I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron audiobook review – bold truth-telling
There is a lot about getting older that is disappointing, according to the late, great Nora Ephron, though top of her list is what happens to a woman's neck. 'Short of surgery, there's not a damn thing you can do about a neck. The neck is a dead giveaway. Our faces are lies and our necks are the truth. You have to cut open a redwood tree to see how old it is, but you wouldn't have to if it had a neck.'
This sharply funny essay collection was a hit for the When Harry Met Sally writer who famously maintained 'everything is copy'. Along with bemoaning the state of her neck, she reflects on her culinary misadventures, an underwhelming encounter with JFK, and the state of women's handbags with their 'morass of loose Tic Tacs, solitary Advils, lipsticks without tops, ChapSticks of unknown vintage, little bits of tobacco even though there has been no smoking going on for at least 10 years'. There are titbits of wisdom, too, among them: 'Anything you think is wrong with your body at the age of 35, you will be nostalgic for at the age of 45.'
This is an old recording, made when the book was first published in 2006 and unavailable in the UK – until now. Gloriously, Ephron is the narrator because who else could do her fiercely candid and funny prose justice? It also features an introduction, written and narrated by the Everything I Know About Love writer Dolly Alderton, which pays adoring tribute to Ephron's 'bold truth-telling'.
Available via Penguin Audio, 3hr 58min
How Good It Is I Have No Fear of DyingLara Marlowe, Apollo, 8hr 32min
Reporter Lara Marlowe narrates her book documenting the experiences of 29-year-old Yulia Mykytenko, an army officer fighting on the Ukrainian frontline.
WantGillian Anderson, Bloomsbury, 12hr
This compendium of essays detailing the sexual fantasies of anonymous women from around the world is collated, edited and narrated by the actor.
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Daily Mirror
01-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
‘I visited Orlando's newest theme park and one new thing blew everyone away'
Universal Orlando Resort's Epic Universe in Florida has opened its doors – with five new worlds to explore within – so naturally I went along to sample the magical delights Universal Orlando Resort's newest theme park, Epic Universe, has changed the face of the landscape and what it means to enjoy a holiday full of thrills and spills. The £7 billion theme park is an immersive, multisensory experience with storytelling at its core. The resort's fourth theme park and the first to open in 25 years, it invites guests to 'explore vibrant worlds filled with extraordinary adventures that go beyond their wildest imaginations" – and it really is magical. With 50 awe-inspiring attractions,entertainment, dining and shopping experiences in its new park, the Universal parks make up a 700-acre resort space. But it's not just the stunning scenery, experiences and rides that blew me away - my entire group were wowed by the culinary experiences inside the park. Forget burgers, hotdogs and popcorn - although readily available if you fancy - I dined on exquisite seafood from scallops to King Oysters at Atlantic and freshly made Dim Sum and Ramen noodles at The Blue Dragon, both in Celestial Park. I also found the best purple pizza called Pizza Lunare in Pizza Moon, complete with an Ube crust - the chunks of roasted garlic were to die for - and melt-in-the-mouth beef brisket at The Oak & Star Tavern. Let's explore the worlds a little closer for when you plan your first visit... Celestial Park Step through the Chronos – the impressive first portal tower and entrance to the park that when 'powered' will align to open up five magical portals for visitors to explore. I first enjoyed Celestial Park – the cosmic heart of Epic Universe and so much more than just a starting point. Local 'Celestians' who inhabit here tend to the lush, tree-lined walkways and I found myself whisked into a whimsical world of greenery, tropical flowers, fountains and ponds. Everything here is connected heavily to astrology, from the first sight of Luna, goddess of the moon, who oversees the night's luminescence by her Neptune Pools, to the far side of the park where Apollo, god of the sun, rests. Even the rides are well themed – I enjoyed a gentle sway on the Constellation Carousel and zipped at 62mph on Stardust Racers, a dual racing rollercoaster across 5,000ft of track, which is the park's top thrill ride for speed and height. Celestial Park interweaves the other worlds and acts as a calming decompression from the extremities of themes and music in each world. Grab a cocktail at Bar Zenith, watch the fountain show and marvel in the sheer beauty. MUST DO Visit North Star Wintry Wonders, an all-year Christmas store where it really snows outside – even under the hot Florida sun. Dark Universe The storytelling continues as you move through this spooky portal and into monstrous Darkmoor Village. It makes sense – Universal is the pioneer of horror, after all. Dr Victoria Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein's great great-granddaughter, is the proud owner of this world's central focus – Frankenstein Manor – and she has captured all the monsters but she's having some trouble with Dracula. Ride Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment as you navigate the catacombs of the manor to 'help' Victoria (you won't help – but you will scream). The ride's technology is phenomenal and the animatronics are creative masterpieces. Fear not, it's suitable for all ages. Take time to explore the details. Look out for a little girl statue of Maria (a character from the 1931 Frankenstein film, who accidentally drowns), listen to sounds from beneath the vampire well and head to the Blazing Blade Tavern for a fiery sight to behold. MUST DO Grab a bite to eat at Das Stakehouse. The theming is almost better than the food – and the food is delicious. Super Nintendo World Everything moves, spins, jumps and wobbles in Super Nintendo World. It's a gaming world for everyone – even the big kids who are young at heart. Providing one of the coolest portals (the walkway into each world), I entered via a Super Mario Warp Pipe and arrived inside Princess Peach's Castle before exiting into a world of jaw-dropping colour and musical joy. Glistening golden coins, stomping Koombas, sliding 1-Up mushrooms and snapping Piranha Plants were everywhere as I looked across to Bowser's Castle. This is where I gave Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge a go and my dismal points were made up for by the fun and laughter I had hurtling turtle shells and banana peels at my friends (virtually, of course – the race car game, where we're up against all the usual Super Mario bad guys, is played via a headset). The character meet and greets here are sweet for youngsters – Toad is a rotund delight for toddlers, Mario and Luigi are cool for pre-teens and even the too-cool-for-school teenagers won't be able to resist Donkey Kong. Don't miss the fabulous rollercoaster Minecart Madness – it's a bumpy ride but the jumps over 'missing' sections of the track are thrilling. MUST DO Buy a $45 Power-Up wristband. It's vital for playing the in-world mini games, collecting coins and banking some exclusive park stamps and badges, which connects to an app on your mobile phone and creates family friendly competition. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic This world makes the Wizarding Worlds at Universal Orlando Resort a trio – also made up of Diagon Alley in Universal Studios and Hogsmeade in Islands Of Adventure. Step inside the magical streets of 1920s Paris, where the likes of Newt Scamander hangs out. Known as Place Cachée, this world is a fan delight, merging the magic of Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them in Paris, with the wonders of Harry Potter. I hopped on the Métro-Floo to the British Ministry Of Magic for Dolores Umbridge's trial for her crimes against magic on the mesmerising dark ride, Battle At The Ministry. Expect magical creatures and spells galore – and make time for the show, Le Cirque Arcanus. The puppetry will leave you speechless. MUST DO Try a Gigglewater in Le Gobelet Noir – a bar owned by Nicolas Flamel, the alchemist who created the Philosopher's Stone. How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk The largest of all the worlds at Epic Universe,the Viking village of Berk is breathtaking. On entry, I was faced with two 40ft carved wooden statues, guarding the village. This world is set after the second film, where there's peace and harmony between man and dragon. 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Metro
23-05-2025
- Metro
Popular Emmerdale stars unexpectedly reunite in new snap
Former Emmerdale stars Max Parker and Alexander Lincoln have unexpectedly reunited. The stars portrayed Luke Posner and Jamie Tate in the ITV soap, and have both gone on to appear in some huge shows following their departure. A few weeks ago, Max appeared in Doctor Who. He portrayed a character called Manny in the episode that introduced Varada Sethu as the Doctor's latest companion, Belinda Chandra. Alexander's credits include The Groomsmen, Netflix's Geek Girl, and the series Everything I Know About Love. It appears the stars have remained good friends away from soapland, as they recently shared a picture of themselves together on Instagram. Max can be seen smiling in the snap, while Alex is jokingly pulling a facial expression that looks as though he'd rather be elsewhere! 'Alex THRILLED to see me', Max wrote alongside. Max left his role as Luke in 2021. He decided to depart the village for a new life shortly after it was revealed he had been catfishing Ethan Anderson (Emile John). More Trending The character was mentioned at the start of this year, when Wendy (Susan Cookson) announced that she'd be leaving the village to stay with her son. Want to be the first to hear shocking EastEnders spoilers? Who's leaving Coronation Street? The latest gossip from Emmerdale? Join 10,000 soaps fans on Metro's WhatsApp Soaps community and get access to spoiler galleries, must-watch videos, and exclusive interviews. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we've just dropped the latest spoilers! Max is in a relationship with fellow Emmerdale star Kris Mochrie, who played Luke's brother Lee. Alexander also waved goodbye to life in the Dales in 2021. Jamie faked his own death in a dark storyline, causing emotional turmoil for his mum Kim (Claire King). It was revealed months after that Jamie was actually alive and had been living with his mother in law. View More » MORE: TV and soap legend Timothy West's cause of death revealed MORE: Major EastEnders exit confirmed as star set to leave after 8 years MORE: Does Craig Tinker die? Colson Smith leaving Coronation Street tonight
The Herald Scotland
21-05-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Does Glasgow face losing reputation for having best crowds at gigs?
Once upon a time it's a question you would never have thought to ask. Not if you were even halfway versed in the city's rock and roll lore. After all this is the home of the storied Apollo, the Renfield Street venue with the famous bouncing balcony, a place so loved by touring rock bands that many chose to record their live albums there. Status Quo were one. Their three-night residency in October 1976 became the double platinum-selling album Live!, regarded by some critics as one of the best of its kind ever. Two years later AC/DC's entire set was filmed as they opened their Powerage tour at the Apollo. The audio of that gig became If You Want Blood You've Got It, another iconic live album. King Crimson, Rush and Roxy Music all recorded live albums at the Apollo while punk legends The Ramones said it was their favourite venue. Like, ever. I never made it to the Apollo but I've been to gigs at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut and on Glasgow Green. I've been to Barrowland and the SECC. I've been to lots of other Glasgow venues in between, small and large, and have generally found them bouncing. I have also interviewed plenty of musicians over the years who speak warmly and honestly about the Glasgow crowds, so I have some (albeit second-hand) insight into how things look from the stage. Or how it did look, once upon a time. So why the doubts now? Could be a blip, but in a recent review of a gig at Barrowland by 1990s Britpop act Supergrass, The Herald's Gabriel McKay was none too impressed by the audience. 'The legendary Barras crowd hasn't brought its A-game,' he wrote. 'Save for some game younger fans, resplendent in Adidas tracksuits down the front, it's mostly pint-supping, head-nodding and, most egregiously of all, chatting.' Chatting? Surely not. I did encounter something similar at a Coldplay gig - many years ago – but that was in Edinburgh. Supergrass at the Barrowlands - where the crowd spent too long chatting, according to our reviewer (Image: free) In truth, I don't think this diminution in atmosphere at Glasgow gigs is a one off. If you've been to a big concert recently, I dare say you will agree. More and more heritage rock acts are pulling on the compression socks and taking to the road, so it follows that the gig-going demographic is shifting accordingly and that is going to have an effect. This week, for instance, Dinosaur Jr played Barrowland on a 30th anniversary tour. Next month it's Leftfield on their 35th anniversary tour. A week on it's The Waterboys. In August it's Nile Rodgers and Chic. In October The Boomtown Rats hit Barrowland to celebrate 50 years in, er, show-business. Factor in ticket prices which can easily hit £50 (plus booking fee, in my opinion as egregious an imposition as chatting is an offence) and you can see why the churning, roiling, free-wheeling Glasgow crowds of old might have less va-va-voom than in decades gone by. That's not to say there aren't underground venues where the sweat drips off the ceiling and the noise from the audience is thunderous. But increasingly it's the grey hairs who are turning out to populate the live music landscape in the city. What they want is nostalgia, value for money – and nobody jostling them as they film their favourite bits for their social media feeds. Or their grand-kids. Still, even if I'm right perhaps there is yet time for redress. In July Glasgow Green hosts the TRNSMT festival and at the time of writing raucous rap phenomenon Kneecap are still on the bill. That will be one to see. So go on, Glasgow – show them why maybe you do still have the best audiences in the world. Read more Numbers game It's rare – actually make that never-happened-before-in-the-history-of-audience-ratings – for the BBC to talk down the digits where viewership is concerned. Any massaging of the figures is usually aimed at inflation rather than the opposite. But following the cancellation of BBC Scotland soap River City there has been quite the kerfuffle, and the BBC finds itself having to rebut the claim by acting union Equity that half a million people regularly watch the show. Not so, says the Beeb. It's less than half that. To say otherwise is to spread 'mistruths'. Neutral observers will, you know, observe that the BBC should have the correct figures. They may also note that a figure of 500,000 does seem on the high side. EastEnders, networked to a potential domestic audience over 10 times that of River City, only pulls in around 3.2 million viewers. On the other hand, those in Team River City will claim that it suits the organisation's narrative for audience ratings to be on the slide. As union and broadcaster square up, it looks as if this one will run and run. Unlike River City. Read more And finally The Herald critics have been sharpening their pens ahead of festival season, which activity has taken theatre critic Neil Cooper to Edinburgh's Festival Theatre and Royal Lyceum Theatre as well as to Pitlochry Festival Theatre. In that last venue he watched Water Colour, the debut play by Millie Sweeney, winner of the St Andrews Playwriting Award, while in Edinburgh he saw The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe and Keli. The first is a touring production of Sally Cookson's 2017 adaptation of the much-loved novel, first staged at Leeds Playhouse. The second is a crowd-pleasing new work by Martin Green, better known as accordionist with Scottish traditional music supergroup Lau. Meanwhile dance critic Mary Brennan continues her survey of the best that Dance International Glasgow has to offer at Tramway, while music critic Keith Bruce was in attendance at the City Halls in Glasgow to hear Nicola Benedetti perform work by Brahms and Greig at the Scottish Chamber Orchestra's season finale. Finally Teddy Jamieson tore himself away from Eurovision to see Daryl Hall at the Armadillo in Glasgow. Definitely no mosh pit at that one. Read our reviews here Review: I went to new V&A gardens show and was intrigued by what I saw
