Ben Miller

Huw Lemmey

A unconventional history of homosexuality Too many popular histories seek to establish heroes, pioneers and martyrs but as Huw Lemmey and Ben Miller argue, the past is filled with queer people whose sexualities and/or dastardly deeds have been overlooked. We all remember Oscar Wilde, but who speaks for Bosie? What about those 'bad gays' whose un-exemplary lives reveals more than we might expect? Part-revisionist history, part-historical biography and based on the hugely popular podcast series, Bad Gays subverts the notion of gay icons and queer heroes and asks what we can learn about LGBTQ history, sexuality and identity through its villains and baddies. From the Emperor Hadrian to notorious gangster Ronnie Kray, the authors excavate the buried history of queer lives. This includes fascist thugs, famous artists, austere puritans and debauched bon viveurs, Imperialists, G-men and architects. Together these amazing life stories expand and challenge the mainstream assumptions of sexual identity. They show that homosexuality itself was an idea that emerged in the nineteenth century and that its interpretation has been central to major historical moments of conflict from the ruptures of Weimar Republic to red-baiting in Cold War America. Amusing, disturbing and fascinating, Bad Gays puts center stage the queer villains and evil twinks in history.

A Homosexual History

Bad Gays

Following the breakout successes of The Night I Met Father Christmas and The Boy Who Made the World Disappear, get ready for the brilliant NEW novel from actor, comedian and bestselling author Ben Miller, perfect for fans of Matt Haig and David Baddiel! Featuring beautiful illustrations throughout from Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini, Lana loves stories. Especially the ones she and her brother, Harrison, share in their make-believe games. But when Harrison decides he’s too grown-up to play with Lana she finds herself feeling lonely. Until something magical happens… Hidden in the strange new supermarket in town, Lana discovers a portal to a fairytale world! But these aren’t the happy-ever-after fairytales that Lana knows, they are darker and more dangerous, and the characters need Lana’s help to defeat an evil witch. But she can’t do it alone. Can she convince Harrison to believe in stories again and journey to the world with her. . . before it’s too late? This is a story about stories, but it’s also about a brother and a sister finding their way back to each other through the power of imagination.

The Day I Fell Into a Fairytale

Christmas magic, delivered! A hilarious Christmas caper and the perfect festive gift, from bestselling author, Ben Miller. Pre-order now! All Tog wants to do is work in Santa's workshop and one wonderful day, the letter from Santa arrives: Tog has been selected as an apprentice elf! Making toys is a lot more technical and a lot less fun than Tog had imagined, and even though his new friend Holly tries to help him, he's quickly relegated to cleaning out the reindeer stables. But someone has been stealing the presents from the workshop and a case of mistaken identity finds Tog accused of being the culprit! Can Tog use his special Christmas magic to discover the real thief and save all the presents before Christmas Eve is over? A funny and heartwarming story about the true meaning of gift giving, from the King of Christmas, Ben Miller – the perfect stocking filler for all the family! Praise for BookTrust pick The Night I Met Father Christmas: 'A gorgeous tale brimming with the magic of Christmas. A sheer delight for all kids both big AND small' Ruth Jones 'Bubbles with warmth and mischievous humour . . . irresistible' Alexander Armstrong 'A fire-side gem of a story' Abi Elphinstone, bestselling author of Sky Song and Everdark 'Enchanting, funny and intriguing in equal measure' Philip Ardagh

Brand-new Christmas magic from the bestselling author of The Night I Met Father Christmas and The Day I Fell into a Fairytale

Diary of a Christmas Elf

'A gorgeous tale brimming with the magic of Christmas. A sheer delight for all kids both big AND small.' Ruth Jones, award-winning writer and comedian 'Enchanting, funny and intriguing in equal measure' Philip Ardagh, bestselling author 'You can always tell when a children’s book has been written by a brilliant father because there’s a particular intimacy, warmth and mischievous humour that bubbles through it ... irresistible' Alexander Armstrong, presenter, comedian and writer Jackson knows all about the flying reindeer, he knows about the elves and the secret North Pole workshop, he knows about the magic that allows Father Christmas to deliver presents around the world in just one night, but there's one thing he doesn't know ... how did Father Christmas become Father Christmas? That all changes when, one Christmas Eve, Jackson meets Father Christmas and hears his incredible story. So begins an enchanting fairy-tale into a magical snowy landscape, where Torvil, a mean-spirited and miserly elf, is about to discover the true meaning of Christmas. This might not have been the story Jackson was expecting but, as Father Christmas tells him, no good story ever is... Get ready for a Christmas classic in the making from actor and comedian Ben Miller with beautiful illustrations throughout from emerging talent Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini, that will remind everyone of the true spirit of Christmas and prove once and for all that Father Christmas really does exist!

The Night I Met Father Christmas

Black holes. DNA. The Large Hadron Collider. Ever had that sneaking feeling that you are missing out on some truly spectacular science? You do? Well fear not, for help is at hand. Ben Miller was working on his Physics PhD at Cambridge when he accidentally became a comedian. But first love runs deep, and he has returned to his roots to share with you all his favourite bits of science. This is the stuff that you really need to know, not only because it matters, but because it will quite simply amaze and delight you. 'Let me show you another, perhaps less familiar side of Science; her beauty, her seductiveness and her passion. And let's do it quickly, while Maths isn't looking' Ben Miller

It's Not Rocket Science

An unconventional history of homosexuality We all remember Oscar Wilde, but who speaks for Bosie? What about those ‘bad gays’ whose unexemplary lives reveal more than we might expect? Many popular histories seek to establish homosexual heroes, pioneers, and martyrs but, as Huw Lemmey and Ben Miller argue, the past is filled with queer people whose sexualities and dastardly deeds have been overlooked despite their being informative and instructive. Based on the hugely popular podcast series of the same name, Bad Gays asks what we can learn about LGBTQ+ history, sexuality and identity through its villains, failures, and baddies. With characters such as the Emperor Hadrian, anthropologist Margaret Mead and notorious gangster Ronnie Kray, the authors tell the story of how the figure of the white gay man was born, and how he failed. They examine a cast of kings, fascist thugs, artists and debauched bon viveurs. Imperial-era figures Lawrence of Arabia and Roger Casement get a look-in, as do FBI boss J. Edgar Hoover, lawyer Roy Cohn, and architect Philip Johnson. Together these amazing life stories expand and challenge mainstream assumptions about sexual identity: showing that homosexuality itself was an idea that emerged in the nineteenth century, one central to major historical events. Bad Gays is a passionate argument for rethinking gay politics beyond questions of identity, compelling readers to search for solidarity across boundaries.

Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini

The Christmas Classic from Bestselling Author Ben Miller

Night I Met Father Christmas

"This nail-biter teems with suspense...An unrelenting debut thriller." --Kirkus Reviews The strangled body of a 9-year-old girl is discovered behind a hedgerow bordering her school playground in York, Pennsylvania. The local authorities' only clue lies in a scrap of paper left in her front pocket, with a short phrase printed on it in an unfamiliar language. Jackson Byrne, an FBI agent who specializes in investigating crimes against children, has just completed a book tour promoting his best-seller about solving his most recent high-profile case-the abduction and murder of a celebrity's young daughter. Unexpectedly, Jack receives an invitation from an old family friend and powerful political insider urging him to run for the U.S. Senate. At the same time, his FBI division learns of the murder of another child with a similar mysterious message, launching them into a search for a serial killer given the moniker The Playground Predator. As Jack becomes torn between his excitement about a new career and others' expectations of a celebrated investigator, he must also continue to deal with demons from his past. While Jack's devoted wife, a sycophantic young FBI colleague, and an ambitious and attractive female reporter all try to influence his path, none of them pulls the strings as effectively as the enigmatic Randall, the psychologically disturbed but brilliant Playground Predator himself, who orchestrates his own master plan, eventually dragging Jack into an inevitable showdown. "A BUSTLE IN THE HEDGEROW starts out deceptively simple, but gets more complex and interesting as the mystery deepens. Characters are three-dimensional and multifaceted... a good psychological thriller that allows the reader to piece together the clues to a mystery." --Catherine Langrehr, IndieReader

A Bustle in the Hedgerow

In Boston an assailant immobilized a sleep-deprived young mother, blinded her with a black hood, and stole her infant son. When a second abduction occurs in an identical fashion, the media dubs this terrifying perpetrator "The Piper" after the Pied Piper of Northern European folk legend. Stumped by these mysterious kidnappings-with no witnesses, no leads, no ransom, and no sign of the missing babies-local authorities reach out to Special Agent Jackson Byrne and his FBI team specializing in child abduction. As Jack becomes embroiled in the child abduction case, he tries to prepare himself and his anxiety-riddled family for the trial of his most sensationalized criminal ever, the Playground Predator. Through themes of loss and grief, retribution and repentance, The Piper follows both the Playground Predator trial and the Piper's infant abductions as each story fervently races to its unforgettable climax. "[A] a piece that employs deep psychological intrigue and tension to power its saga of loss and survival... The Piper provides a compelling, absorbing story right up to its unexpected conclusion." -- D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

The Piper

All the best magic happens when the clock strikes midnight . . . Enter a world of wonder in the brand-new classic adventure from the fastest-growing UK children's author, Ben Miller. This is the perfect story for fans of Matt Haig, David Baddiel and Tom Fletcher! *Pre-order now!* George and his father live next door to a family who have a very soppy dog. One night, George chases an escaped Midnight into the garden and they both fall into a fountain, magically lit by moonlight. Suddenly, the two have swapped places: George is now a dog, and Midnight is a ten-year-old boy! Finding out what it's like to be a dog is completely amazing, until George uncovers an evil plan that could threaten his home and needs to switch back again. Can the two save the day before the clock strikes twelve, or will they be stuck in each other's bodies forever? A magical-mishap adventure between a boy and his dog best friend – discover the funny and heartwarming classic storytelling from bestselling author and beloved actor, Ben Miller. Praise for Ben Miller: ‘A magical adventure’ Sunday Express on The Day I Fell into a Fairytale ‘Great for reading aloud’ Week Junior on The Day I Fell into a Fairytale ‘Fabulous’ Sunday Express on The Boy Who Made the World Disappear ‘A sheer delight for all kids both big AND small’ Ruth Jones on The Night I Met Father Christmas ‘A fire-side gem of a story’ Abi Elphinstone on The Night I Met Father Christmas

The brand new adventure from the bestselling author of The Day I Fell Into a Fairytale

How I Became a Dog Called Midnight

Following the breakout success of his instant festive classic, The Night I Met Father Christmas, get ready for the brilliant new novel from comedian, actor and bestselling author, Ben Miller! ‘Stories are often about a good person who does a Bad Thing, and this is no exception…’ Harrison tries his best to be good. He doesn’t steal, he always shares with his sister and he never cheats at board games, but Harrison also has a BIG flaw … He can't control his temper! So when he’s given a black hole instead of a balloon at a party, Harrison jumps at the chance to get rid of everything that makes him cross. But when it’s not just things he hates that are disappearing into the black hole but things he loves, too, Harrison starts to realise that sometimes you should be careful what you wish for... An out-of-this-world adventure about twists of fate, time travel and troublesome black holes, Ben Miller's stunning storytelling is brought to life with beautiful illustrations from emerging talent Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini. Praise for The Night I Met Father Christmas: 'A gorgeous tale brimming with the magic of Christmas. A sheer delight for all kids both big AND small.' Ruth Jones, award-winning writer and comedian 'Enchanting, funny and intriguing in equal measure' Philip Ardagh, bestselling author 'Bubbles with warmth and mischievous humour ... irresistible' Alexander Armstrong, presenter, comedian and writer 'A fire-side gem of a story' Abi Elphinstone, bestselling author

The Boy Who Made the World Disappear

Discover the fascinating and cutting-edge science behind the greatest question of all: is there life beyond Earth? For millennia, we have looked up at the stars and wondered whether we are alone in the universe. In the last few years, scientists have made huge strides towards answering that question. In The Aliens are Coming!, comedian and bestselling science writer Ben Miller takes us on a fantastic voyage of discovery, from the beginnings of life on earth to the very latest search for alien intelligence. What soon becomes clear is that the hunt for extra-terrestrials is also an exploration of what we actually mean by life. What do you need to kickstart life? How did the teeming energy of the Big Bang end up as frogs, trees and quantity surveyors? How can evolution provide clues about alien life? What might it look like? (Probably not green and sexy, sadly.) As our probes and manned missions venture out into the solar system, and our telescopes image Earth-like planets with ever-increasing accuracy, our search for alien life has never been more exciting - or better funded. The Aliens are Coming! is a comprehensive, accessible and hugely entertaining guide to that search, and our quest to understand the very nature of life itself.

The Exciting and Extraordinary Science Behind Our Search for Life in the Universe

The Aliens Are Coming!

Warmherziges Kinderbuch voller Fantasie, Magie und Abenteuer für Jungen und Mädchen ab 8 Jahren Diese spannende Geschichte eignet sich für Jungs und Mädchen ab der 2. oder 3. Klasse. Das fantastische Abenteuer ist ein tolles Geschenk für Kinder ab 8 Jahren, ideal auch zum Vorlesen für die Jüngeren. Der Bestseller aus Großbritannien von Schauspieler und Kinderbuchautor Ben Miller Lana und ihr großer Bruder Harrison haben früher immer gerne zusammen gespielt - bis Harrison beschlossen hat, dass er ab jetzt für solchen Kinderkram zu alt ist. Bei einem Ausflug in den Supermarkt öffnet sich überraschend ein magisches Tor zur Märchenwelt. Lana stellt fest, dass Märchen eben nicht nur erfundene Geschichten sind und nicht nur "Kinderkram" sind. Aber die Märchenwelt ist in großer Gefahr. Kann Lana ihren Bruder davon überzeugen, ihr zu glauben, bevor es zu spät ist? Ein fantasievolles und zauberhaftes Buch mit dem Potenzial zum Kinderbuchklassiker Mit stimmungsvollen Illustrationen von Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini Extra-Motivation: Zu diesem Buch gibt es ein Quiz bei Antolin

Der Tag, an dem ich in ein Märchen fiel

Following the breakout success of his instant festive classic, The Night I Met Father Christmas, get ready for the brilliant new novel from comedian, actor and bestselling author, Ben Miller! 'Stories are often about a good person who does a Bad Thing, and this is no exception...' Harrison tries his best to be good. He doesn't steal, he always shares with his sister and he never cheats at board games, but Harrison also has a BIG flaw ... He can't control his temper! So when he's given a black hole instead of a balloon at a party, Harrison jumps at the chance to get rid of everything that makes him cross. But when it's not just things he hates that are disappearing into the black hole but things he loves, too, Harrison starts to realise that sometimes you should be careful what you wish for... An out-of-this-world adventure about twists of fate, time travel and troublesome black holes, Ben Miller's stunning storytelling is brought to life with beautiful illustrations from emerging talent Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini. Praise for The Night I Met Father Christmas: 'A gorgeous tale brimming with the magic of Christmas. A sheer delight for all kids both big AND small.' Ruth Jones, award-winning writer and comedian 'Enchanting, funny and intriguing in equal measure' Philip Ardagh, bestselling author 'Bubbles with warmth and mischievous humour ... irresistible' Alexander Armstrong, presenter, comedian and writer 'A fire-side gem of a story' Abi Elphinstone, bestselling author

Following the breakout successes of The Night I Met Father Christmas and The Boy Who Made the World Disappear, get ready for the brilliant new novel from comedian, actor and bestselling author Ben Miller!

Climb into the adventure of your dreams in the next classic adventure from bestselling author, Ben Miller - out now! Lana and Harrison are staying with their grandparents, when they discover their favourite tree to play in is under threat. That night, a magical golden thread leads them up through the hollow of the tree into a storybook land, where wind and rain rage and a fearsome beast terrifies all who live there. When Harrison is kidnapped by the evil Spider Queen, Lana must do whatever it takes to find him, save the villagers and restore the balance of the storybook world, before the night is out. A breathtaking journey through magical worlds for all the family, featuring Lana and Harrison, the adventure-loving siblings from the bestselling The Day I Fell into a Fairytale, from master storyteller, Ben Miller. Praise for Ben Miller: 'Wonderful, funny, magical' Chris Evans on How I Became a Dog Called Midnight ‘A magical adventure’ Sunday Express on The Day I Fell into a Fairytale 'Bubbles with warmth and mischievous humour . . . irresistible' Alexander Armstrong on The Night I Met Father Christmas

The Brand-new Follow-up to Smash Hit The Day We Fell Into a Fairytale

The Night We Got Stuck in a Story

Christmas magic, delivered! The brilliant festive blockbuster from Ben Miller - the perfect stocking-filler for all the family. It's business as usual in the run up to Christmas at Santa's Workshop - and toy elves Holly and Tog are busy making gifts for children all around the world. But Father Christmas isn't feeling well, and Holly is worried that things won't be finished on time. Inventing a robot to help out with festive duties seems like a fantastic idea, until Father Christmas is KIDNAPPED and a race against time to save him and the big day begins. Funny and heartwarming, this beautifully illustrated pocket-sized story shows the importance of family at Christmas, and all year round. Discover more festive adventures from Hollie and Tog in Diary of a Christmas Elf. Praise for Ben Miller: 'A magical adventure' Sunday Express on The Day I Fell Into a Fairytale 'Great for reading aloud' The Week Junior on The Day I Fell Into a Fairytale 'A fire-side gem of a story' Abi Elphinstone on The Night I Met Father Christmas 'Fabulous' Sunday Express on The Boy Who Made the World Disappear 'Enchanting, funny and intriguing in equal measure' Philip Ardagh on The Night I Met Father Christmas 'Each of [Ben’s] five books is joyous and thoughtful' Red Magazine ‘A sheer delight for all kids both big AND small’ Ruth Jones on The Night I Met Father Christmas 'Bubbles with warmth and mischievous humour . . . irresistible' Alexander Armstrong on The Night I Met Father Christmas 'Wonderful, funny, magical' Chris Evans on How I Became a Dog Called Midnight

top-ten festive magic from author of smash hit Diary of a Christmas Elf

Secrets of a Christmas Elf

Alexander Armstrong

Armstrong and Miller are Britain's favourite comedy duo. In their first book, they bring their brilliant characters to the page in a brand-new way. In the classic tradition of books by such greats as Monty Python and Morecambe & Wise, THE ARMSTRONG AND MILLLER BOOK is a highly illustrated book, packed with inventive and completely original material.

The Armstrong And Miller Book

The next brand-new classic adventure caper from top-ten bestselling children's author, Ben Miller.

Ben Miller

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