Viv Groskop – författare

'The working mum's version of Eddie Izzard's 50 marathons in 50 days. Hilarious.' Sally Phillips'Absolutely hilarious' Jennifer Saunders'Brilliant' Jo Brand'An amazing book about stand-up that's also about love, determination and pursuing your dreams' Lucy PorterWhen is it too late to become the person you were meant to be? Viv Groskop is fed up, recession-scarred and pushing 40. She always wanted to be a stand-up comedian. But surely that's not advisable if you have three children, a mortgage and a husband who hates stand-up comedy? With no time to waste, she attempts the mother of all comedy marathons - 100 gigs in 100 nights. She laughs. Sometimes at her own jokes. Occasionally the audience laughs too. Often they don't. And she cries. Tears of joy, of misery and of profound self-loathing. This is an alarmingly specific and reckless experiment with a reassuringly universal and inspiring message. You CAN do what you want to do even if it's completely terrifying. You CAN try something new without giving up the day job. And you CAN go after what you really want in life without destroying everything around you. Well, not absolutely everything.

A dynamic guide to owning your ambition and striving for success in an ever-changing world, while helping others along the way.'Practical and big-hearted... the New Testament for the sisterhood.' Cathy Newman'A soul-stirring self-help guide.' RED__________Part self-help guide, part master class in survival skills for life and work, Lift As You Climb examines what sisterhood looks like today, asks what you can do to make things better for other women and considers how to do that without disadvantaging yourself.It's the ultimate confidence bible for women planning careers in an ever-changing and uncertain world. And it addresses one of the biggest issues women face in the workplace - how to be ambitious without losing your sense of self. It must be possible, right?Full of brilliant tips and invaluable insights, it's everything you need to know about making life better for yourself - without making it worse for others. __________Readers love Lift As You Climb:***** 'Inspires and provokes thoughts about how you can move forward in your career.'***** 'Supportive and reassuring.'***** 'Uplifting and full of hope, and of course written with a great deal of humour.'

A powerful book about what happens when women find their voice.INCLUDES A NEW INTRODUCTION AND BONUS CHAPTER ON 'HOW TO OWN THE ZOOM''The ultimate guide to public speaking. Inspirational.' Mary Portas'I recommend Viv Groskop's How to Own the Room to anyone wanting more self-confidence.' Philippa Perry__________Most books about public speaking don't tell you what to do when you open your mouth and nothing comes out. And they don't tell you how to get over the anxiety about performance that most people naturally have. They don't tell you what to do in the moments when you are made, as a woman, to feel small. They don't tell you how to own the room. This book does.From the way Michelle Obama projects 'happy high status', to Virginia Woolf's leisurely pacing and Oprah Winfrey's mastery of inner conviction, what is it that our heroines do to make us sit up and listen - really listen - to their every word? And how can you achieve that impact in your own life? Here's how.__________***** 'Easy to grasp practical tips... all served up with lightness and generosity.'***** 'It has made me realize I don't even need to be good, but I can be brave.'***** 'Brilliant, engaging, honest, vulnerable, often damn funny.'

'A memoir that captivates and delights. Fabulous' - Nina StibbeAutumn 1993. The former USSR. Viv is about to turn 21 and is on a study year abroad, supposedly immersed in the language, history and politics of a world that has just ceased to exist: the Soviet Union.Instead, she finds herself immersed in Bogdan Bogdanovich - the lead guitarist of a Ukrainian punk rock band. As the temperature drops, he promises that if she can get through the freezing Russian winter, he will give her "one Ukrainian summer." But is he serious about her? Or is she just another groupie?At parties, gigs and dive bars, Viv and her new friends argue over whose turn it is to buy cigarettes, the best places to find Levi's jeans and whether beer counts as a soft drink. No-one debates the merits of speaking Ukrainian over Russian, the precise location of the border or the undeniable brightness of the future. Of course good times are here to stay. Because the Soviet Union is finished. Isn't it?A poignant and often comical account of coming-of-age in the time after the Cold War and before Putin, One Ukrainian Summer is a love letter to a unique moment in history.ALL AUTHOR EARNINGS FROM THIS BOOK WILL BE DONATED TO PEN INTERNATIONAL

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ILSE SCHWEPCKE PRIZE 'A memoir that captivates and delights. Fabulous' - Nina Stibbe'Charming and funny' - The Times'Evocative, amusing ... [a] redolent, wryly honest memoir' - The Observer'[T]he charm of the book isn't to be found in Groskop's journey ... Instead it's in the book's openness and lightness of touch' - The SpectatorAutumn 1993. The former USSR. Viv is about to turn 21 and is on a study year abroad, supposedly immersed in the language, history and politics of a world that has just ceased to exist: the Soviet Union.Instead, she finds herself immersed in Bogdan Bogdanovich - the lead guitarist of a Ukrainian punk rock band. As the temperature drops, he promises that if she can get through the freezing Russian winter, he will give her 'one Ukrainian summer'. But is he serious about her? Or is she just another groupie?At parties, gigs and dive bars, Viv and her new friends argue over whose turn it is to buy cigarettes, the best places to find Levi's jeans and whether beer counts as a soft drink. No-one debates the merits of speaking Ukrainian over Russian, the precise location of the border or the undeniable brightness of the future. Of course good times are here to stay. Because the Soviet Union is finished. Isn't it?A poignant and often comical account of coming-of-age in the time after the Cold War and before Putin, One Ukrainian Summer is a love letter to a unique moment in history.ALL AUTHOR EARNINGS FROM THIS BOOK WILL BE DONATED TO PEN INTERNATIONAL

Redefine what confidence looks like at home and at work.Everyone wants to be able to face challenging situations without feeling daunted, intimidated or stressed. But no-one wants to be labelled over-confident, arrogant or smarmy, or to get caught up in their own hype. So how can you feel authentically confident - without the cringe, and without pretending to be something you're not?Happy high status is a new way of thinking about confidence and how you relate to yourself. It's how actors and comedians enhance their presence on stage and screen. It lends strength and energy to your interactions, big and small, and is a way of projecting status, minimising self-doubt and moving effortlessly through life.Drawing on research, practical tips and lessons from the worlds of comedy, film, television, politics and sport, Viv Groskop offers a masterclass in how you can access this new form of confidence at any time. All, crucially, with no risk of anyone thinking that you are your own biggest fan."Viv always makes me feel more confident. Get the magic now in book form" - Katy Brand"I recommend Viv Groskop to anyone wanting more self-confidence" - Philippa Perry"Reassuring, inspiring and wise - a practical handbook for anyone held back by self-doubt" - Julia Samuel

A powerful book about what happens when women find their voice.INCLUDES A NEW INTRODUCTION AND BONUS CHAPTER ON 'HOW TO OWN THE ZOOM''The ultimate guide to public speaking. Inspirational.' Mary Portas'I recommend Viv Groskop's How to Own the Room to anyone wanting more self-confidence.' Philippa Perry__________Most books about public speaking don't tell you what to do when you open your mouth and nothing comes out. And they don't tell you how to get over the anxiety about performance that most people naturally have. They don't tell you what to do in the moments when you are made, as a woman, to feel small. They don't tell you how to own the room. This book does.From the way Michelle Obama projects 'happy high status', to Virginia Woolf's leisurely pacing and Oprah Winfrey's mastery of inner conviction, what is it that our heroines do to make us sit up and listen - really listen - to their every word? And how can you achieve that impact in your own life? Here's how.__________***** 'Easy to grasp practical tips... all served up with lightness and generosity.'***** 'It has made me realize I don't even need to be good, but I can be brave.'***** 'Brilliant, engaging, honest, vulnerable, often damn funny.'

Redefine what confidence looks like at home and at work.Everyone wants to be able to face challenging situations without feeling daunted, intimidated or stressed. But no-one wants to be labelled over-confident, arrogant or smarmy, or to get caught up in their own hype. So how can you feel authentically confident - without the cringe, and without pretending to be something you're not?Happy high status is a new way of thinking about confidence and how you relate to yourself. It's how actors and comedians enhance their presence on stage and screen. It lends strength and energy to your interactions, big and small, and is a way of projecting status, minimising self-doubt and moving effortlessly through life.Drawing on research, practical tips and lessons from the worlds of comedy, film, television, politics and sport, Viv Groskop offers a masterclass in how you can access this new form of confidence at any time. All, crucially, with no risk of anyone thinking that you are your own biggest fan."Viv always makes me feel more confident. Get the magic now in book form" - Katy Brand"I recommend Viv Groskop to anyone wanting more self-confidence" - Philippa Perry"Reassuring, inspiring and wise - a practical handbook for anyone held back by self-doubt" - Julia Samuel

'Wonderfully entertaining, hilarious. Contains the distilled wisdom of some of the greatest writers who ever lived' Allison Pearson, Sunday TelegraphWhat should I do with my life?What if my love is not returned?Why do bad things happen? The answers to some of life's biggest questions are found not in trite self-help manuals but in the tough-love lessons explored in Russian literature. Here, Viv Groskop delves into the novels of history's deepest thinkers to discover enduring truths about how we should live.Whether you're new to the Russian classics or returning to old favourites, The Anna Karenina Fix will help salve your heartache by exploring the torments of a host of famous and infamous literary heroes and heroines. Think of it like this: they have suffered so that you don't have to . . .'Enchanting. Groskop falls in love with the literature, her impressive knowledge of which she conveys with a charmingly breezy tone' Observer'A beguiling tasting menu of some of the finest reading experiences of my life. Witty, likeable, and lighthearted, Viv Groskop invites us to embrace the work of these august Russian dead souls as belonging to us all' Lionel Shriver