Shirley williams autobiography samples

"Shirl the Pearl" spends a lifetime in 20th century UK Politics-a memoir of public service by one of the most popular politicians of the century.

Shirley, named in honour of Charlotte Bronte's heroine, died earlier this year.

She was, of course, Vera Brittain's daughter and I had just seen the film adaptation of "Testament of Youth" so I was tempted by this book. I'm not a political junkie usually but Shirley was a politician of unusual integrity and leaves behind a legacy of social investment, of which I think she can be proud.

She lived politics from the cradle to the grave.

Her father, George Catlin, was a political scientist and failed Labour candidate and her first forays to political hustings were made in her pram. The house was full of talk and, in order to be heard, you had to be "a politician" so, at age 5, that's what she wanted to be!

Her mother was a full-time writer and the family breadwinn