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Graham Norton is one of the UK's most treasured comedians and presenters. Born in Clondalkin, a suburb of Dublin, Norton's first big TV appearance was as Father Noel Furlong on Channel 4's Father Ted in the early 1990s. He then secured a prime time slot on Channel 4 with his chat shows So Graham Norton and V Graham Norton. Known for his quick wit and flamboyant style Graham began hosting a variety of talent shows on BBC1 from Strictly Dance Fever and Andrew Lloyd Webber's How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? to The Eurovision Song Contest and the BAFTAs. Graham was soon approached by the BBC to front his own self titled chat show The Graham Norton Show in 2007. Graham Norton has won 5 BAFTAs for Best Entertainment Performace. He presents a show on BBC Radio 2 every Saturday and also writes, as Agony Aunt, weekly in a column for the Telegraph.
Author photo © Steve Double
Graham Norton's masterful debut is an intelligently crafted story of love, secrets and loss. The remote Irish village of Duneen has known little drama; and yet its inhabitants are troubled. Sergeant PJ Collins hasn't always been this overweight; mother of- two Brid Riordan hasn't always been an alcoholic; and elegant Evelyn Ross hasn't always felt that her life was a total waste. So when human remains are discovered on an old farm, suspected to be that of Tommy Burke - a former- love of both Brid and Evelyn - the village's dark past begins to unravel. As the frustrated PJ struggles to solve a genuine case for the first time in his life, he unearths a community's worth of anger and resentments, secrets and regret.
A look at the loves and passions in Graham Norton’s life, looking back to recall early loves and inspirations and considering how they change as you grow older. These are lessons he’s learned from life – that it is your passions and interests that make life ever fascinating. A larger than life account sharing some of Graham Norton’s passions – from Dolly Parton to wine and his great love, Ireland. ~ Sue Baker
Graham Norton has been entertaining audiences and having fun with some of the world's biggest stars for nearly twenty years. He is loved across the nation for his delight in the peculiar and for his ability to find humour and a common ground in all that life brings. The Life and Loves of a He Devil is Graham's funny and honest memoir on the theme of love. As he shows, it's really the things you love that make you who you are and so Graham tells his story from his Irish childhood to the present day, describing just what and who he loved - and sometimes lost - as a young boy, and his new loves and obsessions - big and small - as he's grown older. It's been ten years since his last book and being a decade older Graham has come to realise that what makes a life interesting is less what happens to you and more what inspires and drives you, what you love. From Dolly Parton and dogs to wine and Ireland, Graham tells of his life and loves with characteristic humour and outrageous candour.
*** SHORTLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS *** THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'A compelling and moving story, expertly told, that will draw you in and keep you in its grip until the last page.' DAILY EXPRESS 'Magnificent ... his writing is evocative and perfect. His grasp of human loneliness and longing is beautiful and comforting.' MARIAN KEYES 'Atmospheric, creepy and impossible to put down.' the TIMES 'I raved about Holding two years ago ... A Keeper is even better. A powerful, very sad story, beautiful writing, two time frames that are perfectly balanced. Outstanding. Will easily be one of my books of 2018.' JOHN BOYNE 'A gripping, thoughtful tale about the search for identity, belonging and self-possession.' OBSERVER 'Moving and darkly funny.' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 'Smart, well-written and thoroughly entertaining.' IRISH INDEPENDENT 'It's a sad and lovely book, brimful of tenderness and compassion, where the revelations of the past upturn the perceptions of the present.' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'Charming and tender, a complete joy.' SUNDAY MIRROR 'Perfectly crafted, a beautiful, gripping account of Irish memory and deceit. A terrific achievement.' ANDREW O'HAGAN From the bestselling author of Holding comes a masterly tale of secrets and ill-fated loves set on the coast of Ireland. Dear Lonely Leinster Lady, I'm not really sure how to begin . . . The truth drifts out to sea, riding the waves out of sight. And then the tide turns. Elizabeth Keane returns to Ireland after her mother's death, intent only on wrapping up that dismal part of her life. There is nothing here for her; she wonders if there ever was. The house of her childhood is stuffed full of useless things, her mother's presence already fading. And perhaps, had she not found the small stash of letters, the truth would never have come to light. 40 years earlier, a young woman stumbles from a remote stone house, the night quiet but for the tireless wind that circles her as she hurries further into the darkness away from the cliffs and the sea. She has no sense of where she is going, only that she must keep on. This compelling new novel confirms Graham Norton's status as a fresh, literary voice, bringing his clear-eyed understanding of human nature and its darkest flaws.
The mystery of Elizabeth Keane's father is one that has never been solved by the people of Buncarragh - not for lack of speculation. Her mother Patricia had been assumed a spinster, until she began dating a mysterious man from out of town, and within months had left Buncarragh and had married. Less than two years later, Patricia was back, with a new baby in her arms, but no new husband by her side and unbendingly silent about her recent past. A secret she would take with her to her grave. Now, as Elizabeth returns to the village after her mother's funeral, bringing with her her own regrets and wounds, she finds a thin pile of ribbon-bound letters at the back of a wardrobe that may at last hold the key to her past.
*** SHORTLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS *** THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'A compelling and moving story, expertly told, that will draw you in and keep you in its grip until the last page.' DAILY EXPRESS 'Magnificent ... his writing is evocative and perfect. His grasp of human loneliness and longing is beautiful and comforting.' MARIAN KEYES 'Atmospheric, creepy and impossible to put down.' the TIMES 'I raved about Holding two years ago ... A Keeper is even better. A powerful, very sad story, beautiful writing, two time frames that are perfectly balanced. Outstanding. Will easily be one of my books of 2018.' JOHN BOYNE 'A gripping, thoughtful tale about the search for identity, belonging and self-possession.' OBSERVER 'Moving and darkly funny.' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 'Smart, well-written and thoroughly entertaining.' IRISH INDEPENDENT 'It's a sad and lovely book, brimful of tenderness and compassion, where the revelations of the past upturn the perceptions of the present.' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'Charming and tender, a complete joy.' SUNDAY MIRROR 'Perfectly crafted, a beautiful, gripping account of Irish memory and deceit. A terrific achievement.' ANDREW O'HAGAN From the bestselling author of Holding comes a masterly tale of secrets and ill-fated loves set on the coast of Ireland. Dear Lonely Leinster Lady, I'm not really sure how to begin . . . The truth drifts out to sea, riding the waves out of sight. And then the tide turns. Elizabeth Keane returns to Ireland after her mother's death, intent only on wrapping up that dismal part of her life. There is nothing here for her; she wonders if there ever was. The house of her childhood is stuffed full of useless things, her mother's presence already fading. And perhaps, had she not found the small stash of letters, the truth would never have come to light. 40 years earlier, a young woman stumbles from a remote stone house, the night quiet but for the tireless wind that circles her as she hurries further into the darkness away from the cliffs and the sea. She has no sense of where she is going, only that she must keep on. This compelling new novel confirms Graham Norton's status as a fresh, literary voice, bringing his clear-eyed understanding of human nature and its darkest flaws. * * * Praise for Holding, winner of the Irish Book Awards' Book of the Year 2016'Poised and perceptive' Sunday Times '... a deftly plotted story as moving as it is compelling' Sunday Mirror 'Deeply accomplished ... brilliantly observed' Good Housekeeping '... one of the more authentic debuts I've read in recent years ... in such an understated manner, eschewing linguistic eccentricity ... in favour of genuine characters and tender feeling ... this is a fine novel' John Boyne, Irish Times 'It is beautiful and yet devastatingly sad' Daily Express 'Strenuously charming ... surprisingly tender' Metro 'Heartwarming and observant' Stylist
Duneen liegt wirklich am Arsch der Welt, ganz, ganz unten im Suden Irlands. Groe Dramen finden in dem schmucken, kleinen Ort nicht statt, und trotzdem konnten viele Leute hier ein bisschen glucklicher sein. Sergeant PJ Collins war nicht immer so dick. Brid Riordan hat fruher nicht so viel getrunken. Und auch Evelyn Ross glaubte einmal, ihr Leben konnte einen Sinn haben. Dann bricht der Tag an, als auf dem Grund der Burke-Farm Knochen gefunden werden. Menschliche Knochen. Und es ist vorbei mit der Ruhe, fr PJ und einige andere in Duneen. Alte Wunden brechen auf, alte Lgen kommen ans Licht, neue Konflikte entbrennen, und whrend PJ zum ersten Mal in seiner Karriere einen richtigen Fall zu lsen versucht, berrascht er viele, die ihn zu kennen glaubten - am meisten sich selbst. "e;Ein groartiger Roman mit schn konstruierter Geschichte und der trstlichen Botschaft, dass man Liebe finden kann, selbst wenn alle ueren Umstnde dagegen sprechen."e; (Evening Standard)
From Graham Norton, the BAFTA-award-winning Irish television host and author of the ';sparkling and impish' (Daily Mail) memoirs The Life and Loves of a He Devil and So Me, comes a charming debut novel set in an idyllic Irish village where a bumbling investigator has to sort through decades of gossip and secrets to solve a mysterious crime.The remote Irish village of Duneen has known little drama but when human remains are discovered on an old farm, suspected to be that of Tommy Burkea former lover of two different inhabitantsthe village's dark past begins to unravel. As the frustrated sergeant PJ Collins struggles to solve a genuine case for the first time in his life, he unearths a community's worth of anger and resentments, secrets and regret. In this darkly comic, touching, and at times heartbreaking novel, perfect for fans of J.K. Rowling's The Casual Vacancy, Graham Norton employs his acerbic wit to breathe life into a host of loveable characters, and explorewith searing honestythe complexities and contradictions that make us human.
The Sunday Times bestseller and debut novel from Graham Norton. 'Poised and perceptive' Sunday Times '... a deftly plotted story as moving as it is compelling' Sunday Mirror 'Deeply accomplished ... brilliantly observed' Good Housekeeping '... one of the more authentic debuts I've read in recent years ... in such an understated manner, eschewing linguistic eccentricity ... in favour of genuine characters and tender feeling ... this is a fine novel' John Boyne, Irish Times 'It's funny and wonderfully perceptive' Wendy Holden 'It is beautiful and yet devastatingly sad' Daily Express 'Strenuously charming ... surprisingly tender' Metro 'Heartwarming and observant' Stylist The remote Irish village of Duneen has known little drama; and yet its inhabitants are troubled. Sergeant PJ Collins hasn't always been this overweight; mother of two Brid Riordan hasn't always been an alcoholic; and elegant Evelyn Ross hasn't always felt that her life was a total waste. So when human remains are discovered on an old farm, suspected to be that of Tommy Burke - a former love of both Brid and Evelyn - the village's dark past begins to unravel. As the frustrated PJ struggles to solve a genuine case for the first time in his life, he unearths a community's worth of anger and resentments, secrets and regret. Darkly comic, touching and at times profoundly sad. Graham Norton employs his acerbic wit to breathe life into a host of lovable characters, and explore - with searing honesty - the complexities and contradictions that make us human.
Graham Norton's masterful debut is an intelligently crafted story of love, secrets and loss. The remote Irish village of Duneen has known little drama; and yet its inhabitants are troubled. Sergeant PJ Collins hasn't always been this overweight; mother of- two Brid Riordan hasn't always been an alcoholic; and elegant Evelyn Ross hasn't always felt that her life was a total waste. So when human remains are discovered on an old farm, suspected to be that of Tommy Burke - a former- love of both Brid and Evelyn - the village's dark past begins to unravel. As the frustrated PJ struggles to solve a genuine case for the first time in his life, he unearths a community's worth of anger and resentments, secrets and regret.
A look at the loves and passions in Graham Norton’s life, looking back to recall early loves and inspirations and considering how they change as you grow older. These are lessons he’s learned from life – that it is your passions and interests that make life ever fascinating. A larger than life account sharing some of Graham Norton’s passions – from Dolly Parton to wine and his great love, Ireland. ~ Sue Baker
An autobiographical account of Graham's life told through the things he loves most of all. The Life and Loves of a He Devil is Graham's funny and honest memoir on the theme of love. As he shows, it's really the things you love that define who you are and so Graham tells his story from childhood to present day, describing just what and who he loved - and sometimes lost - as a child, and how he has discovered and rediscovered new loves and obsessions - big and small - as he's grown older. From dogs and boys to Dolly Parton and Ireland Graham tells his life and loves with characteristic humour and outrageous candour.
Graham Norton is best known as a television presenter, chat show host and comedian. His warm demeanour and dry wit has endeared him to the nation and he is well on his way to securing the status of a national treasure. But as well as presenting and acting, Graham also fulfils another professional role: that of agony uncle to readers of The Daily Telegraph. Every week, scores of people write to Graham with their problems, hoping that his wise words will ease their worries or at least point them in the direction of a solution to their particular concern. The woes about which Graham is asked to offer adive are wide-ranging and include topics such as ungrateful spouses, errant partners, failing relationships, problems in the workplace and social etiquette. Each perfectly-pitched response includes just the right mixture of sound advice, humour and, occasionally, reprimand. We are, after all, fascinated with other people's problems and the winning combination of a glimpse into another's life coupled with a wise and witty reply makes for fascinating reading. This entertaining and often poignant book is a collection of the very best responses to a selection of problems from the man who is rapidly becoming the nation's favourite agony uncle.
Graham Norton is best known as a television presenter, chat show host and comedian. His warm demeanour and dry wit has endeared him to the nation and he is well on his way to securing the status of a national treasure. But as well as presenting and acting, Graham also fulfils another professional role: that of agony uncle to readers of The Daily Telegraph. Every week, scores of people write to Graham with their problems, hoping that his wise words will ease their worries or at least point them in the direction of a solution to their particular concern. The woes about which Graham is asked to offer advice are wide-ranging and include topics such as ungrateful spouses, errant partners, failing relationships, problems in the workplace and social etiquette. Each perfectly-pitched response from Graham includes just the right mixture of sound advice, humour and, occassionally, reprimand. We are, after all, fascinated with other people's problems and the winning combination of a glimpse into another's life couples with a wise and witty response makes for fascinating reading. This entertaining and often poignant book is a collection of the very best reponses to a selection of problems from the man who is rapidly becoming the nation's favourite agony uncle.
Graham Norton, whose impish charm and quick wit has earned him a place in our hearts, looks back at his life so far. In his own words, SO ME is 'a real romp through a journey from living in a cockroach-infested council flat in Hackney to buying Claudia Schiffer's townhouse in Manhattan, from my mother dragging me to school to me dragging her to Sharon Stone's house for New Year's brunch'. From a not-so miserable Irish childhood to dropping out of Cork University and joining a commune of hippies in San Francisco, from his disastrous attempts at becoming a serious actor to the rise of his comedy career in London, this is a hilarious, insightful and moving account of a colourful life.
20th Century Icons is a stylish, quirky and instantly collectible series of little books created to celebrate the last hundred years. Famous names in the arenas of film, rock and pop, kitsch and camp have all chosen their own personal icons, recorded in these pocket-sized volumes with interesting, amusing and sometimes controversial results. Readers will enjoy discovering the eclectic, surprising, and humorous selections in every title, with luminaries as diverse as Elvis, Liberace and Mr. Potato Head all rubbing shoulders with one another.
