Love Actually star Thomas Brodie-Sangster has signed up for Google Pixel’s new festive adCredit: AlamyMartine McCutcheon will star alongside Thomas 22 years after they appeared together in Love ActuallyCredit: Alamy
They filmed the top-secret project in London yesterday afternoon — 22 years after appearing opposite each other in the 2003 hit film.
A source said: “Nothing says Christmas like Love Actually, and so Google Pixel are bringing a sprinkling of it back to insert some nostalgia into the festive period.
“It’s still such a firm favourite with millions of people, so they tapped up Martine and Thomas for the sweet reunion.
“The ad is going to be packed full of throwbacks — especially because Thomas was only 13 when he was in Love Actually.
“A whole street in London was transformed into a winter wonderland and Martine and Thomas were in great spirits.
“They’re really happy with how the ad worked out. It’s going to be one people are talking about for a while.”
If you’ve lived under a rock and have never seen Love Actually, it’s one of Richard Curtis’s best films.
Martine plays hapless PA Natalie, swept off her feet by the Prime Minister, played by Hugh Grant.
And Thomas took on the role of sweet, love-stricken Sam, who went all out to impress his teen crush.
Google Pixel isn’t the only brand getting in on the Love Actually nostalgia for their Christmas ad.
Aldi revealed their famous Kevin the Carrot will propose to his sweetheart Katie in their festive offering this year using cue cards — inspired by the scene in the film where Andrew Lincoln’s character Mark professed his love for Juliet, played by Keira Knightley.
Without wanting to be too sentimental, it proves love really is still all around us.
And I’m definitely going to be renting it on Prime Video tonight.
KYLIE MINOGUE used a stocking from the filming of her CBeebies bedtime story last Christmas in the music video for her new festive single Xmas.
The Aussie pop star is celebrating the tenth anniversary of her Christmas album with a new version of the record, Kylie Christmas (Fully Wrapped), which features four new songs.
Kylie is celebrating the tenth anniversary of her Christmas album with a new version of the recordCredit: Alamy
Speaking to Scott Mills on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show about the video, Kylie said: “Because I was on the road we didn’t get to go so Christmassy.
“I think it was from a CBeebies Christmas story | did and they gave me a Christmas stocking.
“I thought, I have got to take something Christmassy and I think that’s it. That’s the one thing that you may see.
“We didn’t get to do fairy lights. We didn’t get to do paper chains. But in spirit we were very Christmassy.”
JOSH’S TOP DAY WITH SPINAL TAP
JOSH GROBAN was one of a few artists asked to perform with Spinal Tap for their next film, Stonehenge: The Final Finale.
I exclusively revealed the parody band had shot a concert alongside Eric Clapton and Shania Twain at the landmark in August, and now US star Josh has told me all about taking part.
Josh Groban was one of a few artists asked to perform with Spinal Tap for their next film, Stonehenge: The Final FinaleCredit: Getty
He said: “Singing with Spinal Tap at Stonehenge – I don’t care how much you’ve done, that’s an experience for anybody. Eric Clapton felt it, Shania Twain felt it.
“Everybody was going, ‘I can’t believe we’re doing this’. I can’t tell you the song but it was ridiculous and amazing.”
Josh is returning to the UK on April 1 next year for a date at London’s O2 Arena, with tickets on sale tomorrow.
And on November 14 he will drop his next record, Hidden Gems.
The album is a collection of fans’ favourite tracks not available on streaming platforms.
Speaking after an intimate show in London at Union Chapel, Josh says: “These are all songs from my past.
“They’re B-sides and special-editions. I’ve also been working on new music.”
MUMMY’S THE WORD, BRENDAN
BRENDAN FRASER and Rachel Weiz are teaming up again for The Mummy 4, 17 years after the last film in the franchise.
They both starred in 1999’s The Mummy and 2001’s The Mummy Returns, below, but Rachel skipped 2008’s The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor.
Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weiz are teaming up again for The Mummy 4,Credit: Getty
Plans for a fourth film were ditched in 2012 before Tom Cruise tried to reboot the series in 2017 with another movie called The Mummy, but it lost millions at the box office.
The original followed treasure hunter Rick (Brendan), who wakes up an ancient Egyptian priest with special powers.
The latest news comes three years after Brendan’s career comeback in The Whale, which landed him a much-deserved Oscar for Best Actor.
YUNG HIT IN TRANS PIC SHOW
YUNGBLUD has provided the soundtrack for a new photography exhibition that tells the stories of 13 trans people from across the UK.
His song Hello Heaven, Hello will be used on screens at Outernet, right outside Tottenham Court Road Tube Station in central London, for the free exhibition called Trans Is Human from November 17.
Yungblud has provided the soundtrack for a trans photography exhibitionCredit: Getty
Yungblud said: “I’m honoured that Hello Heaven, Hello will be a part of this exhibition.
“Trans Is Human is all about celebrating truth, identity and the beauty of being yourself.
“That’s something I’ve always tried to celebrate in everything I do.”
BABYSHAMBLES have returned with their first song in 12 years, Dandy Hooligan.
The band, fronted by Pete Doherty, dropped the track yesterday ahead of the launch of their comeback tour.
Pete Doherty’s Babyshambles have dropped their first song in 12 yearsCredit: Getty
Pete said: “It’s a well turned-out, elegantly crafted reggae-ska-pop song . . . with a sweet melody to bowl along to with your sharpened walking cane.”
They were back on stage in Hastings last night for a warm-up gig ahead of their tour later this month.
ED’S PERFECT PITCH MEANS ALL KIDS CAN LEARN MUSIC
ED SHEERAN has once again proved he is a voice for good after a successful campaign to give all kids access to creative subjects at school.
Back in March, the Shape Of You singer wrote to No10 urging the government to look at the critical state of music education – and, incredibly, they’ve listened.
Ed Sheeran wrote to Keir Starmer about the critical state of music educationCredit: Splash
Keir Starmer yesterday heralded Ed’s letter, which was backed by stars including Harry Styles, Stormzy and Annie Lennox, as “powerful”, and told him: “I wanted you to know that your voice has been heard.”
In a letter to Ed which has been shared with me, the PM said: “The review places creative subjects firmly at the centre.
“We are revitalising arts education, strengthening music and drama, and launching a new National Centre for Arts And Music Education to support teachers and raise standards.
“We will make sure every child has access to those experiences – from arts and culture to nature and civic engagement – so that creativity isn’t a privilege, but a right.”
It is a huge victory for Ed and the Ed Sheeran Foundation, which has campaigned for accessible, meaningful education for all young people.
In a statement, Ed said: “I set up the Ed Sheeran Foundation because every child deserves to have access to a meaningful music education, and the chance to experience the joy and confidence that musical expression can bring.
“Shortly after setting up my foundation, I wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister about the critical state of music education in the UK and the fact it was slipping through the cracks.
“With the help of the letter and everyone who signed it, I’m happy to say that some of the key points we raised have been recognised by the government, marking the first change to the music curriculum in over ten years.”
All power to you, Ed. This is brilliant news.
COAT AND TAYLS
TAYLOR SWIFT has gone quiet since dropping her album The Life Of A Showgirl last month, but she re-emerged in New York for a night out with Gigi Hadid on Monday.
The singer wrapped up in a coat and knee-high boots alongside the model who is a long-time friend.
Taylor Swift had a night out with Gigi Hadid in New York on MondayCredit: GettyGigi and Taylor Swift are long-time friendsCredit: Getty
I’m sure they had plenty to catch up on, with a wedding to plan for Taylor, while Gigi’s romance with Bradley Cooper seems to be going from strength to strength after two years together.
Perhaps wedding bells will be ringing for her, too, before long.
JENNIFER LAWRENCE has let slip that she’s co-producing a movie with Emma Stone based on Miss Piggy, being written by US comedian Cole Escola.
Asked on the Las Culturistas podcast whether the actresses will also star in the film, she said: “I think so, we have to.”
On working with Emma for the first time, she added: “It’s f***ed up. It’s dark that we haven’t done a movie together.”
CYNTHIA’S IN GOOD MOOD FOR PREMIERE
CYNTHIA ERIVO was grinning from ear to ear at the premiere of Wicked: For Good, despite the fact her co-star Ariana Grande missed the big launch.
The British actress, who returns as Elphaba in the second flick, wore this quirky, tummy-baring outfit and was joined at the event in Sao Paulo by co-star Jonathan Bailey ahead of the London premiere on Monday.
Cynthia Erivo was all smiles at the Wicked: For Good premiere in Sao Paulo, BrazilCredit: GettyCynthia posed with co-star Jonathan BaileyCredit: Getty
Hopefully, Ariana will make it over here after a fault with a plane meant she couldn’t get to Brazil in time for Tuesday’s event.
She apologised on Instagram, but was then subjected to vile abuse.
The novel “Violet Project” aims to test whether success in politics is achieved through ethical values or pragmatic approaches. The project is the product of a philosophical debate between three old friends—idealist academic Dr. Thomas Wan, morally committed businessman John Mendoza, and results-oriented car salesman Christopher Hamilton—who meet after many years at an Orlando restaurant. The tension between Hamilton’s assertion that “in politics, all means are justified” and Mendoza’s belief that “ethical values pay off in the long run” will be tested through an unusual social experiment devised by Wan.
Dr. Wan chooses two of his former students from the University of Central Florida, James Frank and Gary Metros, to implement the project. These two young people are polar opposites in character. Ambitious, unruly, and down-to-earth James Frank is offered a campaign in Crystal Lake, Illinois, where he challenges ethical boundaries. Meanwhile, honest, introverted, and idealistic Gary Metros is asked to run for office in Southaven, Mississippi, adhering to ethical principles. Both accept the offer in exchange for a lucrative salary and a potential $150,000 prize.
James Frank’s Crystal Lake Adventure: The Triumph of Pragmatism
James takes quite ambitious steps as he launches his campaign. First, he brings on former mayor Roy Jimenez, who struggles with alcoholism, as an advisor. Roy’s sordid political experience will prove an invaluable resource for James. With the addition of seasoned strategist Michael Benson, a campaign driven by dirty tactics under the guise of “honesty” despite Crystal Lake’s calm and uneventful demeanor is waged.
James’s team employs various manipulation tactics throughout the election process. After Roy discovers that incumbent mayor George William has a secret relationship with a Ukrainian immigrant and aids illegal immigrants, he blackmails him into withdrawing his candidacy and directing his supporters to James. Furthermore, other independent candidates, Brian Harris and Aaron Rivera, are manipulated with money and personal accounts to James’s advantage, forcing them to withdraw just before the election.
James faces a difficult time in a televised debate due to his inexperience. Despite being outmatched by his rivals (Warren Collins and George William), thanks to the team’s backroom operations, he wins the Crystal Lake mayoral election with 6,179 votes. This victory is presented as proof that pragmatic approaches to politics can work in the short term.
Gary Metros’s Southaven Adventure: Constructive Change with Ethical Values
Gary, however, pursues a completely different strategy. He works with a professional team consisting of sociologist Dr. Lawrence Travis and urban planner Dr. Nelson Vincent. They act in accordance with Travis’s philosophy of “reviving social happiness and unity by creating a common ideal and enemy.”
Gary’s campaign in Southaven quickly evolved into a comprehensive socio-economic development project. First, he took steps to reduce unemployment by establishing a startup center. Then, he strengthened the city’s sense of belonging by establishing the New Southaven sports club and encouraging residents to attend matches frequently. His campaign, which is driven by public engagement, transparency, and positive promises, established him as a trusted leader in the eyes of Southaven voters.
Gary’s uncompromising approach to ethical values led him to achieve long-term and sustainable success, and he won the Southaven mayoral election with 12,127 votes. This victory demonstrates that adhering to ethical values in politics can also lead to success eventually.
Final Meeting and Project Evaluation
After both candidates are successful, they meet with the project’s funders at a luxurious restaurant in Orlando. Dr. Thomas Wan explains the criteria established at the project’s inception: the winner will be the one receiving the most votes and will receive a $150,000 prize.
James Frank is declared the official winner because he received a higher percentage of votes than Gary Metros. This result supports Christopher Hamilton’s thesis that “the end justifies the means.” However, Wan also emphasizes that both young men performed exceptionally well.
The novel’s finale presents a profound moral question. While James’s victory is based on blackmail, manipulation, and dirty tactics, Gary’s victory is based on a model that is sustainable, strengthens society, and leaves a more solid legacy in the long term. “Project Violet” demonstrates that short-term gain in politics can be achieved through pragmatism, but true lasting success and social trust can be built through ethical values.
Both young politicians have begun their new careers, but which of them will truly be considered successful will be revealed later in their political careers. The novel concludes by inviting the reader to consider the true meaning of “winning.”
Great writing, even when an author sets a story in early 20th century Maine or during ancient uprisings, often sheds light on our own era. From a novel starring a sentient gale-force wind, on to a memoir from a leading African American writer, this month’s titles provide illumination as we lose daylight.
FICTION
Helm: A Novel By Sarah Hall Mariner Books: 368 pages, $30 (Nov. 4)
U.K. inhabitants of Hall’s native Cumbria region have grappled for centuries with a wind known as “The Helm.” Different eras have deemed it a measure of divine anger or human sin, and more recently, as one of earth’s vital signs. Helm’s narration alternates with chapters from perspectives including an astrologer, an astronomer, a Crusader, an herbalist and a climatologist, each adding to the strength of the immortal force.
Palaver: A Novel By Bryan Washington Farrar, Straus & Giroux: 336 pages, $28 (Nov. 4)
As in his first two novels “Memorial” and “Family Meal,” Houston-based Washington weaves scenes of Americans at home and in Japan with exquisite attention both to queer culture and to emotions. “The mother” and “the son” are never named; her Jamaican origins affect his upbringing, as well as his identity. When she makes an unannounced visit to see him in Japan, the title’s gentle irony becomes apparent.
Readers will recall Dr. Wilbur Larch from “The Cider House Rules.” Here he is the 1919 go-between for Esther Nacht, a 14-year-old Jewish refugee whom he places with the Winslow family as an au pair. Like so many women through the ages, that role results in a different kind of labor for her, one that turns this most Irving-esque (wrestling! sex!) book into writer Jimmy Winslow’s origin story.
The 1975 murder of Italian subversive film director Pier Paolo Pasolini forms the tortured heart of Laing’s first historical novel. In 1974 protagonist Nicholas Wade leaves England and lands in Venice, where he meets Danilo Donati, costume designer for Pasolini as well as Fellini and others. Their relationship reflects those auteurs’ themes, especially those of fascism’s rebirth in Pasolini’s “Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom.”
Noted playwright Hudes pens a stunning debut novel that rends conventional notions of motherhood. Years after disappearing from her child’s life, April Soto writes her daughter Noelle a letter to read on her 18th birthday. Less apology than explanation, and less explanation than soul-searching screed, this novel has a huge voice, a woman’s attempt to create meaning from the depths of family trauma.
Only Margaret Atwood could write a debut memoir at age 85 and make it significantly different from her previous work while at the same time infusing it with her droll wit and many passions, literary, environmental and familial. While she has always combined public and private in her acclaimed and groundbreaking novels, essays, and poetry, this volume beautifully fuses Atwood the person, and Atwood the writer.
Barth, a freelance journalist, spent time in three different Bay Area encampments of unhoused people, including Oakland’s Wood Street Commons, and, as Gov. Gavin Newsom moves forward on a new task force targeting these areas for removal, he argues that solutions to homelessness should come from the ground up, with the involvement of those most affected.
Until the 1970s in most states, a married woman could not legally refuse to have sex with her husband. The 1978 Oregon trial of John Rideout for marital rape of his wife Greta — despite his then-acquittal — raised awareness of this legislation and led to Rideout’s conviction for rape and sodomy nearly four decades later in a case involving two other partners. Weinman (“The Real Lolita”) writes with energy about a case with present-day ramifications.
You say you want a revolution — and historian Sassoon says: Consider your predecessors. Although we focus on hot-button moments, the long tale of these uprisings can lead to long-term instability and injustice (e.g., the young United States choosing to persist with enslavement). What is the real price of transformation? Is it worth considering when people unite against tyranny and oppression?
Wideman’s 1985 essay “The Language of Home” was about the power of words to capture our foundations, so it’s fitting that his new collection covering 50 years of his powerful prose mimics that essay’s title. The new title’s plural refers to the author’s constant themes, which aren’t surprising. What does surprise is his prescience about still-relevant concerns, from a disappearing middle class to police brutality.
Sitting on the border of England and Wales, this quaint town has open bookshelves in the streets and independent bookshops lining the roads, drawing in readers from across the UK
10:18, 31 Oct 2025Updated 10:18, 31 Oct 2025
The town sits in Powys, Wales, close to the England border(Image: P A Thompson via Getty Images)
Nestled beneath the ruins of a picturesque castle, with open bookshelves lining the streets and independent bookshops at every turn, Hay-on-Wye is an avid reader’s dream come true.
This quaint town, largely dedicated to the joy of reading, has been a haven for book lovers since 1961 when Richard Booth opened his first shop. It quickly transformed into a literary hotspot.
Today, it boasts over 20 bookshops and hosts an annual festival that attracts some of the world’s most esteemed authors and thinkers. The Hay Festival spans ten days from May to June each year.
The inception of the Hay Festival in 1988 put the town firmly on the global map as a literary sanctuary. Past guest speakers have included renowned actors such as Judi Dench and Jude Law, and even former US president Bill Clinton.
Among the castle ruins lies a unique book spot where visitors can browse open-air shelves brimming with books. Operating on an honesty system, tourists are expected to leave money in a payment box after selecting their books, which typically range from £1 to £6.
A TripAdvisor review says: “This is a very interesting place to visit with fabulous guides who have so much knowledge of the castle and it’s history…. there is also a very good gift shop with an amazing array of history books and gifts of all kinds. I would definitely encourage you to visit.”
Book lovers will find plenty to explore amongst the town’s beloved independent shops. The original Richard Booth Bookshop remains one of Hay’s largest, offering both new and second-hand titles alongside welcoming nooks where visitors can settle in with a good read.
For something different, the Hay Cinema Bookshop occupies a former picture house spread across two storeys. Its extensive collection is made easier to browse thanks to helpful signage throughout the sprawling sections.
Castle Bookshop earns high praise from bibliophiles and ranks amongst TripAdvisor’s must-visit destinations in the town. One review notes: “Best place in Hay for all types of books, with many bargains to be had. Has a lovely selection of old as well as new books.
“The only bad mark is it is not good for the disabled, as everything is up and down steps and tight walkways. But if you are a book fan, you must give it a visit.”
FORMER Corrie actress Michelle Keegan is being courted for her first Hollywood film role.
US screen star Reese Witherspoon is keen for the 38-year-old to play the lead in a big-budget movie adaptation of her new novel.
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Michelle Keegan is being courted for her first Hollywood film roleCredit: GettyHollywood A-lister Reese Witherspoon is keen for Michelle to play the lead in her upcoming filmCredit: Refer to sourceEx-soap star Michelle became a global success thanks to mystery drama Fool Me OnceCredit: Getty
Oscar-winner Reese, 49, wrote crime thriller Gone Before Goodbye with American author Harlan Coben, who was behind Michelle’s Netflix hit show Fool Me Once.
Harlan introduced the women to each other at the launch of the book at the London Literature Festival, held at the capital’s Festival Hall last weekend.
A source said: “Harlan has been singing Michelle’s praises to Reese and she was keen to meet her. They got on really well and it was clear Reese was really taken with Michelle.
“The plan is to turn the book into a film and Michelle is their first choice to take on the role of the lead character, Maggie McCabe.
“She is a combat surgeon and Michelle previously played an Army medic in Our Girl on the BBC, so it’s a role they know she could take on with style.
“It’s early days but Harlan and Reese think Michelle is tailor-made for this role and would love her to come on board when the time is right.”
Ex-soap star Michelle became a global success after the mystery drama Fool Me Once was released last year.
The series became one of Netflix’s most watched TV shows of 2024 — with more than 107 million people streaming it worldwide in the first 90 days.
Best-selling author Harlan said of his leading lady: “I think what Michelle has, besides tremendous talent and all the other stuff, is a genuine authenticity.
“I think the audience, loves her, people want to follow her life, because they sense that there’s a kindness and a gentleness.
“And that’s really her, she’s truly authentic.”
Speaking last year, 63-year-old Harlan insisted he would be keen to work with her again and reckoned: “If we could get Michelle, we’d love to get Michelle.”
Fans of Michelle, from Stockport — who has a daughter with Heart FM DJ husband Mark Wright — will next see her on screen in ITV crime drama The Blame.
She plays Detective Inspector Emma Crane in the six-parter, which is an adaptation of Charlotte Langley’s 2023 debut novel of the same name.
Michelle is also known for her roles in the Sky One comedy drama Brassic and BBC drama Ten Pound Poms, about Brits who migrated to Australia in the 1950s.
Michelle is also known for her role in the Sky One comedy drama BrassicCredit: Sky UK LimitedReese wrote crime thriller Gone Before Goodbye with American author Harlan Coben
Would you dare to the stay the night in Cornwall in what is said to be one of the most haunted hotels in the UK? Well – one woman did, and it inspired her murder mystery novel
10:12, 28 Oct 2025Updated 10:12, 28 Oct 2025
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The hotel has been immortalised in both film and fiction for it’s haunted history(Image: Nickos via Getty Images)
Perched on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, this hotel is renowned for its eerie tales and rich history, tracing back to the 1750s.
As we’re in the midst of the spooky season, there’s nothing quite as chilling as spending a night in a hotel reputed to be one of the most haunted in the UK. The Jamaica Inn, an old coaching inn with a dark past believed to involve smuggling and ghostly stories, is famous for its spine-tingling reputation.
Originally built in 1750 as a coaching stop, the hotel now serves as a pub, restaurant and hotel, with a dedicated area for learning about the alleged spectral encounters. The Grade II-listed building exudes charm – and fear – with its traditional oak beams and snug rooms.
However, before it became a popular spot for food and overnight stays, it was infamous as a hub for the Cornwall smuggling trade. Its isolated location on the moors made it notorious for smugglers transporting goods like tea, brandy and silks from the sea, hidden beneath the floors and panels.
The isolation of the Jamaica Inn was its greatest asset in those days, often frequented by mysterious figures under dimly lit lanterns. Despite its modern touches, it was creepy enough for English author Daphne du Maurier to base her entire murder mystery novel on her stay there in 1936.
Taking its name from the precise spot where it stands, Jamaica Inn became a literary sensation amongst readers and was subsequently transformed into a film under Alfred Hitchcock’s direction.
The movie marked the final British production he would helm before departing for Hollywood, where he would establish himself as one of cinema’s legendary figures, earning up to six Oscar victories.
Thus, despite its shadowy and occasionally unlawful past, the inn achieved immortality through du Maurier’s fictional masterpiece, as she found herself captivated by the brooding heritage and spooky presence of the establishment and its bleak landscape.
Today in the 20th century, Jamaica Inn has evolved into something of a regional icon, where visitors pause to rest and discover its enduring legacy. One guest posted on TripAdvisor: “Had a thoroughly enjoyable two-night stay.
“The views from the inn were amazing onto the moor. The atmosphere was as expected from an old smugglers’ inn, full of mystery and intrigue!”.
Another visitor, eager to witness a supernatural encounter or sense the presence of the smugglers who once trod these very boards, recounted their spine-chilling experience.
They wrote: “We had done some research before arriving and saw that some rooms in the new, and many rooms in the original, areas have had activity from the paranormal…”
They shared tales about their terrifying night’s sleep – or their lack of. “Within a few minutes I was in the bathroom getting ready for a shower and heard a very loud male whistle from inside the room (corner nearest the bedroom). When asking my partner if she had whistled and getting a response of ‘absolutely NO’ I suddenly felt on edge.”
It’s no mystery that whilst the hotel has been transformed into a contemporary cosy pub and inn popular with travellers, its spine-chilling past is renowned for good reason. Whilst many other guests claim to have never experienced anything of the sort, others can’t help but let their minds wander.
MICHELLE Keegan gushed over Hollywood superstar, Reese Witherspoon, at a glitzy event in London.
The Brassic actress posed with the Academy Award winning star and they were seen getting on very well as they chatted excitedly.
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Michelle Keegan (R) gushed over Hollywood star, Reese WitherspoonCredit: Instagram/michkeeganShe met Reese at an event for the book she co-authored with Harlen Coben (L)Credit: Instagram/michkeegan
She met Reese at an event for her new book, Gone Before Goodbye, which she co-authored with best selling crime author, Harlen Coben.
Michelle recently starred in Fool Me Once, one of Harlen’s many adapted series on Netflix.
She shared a series of photos of her posing closely with Reese and another video of her chatting with Reese as Harlen watched on happily.
“When two genuises collide.. ‘Gone Before Goodbye’ is made! 📖 (I can confirm Reese Witherspoon is everything you’d imagined her to be, what a woman),” Michelle captioned the post on Instagram.
Reese later responded to her post writing, “So wonderful to meet you .. finally!”
Gone Before Goodbye is Reese’s debut novel and tells the story of surgeon Maggie who after a series of personal tragedies is offered an intriguing opportunity by a former colleague.
Michelle also shared a series of her posing at the Southbank Centre in London where the event was held.
Her brush with Hollywood royalty comes after The Sun was first to reveal how Michelle’s BBC series Ten Pound Poms had been scrapped after two series.
The show’s axe comes as the ex-Coronation Street star waves goodbye to hitcomedyBrassiconSky, just as she’s returning to work after becoming a first time mum, to daughter Palma Elizabeth.
Period drama Ten Pound Poms followed a group of British citizens who emigrated from post-war Britain to Australia in the 1950s, with Michelle playing nurse Kate Thorne.
A BBC spokesperson said: “It’s been a joy to bring the story of the Ten Pound Poms to life for BBC viewers and we are really grateful to Danny Brocklehurst, Eleven and all the cast and crew who have worked on the series.”
The gentle drama made a splash when it first aired in May 2023, with 6.37million viewers but that had halved to 3.15million by the end of series two in April this year.
She is busy on a new thriller called The Blame for ITV, though, after time off to have baby Palma with husband Mark Wright.
Michelle stunned as she posed after the star-studded eventCredit: Instagram/michkeeganMichelle starred in another of Harlen’s Netflix series, Fool Me OnceCredit: Vishal Sharma/Netflix
In Megha Majumdar’s new novel “A Guardian and a Thief,” a cataclysmic climate event in the Bengali city of Kolkata has wiped out shelter and food supplies, leaving its citizens desperate and scrambling for survival. Among the families beset by the tragedy are Ma, her young daughter Mishti and Ma’s father Dadu. They are some of the fortunate ones, with approved passports to travel to the U.S., where Ma’s husband awaits them in Ann Arbor, Mich. But a brazen theft threatens their very existence.
“A Guardian and a Thief” is Majumdar’s follow-up to her critically acclaimed bestselling debut “A Burning.” We chatted with the author about white lies, the pleasures of anthropology and teaching as a form of learning.
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✍️ Author Chat
“A Guardian and a Thief” by Megha Majumdar
(Knopf)
Your novel takes place in Kolkata, which is your hometown. Why?
It’s one of the cities in the world which is most severely affected by climate change. I was reading about all of these grim predictions. Kolkata has grown significantly hotter and is predicted to endure more storms in the coming decades. Reading all of that was really sad, and it was really alarming. The book really grew out of these predictions about the future of the city.
Your character Boomba makes life very difficult for your family, yet he is really a victim of circumstance, right? Calamities can make good people do bad things.
This is the kind of question that got me into this book, which is, are there good people and monsters or do we contain elements of both in us? And is this revealed in a circumstance of scarcity and crisis? That’s the kind of question that I was very interested in. Boomba came to me initially as the thief of the title, but as I started writing more about him, I realized that it wouldn’t be truthful or interesting to simply make him the thief. He was more complex and I needed to write him with all of his complicated motivations and wishes and worries and regrets.
Everyone in the novel lies to some extent, whether it’s for self-preservation, or to protect their loved ones from being hurt.
I think it’s coming from love, actually, the loving function of lies and falsehoods. Anybody who has lived far away from home might find that this resonates with them: This feeling that when you are really far away from your loved ones, you need to assure them that you are OK, that things are all right. It’s a kind of love that you can offer them, because they cannot do anything to help you from so far away. So offering them falsehoods about how your circumstances are fine and they have nothing to worry about is an expression of love for them.
You studied anthropology in college. How did you move into fiction?
Anthropology is about the effort to understand [other people] while acknowledging that you can never fully know, that there are limits to how much any of us can understand another person’s life. That training, in listening for complexity in somebody else’s life story, and honoring the contradictions and intricacies of their life, and maintaining the humility to acknowledge that there are things about other people which will always remain mysterious to us — that space is so rich for a fiction writer.
You teach writing in the MFA program at Hunter College in New York. How does that feed into your work?
It’s what I loved about working as a book editor. Teaching feels beautifully related to editorial work, because, once again, I am close to other writers. I’m close to their text, I am thinking with them through the questions of what this text is accomplishing. And I love having the opportunity to think through failures of prose with other incredibly smart and creative and ambitious writers. When I say failure, there’s nothing bad or stressful about it. I fail in my writing all the time. Failure is part of the process. Being able to look at those failures and ask, what is happening here is very useful.
📰 The Week(s) in Books
Twenty-five years after “Almost Famous” put his origin story on movie screens, Cameron Crowe (left, with Robert Plant) reflects on his roots as a teenage music journalist.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Valorie Castellanos Clark writes that “The Radical Fund,” John Fabian Witt’s book about a Jazz Age millionaire who gave his money away is a “meticulous” story of “the ways a modest fund endowed by a reluctant heir managed to reshape American civil rights in less than 20 years.”
Leigh Haber is entranced with Gish Jen’s new novel “Bad Bad Girl,” about a fraught mother-daughter relationship, calling the book “suffused with love and a desire to finally understand.”
Vroman’s Bookstore is on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Nine months after the Eaton fire, Vroman’s Bookstore continues to be a cherished haven for local residents. The store still vibrates with bookish energy as it continues its ambitious fundraising outreach campaigns for fire victims. We chatted with the store’s chief executive, Julia Cowlishaw, about how things are going at the beloved Pasadena institution.
Nine months after the fire, how is business?
Business has been steady this year and we’re pleased with that, given all the variables in the world.
What books are selling right now?
The new releases this fall are fabulous, and we are seeing a broad range of interests. In nonfiction there’s a lot of interest in trying to understand current events from historical perspectives and Jill Lepore’s “We the People” is one example on our bestseller list. Since it is fall, the list of cookbooks is amazing and Samin Nosrat’s new cookbook “Good Things” along with her older book “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” make great gifts. In fiction, Ian McEwan, Kiran Desai, Thomas Pynchon and Lily King’s new novels are popular, so literary fiction is alive and well.
How important has the store been for the community in such a challenging year?
Bookstores, including Vroman’s, have long been recognized as a third place in their communities. A third place gives people a space to come together with friends and family over a shared interest and a fine sense of community. That sense of community became even more important after the fires, and it was so important for us to be more than a bookstore and give back to our community in every way we could. Our community really responded by helping us raise money for several community foundations, and collect books and supplies for people impacted by the fires.
In an effort to get her husband to open up she asked: “Do you feel like you are falling for me though? Do you like me?”
Married at First Sight’s best moments
Married at First sight has brought eight explosive series of drama to the small screen. These are some of the best moments
When series 8 couple Rozz Darlington and Thomas Kriaras brought secretly brought a sex toy to the couple’s dinner party. Unbeknownst to their fellow cast members who they were having dinner with, Rozz wore a vibrating egg gadget whilst husband Thomas had the controls.
Nikita’s exit in series 6. Nikita was removed from the show early on due to her behaviour, which led to her husband Ant re-entering the experiment with Alexis.
A slightly more heart warming highlight from series 6 was watching Dan and Matt’s relationship unfold. Dan and Matt were the first same-sex couple on the show, and their relationship was both ground-breaking and adorable.
Emma and James’ wedding in series 1. They were the first couple to ever get married on the UK version of the show. Emma and James, had a beautiful ceremony that set the tone for the series.
The dinner party showdowns are always a MAFs highlight with explosive arguments and unexpected alliances forming.
The question was met with an awkward silence untilReissgiggled and said: “Easy girl. It’s been two days.”
Then during a boat trip she asked: “”Do you visualise me in your future?”
An annoyed Reiss threw an epic strop and responded: “I can’t cope! You’re too much.
“I don’t need pressure yet, it’s so early.
“I don’t like it. I know you’re saying you want to see the real me you aint going to find that out over night.
“You know I’m a closed book. If you’re constantly pressuring me you’re just going to keep me closed.”
Fans will have to wait until tomorrow night to see if the couple can patch things up after their latest row.
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Reiss explains to the group that he felt disrespected by his wife’s actionsCredit: channel 4
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Leisha explains that it has never been a problem before
When it was first published in 1975, “Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock ‘n’ Roll Music” was immediately recognized as something new. In six taut, probing, far-ranging essays about certain popular or otherwise forgotten musicians, author Greil Marcus cracked open a world of sojourners, tricksters, killers and confidence men — the lost subterranean underlife of America as inflected in the music itself.
“Mystery Train” was a landmark in cultural criticism that took on Rock ‘n’ Roll as a subject of intellectual inquiry. In 2011, Time magazine named “Mystery Train” one of the 100 greatest nonfiction books of all time. For the book’s 50th anniversary, a new edition has been published, with a wealth of new writing from Marcus that brings his book up to date.
On a recent Zoom call, I chatted with him on the 50th anniversary of his book about its lasting impact, the anxiety of influence and the staying power of criticism.
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An exclusive look at what we’re reading, book club events and our latest author interviews.
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✍️ Author Chat
Book jacket of “Mystery Train” by Greil Marcus.
(Penguin Random House)
Congrats on 50 years of “Mystery Train.” Could you have possibly imagined that it would still have a life in 2025 when you wrote it in 1975?
For this book to have this kind of a life, you can’t predict it. I had a miserable time writing it. I’d never written a book before. I rented a room at a house near our little apartment, and just stayed there all day, trying to write or not trying to write, as the case may be. I didn’t have any hopes or ambitions for it. I just wanted it to look good.
This is the thickest edition of “Mystery Train” yet. Your “Notes and Discographies” section, where you update the reader on new books and recordings about the artists, among other things, is longer than the original text of the book.
That’s what’s kept the book alive. I mean, I still think the original chapters read well. I’m glad they came out the way they did, but for me, they opened up a continuing story, and that has sort of kept me on the beat so that I obsessively would follow every permutation that I could and write them in the notes section.
“Mystery Train” changed the way popular music was written about. Who were your literary antecedents?
Edmund Wilson, Pauline Kael, D.H. Lawrence’s critical studies. Hemingway’s short stories, just as a way to learn how to try to write. There was another book that was important to me, Michael Gray’s “Song and Dance Man,” which was a rigorous examination of Bob Dylan’s music. It was totally intimidating. His knowledge of blues, novels, poetry — I thought there’s no way I can write something as good as this. So I started doing a lot more reading, and listening more widely.
For many readers of the book, it was the first time they came across artists like Robert Johnson or Harmonica Frank. How did you discover these artists?
I was an editor at Rolling Stone magazine in 1969 when the Altamont disaster happened, when people were killed at a free Rolling Stones concert. It was an evil, awful day. I was drained and disgusted with what rock ‘n’ roll had become, and I didn’t want to listen to that music anymore. I found myself in this little record store in Berkeley, and I saw an album by Robert Johnson that had a song called “Four Until Late” that Eric Clapton’s band Cream had covered, so I took it home and played it, and that was just a revelation to me. It led me into another world. It became the bedrock of “Mystery Train.”
Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger signs autographs at Altamont Speedway. Later, on Dec. 6, the Stones gave a concert where one fan was stabbed to death by a Hell’s Angel.
(Associated Press)
Your book explores how certain myths transfer across vastly disparate cultures. Had you read the great mythologist Joseph Campbell prior to writing the book?
I read a lot of Joseph Campbell in graduate school. Probably a half-dozen of his books. In some ways they cover the same territory as “Mystery Train.” Campbell makes the argument that myths persist, they don’t even need to be cultivated. They cultivate us, and they are passed on in almost invisible ways. That really struck a chord with me when reading Campbell’s work.
You’re very good at explaining what music sounds like. Are you influenced by fiction at all?
I’d say fiction is part of my work. One of the books that hovered over me when I was writing “Mystery Train” was “The Great Gatsby.” Certain lines, they sang out.
What is the purpose of criticism?
My next book is about Bryan Ferry, the leader of the band Roxy Music. Now, you listen to a song like Roxy Music’s “More Than This” and you say, what makes this so great? How did that happen? What is going on here? That’s what criticism is, just wrestling with your response to something. That thing where someone has captured a moment so completely that you sort of fall back in awe. That’s what I’ve been doing my whole life as a writer. There is this urge to, not exactly take possession of something, but to become a part of it to some small degree.
Your book plumbs the murky depths, exploring the mysterious dream life of America as transmuted through certain music. Are there any mysteries left for you?
Oh, yes, absolutely. I remember when I met Bob Dylan in 1997. He was getting an award, the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, and I was to give a talk. We met and he asked what I was working on. I had just published a book called “Invisible Republic,” about his “Basement Tapes.” He said, “You should write a sequel to that. You only just scratched the surface.” Now, I’m not saying I did a bad job. He said that to me because certain music has infinite depth. So, yes, there are certainly more mysteries to think about.
📰 The Week(s) in Books
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Valerie Castallanos Clark loves Jade Chang’s new novel, “What a Time to Be Alive,” calling it “equal parts love letter to Los Angeles, narrative about being a first-generation Asian American, exploration of grief and love and a found-family novel featuring an adoptee that doesn’t put reunion as the emotional climax.”
With “Shadow Ticket,” Thomas Pynchon has delivered a late-career gem, according to David Kipen: “Dark as a vampire’s pocket, light-fingered as a jewel thief, ‘Shadow Ticket’ capers across the page with breezy, baggy-pants assurance — and then pauses on its way down the fire escape just long enough to crack your heart open.”
Stories Books & Cafe is on Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park.
(Claudia Colodro)
Ever since it opened its doors in 2008, Stories Books & Cafe has been a community cornerstone. A snug yet carefully curated store, with loads of obscurantist art books and choice indie press titles, Stories also has a cafe tucked in the back that is always bustling. Owner Claudia Colodro runs the store as a creative cooperative with her five co-workers. I talked to the team about the shop on Sunset.
Stories is small, yet I always see titles in there I don’t see anywhere else.
Stories prides itself on its painstaking curation, influenced by every employee’s area of expertise. Much like the community we have garnered, Stories leans toward the eclectic, esoteric and even fringe. Over our 17 years in existence, Stories has been a bookstore that loves our local authors and independent publishers, and encourages readers to come in with an open mind more than a predetermined list.
Remarkably, you have endured in a neighborhood that has seen a lot of store closures, post-COVID.
In a world predominantly automatized and authoritative, we like our people and books to be a countermeasure to the mainstream creature comforts — in hopes to push people out of the path of least resistance and into the unseen abundance.
1. The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman (Pamela Dorman Books: $30) Members of the Thursday Murder Club plunge back into action after a wedding guest disappears.
2. What We Can Know by Ian McEwan (Knopf: $30) A genre-bending love story about people and the words they leave behind.
3. Katabasis by R. F. Kuang (Harper Voyager: $32) Two rival graduate students journey to hell to save their professor’s soul.
4. The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (Doubleday: $38) Symbologist Robert Langdon takes on a mystery involving human consciousness and ancient mythology.
5. Alchemised by SenLinYu (Del Rey: $35) A woman with missing memories fights to survive a war-torn world of necromancy and alchemy.
6. Heart the Lover by Lily King (Grove Press: $28) A woman reflects on a youthful love triangle and its consequences.
7. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Crown: $28) A lifelong letter writer reckons with a painful period in her past.
8. The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai (Hogarth: $32) The fates of two young people intersect and diverge across continents and years.
9. We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad (S&S/Marysue Rucci Books: $30) The follow-up to the campus satire “Bunny” goes on a journey into the heart of dark academia.
10. Culpability by Bruce Holsinger (Spiegel & Grau: $30) A family drama about moral responsibility in the age of artificial intelligence.
…
Hardcover nonfiction
1. 107 Days by Kamala Harris (Simon & Schuster: $30) The former vice president tells her story of one of the wildest and most consequential presidential campaigns in American history.
2. Good Things by Samin Nosrat (Random House: $45) The celebrated chef shares 125 meticulously tested recipes.
3. We the People by Jill Lepore (Liveright: $40) The historian offers a wholly new history of the Constitution.
4. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Hay House: $30) How to stop wasting energy on things you can’t control.
5. Poems & Prayers by Matthew McConaughey (Crown: $29) The Oscar-winning actor shares his writings and reflections.
6. Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy (Scribner: $30) The acclaimed novelist’s first memoir takes on the complex relationship with her mother.
7. I’m Just a Little Guy by Charlie James, Paige Tompkins (illustrator) (Quirk Books: $15) The comedian offers a softer, sillier, sunnier way to walk through life.
8. All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert (Riverhead Books: $35) The bestselling author’s memoir about an intense and ultimately tragic love.
9. Lessons From Cats for Surviving Fascism by Stewart Reynolds (Grand Central Publishing: $13) A guide to channeling feline wisdom in the face of authoritarian nonsense.
10. Truly by Lionel Richie (HarperOne: $36) The music legend tells his story.
…
Paperback fiction
1. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (Transit Books: $17)
2. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Ballantine: $20)
3. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Vintage: $18)
4. The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali (Gallery Books: $19)
5. Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout (Random House Trade Paperbacks: $18)
6. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Vintage: $18)
7. Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (Picador: $19)
8. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (Harper Perennial: $22)
9. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Ecco: $20)
10. All Fours by Miranda July (Riverhead Books: $19)
…
Paperback nonfiction
1. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (Crown: $12)
2. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Vintage: $18)
3. Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell (Back Bay Books: $22)
4. The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk (Penguin: $19)
5. The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides (Vintage: $19)
6. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (TarcherPerigee: $24)
7. The White Album by Joan Didion (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: $18)
8. All About Love by bell hooks (Morrow: $17)
9. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Milkweed Editions: $22)
10. All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley (Simon & Schuster: $19)
THE NOTORIOUS “Tinder Swindler” has claimed from his jail cell that he doesn’t remember “conning women out of hundreds of thousands.”
Simon Leviev, 35, has spoken out for the first time since his arrest in Georgia for alleged fraud.
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The infamous scammer lured women in by posing as an heir to a diamond fortuneCredit: kate_konlin/Instgram
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He later became the subject of a 2022 Netflix documentaryCredit: simon.leviev.of/Instagram
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He served a 15 month sentence in Israel for fraud, forgery and theft in 2019
Talking from his prison cell, the Israeli scammer admitted to a local celebrity lawyer Mariam Kublashvili that he is no angel but has no recollections of the alleged crimes he has been accused of, reports MailOnline.
The infamous scammer has appointed Ms Kublashivili as his new lawyer, who has since likened him to The Wolf of Wall Street.
Like the disgraced stockbroker played by Leonardo di Caprio, she believes Leviev has turned over a new leaf.
His latest claim follows an arrest made last month under mysterious circumstances following an Interpol Red Notice for alleged fraud in Germany.
Mr Leviev was cuffed at Batumi International Airport, Georgia, on September 14th.
He is currently being held in Kutaisi Penitentiary Establishment No 2 and awaiting extradition proceedings.
If convicted, he could face up to ten years behind bars.
Yesterday, Mr Leviev spoke out via Ms Kublashivili for the first time since the dramatic arrest, where he has claimed to have no recollection of this.
He said: “Under the circumstances, I believe I’m either being set up or there’s been some kind of misunderstanding.”
Leviev, whose real name is Shimon Yehuda Hayut, became the subject of a 2022 Netflix documentary after he spent years luring women on dating app Tinder, while posing as an heir to the Leviev diamond fortune.
Tinder swindler Simon Leviev insists he was stitched up in first public appearance with model girlfriend
He told his victims he was the son of Israeli diamond tycoon Lev Leviev – but he has no relation to the family whatsoever.
He was arrested in 2019 in Greece then extradited to Israel where he served a 15-month sentence for fraud, forgery and theft.
His legal team are now questioning why an Interpol notice was triggered when he entered Georgia without the Germans first going to authorities in his homeland.
Mr Leviev’s Israeli lawyer Sharon Nahari said: “To arrest him in a third country, rather than addressing the matter openly through Israel, is unfair and unacceptable.”
Mr Nahari also characterised the case as “disproportionate” and “based on weak evidence.”
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Two of Mr Leviev’s victims, Pernilla Sjoholm and Cecilie Fjellhoy have since spoken out about their traumatic experiencesCredit: Pernilla Sjoholm Instagram
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Pernilla, 38, contemplated suicide after discovering the truth about LevievCredit: Pernilla Sjoholm Instagram
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Cecilie, 36, has confessed that she is still traumatised by the whole ordealCredit: Facebook
The newly appointed Ms Kublashvili added that she fears he will not receive a fair trail due to a pre-existing biased narrative.
Referencing The Wolf of Wall Street, she claimed that Mr Leviev is now a very different person.
She highlighted that since 2022 he has embarked on a new and completely legal career and published his own memoir.
In addition to fighting his extradition, Ms Kublashvili also hopes to move Leviev from his current prison to one in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi.
She claims that the current conditions he is being held in fail to meet basic hygiene standards.
While the NetflixdocumentaryThe Tinder Swindler brought their story to the world, the women he affected say the aftermath and the long road to recovery were far more difficult than anyone could have imagined.
“I’m still traumatised,” Cecilie, 36, told The Times.
Cecilie was conned into taking out nine loans totaling $250,000 (£190,000), and was hounded by creditors to the point where she contemplated suicide.
She eventually sought help at a psychiatric unit and has spent the last seven years in therapy.
She “never wanted to be on” antidepressants but explains that she “needed them.”
Pernilla, 38, also contemplated suicide after learning the truth about the man she once considered a friend.
She lost the $45,000 (£33,840) she had saved for a home deposit and then doubled that amount in legal fees when she tried to take her bank to court.
The pair have since released a book, Swindled Never After: How We Survived (and You Can Spot) a Relationship Scammer, deep dives into their traumatic journey in a bid to prevent others from falling for the same cruel tricks.
How to protect yourself from fraud
USE the following tips to protect yourself from fraudsters.
Keep your social media accounts private – Think twice before you your share details – in particular your full date of birth, address and contacts details – all of this information can be useful to fraudsters.
Deactivate and delete old social media profiles – Keep track of your digital footprint. If a profile was created 10 years ago, there may be personal information currently available for a fraudster to use that you’re are not aware of or you have forgotten about.
Password protect your devices– Keep passwords complex by picking three random words, such as roverducklemon and add or split them with symbols, numbers and capitals.
Install anti-virus software on your laptop and personal devices and keep it up to date – This will make it harder for fraudsters to access your data in the first place.
Take care on public Wi-Fi– Fraudsters can hack or mimic them. If you’re using one, avoid accessing sensitive apps, such as mobile banking.
Think about your offline information too – Always redirect your post when you move home and make sure your letter or mailbox is secure.
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Cecilie and Pernilla both featured in the Netflix documentary, alongside fellow victim Ayleen CharlotteCredit: Splash
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He would often boast of his lavish lifestyle on social mediaCredit: Instagram
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He is currently being held in a Georgian prison while awaiting extradition proceedingsCredit: simon.leviev.of/Instagram
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His lawyers fear the case will be unfairly biasedCredit: Instagram
1. Alchemised by SenLinYu (Del Rey: $35) A woman with missing memories fights to survive a war-torn world of necromancy and alchemy.
2. What We Can Know by Ian McEwan (Knopf: $30) A genre-bending love story about people and the words they leave behind.
3. The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (Doubleday: $38) Symbologist Robert Langdon takes on a mystery involving human consciousness and ancient mythology.
4. The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai (Hogarth: $32) The fates of two young people intersect and diverge across continents and years.
5. Katabasis by R. F. Kuang (Harper Voyager: $35) The deluxe limited edition of a dark academia fantasy about two rival graduate students’ descent into hell.
6. This Inevitable Ruin by Matt Dinniman (Ace: $39) Carl and Princess Donut are ready for battle in the seventh book of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.
7. We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad (S&S/Marysue Rucci Books: $30) The follow-up to the campus satire “Bunny” goes on a journey into the heart of dark academia.
8. My Friends by Fredrik Backman (Atria Books: $30) The bond between a group of teenagers 25 years earlier has a powerful effect on a budding artist.
9. The Wedding People by Alison Espach (Henry Holt & Co.: $29) An unexpected wedding guest gets surprise help on starting anew.
10. Culpability by Bruce Holsinger (Spiegel & Grau: $30) A family drama about moral responsibility in the age of artificial intelligence.
…
Hardcover nonfiction
1. 107 Days by Kamala Harris (Simon & Schuster: $30) The former vice president tells her story of one of the wildest and most consequential presidential campaigns in American history.
2. All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert (Riverhead Books: $35) The bestselling author’s memoir about an intense and ultimately tragic love.
3. Faithonomics by Jerry Lopez (Jerry Lopez: $29) Biblical wisdom is paired with modern-day financial strategies.
4. Good Things by Samin Nosrat (Random House: $45) The celebrated chef shares 125 meticulously tested recipes.
5. Poems & Prayers by Matthew McConaughey (Crown: $29) The Oscar-winning actor shares his writings and reflections.
6. Lessons From Cats for Surviving Fascism by Stewart Reynolds (Grand Central Publishing: $13) A guide to channeling feline wisdom in the face of authoritarian nonsense.
7. Replaceable You by Mary Roach (W. W. Norton & Co.: $29) An exploration of the remarkable advances and difficult questions prompted by the human body’s failings.
8. Art Work by Sally Mann (Abrams Press: $35) The artist explores the challenges and pleasures of the creative process.
9. When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows … by Steven Pinker (Scribner: $30) How the hidden logic of common knowledge can make sense of many of life’s enigmas.
10. Separation of Church and Hate by John Fugelsang (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $30) The comedian uses the writings of the Bible to highlight Christian hypocrisy while calling for compassion and clarity.
…
Paperback fiction
1. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Ballantine: $20)
2. The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami (Vintage: $19)
3. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Ecco: $20)
4. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (Transit Books: $17)
5. All Fours by Miranda July (Riverhead Books: $19)
6. The Best Short Stories 2025 by Edward P. Jones (editor) (Vintage: $19)
7. The Life Impossible by Matt Haig (Penguin: $19)
8. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Vintage: $18)
9. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Vintage: $18)
10. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Penguin: $18)
…
Paperback nonfiction
1. Alignment by Katie Keller Wood (Page Two: $19)
2. All About Love by bell hooks (Morrow: $17)
3. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (TarcherPerigee: $24)
4. Didion and Babitz by Lili Anolik (Scribner: $20)
5. Autocracy, Inc. by Anne Applebaum (Vintage: $18)
6. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Vintage: $18)
7. The White Album by Joan Didion (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: $18)
8. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey (Crown: $20)
9. The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne (Penguin Books: $21)
10. Catching the Big Fish by David Lynch (Tarcher: $20)
TV chef Jamie Oliver raked in £28.5million last year as he continued to bounce back from his restaurant chain collapse.
Jamie Oliver Holdings’ bumper 2024 income came from TV shows, book sales and restaurants.
It also covered his cookery school and fees for promoting Tesco.
Jamie’s Italian chain collapsed in 2018, with debts of £83million.
But he now has international brands and a restaurant in Covent Garden, central London.
Revenues were up from £27.1million in 2023, Companies House files show.
read more on jamie oliver
But profits took a slight dip to £4.6million last year, from £5.2million.
The chef and his wife Jools, both 50, received dividends of £3million.
A report said: “The principal drivers of this decrease in profitability were reduced revenue from the effects of the cyclical nature of long term partnerships contracts, partially offset by savings in central staff costs (excluding Owned and Operated sites)
“We have delivered new Jamie Oliver titles in both book and TV formats during the year and there has been continued strong performance from back catalogue book titles and our international television content distributor.
“The Board recognises that the Jamie Oliver brand is a key asset of the Group and is confident that the night controls are in place to protect its value.”
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Jamie Oliver raked in £28.5million last year as he continued to bounce back from his restaurant chain collapseCredit: PA
Netflix documentary looks at the careers of four legendary Chefs
The world is a confusing and scary place right now. Many of us are anxious wanderers in the wilderness, looking for answers. Is it any wonder that the wellness industry is booming? Into this strange new world comes Jade Chang’s funny and poignant novel “What a Time to Be Alive,” whose protagonist Lola is broke and aimless — until a leaked video transforms her into an instant self-help guru.
Chang, whose first novel, “The Wangs vs. The World,” was a sharp satire on class and ambition, has now turned her gaze to the promise and peril of self-actualization through social media. I sat down with Chang to discuss spiritualism for profit, tech bros and trucker hats.
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An exclusive look at what we’re reading, book club events and our latest author interviews.
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✍️ Author Chat
Book jacket of “What a Time to Be Alive” by Jade Chang
(Los Angeles Times illustration; book jacket from Ecco)
This book almost didn’t make it, as you physically lost it.
I started it years ago. I was writing in longhand in a notebook, entire chapters of the book. I lost the notebook and I was devastated. Then I moved on and wrote “The Wangs vs. The World.” It took a long time to get back into writing this new book. By the time I circled back to it, the world had changed so much. I think I have become more generous about things, and the story benefited from it.
Lola, your protagonist, unwittingly becomes an online self-help guru on the basis of a leaked video that is posted on social media. She becomes a sort of accidental wellness expert.
As someone who didn’t grow up with religion, I have always been really fascinated by belief. Why do we want to believe, and how are we compelled to certain beliefs? And it was just kind of fascinating and amazing that people could find so much life in religious stories. As I was developing the story of this novel, I realized that everyone in the digital world takes a page from this book as well, using stories to convert listeners into believers. I think Lola starts out sort of thinking she is in above her head, but by the end, her sincerity shines through. She wants to believe what she is telling others to believe.
Do you think the internet breeds cynicism and has turned us all into an angry mob?
I don’t. The digital world doesn’t make us any different from who we are, but it can throw a lens on certain aspects of our behavior. I think the internet allows us to be our best and worst selves. Think about all those strangers who might contribute to a GoFundMe campaign because someone has had a serious injury and needs to pay their medical bills, which can yield tens of thousands of dollars in some cases. That’s the mob functioning at its best.
But isn’t it a little too easy to pull a con job online?
Yes, it’s easy to be inauthentic online, but it’s important to remember that online performance is a tiny percentage of someone’s life. That’s why I was so interested in writing about the rise of this self-help guru, because usually when these stories are told you only see it from the acolyte’s point of view or the skeptic’s point of view. But we all have to make money, and we all are pulling a little something over on someone at some point — it’s part of surviving in the world.
Lola cauterizes the pain in her personal life by offering panaceas to pain for strangers online, but she affects a false persona to do so.
It’s easy to assume that anything we do, whether it’s on social media or elsewhere online, is performative or fraudulent in some way. RuPaul has a great quote where he says gender is drag. Everything is drag, a performance. Every choice we make is often not reflective of our essential self. You can’t codify identity in clothes or that trucker hat you’re wearing; anything you’re going to choose is going to be influenced by the times in which you live and who you surround yourself with. I can only speak from experience, but I think it’s almost impossible to suppress your true self.
You mentioned how self-help gurus and tech bros have a similar public worldview.
As research for the book, I attended one of Oprah’s Super Soul Sundays at Royce Hall. Every single person that spoke had the same arc: “I was down in the dumps, and then I looked up from that hole and I saw a glimmer in the form of CrossFit,” or drumming, or whatever it was that pulled them up from the brink. Then I went to a TED talk, and these tech gurus are saying the exact same thing. It’s the narrative of our time. I saw that crossover, and I knew I had something to say. I was interested in this internal push and pull of, how much do you give in to this tactic, and how much do you not.
📰 The Week(s) in Books
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Hamilton Cain has mixed feelings about Patricia Lockwood’s autofictional account of the COVID-19 lockdown, “Will There Ever Be Another You,” praising Lockwood’s “rich and kinetic” prose but bemoaning her “self-indulgent and repetitious” narrative.
Steve Henson has a chat with tennis legend Björn Borg about his new memoir, “Heartbeats,” which delves into his heavy cocaine and alcohol use that began shortly after he walked away from the sport at age 26.
Karen Palmer’s harrowing memoir, “She’s Under Here,” “details forgery, a child’s kidnapping, a mental breakdown, struggles to stay afloat — and joy,” writes Bethanne Patrick.
And David A. Keeps reports on the fiscal inequities of the booming audiobook industry: “Many actors are vying for audiobook roles at a time when the talent pool is expanding and casting is becoming a growing topic of debate.”
📖 Bookstore Faves
The Book Jewel, located in the city of Westchester, is just minutes from LAX.
(The Book Jewel)
The Book Jewel is a welcome addition to the neighborhood of Westchester, an expansive bookstore with an excellent selection of fiction and nonfiction titles for locals, or those who might stop by there before catching their flight at nearby LAX. We talked with general manager Joseph Paulsen about the store.
Your store is serving a community that hasn’t had a general interest bookstore in quite some time.
The Book Jewel opened smack-dab in the middle of the global COVID-19 pandemic in August of 2020. Our Westchester community has supported us from Day 1, and we recently celebrated our fifth anniversary. We are the only bookstore in Westchester, and we are locally owned and independent. I live here in Westchester and have raised both of my sons here.
What’s selling right now?
Right now we’re selling tons of children’s literature and graphic novels (“InvestiGators,”Dav Pilkey, etc.). Of course, the ABA Independent Bestsellers. Lots of romantasy.
You are pretty close to LAX. Do you sell a lot of books to travelers?
The travelers give themselves away with their roller bags, and we catch ’em heading out of Los Angeles on the reg! They like long books for long flights. Lots of souvenirs too! We have some unique, local non-book items as well and offer a better vibe than the international terminal.
The Book Jewel is located at 6259 W. 87th St, Los Angeles, CA.
Booking a holiday in September can often be tempting, with cheaper prices and fewer crowds, but be careful as the weather isn’t always quite as it seems
While on a recent trip to Capri in Italy one visitor is no regretting they went(Image: mihailpeiuvski22 / 500px)
September is often advertised as the perfect time for a getaway. The heat has eased up, the prices have dropped, and you can often pick up a package deal for a bit of a bargain. Many of the destinations are still geared up for your trip there, but without the masses of families from the school holidays, the thinned-out crowds can be a dream.
One place that sums this up perfectly is the island of Capri, just off the Italian coast near Naples. With stunning views of the Mediterranean, rugged cliffs, and plenty of lemon trees, it’s the perfect place to extend your summer for a few weeks.
However, for many recent visitors to the country this September, nature crashed the party. Across Italy, violent storms and unexpected downpours have left even the sun-soaked southern islands drenched, leaving visitors battling with flooded roads, power cuts, landslides, and ferry cancellations.
Tourists hoping to dodge the worst of high-season chaos have now been caught off guard by weather that is showing no mercy.
Capri, one of Italy’s most beloved jewels, has had its share of trouble. Storms of rain have hit, sometimes dumping more than 100 millimetres in an hour, turning streets into rivers.
But before they hit the island earlier this week, when one group of tourists booked that dreamy dinner terrace overlooking the sea, it seemed safe enough until the sky decided to open up.
Just as the antipasti arrived, rain hammered down, lightning flashed, and the storm forced diners inside, leaving their pizza on the soggier side.
Posting to TikTok, the dramatic scenes were all caught by one traveller, Karim TZ, who posted a video, “They told me, go to Capri at the end of summer, it’s wonderful,” followed by videos of violent rain and floods.
In one clip, a person sat outside a restaurant, and the water can be seen barrelling down a nearby path and running straight through the outdoor seats of a restaurant. Leaving everyone submerged up to at least their ankles.
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Other locals seemed completely unfazed despite the deluge, happily sipping on an Aperol Spritz as the water floods behind them.
In another clip, the ferry back to Naples can be seen bouncing up and down on the waves as the rain continues to bellow down.
If there’s one lesson from this summer in Capri, it’s that when you try to beat peak prices by travelling late, you might just be trading one risk for another.
One commenter on the video even warned: “People remember you can enjoy Italy till the 10th of September. After that, this happens.”
The rain in September doesn’t seem to be a one-off experience either, as another person posted: “Hahahah I had the same tragedy last year in the same place.”
But for anyone still looking to see the stunning suits of Capri and the Amalfi coast, make sure you check the forecast, and don’t be scared to bring a brolly.
1. The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (Doubleday: $38) Symbologist Robert Langdon takes on a mystery involving human consciousness and ancient mythology.
2. My Friends by Fredrik Backman (Atria Books: $30) The bond between a group of teenagers 25 years earlier has a powerful effect on a budding artist.
3. Katabasis by R. F. Kuang (Harper Voyager: $35) The deluxe limited edition of a dark academia fantasy about two rival graduate students’ descent into hell.
4. The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham (Little, Brown &. Co.: $30) Scandal and drama unfold at a New England boarding school.
5. Culpability by Bruce Holsinger (Spiegel & Grau: $30) A suspenseful family drama about moral responsibility in the age of artificial intelligence.
6. Among the Burning Flowers by Samantha Shannon (Bloomsbury Publishing: $30) Long-slumbering dragons awaken in a prequel to fantasy bestseller “The Priory of The Orange Tree.”
7. Clown Town by Mick Herron (Soho Crime: $30) The disgraced spies of Slough House are caught between MI5’s secret past and its murky future.
8. The Shattering Peace by John Scalzi (Tor Books: $30) A return to the galaxy of the Old Man’s War series.
9. Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (Flatiron Books: $29) As sea levels rise, a family on a remote island rescues a mysterious woman.
10. The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong (Penguin Press: $30) An unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond.
…
Hardcover nonfiction
1. All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert (Riverhead Books: $35) The bestselling author’s memoir about an intense and ultimately tragic love.
2. The Book of Sheen by Charlie Sheen (Gallery Books: $35) The movie and TV star reflects on his turbulent life.
3. Good Things by Samin Nosrat (Random House: $45) The celebrated chef shares 125 meticulously tested recipes.
4. We the People by Jill Lepore (Liveright: $40) The historian offers a wholly new history of the Constitution.
5. Art Work by Sally Mann (Abrams Press: $35) The artist explores the challenges and pleasures of the creative process.
6. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Hay House: $30) How to stop wasting energy on things you can’t control.
7. Night People by Mark Ronson (Grand Central Publishing: $29) The Grammy-winning record producer chronicles his early DJ days.
8. Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy (Scribner: $30) The acclaimed novelist’s first memoir takes on the complex relationship with her mother.
9. Coming Up Short by Robert B. Reich (Knopf: $30) A memoir by the political commentator of growing up in a baby-boom America.
10. Poems & Prayers by Matthew McConaughey (Crown: $29) The Oscar-winning actor shares his writings and reflections.
…
Paperback fiction
1. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $19)
2. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Ballantine: $20)
3. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Vintage: $18)
4. The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami (Vintage: $19)
5. Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout (Random House Trade Paperbacks: $18)
6. The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $19)
7. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Vintage: $18)
8. Red Rising by Pierce Brown (Del Rey: $18)
9. The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali (Gallery Books: $19)
10. Starter Villain by John Scalzi (Tor Books: $19)
…
Paperback nonfiction
1. All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley (Simon & Schuster: $19)
2. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (Crown: $12)
3. Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari (Random House Trade Paperbacks: $25)
4. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Vintage: $18)
5. Autocracy, Inc. by Anne Applebaum (Vintage: $18)
6. The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne (Penguin Books: $21)
7. Catching the Big Fish by David Lynch (Tarcher: $20)
8. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Milkweed Editions: $22)
9. The Wager by David Grann (Vintage: $21)
10. How to Dream by Thich Nhat Hanh (Parallax Press: $11)
Paul Dhaliwal, Chief Commercial Officer at Iceland Foods, said: “Our customers expect variety and flavour without breaking the bank, and this year we’ve delivered just that. We’ve perfected the festive staples and added new twists that will impress and bring joy to every bite.
“From classic centrepieces and irresistible desserts to brand-new creations and party essentials, there’s something to suit every kind of Christmas celebration, no matter your style or budget.”
What’s on the menu?
Iceland‘s menu this year offers customers everything they’ll need for Christmas lunch or dinner from beloved Christmas classics to some new additions.
This includes everything from their Sweet Chilli Sticky Prawns and Pizza Chicken Wedges to TGI Fridays Cheeseburger & Chip baskets.
Shoppers will be able to sink their teeth into a range of Christmas meats, pigs and blankets and all the trimmings on top.
And if you are thinking of throwing a festive bash this year, customers can take advantage of their mix-and-match deals on select products like three items for £10.
Or shoppers can stock up with their £1 party range and luxury platters.
But among the showstoppers of this year’s Christmas range is the Luxury Perfect Turkey Crown.
Aldi’s Record-Breaking Expansion: 35 New Stores Coming This Fall
For £28, you can get your hands on 2.2kg of frozen boneless skin on turkey crown with added water topped with sunflower oil and herb and spice marinade.
We also have a feeling that many will be eyeing up the Bailey’s Iced Yule Log for £12.
It features mouthwatering Baileys salted caramel mousse, a dark chocolate sauce and chocolate flavoured meringue.
