‘A well-written Life is almost as rare as a well-spent one,’ wrote Thomas Carlyle in 1838. Had he lived to read the superb biographies in Exisle’s list, he might have thought differently.
A Mother's Story of Triumph Over Tragedy
Drama and tragedy have pursued Nancye O’Reilly throughout her life. Adopted as a baby and abused from a young age, she married young and gave birth to two beautiful girls. In 1980 horror struck when she discovered her daughter Alicia had been raped and murdered in her bed during the night. That event changed her life for ever.
The First Lady Mayor in the British Empire
Over 100 years ago, Elizabeth Yates became the first elected lady mayor in the British Empire. She was the mayor of Onehunga, Auckland, and her brief but full and colourful period at the helm reveals a significant episode in our history and the struggles for equality that went beyond political emancipation.
Portrait of a Prime Minister
Based on interviews with a wide range of people, including Helen Clark herself, Helen tells the story of the prime minister’s life from her early schooldays to her position as New Zealand’s first elected woman prime minister. Author Brian Edwards reveals the real nature and character of the strongest politician of our time.