Jane Graham

The fourth novel from Jessica Anthony is a witty, provocative, insightful and melancholic examination of 1950s America.

Before joining 2-Tone heroes The Selecter, Pauline Black was used to hearing casual racism everywhere, even in her own family.

For Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream, decadence was part of the day job, but soon after starting a family his priorities shifted.

Though Lucy Lawless was the star of one of the biggest TV hits of its time, she grew up with aspirations of treading the boards.

Isabel Allende has twice used writing as a way of coping with grief, and her books have struck a universal chord.

Magician Steven Frayne killed off his alter-ego Dynamo in his last TV special, now he's back to his old tricks.

From cosy reads for young children to novels offering pointers to young men, the best children's books of the year have it all.

The indie frontwoman didn't expect to find a new audience on the dance floor. Now her biggest successes are in the kitchen Image: Bekky Calver / BBC Studios

Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst is a piercing study of UK race relations and an insightful examination of queer love through the years.

Success came late for Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos, but he still wasn't prepared for how much it would affect his life.