• Home
  • Letter To My Younger Self

Letter To My Younger Self

King of the thrill Harlan Coben: ‘America used to seem cool – now it’s gone berserk’
Letter To My Younger Self

King of the thrill Harlan Coben: ‘America used to seem cool – now it’s gone berserk’

Creating worlds in his own head as a child prepared him for writing novels. Tragedy and the Boss helped his talent mature

‘Tragedy is a cruel teacher’: Harlan Coben on how death of his parents made him a better writer
Culture

‘Tragedy is a cruel teacher’: Harlan Coben on how death of his parents made him a better writer

Having to give seven eulogies in his 20s pushed his writing forward, Harlan Coben tells this week’s Big Issue

Sophie Ellis-Bextor: ‘It wasn’t the easiest thing to be a new mum at 25 making pop music’
Letter To My Younger Self

Sophie Ellis-Bextor: ‘It wasn’t the easiest thing to be a new mum at 25 making pop music’

The indie frontwoman didn’t expect to find a new audience on the dance floor. Now her biggest successes are in the kitchen

Chris McCausland: ‘I’d tell my younger self he’s going to sit on the same toilets as his heroes’
Letter To My Younger Self

Chris McCausland: ‘I’d tell my younger self he’s going to sit on the same toilets as his heroes’

Steven Frayne, formerly known as Dynamo: ‘I didn’t know where Steven ended and Dynamo began’
Letter To My Younger Self

Steven Frayne, formerly known as Dynamo: ‘I didn’t know where Steven ended and Dynamo began’

Advertisement
House of the Spirits author Isabel Allende: ‘I have regrets – I hurt my family badly’
Letter To My Younger Self

House of the Spirits author Isabel Allende: ‘I have regrets – I hurt my family badly’

Xena: Warrior Princess star Lucy Lawless: ‘To have Lisa Simpson say your name is crazy’
Letter to my Younger Self

Xena: Warrior Princess star Lucy Lawless: ‘To have Lisa Simpson say your name is crazy’

Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie: ‘I had a young family – children and hard drugs don’t mix’
Letter To My Younger Self

Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie: ‘I had a young family – children and hard drugs don’t mix’

The Selecter’s Pauline Black: ‘I had an uncle who thought Enoch Powell was the way to go’
Letter to my Younger Self

The Selecter’s Pauline Black: ‘I had an uncle who thought Enoch Powell was the way to go’

The Lightning Seeds’ Ian Broudie: ‘I’d rather not be remembered for Three Lions’
Letter To My Younger Self

The Lightning Seeds’ Ian Broudie: ‘I’d rather not be remembered for Three Lions’

Colin Greenwood: ‘I never let my brother Jonny forget it was me that got him into Radiohead’
Letter To My Younger Self

Colin Greenwood: ‘I never let my brother Jonny forget it was me that got him into Radiohead’

Singer and TV star Daniel O’Donnell: ‘I don’t want yesterday back – I love today’
Letter To My Younger Self

Singer and TV star Daniel O’Donnell: ‘I don’t want yesterday back – I love today’

Author Matt Haig: ‘I was a teenage shoplifter. In my foolish brain I was a kind of Robin Hood’
Letter To My Younger Self

Author Matt Haig: ‘I was a teenage shoplifter. In my foolish brain I was a kind of Robin Hood’

Actor Adam Pearson: ‘I wake up every morning, let the universe kick my arse and then carry on’
Letter To My Younger Self

Actor Adam Pearson: ‘I wake up every morning, let the universe kick my arse and then carry on’

Nadhim Zahawi: ‘The line between being on the street and being chancellor is very, very slim’
Letter to my Younger Self

Nadhim Zahawi: ‘The line between being on the street and being chancellor is very, very slim’

Jared Harris: ‘I still wake up every morning wondering if I can make a living as an actor’
Letter To My Younger Self

Jared Harris: ‘I still wake up every morning wondering if I can make a living as an actor’

Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody: ‘I’d tell my younger self to just be happier’
Letter To My Younger Self

Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody: ‘I’d tell my younger self to just be happier’

The Chase star Paul Sinha on his Parkinson’s battle: ‘I’ve got a life to live’
Letter To My Younger Self

The Chase star Paul Sinha on his Parkinson’s battle: ‘I’ve got a life to live’

The Chase’s Paul Sinha: ‘My mum found out I was gay through an act of emotional sabotage’
LGBTQ+ rights

The Chase’s Paul Sinha: ‘My mum found out I was gay through an act of emotional sabotage’

Paralympics host Ed Jackson: ‘It puts a smile on my face just to be able to walk down the stairs’
Letter To My Younger Self

Paralympics host Ed Jackson: ‘It puts a smile on my face just to be able to walk down the stairs’

Ex-Premier League star Troy Deeney: ‘My dad used to beat us up. Football was my only escape’
Letter To My Younger Self

Ex-Premier League star Troy Deeney: ‘My dad used to beat us up. Football was my only escape’

Advertisement
Karl Jenkins: ‘I’m still not respected in some quarters of classical music’
Letter to my Younger Self

Karl Jenkins: ‘I’m still not respected in some quarters of classical music’

Olympic champion Laura Kenny: ‘I was told cycling wasn’t a proper job’
Letter To My Younger Self

Olympic champion Laura Kenny: ‘I was told cycling wasn’t a proper job’

Rory Stewart: ‘I assumed I’d die a heroic death in my early 30s’
Letter To My Younger Self

Rory Stewart: ‘I assumed I’d die a heroic death in my early 30s’

Children’s author Malorie Blackman: ‘As a teenager I had never read any books by Black authors’
Letter to my younger self

Children’s author Malorie Blackman: ‘As a teenager I had never read any books by Black authors’