Book of the Month competition: Life Lessons From Historical Women by Eleanor Morton
We are excited to offer five copies of Life Lessons By Historical Women by Eleanor Morton in our September Book of the Month competition, courtesy of our friends at Radar.
To be in with a chance of winning this celebration of the ordinary women whose everyday decisions and accomplishments still resonate with us today, all you need to do is answer the question at the bottom of the page by midnight on 30 September 2024.
All entrants must reside in the UK and full terms and conditions apply. Check out our competitions page to find more giveaways.
About Life Lessons By Historical Women by Eleanor Morton
Take a tour of the past and uncover stories of the women whose lives and achievements have shaped our modern world in comic and writer Eleanor Morton's new book.
Taking inspiration from the self-help genre, Morton reasons that the greatest lessons can be taken from the female forebears who have come before – women whose actions inspire purpose, creativity and rebellion.
Covering the full gamut of the female experience, and women from all corners of history and the globe, Life Lessons from Historical Women includes chapters on ‘How To Thrive’ with Judith Kerr, ‘Think Like an Entrepreneur’ with Mary Seacole, and ‘How Not to Give a F**k’ with the famous suffragette martyr Emily Davison.
Q&A with Eleanor Morton
How did you first get into writing?
I've been writing all my life! When I was a child I used to write lots of bad poetry and plays. For most of my career I've been writing for stage and screen – stand up, sketches, short films. I did a screenwriting Masters at Met Film School and a creative writing module at uni. But I've never written anything as daunting as a book until now!
What can readers expect from Life Lessons By Historical Women?
Life Lessons From Historical Women tells 18 stories about women from history who I feel have been overlooked or under appreciated. I wanted to write the sort of book I would want to read – it delves into the lives of women who did inspiring things, insane things, or just survived against the odds. But it's hopefully also a funny book about the reality of being a woman throughout history.
Which women have inspired you the most in your career?
That's really tough to say, there are lots! I'm really inspired by lots of great female comedians. Maria Bamford is one of my favourites – she has a very unique sense of humour that made me realise it was ok to be a bit weird as a woman. And I love French and Saunders and their sketches. They are so stupid and so funny. Josie Long is also one of my absolute favourite comics, she does everyone with beautiful passion and she has been really encouraging and kind.