Autobiographies/biographies of inspiring women?

[Takver]

I'm currently reading Madeleine Albright's autobiography, which is fascinating, recently also read Kate Adie's - would love other recommendations to put on my list. (Not necessarily recent - Emma Goldman's autobiog is a favourite too.)

julia gillard's book is out soon (already?) and looks like an interesting read

Oh yes, good suggestion, I heard her interviewed on Women's hour & she was very interesting.

A short and free ebook

Kathrine Switzer's Marathon Woman is an amazing amazing read.

Doris Lessing's two autobiographies were an interesting read. Wouldn't call them inspiring though as she seemed to labour under the illusion (in her young days) that left wing men were naturally progressive…..

stella rimington's autobiography is quite good

Lynn Hill's Climbing Free is a good read. I get dizzy standing on the bottom rung of a stepladder but while reading it free climbing almost started to sound appealing...

Hannah Mitchell The Hard Way Up.
She was a suffragette and socialist at a time when working class women had it very hard. Brilliant autobiography, an amazing woman.

That looks like a fantastic read, RightyTighty - unfortunately it's £18 second hand

Almost finished this biography by a son of his mother. Its wonderful.

"the story of a rabbi's daughter, born in Poland and raised in the South, who fled to Harlem, married a black man, founded a Baptist church, and put twelve children through college."

www.amazon.co.uk/Color-Water-Black-Tribute-Mother/dp/0747538328

Steve Shirley - Let IT Go - amazing pioneer in IT. And if you ever get the chance to hear her speak, do go - she's great.

I keep meaning to read Beryl Burton's biography, she did some remarkable stuff in the cycling world, haven't read it so can't really recommend it if you catch my drift!

I Am Malalia

Bossy Pants by Tina Fey and How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran for funny feminism.

I Know Why the Cadged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

and the following books she was an amazing woman

I loved Martha Gelhorn's books. She was born at the beginning of the 1900's and was a war correspondent for 50 years. It's a long time since i read them and I don't think she talks in anyway about feminist issues (I can't remember but seem to think not) but the very fact of simply being a female war correspondent in what was unquestionably a man's world back then is pretty amazing - and her writing is brilliant.

Two scientists: Dorothy Hodgkin's biography is very good although not well known, as is Rosalind Franklin's by Brenda Maddox.

Margaret Thatcher's biography will be interesting, however you feel about her politics. My Dad read Hilary Clinton's autobiography and said it was fascinating. A bit lighter might be Isabel Allende's fictional accounts of her childhood.

The Dorothy Hodgkin bio looks fantastic, many thanks for that suggestion, will definitely get that one (and lots of the others - have a really good list now - thanks all :) )

Be warned, all my conversations for a few months after reading it began 'Dorothy Hodgkins...'