PUTTING THE RABBIT IN THE HAT: My Autobiography

The great actor Brian Cox is a gifted storyteller with a sharp eye and caustic wit and he drops in some big Hollywood names in his brutally honest account of his own failings and his love of acting and the profession. It is a treat and a privilege to be invited into his world as he pushes and pulls the rabbit out of the hat, switching from anecdote to diatribe to honest self-reflection and back to his original story before he interrupted himself. 'The affect is of undiminished curiosity and passion for life and work.' From Roman general Titus Andronicus with the RSC to media magnate Logan Roy in HBO's Succession, Brian Cox has made his name as an actor of unparalleled distinction and versatility. Growing up in Dundee, he lost his father when he was just eight years old and was brought up by his three elder sisters in the aftermath of his mother's nervous breakdowns and ultimate hospitalisation. After joining the Dundee Repertory Theatre at the age of 15, Cox could say the rest is history, but that is to overlook the enormous graft that has gone into making the legend we known today. A rags-to-riches seminal autobiography which captures his distinctive voice and his very soul. 374pp, colour photos. Large softback.