Komedi och stand-up

The Big BangNatural SelectionE = mc2All pretty decent theories, that beg one question: why has no-one discovered a fully unified theory for what makes jokes funny?Well, comedy director Amanda Baker, comedy writer Abi Grant and stand-up comedian Jimmy Carr have done just that. In this book, in case that's not obvious. From how to identify the families of jokes, to decoding the building blocks of comedy, to the real - and brand new - secret to comic timing, On Jokes does for comedy what decoding the genome did for designer babies.The essential manual for any aspiring comedian, this book can make anyone funny. Even you.

The first authorised biography of legendary comedian Larry David, co-creator of Seinfeld and star and creator of Curb Your Enthusiasm. With unfettered access to Larry himself, and exclusive interviews with hisfamily, friends and colleagues, author Blake J. Harris chronicles the unlikely journey of a generation-defining icon. Larry David has built a comedy empire on candid observations, social faux pas and unapologetically selfish behaviour. But the man behind the clever musings has mostly remained a ‘walking, talking enigma’ – until now. In Emperor of Nothing, Harris moves beyond the mystique to paint an honest portrait of Larry David, tracing his journey from a Brooklyn childhood and early days as a temperamental stand-up comic – voted by peers as ‘least likely to succeed’ – to reinventing himself through his legendary partnership with Jerry Seinfeld and ultimately becoming a star and brutally honest voice of a generation.Based on more than five years of access to and interviews with Larry and those closest to him, Emperor of Nothing is packed with behind-the-scenes stories, reflections and more awkward hijinks than a Passover Seder gone terribly wrong. Capturing both the icon and irritant, Emperor of Nothing is the definitive biography of the man who made baldness and neurosis aspirational.Whether you’re a fan, a fellow overthinker, or someone who’s proudly never, ever learned a lesson, this book is for you. Larry might not understand why anyone would want to read about him. But that probably means it’s prett-ay, prett-ay, prett-ayyy good.

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE HOST OF FIN vs HISTORY.'Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it, half remembered. Fin Taylor is one of those people.’Al Murray, comedian and author of Arnhem: Black Friday'I deplore this book and wish its author ill.’Dominic Sandbrook, author and host of The Rest is History podcast---This radical reappraisal of human history will change the way you look at the past. In this expansive yet abridged volume, academic pariah and pseudo-historian Fin Taylor re-writes the human story, from the Big Bang to the Second Plane (minus all the boring stuff we can skip in between).Interest in history is at an all time high, but what is it about the past that sets pulses racing? From Henry VIII to Hitler via Cromwell, Caligula and Colonel Gaddafi, this new thesis is a radical reappraisal of the human story.Suffer no more the drudgery of 1066, the Italian Renaissance and the tales of Real Tudor Housewives. Marvel instead at epic naval battles, eccentric tyrants, unimaginable war crimes and extraordinarily heroic deeds. Because what is history if not entertainment for middle-aged men looking to escape modern domesticity in search of more exciting times.Ground-breaking and entirely unsupervised, The History of Mankind in Its Entirety (Abridged) will teach you everything you need to know about the good old days – minus the boring stuff.

'One of the finest, funniest duos in British comedy history' HUFFINGTON POSTBefore they became Hollywood stars and national treasures, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie were simply two young writers trying to make each other laugh. Fortunately for the rest of us, they wrote it all down.For the first time, every project they wrote together is collected in one definitive volume. From their earliest collaborations to the complete scripts of A Bit of Fry & Laurie, alongside rare and previously unpublished material, Fry & Laurie: Every Funny Thing They've Ever Written brings together the gloriously inventive, endlessly quotable work of one of Britain's most beloved comic partnerships.Here are brilliant comic set-pieces, impossible misunderstandings, linguistic gymnastics, inspired absurdity and the kind of wit that somehow manages to be both joyfully silly and devastatingly clever. Whether you're rediscovering old favourites or meeting them for the first time, Fry & Laurie is a chance to visit writing that made generations laugh — and to discover why it still does.

BE NO MAN'S PEACE.Have you ever been badgered by an annoying pick-up artist at the bar? Ever felt a burning desire to emotionally torture a friend's boyfriend in an act of revenge? Have you ever endured just talking to a man before?If so, then this book is for you.With more than 100 phrases, questions, and comebacks, How to Piss Off Men is your essential guide to sending even the most relentless mansplainer into an existential crisis. Whether it's referring to his expensive football shirt as 'cosplay' or letting him know he has the confidence of a much taller man, this handbook will ensure you're equipped to combat toxic masculinity in any situation.** The advice in this book has been thoroughly tested for effectiveness. Even on the author, bless his heart.

THE HILARIOUS NEW MEMOIR FROM COMEDIAN AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR KATHERINE RYAN'Deeply, unexpectedly moving at points.... and, of course, funny. Shocking, confronting, in all its shameless truths.' The Times'Super super funny... Katherine is unashamedly authentic', Romesh Ranganathan'Unsurprisingly excellent, funny and thoughtful,' Aisling Bea'Very funny but also very thoughtful... the last chapter made me cry,' Joe Lycett 'It's part social commentary, part survival guide for daughters, and 100% written while I was probably carrying a refrigerator up some stairs alone'.This whip-smart memoir is equal parts stand-up set and group therapy session, Firstborn Daughter runs through motherhood, marriage, fame, beauty, and a very long list of famous women (Beyoncé, Oprah, Hillary Clinton) who never had a choice either.You'll laugh. You'll recognise your group chat. You'll finally feel diagnosed.Praise for The Audacity:'Brilliant!' Aisling Bea'Witty as hell' Tom Allen'Wildly readable... tremendous' The Times

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'The funniest book ever written about wanting to drink yourself to death' Lou Sanders'Insightful and intelligent. Harrowing but hopeful. And, as always, hilarious' Adrian Chiles'A triumph, and as powerful a description of alcoholism as I've read' Bryony Gordon___________________John Robins is a critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, Taskmaster champion and award-winning broadcaster. He is also an alcoholic. But what does that mean? In Thirst, John tells the story of his life through the lens of alcohol, the drinks that made him, and those that broke him. From his earliest drinking experiences – pretending to be drunk aged five, spraying aftershave into his mouth at a school play afterparty, and drinking red wine alone at university – to his last drink in 2022, he traces his journey into sobriety. From hazy memory to sudden clarity, John reflects on mental health, friendship, creativity and the lies we tell ourselves. He asks: are alcoholics born or made? How do we understand youthful missteps? And can Buddhism provide relief when dealing with haemorrhoids? Filled with insights and epiphanies from the world of addiction and recovery, Thirst blends John’s trademark honesty and hilarious digressions with the collective wisdom of alcoholics to offer a compelling, powerful and morbidly funny narrative for anyone who has ever asked 'why do we drink?', 'why do I drink?' or 'do I drink too much?'. ___________________'The most honest, helpful and perceptive book I've ever read about alcohol, and also the funniest' Josh Widdicombe'A rigorous and courageous look at the making and unmaking of an alcoholic that also often made me laugh aloud' Amy Liptrot'He has laid himself bare in a way that is sure to help others' Alan Davies

*A memoir and self-help manual by one of the country's most treasured comedians - for anyone who feels stuck in a rut but doesn't have the tools or self-belief to shake things up*In his mid-twenties, Jimmy was bored, boring, unfulfilled and underachieving. He wasn't exactly depressed, but he was very sad. Think of a baby owl whose mum has recently died in a windmill accident. He was that sad. This book tells the story of how Jimmy turned it around and got happy, through the redemptive power of dick jokes.Written to take advantage of the brief window between the end of lockdown and Jimmy getting cancelled for saying something unforgivable to Lorraine Kelly, this book is as timely as it is unnecessary. Because you might be interested in Jimmy's life but he's damn sure you're a lot more interested in your own, Before & Laughter is about both of you. But mainly him. It tells the story of Jimmy's life - the transformation from white-collar corporate drone to fake-toothed donkey-laugh plastic-haired comedy mannequin - while also explaining how to turn your own life around and become the you you've always dreamt of being. At just £20, it's cheaper than Scientology, quicker than therapy, and significantly less boring than church.Before & Laughter contains the answers to all the big questions in life, questions like:· What's the secret to happiness?· Is Jimmy wearing a wig?· What happened with that tax thing?· What's the meaning of life?· Is Jimmy's laugh real?· Can those teeth bite through vibranium?And for readers in the West Country: yes, there are pictures (actually, sorry, there are no pictures, but there's a book about a hungry caterpillar you'll love).Because it's Jimmy Carr - recently scientifically proved to be the funniest comedian in the UK - there are jokes, jokes and more jokes throughout. If laughter really was the best medicine, the NHS would be handing out this book in Nightingale Hospitals.Fascinating, thoughtful and insightful - are all words that appear in the book.

BRITISH BOOK OF THE YEAR: AUDIOBOOK WINNER 2024NERO BOOK AWARDS WINNER 2023WINNER, NON FICTION BOOK 2023, BOOKS ARE MY BAG AWARDSSHORTLIST, BOOKSHOP.ORG INDIE CHAMPIONSSHORTLIST, AMAZON NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEARSHORTLIST, GOODREADS CHOICE BOOK OF THE YEARAudible Books of the Year 2023The Times Books of the Year 2023Apple Best Audiobooks of 2023BOOKSHOP.ORG Book of the Month January 2024THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'I tore through this hilarious, smart, sad, revealing book' - Bob Odenkirk'Funny, sharp and has incredible clarity' - Jon Ronson'An absolute riot. I'm literally going to read it again once I've finished, and I'm a miserable bastard...it's a belter' - FRANKIE BOYLE'Strong Female Character is a testament to the importance of self-knowledge.' - Rachael Healy, The GuardianA summary of my book:1. I'm diagnosed with autism 20 years after telling a doctor I had it.2. My terrible Catholic childhood: I hate my parents etc.3. My friendship with an elderly man who runs the corner shop and is definitely not trying to groom me. I get groomed.4. Homelessness.5. Stripping.6. More stripping but with more nervous breakdowns.7. I hate everyone at uni and live with a psycho etc.8. REDACTED as too spicy.9. After everyone tells me I don't look autistic, I try to cure my autism and get addicted to Xanax.10. REDACTED as too embarrassing.'Fern's book, like everything she does, is awesome. Incredibly funny, and so unapologetically frank that I feel genuinely sorry for her lawyers.' - PHIL WANG'Of course it's funny - it's Fern Brady - but this book is also deeply moving and eye-opening'- ADAM KAY'It made me laugh out loud and broke my heart and made me weep...I hope absolutely everyone reads this, and it makes them kinder and more curious about the way we all live' - DAISY BUCHANAN'Glorious. Frank but nuanced, a memoir that doesn't sacrifice voice or self-awareness. And it has brilliant things to say about being autistic and being funny' - ELLE MCNICOLL'A set text for all of us in 2023' - DEBORAH FRANCES-WHITE'Fern is a brilliant, beautiful writer with a unique voice and even more unique story. Astute, honest and very, very funny.' - LOU SANDERS'So funny and brilliant' - HOLLY SMALE'Witty, dry, and gimlet-eyed, Strong Female Character is a necessary corrective. Brady offers a compelling, messy, highly resonant portrait of what masked Autism feels like.' - Devon Price, author of Unmasking Autism

The number one bestseller and Sunday Times Humour Book of the Year by national treasure Bob Mortimer.‘The most life-affirming, joyful read of the year’ - Sunday Times‘Winningly heartfelt’ – The Guardian‘A triumph’ – Daily MailBob Mortimer’s life was trundling along happily until suddenly in 2015 he was diagnosed with a heart condition that required immediate surgery and forced him to cancel an upcoming tour. The episode unnerved him, but forced him to reflect on his life so far. This is the framework for his hilarious and moving memoir, And Away…Although his childhood in Middlesbrough was normal on the surface, it was tinged by the loss of his dad, and his own various misadventures (now infamous from his appearances on Would I Lie to You?), from burning down the family home to starting a short-lived punk band called Dog Dirt. As an adult, he trained as a solicitor and moved to London. Though he was doing pretty well (the South London Press once crowned him ‘The Cockroach King’ after a successful verdict), a chance encounter in a pub in the 1980s with a young comedian going by the name Vic Reeves set his life on a different track. And now, six years on, the heart condition that once threatened his career has instead led to new success on BBC2’s Gone Fishing.Warm, profound, and irrepressibly funny, And Away… is Bob’s full life story (with a few lies thrown in for good measure.)PLEASE NOTE: This book has been printed with three different colour designs, green, blue, and orange. We are unable to accept requests for a specific cover. The different covers will be assigned to orders at random.

Omid Djalili's childhood was unconventional, to say the least. He was raised in a beautiful, chaotic, cramped, colourful and legally dubious guesthouse where his parents fed and watered Iranian nationals flocking to the UK. Over twenty years almost 2000 'cousins' passed through the Djalili's doors and the young Omid played translator to each. Although these years taught him a lot about the rich tapestry of life, this parenting by committee led to a slightly chequered school career which saw Omid taking his A levels a record six times and eventually fake his own university entrance papers. Desperate to be free of his cramped living quarters he escapes to the University of Ulster where he lives a life of wonderful solitude.Full of the warmth and intelligence that makes Omid such a successful comedian and sought-after actor, this memoir takes us on an incredible and laugh-out-loud funny journey through an unusually British life.

*Nominated for Best Book at the 2025 Chortle Awards*'Outstanding, I want to press it into the hands of every newly diagnosed person' Fern Brady'Like a Martian's guide to living on Earth. Funny, enlightening and gobsmacking' Frank Skinner'A hilarious, crystal-clear guide to autism' Phil Wang'An illuminating and joyously entertaining book' Daily ExpressWhy were the other kids at school obsessed with Britney Spears instead of The Goon Show?Why don't people ever say what they mean?And... Why is everyone chewing so loudly?Comedian Pierre Novellie was on stage when a heckler suggested he was autistic. Usually, this disruption would be water off a duck's back but two things made this heckler different: first, he was himself autistic. Second, he turned out to be absolutely right.This random encounter led to a diagnosis of autism at the age of 31 that unravelled his world, explained his struggles and answered questions that had bothered him for his entire life.At once a hilarious and insightful journey through autism and neurodivergence, an entertaining explainer for the uninitiated and observational comedy for the neurodiverse, this is the perfect read for anyone who has ever asked themselves: why can't I just enjoy things?

New York Times BestsellerOutsider. Misfit. Criminal. Convict. . . . Movie star. Family man. Comedy legend.Joey Diaz has been called every name in the book (and then some). Now, for the first time, he shares the story of his unlikely rise to fame in his own words—with no punches pulled.Today, he stars in hit films, headlines sold-out tours, hosts the popular Uncle Joey’s Joint podcast, and is a devoted father—but his life wasn’t always so picture-perfect. Joey “Coco” Diaz credits his success to his “immigrant mentality,” the work ethic his mother modeled for him and on which countless others have depended to survive the harsh landscape of being an outsider.Diaz wasn’t always a star, but he was always a comedian—it just took him a while to figure it out. To be fair, he was pretty busy while he was young: helping his tough-as-nails mother in her bar, holding a gun for the first time at the age of six, and later dealing drugs and serving time.Tremendous is the story of Diaz’s life, from grueling childhood and misspent youth to finding his true calling in comedy. Immigrants, fans of celebrity tales, and comedy enthusiasts alike will be enthralled by this incredibly true, foul-mouthed, and funny memoir.It’s not a story for the faint of heart, or for prudes who’ve never spent a week sleeping in a piece of playground equipment. From finding his mom’s body to high stakes crime, addiction and depression, there are plenty of dark episodes in this saga. Diaz shares it all with brutal honesty and humor, in the same inimitable voice he’d use talking to you from the stage or in a bar. He also shares the story of his improbable rise to the top and the bumpy road that led him there.An inspiration to misfits everywhere, Tremendous is storytelling at its finest—and a reminder that the direst of circumstances can change in unimaginable, unpredictable ways.

The debut memoir from the unhinged queer genius known as Dynasty Handbag.A freak’s freak, iconoclast performance artist Jibz Cameron is best known for her multimedia act Dynasty Handbag, an alter ego lampooning the tragic absurdity of heterosexuality, queerness, the female body, capitalism, depression, art making, and life itself. With her debut memoir Hell in a Handbag, Cameron traces her warped and inspired perspective from a childhood spent with hippie clowns on the broken-down commune scene of Northern California, to making morbid zines as a teen in the East Bay punk scene, to in-your-face experiences of misogyny in New York City’s avant-garde theater scene, to the grisly birth of Dynasty Handbag and her droll evisceration of contemporary life. An engrossing and swiftly paced story as candid as it is wise, Hell in a Handbag is an immersion in unhinged queer genius.

Each entry in this comprehensive book celebrates another corner of the Friends universe and offers new discoveries and facts concerning cherished characters and themes. From every time Joey says, "How you doin'?" to memorable holiday episodes, each list will delight fans and remind them why Friends is one of the most beloved comedy series of all time. Lists include:* Family Trees * Chick and Duck Appearances * Every Time Ross Says, "We were on a break!"* Ugly Naked Guy's Activities* Chandler's Top Four Reasons to Get Married* Phoebe's Songs* Imaginary Things on Joey's Resumé* Ross's Spray Tan Disaster* Janice's Appearances* Guest Star AppearancesAnd more!Including full-colour photos and visuals throughout, The Friends Book of Lists is an officially licensed must-have collector's item for the ultimate Friends fan.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER. ORDER THE HILARIOUS BOOK FROM TIKTOK AND INSTA SENSATION HAYLEY MORRIS, NOW!_____'An insightful, intimate account of modern life that is a joy to read, with shades of Dolly Alderton's Everything I Know About Love.' - Scarlett Sangster, iNewsBrain: We left the oven on!Me: No don't say that, I've not got time for this!Brain: The house is probably on fire!Me: Stop it, I need to write this book description.Brain: But the blazing fire.Me: We didn't even use the oven today.Brain: But what if -Me: No. We're not doing this, I'm finishing this description.Hello there! Hayley Morris here. Or you might know me as the Brain Girl, and don't be fooled...it's not because I'm outrageously smart. Just an avid overthinker. I'm on a mission to prove once and for all that You. Are. Normal. Running through imaginary arguments whilst showering, hiding your knickers in the nurse's office before they look directly into your vagina, or not knowing how to be a normal human when you have the plumber over. I've spent the majority of my life saying and doing embarrassing things that wake me up in a cold sweat at 3am as my Brain reminds me of every minor detail.In this book, I've overthought absolutely everything so you don't have to. I'll be talking about everything from dating to discharge, mental health to menstrual cups. I might not be able to banish your anxiety or make you feel 100% comfortable in your skin, but I hope I can at least give you a break from the constant brain chatter and we can rejoice and laugh at how similar we actually all are.DON'T OVERTHINK IT. ORDER NOW.'Hilarious...I absolutely loved this book! I almost wet myself from laughing!' Dr Amir Khan

On the Waterstones Best Books of 2025 List'Davies has done it again, damn him. Irritatingly good. Maddeningly funny. Annoyingly fine.' STEPHEN FRY'Emotional, entertaining and startlingly honest. I was totally engrossed.' AMY LIPTROT, author of The Outrun.'Really honest and really funny' Lorraine KellyFollowing Just Ignore Him, the bestselling memoir of his traumatic childhood, White Male Stand-Up is what happened next to Alan Davies.It's the story of how he threw himself into the joyous and idealistic world of stand-up comedy, leading to a television career, but how echoes from the past, and the thought that everyone might prefer it if he disappeared, saw him repeatedly dismantle everything around him.With a cast of well-known comedians, actors, agents and producers, Alan awkwardly navigates his life from the camaraderie of the comedy circuit via life-changing fame as TV's Jonathan Creek, to the unwelcome realisation that most people know him from a bank advert and think he's had a perm.Often very funny and always honest, this very personal memoir is a rich tale of uplifting highs and painful lows, of success and excess, and the dangers of both. How Alan Davies survived it - and very nearly didn't - is the compelling tale of White Male Stand Up.

The entertaining and honest autobiography from the author of Common Decency: a must-read for all Tom Allen fans!'When I was 16 I dressed in Victorian clothing in a bid to distract people from the fact that I was gay. It was a flawed plan...''This was an absolute delight to read. Beautifully constructed, in an unsurprisingly flamboyant style. I cannot recommend this highly enough!' - READER REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ No Shame is a very funny, candid and emotional ride of a memoir by one of our most beloved comedians. The working-class son of a coach driver, and the youngest member of the Noel Coward Society, Tom Allen grew up in nineties suburbia as the eternal outsider.In these hilarious, honest and heart-breaking stories Tom recalls observations on childhood, his adolescence, the family he still lives with, and his attempts to come out and negotiate the gay dating scene. They are written with his trademark caustic wit and warmth, and will entertain, surprise and move you in equal measure.'Excellent - I inhaled it, I absolutely loved it!'CLAUDIA WINKLEMAN, BBC Radio 2'Wonderfully funny, utterly charming and sharp as all Hell'SARAH MILLICAN 'Tom Allen is one of the funniest comedians in the UK, the best-dressed man I know and now it turns out he is a superb writer'JOSH WIDDICOMBE

During the course of a career that began in the late 1940s, Lenny Bruce challenged the sanctity of organized religion and other societal and political conventions he widened the boundaries of free speech. Critic Ralph Gleason said, So many taboos have been lifted and so many comics have rushed through the doors Lenny opened. He utterly changed the world of comedy."Although Bruce died when he was only forty, his influence on the worlds of comedy, jazz, and satire are incalculable. How to Talk Dirty and Influence People remains a brilliant existential account of his life and the forces that made him the most important and controversial entertainer in history.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERThis is a self-help book like no other. Because you are not helping yourself, James Acaster is helping you.In 2019, James quit all forms of social media - covering his phone in tar and driving it to a lock-up in Rhyl, before setting up home in a castle he'd built himself called Castle Anti-Net. But when the withdrawal symptoms hit him, he realised in order to stay clean he'd have to replace everything social media gave him with three-dimensional, real-life activities. Employing the help of a mysterious, wealthy benefactor named Clancy Dellahue, and an ever-growing gang of misfits (aka the Tangfastic Crew), James found ways to replace his online friends (he joined the scouts) and spy on his exes (climbing ropes, zip lines, fake moustache) as well as anonymously bullying strangers, seeing photos of everyone's dogs, getting public figures fired, arguing with everybody about everything, and so much more. His life is amazing and yours could be too if you buy JAMES ACASTER'S GUIDE TO QUITTING SOCIAL MEDIA, BEING THE BEST YOU YOU CAN BE AND SAVING YOURSELF FROM LONELINESS VOL. 1.

Romans! Madrigals! The Dark Ages! Evolutions! Trumpets! The Oranges of The First World War!All of this (except trumpets) and more is covered in this definitive, illustrated, easy-clean history of all world history so far, written by the twenty-first century's leading historian, philosopher and thought-thinker, Philomena Cunk.Focusing on the inventions, art and brainboxes that made the modern world the unbearable place it is today, The World According to Cunk is the history book to end all history books. From the birth of the first baby caveman to the invention of the poo emoji. Some say history is written by the Victors. But they're wrong - it's written by the Philomenas. Well, a Philomena. The one on the cover. Yes, her, from TikTok

Romans! Madrigals! The Dark Ages! Evolutions! Trumpets! The Oranges of The First World War!All of this (except trumpets) and more is covered in this definitive, illustrated, easy-clean history of all world history so far, written by the twenty-first century's leading historian, philosopher and thought-thinker, Philomena Cunk.Focusing on the inventions, art and brainboxes that made the modern world the unbearable place it is today, The World According to Cunk is the history book to end all history books. From the birth of the first baby caveman to the invention of the poo emoji. Some say history is written by the Victors. But they're wrong - it's written by the Philomenas. Well, a Philomena. The one on the cover. Yes, her, from TikTok

A major biography-intimate, gripping, revelatory-of an artist who revolutionized American comedy. Richard Pryor may have been the most unlikely star in Hollywood history. Raised in his family's brothels, he grew up an outsider to privilege. He took to the stage, originally, to escape the hard-bitten realities of his childhood, but later came to a reverberating discovery: that by plunging into the depths of his experience, he could make stand-up comedy as exhilarating and harrowing as the life he'd known. He brought that trembling vitality to Hollywood, where his movie career-Blazing Saddles, the buddy comedies with Gene Wilder, Blue Collar-flowed directly out of his spirit of creative improvisation. The major studios considered him dangerous. Audiences felt plugged directly into the socket of life. Becoming Richard Pryor brings the man and his comic genius into focus as never before.Drawing upon a mountain of original research-interviews with family and friends, court transcripts, unpublished journals, screenplay drafts-Scott Saul traces Pryor's rough journey to the heights of fame: from his heartbreaking childhood, his trials in the Army, and his apprentice days in Greenwich Village to his soul-searching interlude in Berkeley and his ascent in the "New Hollywood" of the 1970s. Becoming Richard Pryor illuminates an entertainer who, by bringing together the spirits of the black freedom movement and the counterculture, forever altered the DNA of American comedy. It reveals that, while Pryor made himself a legend with his own account of his life onstage, the full truth of that life is more bracing still.

Dave Itzkoff har skrivit en heltäckande och imponerande biografi över Robin Williams, en av de mest folkkära och missförstådda skådespelarna i USA.

Oavsett om det gällde hans rappa improvisationer i standup, genombrottsrollen i Mork & Mindy eller den gripande Oscarbelönade insatsen i Will Hunting var Robin Williams en unik och banbrytande skådespelare och komiker. Med en tungvrickande intensitet pratade han om kultur, politik och personliga insikter, samtidigt som han levde sig in i den ena karaktären efter den andra.

Men som Dave Itzkoff visar i sin omfattande biografi fanns det samtidigt många motstridiga känslor och självtvivel bakom Williams begåvning. I såväl komedi som i hyllade filmer som Döda poeters sällskap, Good Morning, Vietnam, Fisher King, Aladdin och Välkommen mrs Doubtfire visade han sin stora förmåga att improvisera, ge liv åt sina karaktärer och använda humor för att närma sig svåra ämnen.

Itzkoff lyfter också fram Williams problem med missbruk och depression, och att han i slutet av livet kämpade med en allvarlig åkomma som påverkade honom på ett sätt som hans fans inte visste om. Robin bygger på över hundra nya intervjuer med familj, vänner och kollegor samt omfattande research i olika arkiv, och ger en unik inblick i livet hos en artist vars arbete har varit en stor del hos många av oss. 

“Han har skrivit en bok om smärtan och allvaret i komedin, och hur hårt det tar på en känslig själ.” Amy Poehler

“... en fulländad biografi över geniet Robin Williams, vars liv ger en ny bild av den amerikanska drömmens upp- och nedgångar.” Steve Martin

“Robin ... har nu utkommit på svenska i skicklig översättning. Det är ett imponerande journalistiskt arbete ... den perfekta introduktionen till Robin Williams liv och verk.” Olof Eliasson, btj, nr 3 2025