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The Invisible Girl

A Father’s Heart-Breaking Story of the Daughter He Lost

Peter Barham author Alan Hurndall author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers

Published:7th Aug '06

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

The Invisible Girl cover

A few years after packing for London, teenager Debbie Barham was writing the funniest lines for the top names in British comedy. But her genius belied a darker, destructive side that slowly span out of control. By 26 she had died of anorexia. This powerful memoir is her father's search to understand his daughter and make sense of her troubled end.

In this poignant memoir of his daughter's short life, Peter Barham sets out to discover the powerful force that drove Debbie to anorexia, whilst inspiring her to write some of the best lines in British comedy. Drawing on her copious e-mails and scripts, and featuring contributions from some of the UK's most famous comedians, including Rory Bremner, Clive Anderson, Ned Sherrin and Bob Monkhouse, Peter takes you from the heady excitement of Debbie's mid-teen years to her troubled, solitary end.

‘The Invisible Girl’ is a father's remarkable journey to discover what went wrong in the mysterious and very private world of his daughter. It is a powerful and moving story that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure.

‘Debbie Barham was addicted to comedy: she lived and died writing it. This book is a moving tribute to an astonishing talent and a life that ran out before the jokes did.’ Rory Bremner

‘A truly extraordinary person.’ Clive Anderson

‘The unsung queen of comedy.’ The Telegraph

‘She could be rude enough to make even Graham Norton blush.’ Ned Sherrin

‘An amazing talent.’ Bob Monkhouse

‘In her short life, Deb achieved what most writers would wish for in a much longer lifetime. She was prodigiously talented.’ Bruce Hyman radio producer

‘A frank and heartbreaking account of the battle with anorexia that left acclaimed comedy writer Deborah Barham dead at 26.’ Mail on Sunday (Jan 06)

ISBN: 9780007205431

Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 30mm

Weight: 380g

416 pages