Top list: Biographies and reportage

In 1982 Murakami began running to keep fit. Here, he reflects on his running experiences. Equal parts travelogue, training log, and reminiscence, this revealing memoir covers his preparation for the 2005 New York City Marathon. By turns funny and sobering, playful and philosophical, this is a must read for fans of this masterful writer, and for the increasing number of people who find a similar satisfaction in running.

Miss Marple meets Oscar Wilde in this series of cosy mysteries set in the picturesque Cotswolds village of Bunburry.

Wedding bells are ringing in the picturesque village of Bunburry with the community coming together in joyful celebration. But the festive atmosphere takes a dark turn when the home of Rakesh Choudhury, the respected owner of Bunburry's popular Indian restaurant, is viciously attacked. As whispers of racism ripple through the tight-knit community, tensions rise. Who could have committed such a heinous act? Is the attack a targeted hate crime, or is something more sinister at play? There is an official police investigation, but amateur sleuth Alfie McAlister believes there are other jealousies and hidden grudges at play. Is he the only one who can uncover the truth?

Nathaniel Parker, born in 1962, graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and went on to join the Royal Shakespeare Company. His television career began in 1988 when he played Flying Officer 'Flash' Gordon in the LWT mini-series "Piece of Cake". He is also the lead in the BBC series "The Inspector Lynley Mysteries", based on the novels by Elizabeth George. Nathaniel Parker has an extensive list of audio books to his credit, ranging from the classics of Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy to more modern writings and children's books.

“For twelve years, others have tried to tell our story. Others have tried to put into words how two ten-year-old twins came to be called the biggest pop phenomenon in the Nordics. Now it’s our turn.”

Sold-out concerts, prestigious awards and screaming fans were everyday life for Marcus and Martinus for many years, but just as they were about to embark on their first world tour, everything they had built came crashing down. As the Covid-19 pandemic spread, the twin brothers found themselves isolated in their hometown, forced to face their first major crisis. While the situation gave them a rare opportunity to live a normal life, one question gnawed at them: Would their audience welcome them back — this time as adult artists?

For the first time, Marcus and Martinus share the darker side of growing up in the spotlight, the crash that threatened to destroy everything they had worked for, and the challenges of finding their own voices after always being seen as one half of a duo.

Marcus & Martinus burst onto the international music scene in 2012 and have since continued to captivate audiences with their charismatic performances. With millions of followers worldwide and over a billion streams, the Norwegian duo has sold out arenas across Scandinavia.

Frida Söderlund is a journalist and author.

INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“Heart-wrenchingly personal…dizzying.” —Rolling Stone

From eldest daughter Shari Franke, the shocking true story behind the viral 8 Passengers family vlog—now the subject of a new Hulu docuseries—and the hidden abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother, and how, in the face of unimaginable pain, she found freedom and healing.

Shari Franke’s childhood was a constant battle for survival. Her mother, Ruby Franke, enforced a severe moral code while maintaining a façade of a picture-perfect family for their wildly popular YouTube channel 8 Passengers, which documented the day-to-day life of raising six children for a staggering 2.5 million subscribers. But a darker truth lurked beneath the surface—Ruby’s wholesome online persona masked a more tyrannical parenting style than anyone could have imagined.

As the family’s YouTube notoriety grew, so too did Ruby’s delusions of righteousness. Fueled by the sadistic influence of relationship coach Jodi Hildebrandt, together they implemented an inhumane and merciless disciplinary regime.

Ruby and Jodi were arrested in Utah in 2023 on multiple charges of aggravated child abuse. On that fateful day, Shari shared a photo online of a police car outside their home. Her caption had one word: “Finally.”

For the first time, Shari will reveal the disturbing truth behind 8 Passengers and her family’s devastating involvement with Jodi Hildebrandt’s cultish life coaching program, “ConneXions.” No stone is left unturned as Shari exposes the perils of influencer culture and shares for the first time her battle for truth and survival in the face of her mother’s cruelty.

Anyone can wear a tie. All you need is a neck, a shirt, and a feel for color.

Discover the story of a gentleman’s most distinguished accessory. In this charming volume, the iconic actor and bestselling author Stephen Fry excavates his epic collection of neckties. From the traditional "egg and bacon" colors of the Marylebone Cricket Club, to the exuberant dalmatian

pattern of a 1980s Nicole Miller design, each tie tells a story.

The book includes an essay about Fry’s own necktie journey. Simply sit back and enjoy this informative and witty tour of history, culture, art, and design, peppered with amusing anecdotes.

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

A TIMES BEST MEMOIR OF 2023

‘Grippingly vivid and pacey’ THE TIMES

‘A seven-year old girl on a seventy-foot yacht, for ten years, over fifty thousand miles of sailing’ SIMON WINCHESTER

'An astonishing almost day-by-day account of [a] hazardous journey and its legacy’ TELEGRAPH

‘This is a story of an epic childhood journey, so exciting and so shocking it is hard to know whether you’re reading about a dream or a nightmare… Wavewalker is thrilling, horrifying, beautifully written – I couldn’t put it down’ ED BALLS

Aged just seven, Suzanne Heywood set sail with her parents and brother on a three-year voyage around the world. What followed turned instead into a decade-long way of life, through storms, shipwrecks, reefs and isolation, with little formal schooling. No one else knew where they were most of the time and no state showed any interest in what was happening to the children.

Suzanne fought her parents, longing to return to England and to education and stability. This memoir covers her astonishing upbringing, a survival story of a child deprived of safety, friendships, schooling and occasionally drinking water… At seventeen Suzanne earned an interview at Oxford University and returned to the UK.

From the bestselling author of What Does Jeremy Think?, Wavewalker is the incredible true story of how the adventure of a lifetime became one child’s worst nightmare – and how her determination to educate herself enabled her to escape

‘A classic memoir of childhood. This is a book that every parent should read to consider the consequences of their midlife crises, and every child should read to learn how to deal with impossible mums and dads, as well as boils and barnacles’ Mail on Sunday 5*

‘An electrifying story about an extraordinary childhood, and Heywood tells it with remarkable clarity and assurance . . . an engrossing book that pitches the reader into the highs and lows of a young life spent in the “Wavewalker School of the Sea”’TLS

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From New York Times bestselling author, OG Vanderpump Rules star, and host of the successful podcast Stassi, a “raw, relatable…brutally funny” (Bustle) guide to rethinking the girlboss life, taking the pressure off, and the lessons Stassi Schroeder’s learned since becoming a mom of two.

Before she wrote Off with My Head, a book about hitting what felt like rock bottom, Stassi Schroeder was writing an entirely different story: a basic bitch’s guide on how to be a—wait for it—“girlboss.” But then 2020 came along and after a global pandemic, losing her job, becoming a mom, and getting married, suddenly, being a girlboss wasn’t the vibe. Instead of giving up, Stassi grew and learned from her mistakes (you know, just standard evolution).

After two and a half years in limbo, Stassi was ready to launch her career again. She’d come a long way from that temperamental “Season One Stassi.” She’d gained a new perspective on what she wants out of life: to carve a path for herself, on her terms. The thing is, all this pressure to “have it all” while girlbossing it up…it’s exhausting, and Stassi isn’t sure it’s the ticket to happiness that we all thought it was.

That’s truly what this book is about: the desire for joy, and accepting that you may not be the “perfect” parent/partner/friend/human—and that’s okay! Instead of letting mom guilt or work guilt get her down, Stassi encourages us all to take the pressure off, give ourselves grace, and lean into the things that bring us happiness. And if you need a little sauvignon blanc or Aperol spritz to get you through the tough days…cheers!

#1 New York Times non-fiction bestseller

#2 Sunday Times non-fiction bestseller

SHORTLISTED FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD

CHOSEN AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY APPLE, AMAZON, THE TIMES AND FINANCIAL TIMES

Walter Isaacson’s biography of Elon Musk offers the most intimate, complete and revelatory portrait of the most fascinating and controversial innovator in the world.

For two years, Isaacson had unprecedented access to Musk, his workplaces, his family, friends, coworkers and adversaries – nothing was off-limits.

Musk’s journey from humble beginnings to one of the wealthiest people on the planet is a thrilling, mind-bending story and nobody could tell it better. Filled with amazing tales of triumph and turmoil, and lessons about leadership and business, it ultimately addresses the question everyone wants to ask: why is Elon Musk so successful?

This book includes over 100 integrated black and white images.

Winner of the 2023 Grammy for Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording!

Audie Award Winner for Audiobook of the Year!

Narrated by Viola Davis

In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life-changing decision to stop running forever.

This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose but also my voice in a world that didn’t always see me.

As I wrote Finding Me, my eyes were open to the truth of how our stories are often not given close examination. We are forced to reinvent them to fit into a crazy, competitive, judgmental world. So I wrote this for anyone running through life untethered, desperate and clawing their way through murky memories, trying to get to some form of self-love. For anyone who needs reminding that a life worth living can only be born from radical honesty and the courage to shed facades and be . . . you.

Finding Me is a deep reflection, a promise, and a love letter of sorts to self. My hope is that my story will inspire you to light up your own life with creative expression and rediscover who you were before the world put a label on you.

From six bestselling authors, including New York Times bestseller Kate Quinn, comes a vividly imagined novel following the lives of those in ancient Pompeii on the fateful day Mount Vesuvius erupts.

Pompeii was a lively resort flourishing in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius at the height of the Roman Empire. When Vesuvius erupted in an explosion of flame and ash, the entire town would be destroyed. Some of its citizens died in the chaos, some escaped the mountain’s wrath . . . and these are their stories:

A boy loses his innocence in Pompeii’s flourishing streets.

An heiress dreads her wedding day, not knowing it will be swallowed by fire.

An ex-legionary stakes his entire future on a gladiator bout destined never to be finished.

A crippled senator welcomes death, until a tomboy on horseback comes to his rescue.

A young mother faces an impossible choice for her unborn child as the ash falls.

A priestess and a prostitute seek redemption and resurrection as the town is buried.

Six authors bring to life overlapping stories of patricians and slaves, warriors and politicians, villains and heroes who cross each other’s paths during Pompeii’s fiery end. But who will escape, and who will be buried for eternity?

Text copyright 2023 by Stephanie Dray, Ben Kane, Eliza Knight, Sophie Perinot, Kate Quinn, Victoria Alvear, and Michelle Moran

She thought she’d left her past behind.

She was wrong…

Despite a childhood in the care system, Anna Price has beaten the odds and built for herself the perfect life, complete with beautiful seaside home, devoted husband and a job she loves.

Then a policeman appears at Anna’s door: her estranged brother Henry is a wanted serial killer, and the police need Anna’s help to catch him before he strikes again.

When an envelope turns up on her doorstep, Anna suddenly finds herself caught in a sick game. One that she remembers all too well from childhood – one that, this time, she must win at all costs…

Readers are obsessing over The Serial Killer’s Sister!

‘Loved every second of this. Finished it in 36 hours. And the twist…Didn’t see that coming!’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘An excellent read with a fantastic jaw-dropping ending.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Loved every bit of this book. I thought I knew exactly what was going on but oh how wrong I was…The story right until the very end is full of surprises.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Alice Hunter is the queen of thrillers!’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘The twist at the end is so clever that I was left thinking about it for days after.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Twists, turns, revenge, evil, family...so freaking good!!’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘WOW. This was such a page-turner, and I truly didn't expect that ending.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I devoured this book in just one sitting. This is an unputdownable, addictive and gripping read. Hunter has pulled me in and kept me captive until the very last page.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A true masterpiece, that ending just keeps on giving, with twist upon twist.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘WOW WOW WOW. I could've read it in one sitting, but I had to restrain myself!’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

INCLUDES A FOREWORD WRITTEN AND READ BY GILMORE GIRLS CREATOR, AMY SHERMAN-PALLADINO!

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A Goodreads Choice Awards Winner

“Come for the Gilmore Girls anecdotes, stay for the revealing truths about what it takes to build a lifelong career in and out of Hollywood” (The A.V. Club) in this candid and captivating memoir from award-winning and beloved actress Kelly Bishop, spanning her six decades in show business from A Chorus Line, Dirty Dancing, Gilmore Girls, and much more.

Kelly Bishop’s long, storied career has been defined by landmark achievements, from winning a Tony Award for her turn in the original Broadway cast of A Chorus Line to her memorable performance as Jennifer Grey’s mother in Dirty Dancing. But it is probably her iconic role as matriarch Emily in the modern classic Gilmore Girls that cemented her legacy.

Now, Bishop reflects on her remarkable life and looks towards the future with The Third Gilmore Girl. She shares some of her greatest stories and the life lessons she’s learned on her journey. From her early transition from dance to drama, to marrying young to a compulsive gambler, to the losses and achievements she experienced—among them marching for women’s rights and losing her second husband to cancer—Bishop offers a rich, genuine celebration of her life.

Full of witty insights and featuring a special collection of personal and professional photographs, The Third Gilmore Girl is a warm, unapologetic, and spirited memoir from a woman who has left indelible impressions on her audiences for decades and has no plans on slowing down.

Come round to Louis Theroux’s house where the much-loved TV documentary-maker, podcaster and bestselling author of Gotta Get Theroux This finds himself in unexpected danger . . .

Like millions of others, Louis’ plans were mothballed by the onset of Covid. Unable to escape to the porn sets, prisons and maximum-security psychiatric units that are his usual journalistic beat, he began reporting on a location even more full of pitfalls and hostile objects of inquiry: his own home during a pandemic.

Theroux the Keyhole is an honest, hilarious and ultimately heartwarming diary of the weirdness of family life in Covid World. A wife intolerant of his obsession with Joe Wicks’ daily workouts. Two teenage sons, inseparable from their videogames, for whom he is increasingly 'cringe'. A five-year-old happily spamming out videos on his own new TikTok account while on holiday with his oblivious family.

Louis also describes how he launches his podcast, Grounded, finally gets to the US to film a new Joe Exotic documentary and aims his sights on the latest incarnation of the far right in a world becoming radicalized by social media. Theroux the Keyhole is Louis at his insightful best, as he faces unforeseen new challenges and wonders why it took a pandemic for him to learn that what really matters in life is right in front of him.

Read by Louis Theroux, in his usual witty style.

Read by the author, Dr Sam Carr.

'Empathetic, enlightening, deeply human' - Michael Harris, author of Solitude

An intimate portrait of loneliness, All the Lonely People sees psychologist Dr Sam Carr collect hours of conversations with people young and old, including single parents, carers, teenagers and the bereaved – all shared over countless cups of tea.

In stories of love and loss, of trauma and hope, told from care homes, living rooms, classrooms and kitchens, Carr discovers that while each of their stories is utterly unique, they are all born out of the same desire for human connection.

As Carr interweaves these touching and powerful tales with his own personal narrative, he opens a window onto the inner lives of regular people – the forgotten, misplaced or misjudged – who all feel isolated in some way.

Sparking a profound conversation about a universal emotion, which may simply be an inevitable part of life in an increasingly disjointed world, he questions what we can do to build stronger human relationships, and to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.

'The most explosive, mind-blowing business book I've ever read' – Bradley Hope, New York Times bestselling author of Billion Dollar Whale

'Jaw-dropping . . . well-told, well-structured and exquisitely reported' – Financial Times book review

Discover the unauthorized, unvarnished story of famed Wall Street hedge-fund manager Ray Dalio.

When Ray Dalio, billionaire founder of Bridgewater Associates, the world's largest hedge fund, announced in October 2022 that he was stepping down from the company he founded forty-seven years ago, the news made headlines around the world. Dalio achieved worldwide fame thanks to a mystique of success cultivated in frequent media appearances, celebrity hobnobbing, and his bestselling book, Principles. In The Fund, Rob Copeland draws on hundreds of interviews with those inside and around the firm to reveal what really goes on with Dalio and his cohorts behind closed doors.

Tracing more than fifty years of Dalio's leadership, The Fund peels back the curtain to reveal a rarefied world of wealth and power, where former FBI director Jim Comey kisses Dalio's ring, recent Pennsylvania Senate candidate David McCormick sells out, and countless Bridgewater acolytes describe what it's like to work at this fascinating firm.

Dalio has stepped down from Bridgewater before; will the legacy of his Principles continue to chart the course of the firm? The Fund provides unique insight into the story of Dalio and Bridgewater, past, present and future.

'A taut, nonfiction thriller' – Bryan Burrough, bestselling author of Barbarians at the Gate

'Manages to both shock and entertain at the same time' – Philipp Meyer, bestselling author of American Rust and The Son

Peter Sagan, at just twenty-eight years of age, is already one of cycling's greatest riders of all time. With four Tour de France points jersey victories, three road race world championships, the 2018 Paris-Roubaix, and multiple spring classics among Sagan's palmares, the world of cycling agrees that this intense, yet fun-loving rider is among the most dominant and fun-to-watch riders of his generation.

Former Secret Service agent and star of Bravo’s Spy Games Evy Poumpouras shares lessons learned from protecting presidents, as well insights and skills from the oldest and most elite security force in the world to help you prepare for stressful situations, instantly read people, influence how you are perceived, and live a more fearless life.

Becoming Bulletproof means transforming yourself into a stronger, more confident, and more powerful person. Evy Poumpouras—former Secret Service agent to three presidents and one of only five women to receive the Medal of Valor—demonstrates how we can overcome our everyday fears, have difficult conversations, know who to trust and who might not have our best interests at heart, influence situations, and prepare for the unexpected. When you have become bulletproof, you are your best, most courageous, and most powerful version of you. Poumpouras shows us that ultimately true strength is found in the mind, not the body.

Courage involves facing our fears, but it is also about resilience, grit, and having a built-in BS detector and knowing how to use it. In Becoming Bulletproof, Poumpouras demonstrates how to heighten our natural instincts to employ all these qualities and move from fear to fearlessness.

His true identity has never been revealed.

His victims faced the abyss of human insanity.

His name is Jack the Ripper.

London, 1888. In the poor district of Whitechapel, women are found dead, their bodies brutally disfigured. The victims' ripped throats are proof of a bestiality and cruelty, which has never been seen before. The investigation of the police leads to no satisfying results. Soon, the public calls the culprit "Jack the Ripper" - a serial killer who stalks the streets of Whitechapel at night and viciously kills ...

In this Audio Movie, Jack the Ripper and his story come alive.

Discover the dark world of London in the year 1888 and be part of the breathtaking and heart-pounding manhunt for one of the most notorious and feared criminals in British history. Enthralling cinema for your ears with none other than the famous actor Neil Dudgeon (Midsomer Murders, Life of Riley) as Jack the Ripper!

USA TODAY BESTSELLER

The Vanderpump Rules breakout star and provocateur brings her signature sharp wit to the page with this collection of humorous and brutally honest essays exploring her rocky road to fame, sobriety, and beyond.

What does “Give them Lala” mean? It means giving the truest, most honest version of yourself to the world. It means being authentic, bold, adventurous, and having an unapologetic approach to life.

Hollywood is where Lauren Burningham, aspiring actress from Utah, fully embraced her alter-ego Lala Kent, entrepreneur, entertainer, and film and television star. Some say she’s rude; Lala says she claps back. Some say she’s spontaneous; Lala says “eat up the drama.” Some say she’s too bold; Lala knows she’s reality TV gold. Truth is, without giving them Lala, Lauren could never have become the woman she is today.

In her debut collection of essays, Lala shares how you, too, can embrace the best version of yourself and never feel guilty for deserving more. As she leads us on her bumpy journey from suburban boredom to Hollywood glamour, she’ll explain how women can—and should—feel just as free as men when it comes to sex, how sobriety saved her life and relationship, and how we should treasure every day we have with those we love.

Audiobook read by Stephen Colbert and Father John Quigley

POPE FRANCIS' DEBUT MEMOIR · A moving, deeply human account of the life and legacy of one of the bravest and most visionary leaders in modern history—A must read for all generations in a world yearning for hope and change

For the first time, Pope Francis tells the story of his life as he looks back on the momentous world events that have changed history—from his earliest years during the outbreak of World War II in 1939 to the turmoil of today. An extraordinary personal and historical journey, Life is the story of a man and a world in dramatic change. A champion for the oppressed and marginalized—and the future of our planet—Pope Francis has inspired all of us to take action to alter the course of history toward a more loving and humane trajectory.

With eloquence, passion, and humility, Pope Francis recalls his life through memories and observations of the most significant occurrences of the past eight decades. The book opens with three-year-old Jorge in the kitchen with his mother in Argentina as World War II breaks out, and he goes on to witness several historic events:

The fall of the Berlin Wall Videla’s coup in Argentina The moon landing in 1969 And even the 1986 World Cup in which Maradona scored the unforgettable “hand of God” goal. Here are the frank assessments and intimate insights of a pastor reflecting on the Nazi extermination of the Jews, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the 2001 terrorist attack on America and the collapse of the Twin Towers, the great economic recession of 2008, the Covid-19 pandemic, the retirement of Pope Benedict XVI, and the subsequent conclave that elected him Pontiff.

The “pope callejero” recounts these world-changing moments with the candor and compassion that distinguishes him and offers important messages on major crises confronting us now, including social inequalities, climate change, international war, atomic weapons, racial discrimination, political unease, and the battles over social and cultural issues. An innovative change agent and a profoundly empathetic leader, the late Pope's words and vision live on in this unforgettable account of a religious and humanitarian legend.

“We must learn from our elders what our planet has experienced, so as not to repeat the mistakes of the past.” —Pope Francis