Putting the Rabbit in the Hat (Cox Brian); Quercus, 2021

From 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. We know him on screen, but few know of his extraordinary life story.

Growing up in Dundee, Scotland, Cox 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 hospitalization. After joining the Dundee Repertory Theatre at the age of fifteen, you could say the rest is history – but that is to overlook the enormous graft that has gone into the making of the legend we know today.

This is a rags-to-riches life story like no other – a seminal autobiography that both captures Cox’s distinctive voice and his very soul.