This, then, is My Account, Coleen Rooney’s tale of what it means to stand up for yourself and your family.
Coleen impressed us all with her “Wagatha Christie” investigative skills. I can’t read the whole story, plus about the rest of her fascinating life, in her own words.
Price: RRP: £22 Current price (at time of publishing): £11
Buy here: https://amzn.to/3NdAohN
14. The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business & Life by Steven Bartlett
Runaway No.1 Bestseller by STEVEN BARTLETT: entrepreneur, podcaster and Dragon’s Den star
This is not a book about business strategy. Strategy changes like the seasons.
This is a book about something much more permanent.
At the very heart of all the success and failure I’ve been exposed to – both my own entrepreneurial journey and through the thousands of interviews I’ve conducted on my podcast – are a set of principles that can stand the test of time, apply to any industry, and be used by anyone who is search of building something great or becoming someone great.
These are the fundamental laws that will ensure excellence.
They are rooted in psychology and behavioral science, are based on the wisdom of tens of thousands of people I’ve surveyed across every continent and age group, and of course, drawn from the conversations I’ve had on my chart-topping podcast with the world’s most successful people.
These laws will work now or in 100 years from now. Are you ready to get started?
This is a great gift for fans of “The Diary of a CEO” podcast. I love it and it’s one of those shows that always makes me want to try harder and do better and I’m sure the book will too.
Price: RRP: £20 Current price (at time of publishing): £10
Buy here: https://amzn.to/3MRbgNl
15. On the Road with the Fab Four: The Mal Evans Story: Living the Beatles Legend by Kenneth Womack
The first full-length biography of Mal Evans, the Beatles’ beloved roadie, assistant, confidant and friend
A towering figure in horn-rimmed glasses, Malcolm ‘Mal’ Evans was an invaluable member of the Beatles’ inner circle. Serving as their long-time roadie, personal assistant and protector, he was a sometime lyricist, occasional performer and regular fixer at the height of the group’s fame and beyond.
But Mal’s dedication to his beloved ‘boys’ and his own desire for stardom took its toll, leading to the dissolution of his marriage and his untimely death in January 1976.
Until now, Mal’s extraordinary life has remained shrouded in mystery. Drawing on hundreds of exclusive interviews and with full access to Mal’s unpublished archives – including his personal diaries, manuscripts and memorabilia – renowned Beatles scholar Kenneth Womack paints the first complete portrait of this complicated figure at the heart of the Beatles’ story.
Living the Beatles Legend is a fascinating but ultimately tragic tale about life at the edges of superstardom.
All these years on and we are still fascinated with The Beatles and there are still tails to be told…
Price: RRP: £25 Current price (at time of publishing): £21.79
Buy here: https://amzn.to/40S5h0M
16. Pageboy: A Memoir by Elliot Page
1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER | INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
‘Powerful’ New York Times
‘Written by a sensitive soul’ Guardian
‘Raw, harrowing, and often heartbreaking’ LA Times
‘Eloquent and enthralling’ Washington Post
‘Singular’ Daily Telegraph
Before the world premiere of Juno Elliot Page was on the edge self-discovery. But with Juno’s massive success and his dreams coming true, Elliot found himself trapped by the spotlight and the pressure to perform was suffocating him. Until enough was enough.
From chasing down secret love affairs to battling body image and working through his difficult childhood, Pageboy is a beautiful, intimate book about searching for ourselves and our place in the world.
‘Like listening to a friend … Now is an excellent time to read this humanizing and well-written memoir’ Associated Press
‘A profoundly talented writer … It is a love story of sorts in which the greatest love turns out to be Page’s alignment with his truest self’ Elizabeth Day – How to Fail
‘Page’s compassion-inducing account feels vital … Heartfelt and courageous in its honesty’
Elliot Page has been through a huge transformation and in this book takes us along on the journey.
Price: RRP: £20 Current price (at time of publishing): £15.99 (also available in paperback RRP: £10.99 Current price: £7.11)
Buy here: https://amzn.to/3MMBfWg
17. A Life Worth Living by Tommy Jessop
‘I can’t recommend it highly enough’ STEPHEN FRY | ‘Everyone needs to hear his voice’ MARK HADDON
I’m a man on a mission to show that life with Down syndrome can be exciting and is worth living, so that other people understand and give us the chance to live life to the full and to be fulfilled.
Tommy Jessop is a multi-award winning actor, theatre performer, and campaigner. Tommy has been at the vanguard of bringing awareness of the potential of people living with Down syndrome to the media, and to government. A Life Worth Living will be Tommy’s story – from his journey into acting and campaigning while showing his unstoppable determination, charisma, and love for life. Tommy’s natural instinct to help others leaps out from the pages, as does his wish to make people aware that those with learning disabilities just want to be treated like everybody else.
“A Life Worth Living” is one of the most inspiring books to place on your Christmas list this year.
Price: RRP: £20 Current price (at time of publishing): £17.11
Buy here: https://amzn.to/49KjG36
18. Have A Little Faith: Life Lessons on Love, Death and How Lasagne Always Helps by The Reverend Kate Bottley
A joyous collection of life-lessons from the UK’s favourite vicar!
Hello there, come on in.
Firstly, I know what you’re thinking, ‘I’m not religious so I’m not sure if this is for me’ but, the truth is, we can all benefit from having a little faith and it will look different to each of us. Granted, some of the stories about a man who can walk on water and come back from the dead are anything but normal, but the point isn’t about what we believe in, it’s about believing in something. It’s what humans have always done, it’s in our DNA, because having faith in something makes us feel connected. It makes us feel like we matter. Faith means we are in it together, that we believe we will be OK.
So, yes, this book is about faith, but it’s also about being human, because believing in things is just part of our existence. Wherever you sit on the faith spectrum, I’m here to tell you it’s okay. You don’t have to sign up to all of something to get something out of some of it. You don’t have to like every song on the album.
My belief has guided me through life’s ups and downs, and I hope that sharing what I’ve learned will help you face your own challenges armed with hope, and plenty of lasagne.
Love,
Kate x
‘A gorgeous read, it made me cry in a joyous way’ Zoe Ball
‘You can always rely on Kate to bring humour, warmth and cracking anecdotes. This book, unsurprisingly, has shed loads’ Steph McGovern
I love Kate Bottley and this will be a fascinating read as she says even if you’re not religious.
Price: RRP: £18.99 Current price (at time of publishing): £14.19
Buy here: https://amzn.to/3R67ySC
19. Behind The Shoulder Pads – Tales I Tell My Friends by Joan Collins
‘I’m lucky to have an inexhaustible appetite for life. I’ve had many amazing adventures in Hollywood and beyond, but some stories I have only ever shared with my friends. After all, you’ve got to have a bit of mystery, so I hide a knowing smile behind my shoulder pads. Until now! So, read on for the tales I tell my friends . . .’
In her new book, Dame Joan Collins returns in dazzling form to share the most memorable moments from her eclectic and vibrant life, in and out of the limelight. Taking us on an incredible journey from her early years as a young star in the golden era of Hollywood to stamping her stilettos in Dynasty; from the glittering heights of St Tropez to the busy Oscars season in LA over the years.
Joan writes movingly about her grief and adventures with her sister Jackie, delving deeper into the ups and downs of love and relationships, and her happiness with husband Percy. Filled with a cast of household names, including the late Queen Elizabeth, Diana, Princess of Wales, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Caine, Warren Beatty, and many more, Behind the Shoulder Pads is a spectacularly entertaining tour de force bound to delight and shock in equal measures.
Hilarious, intimate and completely spellbinding, Joan invites you into her life like never before, sharing the stories she had previously reserved for her closest of friends.
Pour the champagne and open the Christmas chocolates to enjoy while Joan Collins shares with you the tales she tells her friends- perfect!
Price: RRP: £22 Current price (at time of publishing): £14.99
Buy here: https://amzn.to/47AKl0e
The instant New York Times bestseller!
Henry Winkler, launched into prominence by his role as ‘The Fonz’ in the beloved Happy Days, has transcended the role that made him who he is.
Brilliant, funny, and widely-regarded as the nicest man in Hollywood (though he would be the first to tell you that it’s simply not the case, he’s really just grateful to be here), Henry shares in this achingly vulnerable memoir the disheartening truth of his childhood, the difficulties of a life with severe dyslexia, the pressures of a role that takes on a life of its own, and the path forward once your wildest dream seems behind you.
Since the glorious era of Happy Days fame, Henry has endeared himself to a new generation with roles in such adored shows as Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation, and Barry, where he’s revealed himself as an actor with immense depth and pathos, a departure from the period of his life when he was so distinctly typecast as ‘The Fonz’, he could hardly find work.
Filled with profound heart, charm, and self-deprecating humor, Being Henry is a memoir about so much more than a life in Hollywood and the curse of stardom. It is a meaningful testament to the power of sharing truth and kindness and of finding fulfillment within yourself.
Henry Winkler will always be The Fonz to a couple of generations, but there’s so much more and I can’t wait to read about it.
Price: RRP: £22 Current price (at time of publishing): £18.99
Buy here: https://amzn.to/46meNu6
Which Book is Your Favourite?
There are so many amazing celebrity new books out this autumn that make perfect Christmas Gifts for friends and family. I couldn’t fit them all onto my list so this is the top 20 Christmas gift books in 2023. Which book is your favourite? Are there any new ones you’d add to the list?
Win a Christmas Bestseller
Would you like to win a Christmas bestseller from this list? Whether you want to cosy up and enjoy a read or gift it to a friend now you can. Enter the easy Rafflecopter below to enter. If in the unlikely event, the book is sold out, I will ask you to choose your second choice and so on. Remember to read the terms and conditions! Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveawayPin this post for later:
billy connolly
The Twat Files as I think Dawn French is incredibly funny.
I’d love to read The Woman In Me by Britney Spears. I’ve grown up listening to and loving her music. This also seems such an interesting and empowering read.
I love Dawn French and would like to read her book The Twat Files, interesting title!
I would love to win and read The Twat Files by Dawn French! I can really relate to what she is saying!