Product Description

'The role of women in our society has changed out of all recognition. But it has changed least in the House of Commons. I want to describe those changes and the resistances to them through the magnifying glass of my own life, a life that coincides with our turbulent post-war history.' Shirley Williams was born to politics. As well as being influenced by her mother, Vera Brittian, her father George Caitlin, a leading political scientist, encouraged his daughter to have high ambitions for herself - including daring to climb the bookshelves in his library. Elected as MP for Hitchin in 1964, she was a member of the Wilson and Callaghan governments and was also the Secretary of State for Education. As one of the 'Gang of Four' Shirley Williams famously broke away from the Labour Party to found the SDP in 1981 and later supported its merger with the Liberal Party to form the Liberal Democrats. CLIMBING THE BOOKSHELVES is the voice of strong and passionate woman of luminous intelligence.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1158 in Books
• Published on: 2009-09-24
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 432 pages

About the Author
Shirley Williams was born to Vera Brittain in 1930. She was a member of the Labour Party for 35 years before later becoming leader of the Liberal Democrats. She continues to lecture and serves as an advisor on Nuclear Proliferation to Gordon Brown.

Customer Reviews

Well written thoughtful biography
Shirley Williams writes very well and ironically, I particularly enjoyed the part of her book dealing with her life before she went into politics. She is an honest chronicler but occasionally, particularly when dealing with painful personal episodes, one feels slightly frustrated by what is left out. Overall, however, this is an engaging and fascinating account from one of the most able women in politics.

Climbing the bookshelves
I am half way through this rather weighty book and loving every minute of it. Finding it difficult to put down. I suspect this may be because I am of a similar age to Shirley Williams (a little younger) and her writing brings back many memories, especially of her younger years. People she speaks about re-surface in my memory. Shirley Williams writes so well - her memory is amazing. She is a great favourite of mine anyway, so maybe I am a little biased!

This is not a mountaineering book!
For some reason Amazon have classed this politician's book as 'mountaineering biography'. Much as I enjoy a good metaphor this ain't mountaineering. Can it be taken off the list?

As a PS I'd say that I always felt she should have stayed in the Labour Party and faught her corner.