Gimson's Heroes

'A witty, unforgettable celebration of the courage, genius and defiance that changed the course of history' Jacob Rees-Mogg

'Gimson makes excellent cases for all his choices. His "cardinal point" about heroes, "seen from Homer to Hollywood, is that they are enjoyable". That is so right: no one who is immensely worthy but boring can be a hero' Charles Moore

'This is a lovely book to dip in and out of, every visit an education' John Rentoul

A brilliant compendium of Britain's most renowned heroes from Boudicca to Mandela, illustrated by Martin Rowson.

Heroes have flaws, but their stories stir the soul. In Gimson's Heroes, bestselling author Andrew Gimson traces the lives of fifty astonishing individuals who had the courage to defy conventional wisdom.

From Horatio Nelson disobeying orders to Lord Byron scandalising polite society; Grace Darling rowing through a deadly storm to Florence Nightingale teaching the British how to nurse - these icons are no mere monuments of history, but living, breathing people of daring and defiance. Here are stories of resolve and sacrifice: Wallace Hartley plays on as the Titanic goes down, Noor Inayat Khan refuses to flee from occupied France, Stan Hollis storms an enemy pillbox and Nelson Mandela brings down the white regime in South Africa.

A hero, Gimson concludes, is someone with the courage, originality and genius to see what must be done - and to dare to do it, no matter the cost. Complemented by Martin Rowson's uniquely charming illustrations, Gimson's Heroes is a witty, fascinating and lively celebration of the extraordinary legacies of those who went further than most would ever dream.

The fifty Heroes included in the book are:

Boudicca c.25-60/61 AD
Alfred the Great 848-899
King Harold c.1022-1066
Robert the Bruce 1274-1329
Julian of Norwich 1342-1416
Owain Glyndŵr c.1359 - c.1415
Bess of Hardwick c.1522 or 1527-1608
Queen Elizabeth I 1533-1603
Sir Francis Drake 1540-1596
Sir Walter Raleigh 1552-1618
Sir Philip Sidney 1554-1586
William Shakespeare 1564-1616
George Herbert 1593-1633
Gerrard Winstanley 1609-1676
Prince Rupert of the Rhine 1619-1682
Robert Boyle 1627-1691
Thomas Coram 1668-1751
Samuel Johnson 1709-1784
James Wolfe...read more...