World history is punctuated with stories of strong women.
From ancient queen Boudica who fought Roman invaders and double Nobel Prize-winner Marie Curie, to Rosa Parks who triggered America’s Civil Rights movement by refusing to give up her bus seat, these trailblazers have paved the road for us and flown the flag for the sisterhood.
Their unique stories are our heritage, the lessons in how they each shaped the world offering untold inspiration for future generations. So what better time than International Women’s Day to celebrate their achievements by losing yourself in a book of their achievements?
While there are far too many for us to include in one list alone, we’ve collated an edit of the very best autobiographies and biographies of women that, in their way, changed the world, be it by standing up for basic rights, enduring unthinkable tyranny, or shattering the glass ceiling in the world of work. We’ve chosen books across industries, from NASA control rooms to front-line politics and the glittering world of showbiz.
Some names you may recognise from British history or headlines, but we’ve taken care to include exceptional women from around the world to expand your worldview and help you discover a completely new tale.
Take this as your cue to revive your bookshelf with real-life stories of female talent, strength and empowerment.
Get reading, and shop now
In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom, Yeonmi Park
Probably the most famous North Korean defector of our time, Yeonmi Park's story is a compelling tale that offers an insight into "the darkest place on earth". Along with her mother, she managed to escape the North Korean regime only to be delivered into the hands of sex traffickers when they eventually reached China.
They eventually escaped by trekking across the Gobi Desert to Mongolia, navigating their way by using the stars.
The 2016 book is by no means an easy read with unimaginable passages on deceit and deprivation she endured in her homeland and beyond, but there's an undercurrent of hope that is a testament to her spirit.
Buy now £11.34, Amazon
This Much is True, Miriam Margoyles
Award-winning and delightfully outspoken, actor Miriam Margoyles OBE is one of the country's best-loved national treasures. In This Much Is True, the octogenarian tells the story of her notable and naughty life, in her own very colourful words (expletives abound).
From being conceived in an air raid and being shushed by the late Queen to snogging Bob Monkhouse, it's a candid 448-page read, sometimes with a little TMI, that will leave you chuckling while massaging your aching sides.
Buy now £5.00, Amazon
Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones, Dolly Parton
The legendary country music icon is perhaps as known for her epic back catalogue as she is for the outfits she performs them in. Allowing readers a peek into her wardrobe, Dolly Parton charts her formidable career through the prism of her unique wardrobe with full-colour photos and laugh-out-loud anecdotes. Camp and colourful but no less inspiring, this book is for fans old and young alike.
Buy now £39.99, Waterstones
Strong Women: Inspirational athletes at the top of their game
Focusing on the world of sport as a whole, author Suzanne Wrack charts and celebrates women's achievements across the playing field.
From the groundbreaking 'Battle of the Sexes' tennis match to Emma Raducanu's triumphant US Open win, this 50-story strong compilation offers a brief but necessary look at pioneering womxn athletes performing at the very top of their game.
Buy now £11.95, Amazon
The Woman in Me: Britney Spears
As one of the biggest pop performers on the planet, she needs no introduction. But for all the viral moments, sensational headlines and column inches written about Britney Jean Spears, The Woman in Me offers a personal account on her own terms (and written in her characteristic Instagram post style). Despite her well-documented battles, Spears's story is one of power, compassion and optimism. From music-industry misogyny to trauma at the hands of those closest to her plus massive flaws in the American legal system, The Woman in Me serves as a cautionary tale of superstardom.
Buy now £12.50, Amazon
Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, Gyles Brandreth
One of the most recognisiable women in the world, the UK's late monarch Queen Elizabeth has been the subject of a British Library's worth of biographies. What makes this one different is the insight not just into her public life, but her private one too.
Charting her record-breaking 70-year reign and updated to include King Charles's 2013 coronation, Gyles Brandreth recounts personal conversations with the stateswoman to offer a unique portrait packed with insider knowledge.
Buy now £11.95, Amazon
Reaching for the Moon, The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson
Loved the movie Hidden Figures? The story of NASA mathematicians is based on the life of Katherine Johnson, who helped launch the Apollo 11 space mission amid a backdrop of daily sexism and racism.
This autobiography removes the Hollywood gleam and reveals the true details of life as an African-American woman living through one of the most volatile periods in the country's history. Conversational and captivating in equal measure, it's full of rich detail and observations brought further to life by black and white photography.
Buy now £6.89, Amazon
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
When Malala Yousafzai boarded her school bus in October 2012, she had no idea that the unfolding events of that day would eventually see her win a Nobel Peace Prize. It was on this fateful day that the Taliban attempted to assassinate the Pakistani schoolgirl who dared to fight for her right to education. Thankfully the 15-year-old survived, was flown to Birmingham for treatment and a year later, co-authored this book.
I Am Malala offers an incredible insight into not just this remarkable young activist, but Pakistani society, education and politics in the days leading up to and after the trigger pull. The book has been re-edited for younger readers and there's an abridged version available too, but it's the original that remains the most compelling.
Buy now £9.19, Amazon
The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank
It is the most famous diary in the world, written by a teenager who died mere weeks before the liberation of the concentration camp in which she was imprisoned in 1945. And yet, Anne Frank's diary remains a bestseller, with more than 35 million copies sold worldwide.
The famous account vividly describes the horrors of living under Hitler's regime, secreted behind a false bookcase in the back of a Dutch warehouse. Edited by her father Otto and Miriam Pressler, the diary remains a testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit.
Buy now £8.27, Amazon
Wild, Cheryl Strayed
Made into a Hollywood movie featuring Reese Witherspoon, Wild is the tale of 26-year-old Cheryl Strayed who decided to make sense of her crumbling life by hiking alone for two months up the west coast of America, a distance of some 1100 miles.
Recommended by everyone from the New York Times to Oprah, Cheryl's story of loss, perseverance and self-discovery has struck a chord with readers worldwide. An entertaining and inspiring read above overcoming life's clanging challenges, even with demons snapping at your heels.
Buy now £7.30, Amazon
Becoming, Michelle Obama
When Ex-FLOTUS Michelle Obama’s long-waited biography dropped in the winter of 2018, most of the world raced to their local bookstore to grab a copy.
The former First Lady with a rock star following documents her journey to, during and shortly after the White House in this award-winning memoir, with 17 million copies sold worldwide (give or take).
From her Chicago southside upbringing to navigating career crossroads and living under a global spotlight as the wife of the US’s first Black President, Becoming offers an intimate look at the woman who stood beside and supported the most powerful man in the world. Fascinating and warmly written, we wouldn’t blame you for reading in one go.
Buy now £11.64, Amazon
