Oldest female author

The oldest female book author is Sarah Louise (Sadie) Delany (USA, b. 19 September 1889) who was aged 107 years 73 days when her memoir On My Own at 107: Reflections on Life Without Bessie was published by HarperCollins on 1 December 1996. The book was co-authored by Amy Hill Hearth.

On My Own at 107 focused on Sadie's coming to terms with the passing of her sister and lifelong companion, Elizabeth (Bessie) Delany, who had died in 1995 aged 104.

The Delany siblings, whose father was a pioneering episcopal bishop and formerly a slave, were celebrated activists in the fields of education and civil rights. The sisters penned the New York Times bestseller Having Our Say (1993), which focused on their experiences growing up in the post Civil War-era southern USA, as well as the follow-up self-help title The Delany Sisters' Book of Everyday Wisdom (1994). The curation of both of these books was also assisted by Amy Hill Hearth.