Jimmy Barnesy scores No.1 with new book after health battles

Jimmy Barnes celebrates another number one, after being smashed by a series of health battles, as he returns to supreme form with Cold Chisel in Melbourne.

Jimmy Barnes is back on top of the book charts as Cold Chisel revved up their Big Five-O engine for their sold out Big Five-O concerts in Melbourne this weekend.

His sixth book, Highways and Byways, was the best-selling autobiography in its first week of sales.

The indefatigable rocker completed the latest instalment of his memoirs as he recovered from heart surgery to repair damage from a life-threatening staph infection.

He was back in hospital in August when the infection returned to his hip while on his Hell of a Time solo tour, just weeks before the kick off of the Chisel reunion shows in celebration of their 50th anniversary.

Barnes has now sold a whopping 535,000 printed books since the publication of his debut, Working Class Boy, in 2016.

Jimmy Barnes, the author, is back at No.1 with Highways and Byways. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“It’s been a big year for me, from recovering from hip replacement surgery at the end of last year, to emergency open-heart surgery and another hip operation earlier this year, and I’m thrilled to still be here and to have such great fans and readers still travelling the highways and byways with me,” he said.

“I started writing eight or so years ago and it’s been a wonderful, cathartic experience for me and my family, as well as an honour to see my stories help other families start conversations that might assist their healing.

“For this to happen in the middle of The Big Five-0 tour with my Cold Chisel brothers is even more special.”

Barnes and his Chisel bandmates have been thrilling audiences with their Big Five-O shows. Picture: Don Arnold/WireImage.

Barnes dedicated his latest No.1 to his wife Jane and their family, and his legion of fans who have devoured his beautifully written stories about the dark days of his violent childhood and struggles with addiction, and hilarious tales of life on the road as a rock’n’roll star.

In the Arts Autobiographies and Biographies print category, he is now the highest selling author by volume since BookScan records began in December 2002.

Highways and Byways is this week’s best-selling biography.

He has written almost 400,000 words in published form since he penned Working Class Boy.

Highways and Byways is a collection of short stories about Chisel, his travels back to his homeland of Scotland and his first works of fiction, all inspired by real events.

The rock frontman and his band have been thrilling fans and receiving glowing reviews for their Big Five-O shows, with their Big Top shows rolling into Flemington Racecourse on Friday and Saturday.

They have sold more than 180,000 tickets to the national tour which finishes its victory lap in Sydney on December 4.

Originally published as Jimmy Barnesy scores No.1 with new book after health battles