Beautifully designed and imaginatively illustrated, these informative, inspirational and entertaining min-biographies do not stick to the usual rigid and often militaristic definition of ‘Heroes’.

What 21st Century youngster, on being asked to name a hero, will trot out Davey Crockett, or even Scott of the Antarctic?

Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad; Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Hemingway; Thatcher, Isaac Newton, Elvis Presley – 101 World Heroes covers more than the usual medley of Bonaparte and Richard the Lionheart. A fascinating reference book and one that might make you widen your definition of what exactly constitutes a Hero in this unheroic age. ( )