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Sheila Tofield

Aged 17, Sheila was left heartbroken when her fiance broke off their engagement. A year later, having fallen pregnant to an older man, she found herself in a Church of England home for unmarried mothers, expected to give up her child for adoption. But despite being ostracised by her family, neighbours and colleagues, Sheila chose to do the unthinkable - to bring up her baby on her own.

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Justin Lewis

Great Britain's national treasure, Gary Barlow has achieved unrivalled success with boyband Take That, as a solo artist and songwriter, and as a judge on The X Factor. However, the path to fame is rarely easy and Gary's journey has been full of inspiring highs and distinct lows. From happy beginnings growing up in Frodshaw, Cheshire, as the second son to Marge and Colin Barlow, Gary spent his youth immersing himself in music, writing songs and learning how to play the piano. By the age of 15, Gary was struggling to break into the music industry and doing a string of gigs around the UK, before landing what was to be the job that propelled him into the limelight. After hiring Barry Wooley as his manager, Gary was soon in talks with casting agent Nigel Martin-Smith. Realising Gary's potential, and admiring an early demo of ' A Million Love Songs', Nigel signed him up as the front man for new boy bad Take That, and the rest, as they say, is history. Between 1990 and 1996, Take That sold millions of records, packed out area tours and created an army of fans, who were subsequently devastated when Take That announced their split in 1996. Gary made an attempt at a solo career, but it wasn't to be, and he slipped out of the public consciousness before finding the confidence to begin songwriting and collaborating with other artists to make his records. In 2005, Gary's life was to take another unexpected turn when Take That announced they were getting back together. With a new lease of life, they went onto have continued, record- breaking, success. Gary was soon offered a slot as head judge on ITV's hit TV show The X Factor, and in 2012 he was awarded an OBE - providing that there was more to him than Take That.

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M. J. Simpson, historical consultant Kevin Davies

Douglas Adams will be most fondly remembered for the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series and its idiosyncratic humour. But this biography covers his life from his days as a struggling sketch writer to his untimely death at the age of 49 in May 2001.

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Michael Coveney

"No one does glamour, severity, girlish charm or tight-lipped witticism better than Dame Maggie Smith. Michael Coveney's biography shines a light on the life and career of a truly remarkable performer, one whose stage and screen career spans six decades. From her days as a West End star of comedy and revue, Dame Maggie's path would cross with those of the greatest actors, playwrights and directors of the era. Whether stealing scenes from Richard Burton, answering back to Laurence Olivier, or playing opposite Judi Dench in Breath of Life, her career can be seen as a 'Who's Who' of British theatre. Her film and television career are just as starry. From the title character in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and the meddling chaperone in A Room With a View to the Harry Potter films in which she played Minerva McGonagall (as she put it 'Miss Jean Brodie in a wizard's hat') and the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel films in which she played the wise Muriel Donnelly, Smith has thrilled, engaged and made audiences laugh. As Violet Crawley, the formidable Dowager Countess of Downton Abbey she conquered millions more. Paradoxically she remains an enigmatic figure, rarely appearing in public. Michael Coveney's absorbing biography, written with the actress's blessing and drawing on personal archives, as well as interviews with immediate family and close friends, is a portrait of one of the greatest actors of our time"--