A hilarious, heartfelt memoir about one woman's midlife obsession with Benedict Cumberbatch, and the liberating power of reclaiming our passions as we age, whatever they may be. Tabitha Carvan was a new mother, at home with two young children, when she fell for the actor Benedict Cumberbatch. You know the guy: strange name, alien face, made Sherlock so sexy that it became one of the most streamed shows in the world? The force of her fixation took everyone - especially Carvan herself - by surprise. But what she slowly realised was that her preoccupation was not with Benedict Cumberbatch at all. It was about finally feeling passionate about something, anything, at a point in her life when she had lost touch with her own identity. Turns out that a little bit of obsession can go a long way ... This Is Not a Book About Benedict Cumberbatch explores what happens to women's desires after we leave adolescence, and why the space in our lives for pure, unadulterated joy is squeezed ever smaller as we age. Carvan shine a light onto the hidden corners of fandom, from online communities to profound real-world connections. She asks: what happens if we simply decide to follow our interests - unabashedly, audaciously, shamelessly? After all, there's true power in finding your 'thing' (even if that thing happens to be a Marvel superhero) and loving it like your life depends on it.

'Here is a book that will set you free, wake you up, and get you on your own team.' Chelsea Handler 'I love how Gross Anatomy delightfully reveals Mara Altman's upbeat and life-affirming obsession with the human body - our loveliness and not-so-lovelinesses.' Jon Ronson From the hilarious Mara Altman, Gross Anatomy unapologetically explores the beautiful, and sometimes not so beautiful, aspects of our bodies, and why they're worth loving anyway. From hairy chins to braless outings, lice-infestations to PMS, no body part is left undiscussed as Altman takes the reader on a wild journey from head to toe, recounting experiences most of us are too polite to share. Hugely funny and unashamedly body-positive, this book is a must-read for all women (and men, too). Through a combination of personal anecdotes and fascinating research, Mara Altman proves herself as a fearless and thoroughly charming writer, creating one of the most compulsive feminist reads of the year.

*Please note this is not a novel, but a companion book for Reacher fans* NOW UPDATED TO INCLUDE A Q&A WITH LEE CHILD AND ALAN RITCHSON, STAR OF PRIME TV'S HIT SERIES, REACHER My name is Jack Reacher. No middle name, no address. I'm a man with a rule. People leave me alone, I leave them alone. If they don't, I don't. As every Reacher fan knows, you don't have to break the rules if you make the rules. Rule 1. NEVER VOLUNTEER FOR ANYTHING Rule 2: BE ON YOUR FEET AND READY Rule 3. SHOW THEM WHAT THEY'RE MESSING WITH Rule 4: DON'T BREAK THE FURNITURE Rule 5: IF IN DOUBT, DRINK COFFEE 'There's only one Jack Reacher. Accept no substitutes' MICK HERRON

2018 EISNER AWARD-WINNER - BEST HUMOUR PUBLICATION In Baking with Kafka, Tom Gauld asks the questions no one else dares ask about civilisation as we know it. - How do you get published during a skeleton apocalypse? - What was the secret of Kafka's lemon drizzle cake? - And what plot possibilities does the exploding e-cigarette offer modern mystery writers? A riotous collection of laugh-out-loud cartoons in his signature style, Baking with Kafka reaffirms Gauld's position as a first-rate cartoonist, creating work infused with a deep understanding of both literary and cartoon history.

50 Blertse Blou is ’n keur uit Blouwillem se tong-in-die-kies-rubrieke in Beeld, Die Burger en Volksblad.

Dié rubrieke het van hom ’n berugte openbare persoonlikheid gemaak. Hy spot met onder andere aktuele sake in Suid-Afrika.

'What guts. What attitude! These are the immortals I wish I'd learned about at school.' OLIVIA COLMAN Channel the feminist power of mythical goddesses in this witty, inspirational gift book. 'Wonderful.' CERYS MATTHEWS Whether it's the Norse warrior goddess Freya breaking all the rules, the Yoruba goddess Oshun being unafraid to ask for what she's owed, or the Japanese goddess Uzume finding humour and playfulness in even the most embarrassing of situations: this fierce and fantastic tour of 25 ancient deities reclaims these feminist icons for a new generation. Why settle for mere mortal excellence when you could be living like a goddess? Divinely illustrated by Georgia Perry, You Goddess! will help you conquer today's world.

"Sedaris is a remarkably skilled storyteller and savvy essayist....And based, on this latest collection, he's getting only better." ---Los Angeles Times
A guy walks into a bar car and...
From here the story could take many turns. When the guy is David Sedaris, the possibilities are endless, but the result is always the same: he will both delight you with twists of humor and intelligence and leave you deeply moved.
Sedaris remembers his father's dinnertime attire (shirtsleeves and underpants), his first colonoscopy (remarkably pleasant), and the time he considered buying the skeleton of a murdered Pygmy. The common thread? Sedaris masterfully turns each essay into a love story: how it feels to be in a relationship where one loves and is loved over many years, what it means to be part of a family, and how it's possible, through all of life's absurdities, to grow to love oneself.
With LET'S EXPLORE DIABETES WITH OWLS, David Sedaris shows once again why he is widely considered the "the funniest writer in America" ("O, the Oprah Magazine").

There is no city quite like New York City, for better or worse. I LOVE(ISH) NEW YORK is a hilarious relatable collection of essays, illustrations, and cartoons about the always interesting, sometimes frustrating, and endlessly entertaining quirks of living in the Big Apple. Despite the notorious six-floor walk-ups and unrequited love found in all the wrong dive bars, the city's unique charm and irresistible allure keeps millions of residents-and starry-eyed millions more on their way-walking fast and talking faster in this urban paradise. NEW YORKER magazine contributor Ali Solomon offers an absurdist's eye and a satirist's pen, crafting a love letter to the greatest (or great-ish?) city in the world. I LOVE(ISH) NEW YORK is the perfect gift for anyone who lives, left, loved, or dreamed of living in New York City.

Behind every great writer there is a beloved pet, providing inspiration in life and in death, and companionship in what is often a lonely working existence. They also offer practical services, such as personal protection, although they may sometimes eat first drafts, or bite visitors. This book salutes all of the cats and dogs, ravens and budgerigars, monkeys and guinea pigs, wombats, turtles, and two laughing jackasses, who enriched the lives of their masters and mistresses, sat on their keyboards, slept in their beds, and occasionally provided the creative spark for their stories and poems. Gathered here are the tales of Beatrix Potter's rabbit, Benjamin Bouncer; Lord Byron's bear; the six cats of T S Eliot; Camus' cat, Cigarette; Arthur C Clarke's dog, Sputnik; and George Orwell's goat, Muriel. Enid Blyton's fox terrier, Bobs, `wrote' her columns in Teacher's World magazine, while John Steinbeck's poodle accompanied him on his 1960 US road trip, their exploits published as Travels with Charley. Agatha Christie dedicated her 1937 novel Dumb Witness to her favourite dog, Peter - the ultimate tribute.

Barking Mad taps into the British passion for dogs by bringing together a unique collection of extraordinary, touching and sometimes bizarre but true stories covering sporting dogs (and hounds) military mascots, eccentric companions, war heroes and Royal dogs. Many of the best and most intriguing stories, which date back to the early nineteenth century, have been discovered in long-forgotten books and magazines, but all reflect our enduring passion for man's best friend. Stories include everything from the Labrador that saved its master from drowning to the hound that spent years travelling unaccompanied across Britain by train, and the pooch that carried a penny to the local bakery every day to buy its own cakes. Beautifully illustrated by Nicola L. Robinson this book is a wonderful anthology for all who love man's best friend.

Number One Is Walking is Steve Martin's cinematic legacy--an illustrated memoir of his legendary acting career, with stories from his most popular films and artwork by New Yorker cartoonist Harry Bliss.

Steve Martin has never written about his career in the movies before. In Number One Is Walking, he shares anecdotes from the sets of his beloved films--Father of the Bride, Roxanne, The Jerk, Three Amigos, and many more--bringing readers directly into his world. He shares charming tales of antics, moments of inspiration, and exploits with the likes of Paul McCartney, Diane Keaton, Robin Williams, and Chevy Chase. Martin details his forty years in the movie biz, as well as his stand-up comedy, banjo playing, writing, and cartooning, all with his unparalleled wit.

With gorgeously illustrated cartoons and single-panel "diversions" in Steve and Harry's signature style, Number One Is Walking is full of the everyday moments that make up a movie star's life, capturing Steve Martin's singular humor and acclaimed career in film. The perfect gift from the team who brought you the #1 New York Times bestseller A Wealth of Pigeons.

From dodgy home haircuts and TikTok dance crazes to banana-bread baking and checkpoint cheek, even in lockdown social media star and comedian Rory O'Connor found plenty of opportunities to keep everyone laughing. Filled with Rory's trademark banter and observational gems, this infectious (!) and hilarious lockdown lookback will make you nostalgic for outdoor dining in the rain and loo roll shortages!

'The perfect gift for anyone who loves all things Christmas ... it's a festive gem' Woman & Home 'A beautiful, funny and soulful collection of personal essays' Prima ___________ The perfect gift book, featuring the writing of Meryl Streep, Bill Bailey, Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, Caitlin Moran, Richard Ayoade, Emily Watson and others, to coincide with the upcoming movie Last Christmas, starring Emma Thompson, Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding. When you think back to Christmases past, what (if anything) made it magical? Looking towards the future, what would your perfect Christmas be? What would you change? What should we all change? This is a beautiful, funny and soulful collection of personal essays about the meaning of Christmas, written by a unique plethora of voices from the boulevards of Hollywood to the soup kitchens of Covent Garden. Away from the John Lewis advert, the high street decorations and the candied orange in Heston Blumenthal's Christmas pudding, this gem of a book introduced and curated by Emma Thompson and Greg Wise celebrates the importance of kindness and generosity, acceptance and tolerance - and shows us that these values are not just for Christmas.

From 2011 up until his death at the end of 2016, the inimitable AA Gill reigned supreme as Uncle Dysfunctional, Esquire's resident advice columnist. In this raffish, hilarious, scathing yet often surprisingly humane collection, Gill applies his unmatched wit to the largest and smallest issues of our time.

Add a twist of humour to South African nostalgia with Hagen Engler's latest offering. Black Twitter, Blitz And A Boerie As Long As Your Leg is a light-hearted, humorous read of multiple entries that can be dipped into at will. Optimistic, topical and definitely tongue-in-cheek, this book could easily be that last-minute gift that you pick up at the airport before you head back to the parental home for the holidays. Not too politically edgy - so as not to offend any sensitive elephants in the room – it draws on the great many things that South Africans do have in common, and that will give us all a moment to agree on something, for a change.

Black Twitter, Blitz And A Boerie As Long As Your Leg lists and celebrates the tiny, subtle aspects of South African life that we all experience but don’t always notice. Engler looks at icons of our shared South Africanness but drills a little deeper to make them more specific, a bit more ridiculous, a bit funnier, and hopefully to induce an excited exclamation from the reader of, “Yoh! That’s so true!” Even if the entry is ostensibly negative, Engler will find a poignant aspect of it that is lovable and help us laugh at ourselves.

Paige is best known for A Million Miles From Normal, her weekly column in the Sunday Times Life & Style magazine. As one of the anchor columnists of the Life & Style section since 2011, she has produced hundreds of hilarious columns and received hundreds more hilarious responses.

Pens Behaving Badly is a collection of the best of her columns and the best of the wild letters they’ve inspired.

'You'll laugh out loud and take delight in the gripes of the moaners out there' - The Sun From Bob Geldof to Winston Churchill, Jeremy Clarkson to Victor Meldrew, the world has always produced its share of grumpy, moody, pessimistic and world-weary types. We all know one! They like to groan and grumble, offering their own commentary on the shortcomings of modern life. Whether it is queues at the supermarket, the state of the health system, the price of a pint these days, the hairstyles of teenagers, or the number of Maltesers you actually get in a bag, there is always something that will get their goat. The Grumpy Old Git's Guide to Life is a hilarious celebration of all these grumps, how to identify one, what exactly they find so irritating and why we find their rants quite so amusing. An ideal gift for him. See if you can put a smile on the face of your favourite grump this father's day.

Prepare for storytelling at its funniest! You'll be laughing out loud at these feel-good stories that are sure to bring some sunshine into your life! Laugh your way through the missteps, mishaps and misadventures of everyday life with Chicken Soup for the Soul: Well That Was Funny. In these 101 hilarious, true stories you'll read about the embarrassing moments, shocking realizations, and domestic disasters that leave us shaking our heads in disbelief, laughing at ourselves. From spouses to parents to children to colleagues and friends, and even pets, no one is safe in these pages. So prepare for some good, clean (and not so clean) fun! Chicken Soup for the Soul books are 100% made in the USA and each book includes stories from as diverse a group of writers as possible. Chicken Soup for the Soul solicits and publishes stories from the LGBTQ community and from people of all ethnicities, nationalities, and religions.

Born in Shropshire soon after the end of the First World War, venerable motoring writer W de Forte has driven everything from his grandfather's first Daimler, to modern-day supercars ...ridden everything from vertiginous Victorian penny farthings, to high velocity twenty-first century superbikes ...travelled everywhere from the permafrost of the Arctic Circle to the baking sands of the Baja Peninsula ...and met everyone from Tazio Nuvolari to Valentino Rossi.W de Forte enjoyed an eventful career as a top-level journalist, spanning 75 years, during which time he tested many thousands of cars and reported on countless automotive events around the world. This made him uniquely qualified to comment on all aspects of classic and vintage motoring and motorcycling.Relatively undimmed by age and ague, even in his mid-90s, de Forte had no plans to retire, but, in early 2011, a high-speed prang while testing a wayward Rudge Ulster at a racing circuit in Belgium brought him up with a jolt, both literally and metaphorically. After recuperating in hospital, he settled down to write his long-awaited and much requested autobiography.This unique and insightful book is the result.Packed with fascinating stories about classic cars and motorcycles, A Life Awheel - the 'Auto' Biography of W de Forte is an account of an extraordinary motoring life, and the story of motoring in the 20th century.