Climbing The Bookshelves - The autobiography of Shirley Williams

'That politics was the most exciting of all the exciting things in the world I never doubted'

Shirley Williams was born to politics. As well as being influenced by her mother, Vera Brittan, her father George Catlin, 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. This is her story.

Praise for Climbing the Bookshelves
'Very few politicians are loved, but Shirley Williams was one' Independent

'She speaks human, which is a surprisingly rare political talent' Guardian

'Decent, sensible, honest and endearing, this book is Shirley Williams to a T' The Times

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.

Summary

The story of one of Britain's most beloved politicians, with new preface by her daughter Rebecca Williams and a new introduction by Rabbi Julia Neuberger

Foreword

The story of one of Britain's most beloved politicians, with new preface by her daughter Rebecca Williams and a new introduction by Rabbi Julia Neuberger

Product details

• Authors: Shirley Williams, Williams Shirley
• Assisted by: Rebecca Williams (Foreword)
• Publisher: Virago Press Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 03.02.2022
• EAN: 9780349016313
• ISBN: 978-0-349-01631-3
• No. of pages: 480
• Dimensions: 126 mm x 198 mm x 40 mm
• Subjects: Fiction > Narrative literature > Letters, diaries; Humanities, art, music > History > General, dictionaries; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political administration; European History, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Political, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Public Affairs & Administration, POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / European, HISTORY / Europe / Great Britain / 20th Century, Later 20th century c 1950 to c 1999, Autobiography: historical, political and military, Central / national / federal government, c 1945 to c 2000 (Post-war period), Central government