Bill Bailey

WHAT MAKES US HAPPY? BILL BAILEY PLAYS CRAZY GOLF AND HUGS TREES TO FIND OUT. 'A warm, funny read, full of personal anecdotes and love letters to things that bring Bill Bailey pleasure' Sunday Mirror 'Very thoughtful and written in a delightfully humorous and accessible way... Guaranteed to make [you] smile' Daily Express Is there a knack to being happy? From paddle-boarding down the Thames in a Santa hat, to wild swimming in a glacial river and cooking sausages on a campfire, Bill revels in the exhilaration of the outdoors, as well as the quieter pleasures of letter-writing, or of simple reflection. In this beautiful and uplifting book, Bill Bailey explores all this and more while delving into the nature of happiness, all in his own, remarkable, way. Packed with wisdom and humour, and with delightful illustrations by the comedian himself, Bill Bailey aims for the heart of pure joy and contentment - and how we can all achieve it. *Bill Bailey will be dancing on Strictly Come Dancing from 17th October 2020*

THE FEELGOOD BOOK OF THE YEAR

Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to Happiness

Roald Dahl

Richard Ayoade

Kate Winslet

The Twits, the Minpins & the Magic Finger

Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to British Birds

A humorous and very personal guide written by Bill Bailey about his favourite British birds, complete with drawings, notes and cartoons by the comedian himself. 'When herons are spooked they have a habit of vomiting as a defence. Half-digested pieces of eel and water vole skull on your head is not a good look. Just so you know.' Bill Bailey's wonderfully charming and informative book on the birds he loves is now available as a handy, easy-to-carry pocket paperback. Packed with the comedian's observations, illustrations and sketches, this edition is perfect for birdwatching expeditions, with new information for proper twitchers, including: · A 'British Birds' checklist · A list of the best birdwatching sites in the UK · Suggestions of bird spotting equipment · Information about joining a birdwatching club Bailey takes us on a journey around the British Isles, zooming in on those birds that enthuse him the most. Whether it's what they eat, where they fly to or how they communicate, these birds are always fascinating, and he introduces us to their weird and wonderful ways in a manner that is always entertaining. If you're a parent who'd like to appear a bit clever when your child asks you the name of a bird; if you want to find a new and healthy hobby that takes you outdoors; or whether, quite simply, you want to understand a bit more about our natural environment and have a laugh at the same time, this is the companion book to have. Funny and insightful, and positively crackling with energy, knowledge and wit, this beautiful paperback will delight Bailey's fans, birds as well as those who fancy a bit of armchair escapism. Alongside music and stand-up, one of Bailey's favourite pastimes is birdwatching, which he has been doing since he was a child in the West Country. His fondest memories are of family outings with parents, grandparents and cousins, ticking the birds off in his little Observer's Book of Birds. As he has said about those formative years, 'birdwatching gave a purpose to the day and a love of the natural world which has carried on into my adult life'.

Paul Morley

Joachim Pissarro

Cliff Lauson

Martin Creed

To celebrate the opening of the artist's first large-scale retrospective, Hayward Publishing is releasing a special edition of 250 copies of its Martin Creed: What's the point of it? exhibition catalogue.Each copy will feature a new version of Creed's iconic torn paper piece, as well as a handwritten 'certificate' of authentication, written onto the pages of the book and individually signed by the artist.Embodying the artist's immediate and irreverent approach, the Martin Creed: What's the point of it? 'special Edition' represents a highly affordable opportunity to purchase a singular piece by this world-renowned artist.Published alongside an exhibition at the Hayward Gallery, London (29 January - 27 April 2014).

What's the Point of It?

Martin Creed Special Edition

A Wellington Pilot's Desert War

Alone I Fly

After several years at sea, Sgt Bill Bailey arrived in Cairo in 1942 as a new recruit to the RAF, hoping to fulfill his ambition to fly bombers. Within hours of his arrival he is sent on his first bombing mission as second pilot in a 104 Squadron Wellington. The aircraft was hit by enemy gunfire and suffered continual loss of altitude as it struggled to return to base. In thick cloud over a vast expanse of barren desert the aircraft hit a rock outcrop and disintegrated. Bill came to lying alone on a precipitous ledge and soon realized that he was the sole survivor. If he was to live he had to find help.To walk in temperatures of over 100 degrees proved impossible, so he trudged over seemingly endless dunes at dusk and dawn, his energy gradually fading. On the point of near collapse he found what he thought was a small cave in which to shelter from the searing sun. His luck now changed as he realized that his shelter was in fact an abandoned German reconnaissance truck. He found water and a little food, but no radio. He gradually resigned himself to death as he was incapable of moving any further, but then with a last desperate inspiration he realized that it may be possible to attract attention by heliograph. He found enough equipment in the truck and rigged a mast with the mirror at the top and commenced signaling and was eventually rescued by a Long Range Desert Patrol. After recuperation he rejoined his squadron and was given a new crew with whom he completed his tour. He was then sent to Malta where much to his amazement he was made ground controller of a satellite fighter airfield. He eventually was repatriated to the UK suffering with Malaria.

A Wellington Pilot’s Desert War

It is 1942 and Sgt Bill Bailey is sent on a bombing mission that rapidly turns from success to danger, culminating in a disaster from which he is the only survivor. This true account relates Sgt Bill Bailey's wartime experiences, which use up several more of his nine lives, on other bombing raids and unusual posts.

"For the first time on DVD, the comedian captured live who has played to packed houses and critical acclaim in theatres and festivals around the world"--Container.

Bewilderness

'When herons are spooked they have a habit of vomiting as a defence. Half-digested pieces of eel and water vole skull on your head is not a good look. Just so you know.' Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to British Birds is all about comedian Bailey's love of birds. A visual feast - it is packed with illustrations, sketches and notes by Bailey - as well as informative, it is funny and insightful, and positively crackles with energy, knowledge and wit as he takes us on a journey around the British isles, zooming in on those birds that enthuse him the most. Whether it's what they eat, where they fly to or how they communicate, these birds are always fascinating, and Bailey introduces us to their weird and wonderful ways in a manner that is always entertaining. If you're a parent who'd like to appear a bit clever when your child asks you the name of a bird; if you want to find a new and healthy hobby that takes you outdoors; or whether, quite simply, you want to understand a bit more about our natural environment and have a laugh at the same time, this is the perfect companion book to have. Alongside music and stand-up, one of Bailey's favourite pastimes is birdwatching, which he has been doing since he was a child in the West Country. His fondest memories are of family outings with parents, grandparents and cousins, ticking the birds off in his little Observer's Book of Birds. As he has said about those formative years, 'birdwatching gave a purpose to the day and a love of the natural world which has carried on into my adult life'. A beautifully and originally designed hardback, it will delight Bailey's fans as well as those who like a bit of armchair escapism.

DescriptionIs Alice? is a powerful and fictionalised love story. The novel was written solely as a manuscript gift for my partner, and publication is therefore dependent upon her wishes. Her primary one, along with pleasure about its surprising publication, is anonymity. She is not "Alice," and I am not "Theo." This is not a biography. Fiction is used in Is Alice? to illuminate an actual madness along with a real search for the ideas that may help in understanding the living and political nature of consciousness - the structure of "normality" and the "real" world and its incoherent collapse into the hell that is known as schizophrenia. There are passages from the patient's point of view, which make this novel an unusual project. That is because the inner landscape of madness does have a logic and meaning that should be acknowledged and evoked, instead of ridiculed or misunderstood. Contemporary psychology - nevermind clinical psychiatry - fails in its attempt to address the nature of consciousness or its creation of the "world." I believe philosophy underpins psychology, not the other way around. About the AuthorBorn in a small rural town in North Carolina, Bill Bailey began his itinerant life after graduating from university with a degree in philosophy and a keen interest in judo. After being drafted and subsequently ejected by the US Army for being "incompatible," he found work as a prison guard in Canada and continued his study of judo before briefly prospecting for gold in British Columbia. Having meanwhile accidentally married a Texan heiress, he moved to Houston, Texas where he managed a ranch, scrambled motorbikes, rallied sports cars, worked as a bouncer, taught English and French and organised the first white collar union in the US meat-packing industry. He placed third in the Southwestern US Judo Championships (light-heavyweight division) and was awarded his black belt. Backing quickly away from Texas after stumbling into the acting profession he moved to London. Within a year of his arrival he became the first full-frontal male nude on the British stage and, consequently, was featured in a full page photo in Life Magazine opposite Lennon and Ono. In the course of his acting career he has worked extensively in film - in Hollywood and Europe - television, and London's West End. During the Miners' Strike of '84-'85 Bill wrote a play about the strike and toured the embattled coalfields performing with a small company of actors. He is the published author of five novels called The Haug Quintet, an investigation of the political nature of consciousness set in a compelling fictional landscape.

Is Alice?

Fresh from the latest series of the critically acclaimed Black Books, co starring label mate Dylan Moran, Bill starts his new UK tour on May 3rd. It runs until the middle of July. Reflecting Bill's growing popularity, it is his biggest tour so far. He has now added a second date at the Hammersmith Apollo. That's the price you pay for being the funniest person on Never Mind The Buzzcocks! Part Troll was recorded at London's Wyndhams Theatre and is without question the work of a comedy genius. You have been warned!

Bill Bailey

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