Last Word's Uncommon Women

Last Word is the popular BBC Radio 4 series broadcast weekly, featuring the lives of several famous people who have recently died. More than standard obituaries, the lives are summarised with narration and include interviews with some of those who knew them. The programme was first broadcast in 2006 and this compelling anthology of the remarkable and revealing lives of women who were are illuminating, inspiring or moving. Includes: Lt Islam Bibi - Helmand's top female police officer, shot dead by the Taliban Naty Revuelta Clews - Fidel Castro's mistress Naomi Sims - first black supermodel Sylvia Robinson - The 'mother of hip-hop' who was the founder/CEO of Sugar Hill records Rosalia Mera - Zara founder, the world's richest self-made woman Marie Colvin - war reporter killed in Homs Clare Hollingworth - Telegraph reporter who was the first war correspondent to report the outbreak of the Second World War Eileen Nearne - Wartime spy who was captured and tortured by Gestapo and who spent 6 months in Ravensbrück. Her story was only revealed after her death Salome Karwah - Ebola survivor who went back to Liberia to nurse other sufferers Jo Cox - MP murdered in her own constituency Jill Saward - rape survivor and campaigner for victims of sexual abuse Scharlette Holdman - 'the angel of death row' who fought against the death penalty in the US Jeanne Cordova - former nun who became a lesbian rights activist Francis Kelsey - pharmacologist who prevented thalidomide being licensed in the US Mary Lee Berners-Lee - internet pioneer Margaret Rule - archaeologist who raised the Mary Rose Countess of Arran - Powerboat racer - 'the fastest granny on water'