W&N to publish Judi Dench memoir in October

08.03.10 | Catherine Neilan in The Bookseller

Weidenfeld & Nicolson has acquired world rights to Judi Dench’s life story, entitled And Furthermore, directly from the author.

The publisher, which is already home to the three authorised works on Dench, will release the new title as a hardback in October this year. The deal was struck for an undisclosed sum.

Dench's career spans 50 years of acting on stage, film and TV, winning nine BAFTAs, seven Laurence Olivier Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, an Oscar, two Golden Globes and a Tony Award along the way.

She will work with biographer John Miller on the book. Miller has previously written a biography, Judi Dench: With a Crack in her Voice; an illustrated title, Scenes From My Life, and edited a tribute book, Darling Judi, which was published to celebrate her 70th birthday.

W&N said And Furthermore would be "much more than a career record", including her account of her marriage with the late Michael Williams.

Malcolm Edwards, deputy chief executive and publisher of the Orion Publishing Group, said he was "absolutely thrilled" by the acquisition. He added: "In an era of shallow, instant celebrity, Dame Judi is the genuine article: one of Britain’s leading actresses for almost half a century, and one the country’s best-loved figures