18 must-read books about extraordinary women.

As women we love to read about, talk about and converse with other women. Put simply, we find other women fascinating. And why wouldn’t we? Whether they are political trailblazers, adventurers, musicians, TV personalities or mums and daughters, women offer an endless supply of incredible stories.

Cheryl Akle, director of Better Reading, shares her top 18 books – some classics and some new-  that will fascinate, absorb and inspire us to make the most of our lives.

1. Tracks by Robyn Davidson

Now a major motion picture, Tracks follows Robyn Davidson’s trek from the heart of Australia to the coast, with a dog and four camels for company. This memoir chronicles Robyn’s love of the Australian landscape and the indigenous people, as well as the rediscovery of herself. You can purchase the book here.

2. My Story by Julia Gillard

The most controversial Prime Minister Australia has ever had, Julia Gillard finally reveals what it was like to be the lone woman in the boys club that is Australian politics. Told with honesty and humour, Julia proves she had the mettle to stand up to the constant judgments of the Australian people. You can purchase the book here.

3. Through the Wall by Anna Bligh

Raised by a single mother, estranged from her alcoholic father and with 17 years in Queensland Parliament, Anna Bligh is nothing if not resilient. In this memoir, she reflects on her time as a public servant, challenges in her personal life, and the challenge of leading a state through the devastation of the 2011 bushfires. You can purchase the book here.

4. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

Joan Didion watched her daughter be placed on life support, only to lose her husband to a fatal coronary a few days later. This memoir is her attempt to make sense of all the ideas she had about family, life, death and marriage, now set in free-fall by her tragic loss and her daughter's subsequent recovery. You can buy the book here.

5. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

Sheryl Sandberg draws on her own experiences as a former vice president at Google and her current position as chief operating officer in Facebook, tackling the heavy issues and encouraging women to “lean in” to their rightful places in male-dominated space – right beside them. You can buy the book here.

6. Bossypants by Tina Fey

Funny lady Tina Fey shares her journey from being a young girl with a dream of acting to one of the most highly regarded comedians on television. An emotional rollercoaster, guaranteed to have you cheering her on and crying with laughter. You can buy the book here.

7. Wild by Cheryl Strayed

After her mother's death from cancer, Cheryl Strayed was 26 with a failed marriage and decided she had nothing left to lose. This is the story of her incredible 1100 mile journey along the west coast of America. She had no previous experience in hiking, but knew this trek was the key to getting her life back together. You can buy the book here.

8. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by May Angelou

The classic American autobiography. As a child, Maya and her brother were sent to live with her devout grandmother, enduring abandonment and prejudice. At age eight, she is back with her mother, but is sexually abused by her mother's boyfriend. Despite these beginnings, Maya was able to live an extraordinary life as, among other things, a poet and civil rights activist. You can buy the book here.

9. Just Kids by Patti Smith

Patti Smith begins her tale of life in New York in 1967. At a party, she meets Robert Mapplethorpe, who would become the most important person in her life – both romantically (though only briefly) and through a friendship that endured until his death in 1989. A profoundly moving story of “just kids” trying to make a name for themselves in the big city. You can buy the book here.

10. Dear Fatty by Dawn French

Beloved by all, behind Dawn French's sunny disposition lies a sensitive little girl, mourning for the untimely loss of her father to suicide. In letters to her friends and family, Dawn provides a window into her private life, including her ill-fated marriage to Lenny Henry and the adoption of the love of her life, their daughter. You can buy the book here.

11. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

A best-seller worldwide, Elizabeth Gilbert begins her story sobbing on her bathroom floor, realising her current life isn't what she wants. After a divorce and the end of an affair, she decides to turn her life upside down. Her journey takes her through Italy, India and Bali and is a truly inspiring tale of finally finding yourself. You can buy the book here.

12. Almost French by Sarah Turnbull

What happens when a strong-willed Australian journalist meets a charming Frenchman while on assignment, and agrees to visit him in Paris? This delightful autobiography is full of cultural clashes, language barriers, social faux pas and, of course, love. You can buy the book here.

13. The Road from Coorain by Jill K. Conway

The quintessential memoir of Australian childhood in the 1940s and 1950s. Moving from the outback to Sydney, Jill speaks of family tragedy and the futility of struggle when battling against  the harshness of the landscape. You can buy the book here.

14. Infidel: My Life by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

From poverty and a third-world beginning, to one of TIME magazine's 100 most influential people, Ayaan has flourished in the face of adversity. As a consequence of her championing a reform of Islam and women's rights, she is under 24-hour police protection, but refuses to allow any threats to stand between her and fighting for what she believes in. Inspirational and heartbreaking, this memoir is not to be missed. You can buy the book here.

15. H is for Hawk by Helen McDonald

As a child, Helen dreamed of becoming a falconer. When her father dies, her obsession returns, and she buys a goshawk named Mabel, taking her home to Cambridge to begin her training. A tender and touching memoir of how immersing herself in training one of nature's most majestic birds helped her to work through her grief. You can buy the book here.

16. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

The heartbreaking tale of Anne Frank, her family, and the other residents of the Annex. Though ultimately their sacrifices and those of the people who hid them were in vain, there is a persistent undercurrent of hope through Anne's personal diary, which has immortalised her as the face of the tragedy that is the Holocaust. You can buy the book here.

17. Wild Swans by Jung Chang

Three generations of women form the backbone of Wild Swans, a journey through the often rocky history of China. From the reign of the warlords and the Manchu Empire, through to Chairman Mao and the Cultural Revolution, Jung Chang draws on her own experiences and those of her mother and grandmother, to show the lives of ordinary people during times of great upheaval. You can buy the book here.

18. Out of Africa by Karen Blixen

Karen Blixen followed her husband to Kenya in 1914, to run a coffee farm. Over the next 17 years, she fell in love with the people and the landscape, but was forced to return to her native Denmark after her plantation failed. This is a loving homage to her farm, her friends, and her affair with an intrepid explorer amid the ruins of her marriage. You can buy the book here.

Better Reading is an independent book recommendation initiative and news site dedicated to helping people discover great books and authors, both past and present, to captivate an audience of all ages. Better Reading: Books that won’t let you down.