Gemma Cairney

The Immortal Sisterhood: 12 Guiding Stars to Grow, Heal and Navigate Life Award-winning broadcaster and writer Gemma Cairney explores the collective power and wisdom to be found in the lives of twelve remarkable women. Gemma will be interviewed by author Jacquline Crooks. About The Immortal Sisterhood For centuries, travellers would stare up at the stars to guide them. Constellations of shining lights would offer a path forward or a way through, delivering courage and hope on long, difficult voyages. Throughout her life, Gemma Cairney has pieced together her own constellation, one which is made up of inspirational women – artists, activists, musicians, writers, mathematicians, mystics – who guide her, fill her creative cup and provide a sense of solace and selfhood. In The Immortal Sisterhood Gemma shares the twelve women who make up her spiritual sorority. From Grace Jones and Mary Wollstonecraft to Pharaoh Hatshepsut and Wang Zhenyi, these women span centuries and continents, they have experienced racism, sexism, illness, war, and they all offer something different to help Gemma navigate through life. In this genre-bending mix of biography, memoir, self-help, poetry and philosophy, Gemma seeks to introduce readers to her immortal sisterhood, to invite us to take strength from their stories and to challenge us to create our own. Women featured in the book include Mary Seacole, Grace Jones, Pamela Colman Smith, Una Marson, Mary Wollstonescraft, Audre Lorde and Betty Davis. Praise for The Immortal Sisterhood ‘Gemma's mind is a thing of wonder. Reading her love for these crucial legacies is like falling under a spell’ Afua Hirsch ‘Gemma is an absolute dynamo! Long may she continue to use her voice to such a powerful effect’ Annie Lennox About Gemma Cairney Gemma Cairney is an award-winning broadcaster and writer, her career at the BBC having spanned over a decade. Her first book Open: A Toolkit for How Magic and Messed Up Life Can Be (Macmillan, 2017) was a young adult guide to life and saw her tour across the UK. She is a regular contributor to audio and written anthologies, has judged the Welcome Prize and hosted the Booker shortlist of readings as well as many other literary talks. The Immortal Sisterhood is her first book for adults.