Sir Richard Branson to publish new autobiography

Sir Richard Branson is publishing a new autobiography with Virgin Books, called Finding My Virginity.

The book will be released on 5th October as part of "a global publishing event", according to Virgin Books. It acquired world rights to the new autobiography with Penguin Random House US. 

Finding My Virginity is the follow-up to Branson's first autobiography, Losing My Virginity (also Virgin), starting where it leaves off at the start of the new millennium, while its publication coincides with the entrepreneur's 50th year in business. It will provide insight into the last 20 years, revealing the highs and lows, both professional and personal, behind Virgin’s rise from family business to global brand. Virgin has launched 12 different billion dollar businesses among hundreds more companies across a variety of sectors.

Specific episodes the book will cover include the accident at the commercial spaceline Virgin Galactic and building a multi-million-pound home and resort in the Caribbean on Necker Island (as well as the fire that tore it down in 2011). It will also document his "close relationship" with Barack Obama and "run-ins" with Donald Trump. 

Jake Lingwood, deputy managing director and publisher at Ebury, said: "We are so thrilled to be working with Richard again on his new autobiography, which has many of the same amazing qualities as the man himself – it’s honest, inspiring and great fun – and is the book that his legions of fans have been waiting for."

Branson said: "You can only lose your virginity once. But in every aspect of my life – building businesses, raising my family, embarking upon adventures – I try to do things for the first time every day. Finding My Virginity starts where Losing My Virginity ends, at the dawn of the new millennium. This is my account of the past two decades – how I’ve reinvented the Virgin brand, pushed boundaries, broken rules and reached for the stars in more ways than one."

Losing My Virginity has sold 347,569 copies across all print editions in the UK market, according to Nielsen BookScan. The original 1998 edition sold 84,851 copies, with subsequent editions in 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2009 all selling upwards of 29,000 apiece.