An autobiography, Brian Epstein wrote this book just before his 30th birthday.  As a young man of 27 he was working in ‘NEMS’, one of his family record stores, when a lad by the name of Raymond Jones asked him for a very specific record.  The record was “My Bonnie” by the Beatles and that random meeting would change his life.

Epstein’s description of his own childhood is detailed – it’s easy to see where his grit and determination to succeed came from. Expelled from school at 10 (he was exiled to Southport during the war with his family just four years before) his attitude toward formal education continued to decline until leaving Wrekin College aged 15, excelling in art and drama and, shockingly, with ambitions to become a fashion designer.  He left RADA and began working for the family business, soon running his own chain of record stores. By the time John, Paul, George and Pete Best came into his life the Liverpool music scene was thriving and Epstein knew he was onto something.

This concise tale is considered one of the essential texts about the Beatles. And for good reason – Epstein’s account is well-written and littered with important details. From The Cavern via Hamburg to the top of the US Billboard Charts, everything is covered and the dynamics of the band are evident (John was the dominant one – the leader, Paul was moody but loyal, George was “the business Beatle… generous but shrewd” and as for Ringo, he was “…uncomplicated, a very nice young man”.)

Epstein died of an accidental drug overdose in August 1967. Paul McCartney once said of Epstein: “If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian.”  If you’re into the Beatles make sure you read this book.

This diary is a personal account of his life, starting at November 24, 1976 right up until February 17, 1987. Every morning for the last ten years of his life he recounted his adventures, thoughts and feelings from the previous day to one of his closest friends, who, in 1989, edited and published this 1000+ page book. Tedious in places (his account of visiting his eye doctor and his insistence on telling us how much he paid for almost everything), Warhol is not shy to name drop, the pages scattered with references to his famous friends; from Jane Fonda and Bianca Jagger to Donald Trump and President Carter (as well as loads of others I’ve never heard of), not all of them complimentary.

Author Pat Hackett was one of Warhol’s closest confidantes, meeting him for the first time in 1968. As an undergraduate she was determined to inject some glamour into her life and approached Warhol at the Factory for a typing job. From there, she worked with him on the book ‘The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and Back Again)’ and his memoirs of the sixties ‘Popism’.

Sadly, on Sunday 22 February 1987, Warhol died aged 59 following a routine gall bladder operation and so the diary ends. It’s a hefty book but don’t let this put you off. If you can persevere (and I almost gave up!), you’re a fan of Warhol and are familiar with his life already, it’s a truly fascinating, if time-consuming, read.

Her story is by no means the norm for a stand-up comedian. Growing up in a middle class family, living in a small seaside town, she went on to become a psychiatric nurse – a job which she held for 10 years – before going against her parents’ wishes and pursuing her comedy career.

It is brave for any woman to take on the male-dominated world of the stand-up circuit and even when Brand goes into detail about the abuse she suffered while on stage, she – in the style she has become so famous for – describes the scenes with humorous and almost nonchalant observations. Fans of her quick-witted and insightful comedy won’t be disappointed with this book; Brand is easily able to show her appreciation for and ridiculous attitude towards life just as well in writing as she does when she is behind the microphone.

Working on a cruise ship must be one of the best jobs in the world. Or is it? This raunchy yet hilarious book tells the truth behind the glamour of working on a cruise ship – from stewards fighting over food to the seemingly non-stop sex-fest. Parts of the book are too far-fetched to be believed but if you can get past this then some of the exploits really are genuinely funny. The gist of the story is of a guy working for ‘Carnival Cruise Ships’. He wants to work with his girl friend, Bianca and eventually make Maitre’d. His grand plans are sabotaged though; the 16 hour days eventually take their toll and he quits.

Author Brian David Bruns clearly has experience in the catering side of cruising, even if it is only the 13 months he actually worked for Carnival Cruise Ships. His characters lack depth though and by the end of the book I was glad I’d finished. If you don’t mind the graphic description of the sex scenes (i.e. if you’re squeamish, give it a miss) it’s a good, easy holiday read. I’d recommend this novel if you’ve cruised in the past or if you’re planning a cruise holiday in the future; but if you’re thinking of getting a job on the cruise ships, reading this might make you think twice!

Concentrating on the Stone Roses era, O’Connell seeks to place Ian Brown as the most significant member of the band, citing the huge success of his solo work as the yardstick (only Mani has gone on to achieve a credible music career with Primal Scream – John Squire’s Seahorses floundered in early 1999 after only one album and Reni disappeared from the scene after leaving the band in 1995). Squire’s drug taking was a constant cause of upset within the group, Brown being adamantly against Class A narcotics.  Squire left on 1 April 1996, describing his departure as “the inevitable conclusion to the gradual social and musical separation we have undergone in the past few years”.

In 1998, Ian was sentenced to four months imprisonment for an air-rage incident while flying back from Paris. His time in Strangeways is fully documented here and there are some shocking tales of violence. Brown was looked after inside; the Governor ordering him to “get writing”, but the episode clearly affected him and this is reflected in his subsequent album, ‘Golden Greats’.

The book chronicles the life of Ian Brown so far, complete with pictures. The break-up of the Stone Roses after only two albums was a crime – for many reasons, the band were destined to split and the contractual and legal fiasco certainly didn’t help matters. The fact that Brown has gone on to have a thriving solo career shows that his musical influence is loved by the masses, with or without the Roses. Long live King Monkey.

As many tennis fans will know Agassi’s story is not without its darker moments, and he spent many of his formative years disparaging the sport that would make him a worldwide celebrity. Forced into the game from an incredibly early age, he had a very turbulent childhood, turning professional by the time he reached sixteen.

The player’s style in the late 80s and early 90s served to revolutionise the sport and in “Open”, Agassi reveals what was going on behind the scenes at the height of his career. Of course, the celebrity focus on Agassi would eventually get too much for him and after failed relationships with Brooke Shields and, briefly, Barbara Streisand, he finally found true love with fellow tennis star Steffi Graf.

This is certainly a life story that is worthy of an autobiography and to date, Agassi has won wide acclaim for his candid storytelling and sharp writing style. It is a rare occasion when an autobiography of a sports personality shows good writing ability, but here Agassi has told his amazing life story with an exceptionally taut and well written delivery. This book will not be just for fans of Agassi or the sport of tennis in general, but has enough gravitas to appeal to a wider audience.

In the book world, Kay is also no stranger to success. “Saturday Night Peter” is the follow-up to his well received autobiography “The Sound of Laughter”, and picks up from when he began his first foray into touring the comedy circuit. Here Kay describes not only the shows and venues he visited throughout the tour, but also the low-budget accommodation, long car journeys, and the exposure to characters that would be the inspiration for his material.

Of course, “Saturday Night Peter” will be high on the list for any fans of the Bolton comedic genius and is packed full of his sharp-witted and unique observational humour. Some critics have suggest that the story of his rise to fame seems a little bit too easy compared to most comedians, but the fact of the matter is that Kay was always a good, natural stand-up comic. Many of the book’s subjects, such as the weird and wonderful tribute acts he met on the road, were the original source material for “Phoenix Nights”, and it is a great insight to see how Kay draws his inspiration.

Many TV-viewing members of the public will be familiar with the loose outline of their story – beginning their television careers on the northern-based drama “Byker Grove” before becoming the darlings of Saturday morning television, prime-time presenters on ITV and also hosting countless award ceremonies. The wide variety of shows and exciting locations the pair has found themselves in makes for plenty of humorous anecdotes and a real entertaining read.

But some people will obviously want to find out about their off-screen relationship, and it’s true that they didn’t always see eye to eye.  During the early days of “Byker Grove” the two were by no means the best of friends but soon developed an inseparable bond, as well as an extremely complimentary working relationship that has been the key to their success.

McPartlin and Donnelly, naturally, also shared the writing duties for “Ooh! What a Lovely Pair” and come across as just as charming and humorous in print as they do on television. Many non-fans can also enjoy this book for its comedic value, and admirers will of course be given all the stories of the behind-the-scenes antics of Britain’s most-loved TV pairing.

Osbourne’s career has been almost a cliché for rock & roll autobiographies: from his humble beginnings sharing one room with his whole family to changing the face of music with his fellow members of Black Sabbath, Ozzy was making the headlines as one of the most out-of-control rock stars in the history of music. Decapitating bats and birds with his teeth and a lengthy spell as a drug addict, his rise to the top was soon to be met with a hard fall to the ground.

In this book, Osbourne is able to speak about all the famous moments that changed his life, but also shares some behind-the-scenes stories that were to be every bit as significant. This autobiography not only gives a reliable and insightful view into the life of the star, but with such an incredible story to tell, will make for real entertaining reading. Fans of his music and fans of his ‘reality’ TV persona will both enjoy his humorous and candid writing style and you can rest assured that he will leave no stone in his life unturned.

Many will know of Evans’ meteoric rise through the 90’s – from his humble beginnings on Manchester Piccadilly Radio to being the host of the immensely popular TV shows “The Big Breakfast”, “Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush” and “TFI Friday”. He then went on to be the biggest radio personality at the BBC, with a staggering average of seven million listeners tuning in for each broadcast.

But a good autobiography will always need a point of tension and this comes at the point when his career becomes affected by the hedonistic lifestyle that he was indulging in, as well as his string of ill-fated relationships. Evans soon found himself out of a job and out of favour with the British public.

Considering his reputation as a loudmouth figure, Chris Evans has used this book to show his real and more down-to-earth side. Every episode of his life so far is described in a frank and honest fashion that indicates little of the showman side to his personality. As much as this book is one for his fans, it can still be enjoyed by others.