The volume is particularly good on how the reputations of these famous figures have been made and unmade--Newton, Nelson and Diana seem to have shared a consummate ability to invent and reinvent themselves in their contemporary media--and on the role of portraiture and iconography in that process. It also includes a series of fascinating indices of fame (street-names, Web sites, film, etc). One or two criticisms: an unfortunate mini-competition for the most saccharine and hyperbolic prose seems to have broken out amongst some of the guest writers (Fiona Shaw, Lucy Moore, Mo Mowlam, Alan Davies, etc), and while this might have been OK on TV, it jars somewhat in print. The book is also less successful at revealing what made these people famous Britons, as opposed to just great. After all, leaders such as Elizabeth I, Cromwell and Churchill, did not just win battles against foreign foes, but forged a national and imperial identity from diverse and not always willing peoples. But, as a highbrow alternative to Pop Stars, it's hard to beat. --Miles Taylor

Synopsis
Why do some people find lasting fame for their achievements, whilst others lapse into obscurity? What makes an individual truly "great"? This work explores the lives of ten men and women who have influenced our history, and examines why they continue to spark international interest and admiration. In 2001, the BBC ran a poll in which the British public were invited to vote for their favourite Briton. This book lists the top 100 figures and explores the characteristics these men and women share, including an analysis of the key role that image management has played in their success. The book is extensively illustrated with images from the collections of the National Portrait Gallery.