At 15, Alice's period has not yet arrived. She feels like she will never be a woman. Her friends stuff her bra with cotton balls, her mother forces her to wear improbable outfits to look more womanly and her father uses her to promote his anti-smoking campaign outside school, which makes her the nerdiest girl in town. Alice isn't ready to love someone real, so falls in love with a man on a poster, a man she can't disappoint: Gary Barlow, the 'fat one' of Take That - because not even in her dreams could she be cool enough for Robbie. She will go to extreme lengths to meet him. On this journey, she will make new friends - fans and groupies of the 90s, the 'little people' whose jobs became relevant only during the Boy Band Era and other picturesque characters - until she manages to make her dreams come true - or does she?

Megan Jackson Hall has struggled with her mental health for decades. Faith, Romance, and Creations through Psychosis is her powerful memoir that delves into a range of personal topics, including the author's continued distrust of her ex-husband and her belief in his connections to the mafia. It also explores her dream of a free worldwide online JK-doctorate institute, her ideas for revolutionizing the Catholic Church, and creating a healing ranch for people suffering from mental health issues. Faith, Romance, and Creations through Psychosis delves into how the author learns about her past and the connections of her family to the mafia. She recounts recurring dreams of a romantic relationship with a man named Gary Barlow, whom she believes communicates with her through his songs. She provides comfort for Catholics who want a church to come home to, and a clarion call for all who believe in access for everyone to free education and an easier way to receive treatment for mental health. The innovations that swirl through her head offer the promise of a brighter, more efficient future.

In this fully updated biography, Justin Lewis offers a valuable insight into the life and loves of Great Britain's national treasure, Gary Barlow.

‘A vivid, beautifully written and often moving book, skilfully dovetailing memoir, history, art and a cycling pilgrimage across Europe into a unique and uplifting whole. If you think you know who Timmy Mallett is, you’re in for a rewarding surprise!’ PROFESSOR BRIAN COX 'A must read. This is a journey brimming with love and laughter that's also deeply moving. Timmy's glass isn't just half full, it's positively overflowing!' LORRAINE KELLY 'There aren't many people who would put themselves through this much to achieve their dream. Timmy has always aimed for the summit and, most importantly, remembers to smile and take time to reflect along the way.' CHRIS EVANS ‘Timmy Mallett, I still have my WAC PAC and all its contents! You’re the kind of hero who has probably influenced me more than I realize. What a lovely man!’ KEITH LEMON ‘The world is a dark and confusing place to be right now, but there are still times that make a person glad to be in it. Timmy's journey throughout this book is one of them.’ THE SECRET FOOTBALLER ‘I loved this book. It’s absolutely delightful. An adventure told in a uniquely Timmy way, full of humour and charm.’ MICHAELA STRACHAN, from the foreword In the spring of 2018, as the ‘Beast from the East’ hit northern Europe, Timmy needed every bit of his natural exuberance. He had undertaken to cycle 2,500 miles from his home to Santiago de Compostela in memory of his brother Martin, who was born with Down’s syndrome and had died just a few days earlier. This was a journey of exploration, honouring Martin’s outlook on life [RD1] that everyone can reach their potential. And so, with his painting gear strapped to his bike, Timmy (an increasingly renowned artist) set off. He was blessed by letters of support from the Archbishop of York, the Bishops of Oxford and Winchester, the then Prime Minister Theresa May, Prince William and President Macron of France. Full of unexpected moments, Timmy’s account of his pilgrimage along a route travelled by so many over the centuries weaves together history and biography in a hugely entertaining manner. It is undergirded by a touching faith and conveys, beyond all else, how important it is to live every moment of every day.

**The Sunday Times Number One Bestseller** Gary Barlow is one of the most successful British musicians and songwriters of all time, but fifteen years ago, as he himself admits, he hit rock bottom - he was out of shape, out of work and depressed. Faced with an underperforming solo career, tireless media taunts and the other cruel twists of fate, Gary turned to food. For nine years, he struggled with his weight and went on every diet imaginable before eventually asking a doctor what the 'cure' for obesity was. That was when he realised that he would have to change his life dramatically. So how did he go from an obese, out-of-work pop star to becoming a hugely successful superstar of music and TV, as well an accomplished musical songwriter and producer who is full of vitality, fitter, happier and more successful than ever before? In this extraordinarily honest memoir, Gary tells of his journey back to professional success, as well as mental and physical health. A Better Me is a remarkably frank account of Gary's life as he battled with his demons, endured personal tragedy, and staged one of the most thrilling professional comebacks in decades. In his warm, witty and authentic voice, Gary recounts his story with compelling insight, captivating sincerity and a human side that people rarely see. From returning with a critically and commercially successful Take That and reigniting his own legendary songwriting career, going beyond recorded music to forge success on TV with The X Factor and Let It Shine, to overcoming his weight problems and crippling obsession with food, this is the story of how Gary found balance in both his personal and professional life. Here is one of the UK's most beloved pop stars, more open, honest and raw than ever before.

È l’estate del 1993, Alice ha quindici anni ed è ancora acerba. E per lei essere acerba è diventata una colpa. Alice non ha le mestruazioni. Alice non può dire parolacce. Alice non può crescere. Alice non può amare, se non un volto in un poster, che non potrà mai deluderla. Il volto è quello di Gary Barlow: il “grasso” dei Take That. Tra la ritardata femminilità, una madre che indossa solo fuseaux leopardati e le verifiche a sorpresa della professoressa Sferzaferri, Alice si avventura come un personaggio di Mark Twain tra i pericoli di reggiseni imbottiti, gli improbabili inseguimenti ai Take That e la cotta per il compagno di scuola. Un romanzo che rappresenta un’epoca, passando attraverso la musica, l’amore e anche il cancro, abilmente raccontata dalla penna spontanea, tagliente-comica di Luisa Cartei, che dietro alla festosità del tutto ci fa intravedere sempre profonde verità. Luisa Cartei è una copywriter con diciassette anni di esperienza in pubblicità. Ha vissuto tra Londra, San Francisco, Milano e Sydney, lavorando per le maggiori agenzie pubblicitarie internazionali. È blogger, mamma e surfista accanita. Vive a Bondi, in Australia, il suo paese di adozione. È cresciuta negli anni Novanta ascoltando i Take That e il suo sogno segreto (ormai non più segreto) è quello di sposare Gary Barlow. Il suo consiglio per l’umanità è quello di non smettere di sognare.

Kieran McCall’s youth was a series of misguided attempts at love—a succession of sexual failures that always ended in disaster but somehow led to something worthwhile. As an adult, his failures looked like they were behind him. He married the love of his life and they had a child together, but chaos was never far away. An Idiot in Marriage follows Kieran McCall as he learns to live with the strains of married life and parenthood, from dealing with incompetent babysitters and dirty diapers to neighbors from hell, stray ducks, and a best friend who still thinks with his dick. Kieran McCall grew up, but he never matured and he never changed. He’s still a little immature, he’s still a little naïve, and he’s still massively incompetent. Kieran may be older, but he’s definitely not wiser. And if he doesn’t shape up, he may risk losing it all.