Showing results by author "Holly" in All Categories

The girlboss came in many forms, and she struggled valiantly against our increasing exhaustion at her brand of pinkwashed-capitalism-as-liberation—but it’s time to put her to rest. Yes, money is essential to life, and managing it well can be the difference between freedom and constraint. But once you have enough, the focus should be on converting it into things that are meaningful to you: more time with the people you love, more creativity, more days to just vibe on the couch.

The Three Dimensions of Freedom explains how strongman politics and neo-liberalism have dwindled the power of political parties and how voters have been disillusioned into believing they are helpless to effect change. Bragg's book details the argument that accountability is the antidote to authoritarianism and that we can never be free without it. In this interview, Billy spoke about what constitutes freedom, why Trump is so difficult to hold accountable and the problems with the voting system in the UK.

Bea isn't happy. Desperate for a change, she looks to her friends for inspiration. Every single one of them is paired off, perhaps that's what she needs too. So, she starts dating again. But everywhere she goes - amid the hilarious and scarring dates - there's Peter. Good old oddball Peter, her closest friend from university. He's always been firmly in the friend zone but something's happened lately - he seems taller, more handsome and suddenly making him smile is Bea's favourite thing.

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle. But once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave. One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them by going straight to Coldtown's opulent heart.

Easily one of the most recognisable pop singers from the '90s, thanks to his trademark style, the founder, front man and sole consistent member of Pulp, Jarvis Cocker, is deeply ingrained in the world of music. He has written for The Guardian and presented the BBC Radio 6 Music show, Jarvis Cocker's Sunday Service, for seven years. So much of his life relates to music, is influenced by it and, in turn, he is influenced by the music surrounding him at any given time.

Joining us from home to chat about her debut book, No One Can Change Your Life Except for You, is television and radio presenter Laura Whitmore. We spoke about how to channel our optimistic side, techniques to build self-belief, how to better give and receive compliments and lots more.

Gray has written for many major publications, such as The Guardian, The Telegraph, Grazia, BBC Earth and Marie Claire. During her 20s, Gray worked for Glamour and Cosmopolitan. As you might have read in her debut book, The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober, Gray battled addiction to alcohol during her 20s and early 30s but managed to keep holding down her job. We spoke to Catherine Gray about what counts as ‘fun gratitude’, what the significance is of the Hedonic Treadmill and why ordinary things are so great.

Joining us in the Audible Studios to discuss his latest novel, Smile, is award-winning novelist, dramatist and screenwriter Roddy Doyle, who talks to us about his own childhood growing up in Dublin and the backstory behind his 11th novel. One of the most celebrated Irish authors of the late 20th century, Roddy Doyle tells us why his latest novel is different from the others.

Lucy Worsley has become a household name through our screens as a presenter of history programmes for the BBC and as an author of several best-selling books, including Jane Austen at Home. Beginning her career working for English Heritage before becoming chief curator of Historic Royal Palaces, Lucy Worsley published her latest book, a biography of Queen Victoria, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of her birth. Lucy Worsley talks to us about our continual fascination with the monarchy, why she loves sharing history so much and how in love Queen Victoria and Prince Albert really were.

My Life with Murderers is Wilson's account of his career, from being the youngest prison governor in the UK to gaining his professorship at Birmingham City University. His book is a study of the dark capabilities of human nature. In this interview, we spoke about the wide continuum of people that make up ‘murderers’, the decline of the prison systems and what sort of conversations he’s had with serial killers.

As a property entrepreneur, Rob has earnt millions, and he’s gone on to set up a company to teach what he’s learnt and help others get there. Rob’s books Money and Life Leverage have received rave reviews, and his latest, Start Now. Get Perfect Later., is all about saying good-bye to procrastination and looking at the most effective ways of getting things done. Rob talks to us about how to let go of being perfect, what he wants the world to know about money and what it’s like to record his podcast, The Disruptive Entrepreneur.

Joining us at Audible is Hollie McNish, the Ted Hughes Award-winning author and poet. Her latest collection, Slug, covers topics from birth to death, sex to sexism and many other everyday challenges we face in the 21st century. We'll be talking to Hollie McNish about her approach to poetry, what she’s most looking forward to about her next gig, and how she has come to feel comfortable discussing things that no one else does.

They say La Vega is a billionaire’s playground; that’s all well and good, until you get caught up in their games. I was sent to write a story on one of the city’s biggest beasts, now, I’m pregnant, and I’ve become the story! It was supposed to be a simple assignment: profile the gorgeous ex-quarterback of the La Vega Vipers - who just so happens to be my own brother’s former rival - get my story, and get out. Of course it wasn’t that simple! It didn’t take long to figure out that Jason Miller, the former player turned billionaire co-owner, was keeping something from me.

Belle Harrison, vampire slayer, has just leveled up spectacularly. She’s thirstier. And sensier. Yes, that’s a word now. But her new dead life isn’t all bloody cocktails and hot sex with her three gorgeous vampires. The dark unknown who wants Belle dead - permanently - has been up to no good. It’s time to take him down. No problem, right? Wrong.

Hurwitz is a New York Times number one internationally best-selling author of 21 thrillers. His novels have won many literary awards and have been published in 32 languages worldwide. Hurwitz has written screenplays for major studios, including The Book of Henry, and written and produced television for various networks. Hurwitz's talents don't end there: he is also a New York Times best-selling comic book writer, having written the likes of Wolverine for Marvel, and Batman and Penguin for DC.

Joining us in the Audible Studios to talk about his latest book, Our Great Canal Journeys: A Lifetime of Memories on Britain’s Most Beautiful Waterways, is lauded British stage, film and television actor Timothy West. With a career spanning over 50 years in the industry, Timothy West has appeared frequently in film and television, including time on Coronation Street and EastEnders as well as many classical theatre performances. Since 2014, West and his wife, Prunella Scales, have been seen travelling together across British canals in the Channel 4 series Great Canal Journeys.

Over the years, Violet and Albert's lives collide again and again and as each decade ends, a new love story begins. But against the shifting times of each era, Violet and Albert must overcome differences in class, gender, privilege and ambition. Each time their lives entwine, it will change everything. As their eyes first meet, for a split-second it's as if the clocks have stopped. Nothing else matters. Yet whichever decade brings them together, Violet and Albert are soon forced to question: what if they met the right person at the wrong time?

Joining us at Audible Studios is Christopher Paolini, author of the Inhertiance Cycle series and the youngest author of a best-selling series for The New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly. Paolini's newest book has been released: The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm, from Tales of Alagaësia. Eragon has departed the world of Alagaësia in order to create a new home to train the next generation of dragon riders, to construct a dragonhold and protect dragon eggs; through these three original stories, we also see more of Eragon's personal journey.

Since beginning The Everyday Sexism project as a website in 2012, Bates has begun what some are calling 'the fourth-wave feminism'. By gathering instances of sexism experienced on a day-to-day basis, Bates has proved to the world that, not only does sexism exist, but that it is a problem faced by women every day. Bates has authored best-selling books, and now works closely with politicians, schools, police forces and organisations to tackle gender inequality. Bates was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to gender equality in 2015.

After studying English at university, O'Leary had a successful career as a children's editor at the Penguin Random House publisher. Not enjoying living in London, O'Leary moved to the countryside and spent her daily commute working on her novel, The Flatshare. After its astounding success, O'Leary was able to achieve her dream of being a full time writer and released her second novel The Switch.