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The Grandfather of Self Help

Kate Williams investigates the success and lasting legacy of Samuel Smiles's 1859 book 'Self-Help'. With Michael Portillo. From July 2009.

Historian Kate Williams investigates the success and lasting legacy of Samuel Smiles' 1859 book Self Help.

It outsold both Darwin's On the Origin of Species and Mill's On Liberty, also published that year, and gave birth to the idea that we can all achieve greatness through the application of sheer hard work.

Kate finds out if it contains a message for our own times, examines its enduring popularity and meets some of those who have been influenced by its ideas, including former politician Michael Portillo, who also reveals the book's influence on Margaret Thatcher.

25 minutes

Last on

Wed 24 Jan 2018 01:30
大象传媒 Radio 4 Extra

Credit

Producer Mark Rickards

Broadcasts

  • Mon 27 Jul 2009 11:30
    大象传媒 Radio Scotland
  • Sat 1 Aug 2009 20:30
    大象传媒 Radio Scotland
  • Thu 15 Oct 2009 22:05
    大象传媒 Radio Scotland
  • Tue 23 Jan 2018 06:30
    大象传媒 Radio 4 Extra
  • Tue 23 Jan 2018 13:30
    大象传媒 Radio 4 Extra
  • Tue 23 Jan 2018 20:30
    大象传媒 Radio 4 Extra
  • Wed 24 Jan 2018 01:30
    大象传媒 Radio 4 Extra