Alan Cumming

Dark, painful memories can be put away to be forgotten. Until one day they all flood back in horrible detail. When television producers approached Alan Cumming to appear on a popular celebrity genealogy show, he hoped to solve the mystery of his maternal grandfather's disappearance that had long cast a shadow over his family. But this was not the only mystery laid before Alan. Alan grew up in the grip of a man who held his family hostage, someone who meted out violence with a frightening ease, who waged a silent war with himself that sometimes spilled over onto everyone around him. That man was Alex Cumming, Alan's father, whom Alan had not seen or spoken to for more than a decade when he reconnected just before filming for Who Do You Think You Are? began. He had a secret he had to share, one that would shock his son to his very core and set into motion a journey that would change Alan's life forever. With ribald humor, wit, and incredible insight, Alan seamlessly moves back and forth in time, integrating stories from his childhood in Scotland and his experiences today as the celebrated actor of film, television, and stage. At times suspenseful, at times deeply moving, but always incredibly brave and honest, Not My Father's Son is a powerful story of embracing the best aspects of the past and triumphantly pushing the darkness aside.

A Memoir

Not My Father's Son

An intimate look at the making of a man, an actor, an advocate--and most importantly--a happy human being. A wonderful book that is funny, honest, fearless, and generous in its vulnerability. --Douglas Stuart, Booker Prize-winning author of Shuggie Bain There is absolutely no logical reason why I am here. The life trajectory my nationality and class and circumstances portended for me was not even remotely close to the one I now navigate. But logic is a science and living is an art. The release I felt in writing my first memoir, Not My Father's Son, was matched only by how my speaking out empowered so many to engage with their own trauma. I was reminded of the power of my words and the absolute duty of authenticity. But... No one ever fully recovers from their past. There is no cure for it. You just learn to manage and prioritize it. I believe the second you feel you have triumphed or overcome something - an abuse, an injury to the body or the mind, an addiction, a character flaw, a habit, a person - you have merely decided to stop being vigilant and embraced denial as your modus operandi. And that is what this book is about, and for: to remind you not to buy in to the Hollywood ending. Ironically maybe, much of Baggage chronicles my life in Hollywood and how, since I recovered from a nervous breakdown at 28, work has repeatedly whisked me away from personal calamities to sets and stages around the world. It is also about marriage(s): starting with the break-up of my first (to a woman) and ending with the ascension to my second (to a man) with many kissed toads in between! But in everything, each failed relationship or encounter with a legend (Liza! X Men! Gore Vidal! Kubrick! Spice Girls!), in every bad decision or moment of sensual joy I have endeavored to show what I have learned and how I've become who I am today: a happy, flawed, vulnerable, fearless middle-aged man, with a lot of baggage.

Tales from a Fully Packed Life

Baggage

"Until yesterday I'd had a carefree existence. It was great. I had a laugh with Charlie, we went out, did drugs, had great sex, had a laugh, I saw Finn, I had a laugh. And now today, today, since the second I opened my eyes, the pair of them had turned into ogres of potential angst, pain, and -- oh no, the worst of all -- responsibility." Tommy is twenty-nine, lives and loves in London, and has a morbid fear of the c word -- commitment, the b word -- boyfriend, and the f word -- forgetting to call his drug dealer before the weekend. But when he begins to feel the urge to become a father, he starts to wonder if his chosen lifestyle can ever make him happy. His flatmates, the eccentric, maternal Sadie and the stoic, supportive Bobby, encourage Tommy to tone down his lifestyle a wee bit and accept the fact that he's got to grow up sometime. His boyfriend, Charlie (whose son, Finn, is the epitome of childhood charm), wishes that Tommy could make a real commitment to their relationship. But can he? Faced with the choice of maintaining his hedonistic, drugged-out, and admittedly fabulous existence or chucking it all in favor of a far more sensitive, fulfilling, and -- let's face its -- lightly staid lifestyle, Tommy finds himself in a true quandary. Through a series of adventures and misadventures that lead him from London nightspots to New York bedrooms and back, our boy Tommy manages to answer some of life's most pressing questions -- and even some he never thought to ask. Perfectly pitched, with scathing witticisms and deadpan observations, Tommy's Tale is a rollicking, tongue-in-cheek opus of absolute debauchery and reluctant redemption that's simply not to be missed.

A Novel

Tommy's Tale

A beloved actor and famous man-on-the-scene, Alan Cumming takes the reader on a wild journey of pithy and cheeky fun, presenting his real-life stories of debauchery during late night Hollywood parties, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and hilarious yet poignant memories of his life, family, and friends. If you were to put David Sedaris and Glenn O’Brien in a blender and add a dash of New York and Hollywood gossip, you would wind up with Alan Cumming. Described by Time magazine as "one of the most fun people in show business," Cumming is a genuine triple-threat as a successful stage, television, and film star whose real-life vivacity, sophisticated wit, and charm tend to match that of his onstage personalities. In his third book, You Gotta Get Bigger Dreams, he has composed a collection of true-life adventures—or rather, misadventures—that is sure to make the reader laugh out loud. This volume recounts the hysterical and sometimes embarrassing encounters that only Cumming could experience, from awkwardly entertaining Elizabeth Taylor at Carrie Fisher’s birthday party to being on a movie set with Helen Mirren and being mocked for wearing Croc sandals to making a friend’s day by chasing down Oprah at a glitzy gala for a prized photograph with her. These forty-five stories are humorous novellas, each featuring memorable photographs—many simply snapshots taken by Cumming—that document or illustrate the tale told. "

And Other Stories

You Gotta Get Bigger Dreams

Determined to keep their dads safe on their trip to France, two dogs disguise themselves and follow along.

The adventures of Honey & Leon

Actor and New York Times bestselling author Alan Cumming and artist Grant Shaffer imagine what their dogs do when they’re not around—and it’s no surprise that the dogs aspire to lead lives as action-packed and glamorous as their dads’! Honey and Leon are rescue mutts who love their dads very much. But their dads often have to go away on glamorous and important business, which worries the dogs. Honey and Leon are done staying home and fretting—they’re off on a dad-protecting adventure! Careful to remain incognito, the two pups shadow their dads on a trip across the sea, keeping them out of danger at every turn! How did they survive without Honey and Leon’s protection for this long?! Alan Cumming and Grant Shaffer wrote this story as a tribute to their own dogs, based on their frequent conversations about what Honey and Leon get up to while they’re away.

The Adventures of Honey & Leon:Read & Listen Edition

Tim Supple

Dario Fo

A new translation of Fo's play which aims to be faithful to the clear-sighted insanity of the original. The author's other plays include "Mistero Buffo", "Trumpets and Raspberries" and "Archangels Don't Play Pinball".

Accidental Death of an Anarchist

She stopped and raised the torch. Kate looked. Alone on the wall was the figure of a girl with ice blue eyes and skin that glowed with a pure golden aura, standing out like an island in a dark black lagoon. ... There was no mistaking the identity of the tiny figure. Kate was staring at her own image burned into the wall. Bexus is another world, a hostile world of magic, adventure, and tremendous danger, and there's only one way to get there—die. Neither heaven nor hell, Bexus is a world where the souls of the dead get a second chance. When Kate Gallagher awakens in Bexus after she is killed in a train wreck, she finds that her soul has retained a powerful memory of her earthly form. She also finds she bears a very dangerous mark—a golden aura that indicates purity and possibly the fulfilment of a prophecy. Kate finds herself chosen and suddenly thrust into the middle of a conflict she cannot hope to survive. With nowhere to turn and an entire world counting on her, Kate has no choice but to set out to fulfil her destiny. But Kate and her new friends are not the only ones who know of the prophecy that foretold her arrival. Varak, the tyrant lord of Bexus, is well aware of what her coming could mean for him. He's determined to capture and kill Kate before she can fulfil her destiny and return peace to Bexus.

Kate Gallagher and the Bexus Prophecy

"Kareem cradled her close to him, tucking her between his arm and his body, trying to keep her head above the thrashing, pounding waves, but Kate fought against him and slipped from his grasp. Moments later, she resurfaced beside him, and as he reached for her once more, she gripped his head between her two hands and screamed into his face. "Hawklight! Find Hawklight! He can't swim! Leave me! I can make it back to the boat!" He opened his mouth to argue, but she yelled him down. "Don't you understand? Find Hawklight!" A flash of lightning lit her face. Her eyes were wide, fearful, and pleading." the world of Bexus, a hostile place of magic, adventure, and tremendous danger, is once again in peril, and only Kate Gallagher can help. the Hornshurst Talisman, also known as the Toki-Moai, has been stolen, and the citizens of Hornshurst want it back--at any cost. Because of the theft, the city-states of Hornshurst and Cherath have led Bexus to the brink of another crippling war. the Council of Hogarth orders Kate to intervene and wield the power of the crystal that she wrested from Varak only months ago, but Kate has discarded the stone. Once this fact becomes known, she must agree to track down the thief and return the talisman to its rightful owners to avert the war. But Kate and her companion, Hawklight, are not the only ones seeking the Toki-Moai. Fate has played its hand, and Kate cannot begin to comprehend all that she may lose in order for the quest to succeed.

Kate Gallagher and the Hornshurst Talisman

Kareem cradled her close to him, tucking her between his arm and his body, trying to keep her head above the thrashing, pounding waves, but Kate fought against him and slipped from his grasp. Moments later, she resurfaced beside him, and as he reached for her once more, she gripped his head between her two hands and screamed into his face. Hawklight! Find Hawklight! He cant swim! Leave me! I can make it back to the boat! He opened his mouth to argue, but she yelled him down. Dont you understand? Find Hawklight! A flash of lightning lit her face. Her eyes were wide, fearful, and pleading. The world of Bexus, a hostile place of magic, adventure, and tremendous danger, is once again in peril, and only Kate Gallagher can help. The Hornshurst Talisman, also known as the Toki-Moai, has been stolen, and the citizens of Hornshurst want it backat any cost. Because of the theft, the city-states of Hornshurst and Cherath have led Bexus to the brink of another crippling war. The Council of Hogarth orders Kate to intervene and wield the power of the crystal that she wrested from Varak only months ago, but Kate has discarded the stone. Once this fact becomes known, she must agree to track down the thief and return the talisman to its rightful owners to avert the war. But Kate and her companion, Hawklight, are not the only ones seeking the Toki-Moai. Fate has played its hand, and Kate cannot begin to comprehend all that she may lose in order for the quest to succeed.

Kate Gallagher has returned to Hogarth only to learn terrible news: as he was leading a secret expedition south, her estranged friend Hawklight was murdered by unknown assassins. Driven by guilt because she created the rift in their friendship, Kate vows to avenge his death. But as she begins to sift through the facts about his mysterious mission, she uncovers a diabolical plot that threatens to resurrect the spectre of Varak in the form of a new overlord of Bexus. Time is running out as Kate and her friends embark on a perilous adventure to prevent the unthinkable from happening. Unfortunately, others are constantly a step ahead in the race, and throughout the quest Kate and her companions are ruthlessly pursued in an attempt to prevent them from succeeding. Kate's destiny is inextricably entwined in this twisted power struggle, as she alone possesses the capability to prevent another tyrant from enslaving the planet. But she has yet to discover that there is a steep price to pay as an old nemesis seeks to settle a score.

Kate Gallagher and the Zimmermanite Quest

She stopped and raised the torch. Kate looked. Alone on the wall was the figure of a girl with ice blue eyes and skin that glowed with a pure golden aura, standing out like an island in a dark black lagoon. ... There was no mistaking the identity of the tiny figure. Kate was staring at her own image burned into the wall. Bexus is another world, a hostile world of magic, adventure, and tremendous danger, and there's only one way to get there-die. Neither heaven nor hell, Bexus is a world where the souls of the dead get a second chance. When Kate Gallagher awakens in Bexus after she is killed in a train wreck, she finds that her soul has retained a powerful memory of her earthly form. She also finds she bears a very dangerous mark-a golden aura that indicates purity and possibly the fulfilment of a prophecy. Kate finds herself chosen and suddenly thrust into the middle of a conflict she cannot hope to survive. With nowhere to turn and an entire world counting on her, Kate has no choice but to set out to fulfil her destiny. But Kate and her new friends are not the only ones who know of the prophecy that foretold her arrival. Varak, the tyrant lord of Bexus, is well aware of what her coming could mean for him. He's determined to capture and kill Kate before she can fulfil her destiny and return peace to Bexus.

Alan Cumming and Grant Shaffer's world-traveling dogs are back...and off to Scotland! When Honey falls in love with a handsome Scottish pup, will Leon be able to protect their dads on his own? Honey and Leon have done a very good job of keeping their dads safe--but now the dads have decided to travel again! So the two loyal dogs pack up their disguises and secretly follow them all the way to Europe on a Scottish Highland adventure. All is going according to plan...until Honey becomes besotted with a charming Scottish dog named Coll! Can Leon manage to keep their dads out of trouble on his own while Honey is gallivanting with her new beau? Actor Alan Cumming and artist Grant Shaffer bring to life the imagined secret identities of the two dogs they once owned. Hilarious, sassy dialogue and wild escapades make this an unmissable read-aloud, perfect for families who love to put on a show!

Honey & Leon Take the High Road

Newborn male circumcision is the most common surgical procedure performed in the U.S. It's a common misconception that there are tangible health benefits to male circumcision, but the truth is no medical society in the world recommends it. This invasive procedure carries serious health risks, including infection, hemorrhage, surgical mishap, and death, as well many ethical considerations. Yet, despite these risks, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) are developing public health recommendations that could mislead more parents into agreeing to circumcision for their newborn baby boys. Alan Cumming would like to change that. In May the Foreskin Be with You, the beloved TV and Broadway star, a passionate "intactavist" on the issue of circumcision, walks readers through the hows and whys of the circumcision controversy, including a conversation about the origins of circumcision, its history, the cultural and religious reasons given for performing them--and why they're flawed--a look at what can go wrong during the procedure, along with personal testimonials by men who have had/not had a circumcision performed, by parents, physicians, and celebrities. Joining Alan in conversation on this controversial subject matter are a host of medical experts, educators, and activists who stand on the frontline of the circumcision debates and who share their expert points of view. Substantive, enlightening, yet light-hearted with Alan's clever brand of humor, May the Foreskin Be with You is an open-minded, long-overdue invitation to begin a public discussion on this critical and much-misunderstood issue.

Alan Cumming

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