Enthralling real-life stories
Be inspired and entertained by the remarkable women in these fascinating true accounts
Bloody Brilliant Women by Cathy Newman (William Collins) The
Channel 4 News presenter celebrates the women who transformed 20th-century Britain, many of whom never made it into the history books, bringing them out of obscurity and lauding their impressive achievements. Using memoirs, diaries, letters and other research, Newman shines a spotlight on wartime revolutionaries, scientists, politicians, businesswomen and more, showing the prejudices and obstacles they had to overcome. Everyone should read this! Becoming by Michelle Obama (Viking) In her memoir, the former First Lady of the United States of America chronicles the trajectory of her life, from her upbringing on the South Side of Chicago to her time as an executive juggling the demands of motherhood and work, and then her years living at the White House. A powerful advocate for women and girls in the US and beyond, she has stood beside her husband through his presidency, and has emerged as one of the most compelling women of our times. East of Croydon by Sue Perkins (Michael Joseph) Although an unadventurous soul by nature, Perkins couldn’t turn down the life-changing opportunity of presenting a documentary about the 3,000-mile Mekong River. She travelled from its mouth in Vietnam to its source in the Tibetan plateau, meeting the people living on and by the river, taking part in many of their rituals and exploring a landscape on the verge of huge change. This is her unvarnished, endearing and very funny account of what went on in front of and behind the cameras. Sunny Side Up by Susan Calman (Two Roads)
After her joyous 10 weeks on the 2017 series of Strictly Come Dancing, stand-up comedian and broadcaster Susan Calman has now written a ‘Calmanifesto of Happiness’ encouraging us all to be a bit kinder to each other and find joy in our lives. Punctuated by her own life experiences and inspiring stories from other people, she shows how much pleasure can be found in the little things in life. Even without sequins, you can still sparkle! It’s a warm, funny and delightful book that is sure to cheer even the grumpiest curmudgeon in your life. >>
“Comedian Susan Calman has written a ‘Calmanifesto of Happiness’ encouraging us all to be a bit kinder to each other and find joy in our lives”