BOOK: BRITISH WOMEN OF NOTE - BOOKS FOR HISTORY BUFFS

I love books and I love history so when the two are combined it usually makes for great reading. Here are the five books that I can read over and over again. They're all about British women that have made an impact on Britain or have simply led very interesting lives.

THE DUCHESS (GEORGIANA, DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE) - AMANDA FOREMAN (RRP: £10.99 AMAZON: £7.69)

Forget the film, this is a book that takes you on a whirlwind tour of life in the 1700s as a member of the aristocracy. Georgiana Devonshire (nee Spencer - an ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales) was one hell of a woman - taking an interest in politics, the theatre, fashion and gambling whilst battling an unloving husband whom she shared with her best friend, having to give up the child she has after an illicit affair with the future Prime Minister of Britain and still maintaining the kind of lifestyle that made her the equivalent of a celebrity in her day.

ENGLAND'S MISTRESS - KATE WILLIAMS (RRP: £8.99 AMAZON: £6.56)

Everyone has heard of Horatio Nelson and the battle of Trafalgar but what about the woman that enchanted him and formed the other half of the couple that became the Posh and Becks of their time? Memorabilia and everything else to boot... This is a beautifully written book with an ease of writing style that makes it simple to read without all of the convoluted dates and references. Emma Hamilton is one of those characters from history that is much over looked but really shouldn't be. Even if she was a prostitute to begin with.

THAT WOMAN - ANNE SEBBA (RRP: £7.99 AMAZON: £4.79)

The Americans refer to Wallis Simpson as the woman that managed to steal the King of England's heart. The English refer to Wallis Simpson as that woman. How did this divorcee from the states manage to convince Edward VIII to renounce his throne? Through manipulation and womanly wiles apparently - although speculation is rife that she was actually a he. Its a great book that gives insight into the Royal family, life during the 1930s/40s and how this woman managed to wheedle her way into 'the firm'.

BESS OF HARDWICK - MARY S. LOVELL (RRP: £12.99 AMAZON: £7.79)

As I spent a lot of my childhood summers wandering about Chatsworth estate (Derbyshire - not the Shameless set in Manchester) with my family, anything remotely Chatsworth related is going to interest me. Bess of Hardwick was the second most powerful and rich woman in Britain during her life (after Elizabeth I - with whom she was good friends). She got through husbands, built grand houses, bailed her children out of trouble and all the while put together a legacy that has stayed alive for centuries now.

SHE WOLVES - HELEN CASTOR (RRP: £10:99 AMAZON: £6.59)

Between Boudicca and Elizabeth I there was an array of women in British history prepared to shed blood in the name of their homeland. This book looks at those that made the most of their power, controlled their son's fates and maneuvered England's prospects into a better position. And the best part? Most of these women weren't even born in Britain. An interesting read but quite heavy going if you don't like having dates thrown at you. I still recommend it. Everyone should know their history.