Diary of a Rich White Woman by Marcia Li-Liën

A book which conveys a rollercoaster of a story where a luxury life is all excess but can it endure with this as its foundation?

Momentum: A Memoir by Emily Brown

A reflection on a life, looking at the influence of family and how coming to terms with experiences in the past provide peace in the present

The Junior Officer’s Reading Club by Patrick Hennessey

There’s a substantive canon of work for 20th century wars – but what is life like for the modern soldier? Hennessey’s book gives a first-hand insight

Thrive in Chaos by Jace Parker

If there were such a book as a manual for life and how to approach it, then this should be it: straight-talking sense, sharply delivered.

The First Call was Mine by Kay Blake

A memoir of a life which begins troubled but shows the true power of resilience and the importance of having the right support

Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench

A wonderful insight into Dame Dench’s roles from Shakespeare, showing her love for the bard and her appreciation for his words

The Night Garden: Of My Mother by Sandra Tyler

Sandra Tyler in her memoir has crafted something which at times is hard to read in its candour but whose essence is deeply touching

A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains by Isabella L. Bird

A wonderful book compiled from a collection of letters, depicting the time Isabella Bird spent in the Rockies in the 1800s

A Paper Orchestra by Michael Jamin

An honest, sometimes excruciatingly so, collection of personal essays, which is also incredibly witty and made this reader laugh out loud