Is It Too Late To Make A Run For It by Judy Dench and Brendan OHea

Pull up a chair, pour something warm, and settle in for a long, lovely chat with one of the world’s most treasured actors.

This memoir is told in conversation with her friend and writing partner. It’s funny, honest, and wonderfully intimate. She takes us from her childhood in York, where she was thoroughly miffed at missing out on Mary in the school Nativity play, to sold-out houses on Broadway and London’s West End.

There’s the glamour of Hollywood red carpets, and the unforgettable turn as James Bond’s M, who became the sharpest, most unflinching Head of MI6 imaginable. Along the way came an Oscar, a Tony, Golden Globes, Oliviers, and BAFTAs.

But the real charm is behind the curtain. Despite all those honors, doubt has been a constant companion. One producer said she had “everything wrong” with her face. A director warned her off sitcoms. She still keeps a bag by the rehearsal room door, just in case she needs to make a run for it.

Inside, you’ll find:

• Backstage pranks, both onstage and off
• Candid thoughts on her greatest screen roles
• Tender stories of her joyful marriage to actor Michael Williams
• Her deep love of nature and animals

Over ninety years in the making, this is a story about stepping out of your comfort zone, again and again. It’s a perfect pick for theatre lovers, film fans, and anyone who could use a little courage.

Tuck it into your beach bag, or save it for a rainy afternoon when the fog rolls into the cove. Either way, it’s a book to linger over. Stop by and browse our biography and memoir shelves, or let us wrap this one up as a gift.

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