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The Dangerous Book of Heroes
From the co-author of the bestselling ‘The Dangerous Book for Boys’, this is a book of heroes, new and old, known and sadly forgotten, now to be glorified as they ought to be. From Captain Scott to Joe Simpson, from Douglas Bader to Ernest Shackleton, from Gertrude Bell to Emily Pankhurst, Conn Iggulden brings our great heroes from history back to life. Filled with the British sense of fair play and decency that made ‘The Dangerous Book for Boys’ so popular, ‘The Dangerous Book of Heroes’ celebrates those who fought for what is right and good, those who made amazing discoveries, those who moved boundaries in their lifetimes. A book of heroes written by Conn Iggulden, a man who knows what makes a hero.
481 pages, Hardcover
First published May 28, 2009
About the author
Conn Iggulden
119 books5,406 followersAlso publishes under author name C.F. Iggulden.
I was born in the normal way in 1971, and vaguely remember half-pennies and sixpences. I have written for as long as I can remember: poetry, short stories and novels. It’s what I always wanted to do and read English at London University with writing in mind. I taught English for seven years and was Head of English at St. Gregory’s RC High School in London by the end of that period. I have enormous respect for those who still labour at the chalk-face. In truth, I can’t find it in me to miss the grind of paperwork and initiatives. I do miss the camaraderie of the smokers’ room, as well as the lessons where their faces lit up as they understood what I was wittering on about.
My mother is Irish and from an early age she told me history as an exciting series of stories – with dates. My great-grandfather was a Seannachie, so I suppose story-telling is in the genes somewhere. My father flew in Bomber Command in WWII, then taught maths and science. Perhaps crucially, he also loved poetry and cracking good tales. Though it seems a dated idea now, I began teaching when boys were told only girls were good at English, despite the great names that must spring to mind after that statement. My father loved working with wood and equations, but he also recited ‘Vitai Lampada’ with a gleam in his eye and that matters, frankly.
I’ve always loved historical fiction as a genre and cut my teeth on Hornblower and Tai-Pan, Flashman, Sharpe and Jack Aubrey. I still remember the sheer joy of reading my first Patrick O’Brian book and discovering there were nineteen more in the series. I love just about anything by David Gemmell, or Peter F. Hamilton or Wilbur Smith. I suppose the one thing that links all those is the love of a good tale.
That’s about it for the moment. If you’d like to get in touch with me leave a comment in the forum or you can tweet me @Conn_Iggulden. I’ll leave it there for the moment. If you’ve read my books, you know an awful lot about the way I think already. There’s no point overdoing it.
Conn Iggulden
I was born in the normal way in 1971, and vaguely remember half-pennies and sixpences. I have written for as long as I can remember: poetry, short stories and novels. It’s what I always wanted to do and read English at London University with writing in mind. I taught English for seven years and was Head of English at St. Gregory’s RC High School in London by the end of that period. I have enormous respect for those who still labour at the chalk-face. In truth, I can’t find it in me to miss the grind of paperwork and initiatives. I do miss the camaraderie of the smokers’ room, as well as the lessons where their faces lit up as they understood what I was wittering on about.
My mother is Irish and from an early age she told me history as an exciting series of stories – with dates. My great-grandfather was a Seannachie, so I suppose story-telling is in the genes somewhere. My father flew in Bomber Command in WWII, then taught maths and science. Perhaps crucially, he also loved poetry and cracking good tales. Though it seems a dated idea now, I began teaching when boys were told only girls were good at English, despite the great names that must spring to mind after that statement. My father loved working with wood and equations, but he also recited ‘Vitai Lampada’ with a gleam in his eye and that matters, frankly.
I’ve always loved historical fiction as a genre and cut my teeth on Hornblower and Tai-Pan, Flashman, Sharpe and Jack Aubrey. I still remember the sheer joy of reading my first Patrick O’Brian book and discovering there were nineteen more in the series. I love just about anything by David Gemmell, or Peter F. Hamilton or Wilbur Smith. I suppose the one thing that links all those is the love of a good tale.
That’s about it for the moment. If you’d like to get in touch with me leave a comment in the forum or you can tweet me @Conn_Iggulden. I’ll leave it there for the moment. If you’ve read my books, you know an awful lot about the way I think already. There’s no point overdoing it.
Conn Iggulden
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 1, 2012
An interesting collection of short biographies of people who lived extraordinary lives or did extraordinary things. Most of the sections were just the right size, neither being too short and omitting too much or too long either. They also provided bibliographies for each section for more indepth reading on the subjects.
My one criticism though is the Brit-centric subjects. The majority of people were from the United Kingdom with some from the United States and almost no one from other countries. All the subjects were worthy of inclusion but I would have to liked to have read more about others I may not have heard of before.
My one criticism though is the Brit-centric subjects. The majority of people were from the United Kingdom with some from the United States and almost no one from other countries. All the subjects were worthy of inclusion but I would have to liked to have read more about others I may not have heard of before.
November 13, 2009
I started off not expecting to enjoy a gift of another 'history book' and the first two chapters (Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Robert Clive) did not help. In fact I was disappointed in the actual narrative even though written by authors I usually enjoy. But slowly I got into the 'heroes' and ended up really enjoying most of the stories. Conn and David Iggulden have a clear idea whom they think made a contribution to British society so amidst the usual (and well-told) tales of Sir Winston Churchill, Edith Cavell and Rorke's Drift are the less expected Barons of Magna Carta, Bletchley Park boffins and Captain Bligh of the Bounty. Some are chosen for their personal heroism at the moment of need but others for a lifetime of achievement or a contribution towards a long-term improvement in Britain. As with their novels, the characters have been well researched and on occasions conflicting interpretations have been tackled. Some stories are interesting, some inspiring and others quite emotional. A pleasant surprise of a book.
July 19, 2019
History short stories. Actually, it is more than that. The authors have done a nice job of research, pulling interesting and relatively unknown facts about a wide range of topics/people. Particularly liked the section on slavery. Spoiler: it's been around for a long time and everybody did it. We just did it longer and with more destructive impact on our culture. We are still living with our racist past/present. These are easy-to-read stories packed with useful information. There's a good chance you will learn something with each chapter. Recommend.
March 6, 2023
What a fun read and way to learn more history! From women I had not heard about to famous explorers and men and women of science, you will discover much about heroism, compassion for others and oh yes--egos!
If you have never read any of Conn Iggulden's novels, this is a good introduction to his writing style. He is a great author who skillfully weaves the great feats of each person with the reality of the time and their shortcomings, as well.
I learned more about several famous people in history and and several more I want to learn more about in the future.
If you have never read any of Conn Iggulden's novels, this is a good introduction to his writing style. He is a great author who skillfully weaves the great feats of each person with the reality of the time and their shortcomings, as well.
I learned more about several famous people in history and and several more I want to learn more about in the future.
April 23, 2019
Good writing style. Disappointingly few women featured in the book while some of the men do not deserve to be included as their 'hero' statuses are questionable.
September 3, 2021
Short chapter history of different hero’s over time. I especially enjoyed reading about, Tatanka Iyotake “ Sitting Bull”, Oliver Cromwell, and Edith Cavell.
October 23, 2012
Oh, how I wanted to be able to recommend this book!
As a history teacher I often decry the politically and factually correct, but dreadfully dry and boring history textbooks. I was hoping that this book, The Dangerous Book of Heroes , could be a popular antidote and a return to the famous Landmark books series that I grew up reading. Mostly, The Dangerous Book of Heroes is just that - a collection of biographies - some just a few pages, some longer. They are illustrated with the same kind of line drawings that I remember from the Landmark books.
But, this book does have a danger to it, and not the tongue-in-cheek kind suggested by the title. The publisher has declared that it's target audience is 18 years old and above. If this was truly was aimed at high school seniors and college students, we have become an illiterate society indeed. Not that this book is horrible, it is just simplistic. College students should be reading real biographies, not 8 page biographical sketches complete with line drawings.
One of the authors claims it is aimed at 14 year olds and above. Sadly, the series is aimed at pre-teens and some of the topics discussed are just not appropriate for elementary school students, especially in the story about "Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton."
In fact, if it were not for this entry, I'd recommend the book for pre-teens and older. However, the Burton entry is full of references to drug experimentation, frequenting prostitutes, male and female brothels, spousal murder, the Kama Sutra - unnecessary references in a biography that was already so laden full of facts that it had bogged down and became an endless list, much like a bad powerpoint presentation with an endless supply of bulletpoint entries.
Note, I am not squeamish when it comes to teaching kids history. When I teach world history, we discuss, among other things, facts like Alexander the Great's sexual orientation(s), how Nero kicked his wife to death, slave owners abusing their female slaves in America (and throughout time) and the slaughtering of thousands in the fall of Jerusalem and Constantinople. But, there is context in that presentation. In this book, it seems to glorify the negatives of Burton's personality - he's a hero so let's look at everything he did and celebrate all of it, the good and the bad.
Other issues...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...
As a history teacher I often decry the politically and factually correct, but dreadfully dry and boring history textbooks. I was hoping that this book, The Dangerous Book of Heroes , could be a popular antidote and a return to the famous Landmark books series that I grew up reading. Mostly, The Dangerous Book of Heroes is just that - a collection of biographies - some just a few pages, some longer. They are illustrated with the same kind of line drawings that I remember from the Landmark books.
But, this book does have a danger to it, and not the tongue-in-cheek kind suggested by the title. The publisher has declared that it's target audience is 18 years old and above. If this was truly was aimed at high school seniors and college students, we have become an illiterate society indeed. Not that this book is horrible, it is just simplistic. College students should be reading real biographies, not 8 page biographical sketches complete with line drawings.
One of the authors claims it is aimed at 14 year olds and above. Sadly, the series is aimed at pre-teens and some of the topics discussed are just not appropriate for elementary school students, especially in the story about "Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton."
In fact, if it were not for this entry, I'd recommend the book for pre-teens and older. However, the Burton entry is full of references to drug experimentation, frequenting prostitutes, male and female brothels, spousal murder, the Kama Sutra - unnecessary references in a biography that was already so laden full of facts that it had bogged down and became an endless list, much like a bad powerpoint presentation with an endless supply of bulletpoint entries.
Note, I am not squeamish when it comes to teaching kids history. When I teach world history, we discuss, among other things, facts like Alexander the Great's sexual orientation(s), how Nero kicked his wife to death, slave owners abusing their female slaves in America (and throughout time) and the slaughtering of thousands in the fall of Jerusalem and Constantinople. But, there is context in that presentation. In this book, it seems to glorify the negatives of Burton's personality - he's a hero so let's look at everything he did and celebrate all of it, the good and the bad.
Other issues...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...
September 30, 2011
I purchased this book thinking it would make a good history resource and I wasn't disappointed. Each entry concerns a person or group of people who are either British or of the Commonwealth. Though I'm not sure that I agree with all of the choices, the entries are well written and include suggestions for further reading. I've only given it four stars due to my own personal preference, because I found some of the military entries wordy and a bit boring as they discuss military tactics and battles in detail, which I thought could have been summed up in fewer words. Overall, a great resource and an interesting read, aimed more at older teens/adults.
September 2, 2013
A fine, light read, you can feel your chest swell with pride as you read stories of a lost and forgotten Britain, full of vim and vigour and derring-do.
But there is also a slight sense of history being rewritten.
Was Cecil Rhodes a hero, in the same vein as the defenders of Rourke's Drift or Captain Scott? Almost definitely not, which makes his inclusion strange. And the less said about the odd chapter using imagination and shaky 'evidence' to describe how Bristol sailors discovered America, the better.
But still, when it gets it right, the book is excellent, and well worth a read, if only as a starting point for other biographies.
But there is also a slight sense of history being rewritten.
Was Cecil Rhodes a hero, in the same vein as the defenders of Rourke's Drift or Captain Scott? Almost definitely not, which makes his inclusion strange. And the less said about the odd chapter using imagination and shaky 'evidence' to describe how Bristol sailors discovered America, the better.
But still, when it gets it right, the book is excellent, and well worth a read, if only as a starting point for other biographies.
May 3, 2014
This book is made up of biographic summaries of very interesting
people.It provides an educational look into times gone by, and how those
people left their legacy of accomplishments, in the amazing lives they
lived.
It provides a good base to do additional reading if you find a particular
character interesting enough to follow-up. A good resource.
Each summary is just the right length. Not overly long but long enough to
go beyond a simple summary.
Each persons mini-bio is laid out separately to make the book suitable for skimming whatever parts of the book or persons don't interest you.
A very light and easy, interesting read.
people.It provides an educational look into times gone by, and how those
people left their legacy of accomplishments, in the amazing lives they
lived.
It provides a good base to do additional reading if you find a particular
character interesting enough to follow-up. A good resource.
Each summary is just the right length. Not overly long but long enough to
go beyond a simple summary.
Each persons mini-bio is laid out separately to make the book suitable for skimming whatever parts of the book or persons don't interest you.
A very light and easy, interesting read.
August 30, 2016
Truly some exceptional persons
I have only one problem with this book and that is the order of the entries in it. I felt that this book was written in a buckshot pattern. The stories jumped from one century to the next. It did not read well for me the jumping around. That said I will say that the stories were very interesting to read. Now some of the persons written about I already knew about, but it was good reading about them again. What these people did with their lives and fortunes truly made them heroes. If you like being inspired then read for inspiration or just read for enjoyment.
I have only one problem with this book and that is the order of the entries in it. I felt that this book was written in a buckshot pattern. The stories jumped from one century to the next. It did not read well for me the jumping around. That said I will say that the stories were very interesting to read. Now some of the persons written about I already knew about, but it was good reading about them again. What these people did with their lives and fortunes truly made them heroes. If you like being inspired then read for inspiration or just read for enjoyment.
October 25, 2011
I loved this book. it has all the non-fictiony historical stuff that i'm into and a lot of shooting and stuff too :). It's about all the great heroes of this world, from Winston Churchill to James Cook!
There is lots of Auto-Biographies from national heroes and well-known men. it has all about things that you've never heard of before - Did you know James Cook was Murdered in Tahiti, or the man who created the first computer killed himself by eating an apple laced with cyanide, hence the company name?
i recommend this book to anyone who likes facts and history.
There is lots of Auto-Biographies from national heroes and well-known men. it has all about things that you've never heard of before - Did you know James Cook was Murdered in Tahiti, or the man who created the first computer killed himself by eating an apple laced with cyanide, hence the company name?
i recommend this book to anyone who likes facts and history.
July 4, 2010
Not what I expected.
If this had been written for boys, I could have become enthusiastic to share it with boys in my family as I did with "The Dangerous Book for Boys". This one was written at too high a level for young boys. Unfortunately, it treated the subjects in too superficial a level to hold an adult's interest. I am not sure who the target audience would be.
I read through the first chapter on George Washington, and skimmed some others without seeing anything interesting.
If this had been written for boys, I could have become enthusiastic to share it with boys in my family as I did with "The Dangerous Book for Boys". This one was written at too high a level for young boys. Unfortunately, it treated the subjects in too superficial a level to hold an adult's interest. I am not sure who the target audience would be.
I read through the first chapter on George Washington, and skimmed some others without seeing anything interesting.
August 17, 2010
One of the best non-fiction titles I've read. Each chapter discusses a person or group in history that was heroic. It doesn't necessarily they'good (Napoleon for example), but they are heroes.
The book spent a lot of time looking at great figures in British history, which I thought was wonderful. I grew up on American history, and learning about the figures that carved a path through most of humanity's past was enlightening.
The book spent a lot of time looking at great figures in British history, which I thought was wonderful. I grew up on American history, and learning about the figures that carved a path through most of humanity's past was enlightening.
October 16, 2013
Great collection of short biographies of many interesting people throughout history.
Any book like this is open to all kinds of criticism, from the selection of the heroes, to the distribution of genders/races/geographies represented/whatever. If you get past that and just take it for what it is, it's fun.
I liked learning about the people presented, and what they did.
Oh, this would make a wonderful bathroom reader, too.
Any book like this is open to all kinds of criticism, from the selection of the heroes, to the distribution of genders/races/geographies represented/whatever. If you get past that and just take it for what it is, it's fun.
I liked learning about the people presented, and what they did.
Oh, this would make a wonderful bathroom reader, too.
May 16, 2013
This book is British-centered, rather than focusing on America. That was great because it taught me quite a bit of history that I was lacking. I wish there were more women. I wish there were less entries related to war. I understand the reason for both. I loved the last two pages of the book. This book would be a great addition to a homeschool library. I didn't agree with a few of the choices for the hero title, but that is to be expected, as it is a limited format.
May 18, 2010
This book is a series of summaries of the lives and accomplishments of individuals and groups that had a significant impact on history. It is a light read, but gives references to more detailed books. Overall it is interesting and has introduced me to a number of figures that I had not previously known.
December 24, 2009
The book is about the past and present British and commonwealth heroes ,it does miss India and other commonwealth countries in Asia and Africa ,i guess its supposed to be all about white people
December 10, 2010
Good. Not great, but good. It seems kind of dry for kids, but it made nice bathroom reading.
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August 4, 2011Really enjoyable series of short historical biographies. Just right for a commute
May 31, 2012
Learned a lot of history!
August 27, 2012
Interesting book about many people that you've heard about but with some back story to who and what they were/are about. Great of kids.
August 27, 2016
Must read *anything* and everything by the Igguldens! Excellent nonfiction biographical/historical essays here. Other series are historical fiction.
May 3, 2021
Loved this book, some stories was quit remarkable.
April 3, 2015
not very interesting at all
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews