In the frame : my life in words and pictures / Helen Mirren.

Russia: My father's Russian ancestry -- Dad: Changing from Mironov to Mirren -- Mum: An extraordinary woman -- making her dreams come true -- Childhood: Growing up with my brother and sister -- Southend: Becoming an Essex Girl -- Starting Out: With the National Youth Theatre- Cleopatra and getting an agent -- Stratford: The Royal Shakespeare Company and a house called Parsenn Sally -- Peter Brook: Experimental theatre- touring the world -- Theatre: My life on the stage -- Lady Macbeth to Natalya Petrovna -- James Wedge: Extraordinary photographs by an extraordinary artist -- In Front of the Camera: From the East End to Northern Ireland -- America: Hello Hollywood! -- In Front of the Camera: Moving up a level and Jane Tennison -- My Amazing Year: Playing queens, saying goodbye to Jane Tennison and winning an Oscar -- Taylor and My Family Today: One wedding and a very happy clan -- Professional Shots.

This beautifully illustrated book contains some of Helen's private photographs, recording professional encounters with, among others, Michael Gambon, Liam Neeson, Peter Hall, Linda La Plante and Julie Walters. This is the personal album of a woman who is, in the words of the Sunday Times, 'a British institution'.