Samuel Smiles' Victorian bestseller Self-Help, published on the same day as On the Origin of Species, hugely outsold Darwin's book to become one of the most successful non-fiction books of the 19th century. Self-Help is still in print today and has been incredibly influential over the years. Smiles' message that anyone can improve themselves through hard work and perseverance resonated not just in the UK, but throughout the world, especially in the US where self-help was central to the American Dream.

This book takes a fresh look at what self-help means today. Malcolm Good has interviewed people from varied backgrounds for their views on topics such as ambition, upbringing, support from others, and perseverance. A compelling mixture of opinion, social observation and biography, their contributions create an interesting and thought-provoking commentary. Their stories and views offer an up-to-date view on just what Self-Help for the 21st Century means for different people.

MICHAEL ATIYAH o CHAY BLYTH o CALUM COLVIN o JOHN CROFTON o TAM DALYELL o TOM DEVINE o NORMAN DRUMMOND o TOM FARMER o ALAN FINLAYSON o BRIAN GILL o EVELYN GLENNIE o RON HAMILTON o ROBIN HARPER o IRVINE LAIDLAW o JONATHAN LONG o MARGO MACDONALD o SHEILA MCLEAN o GEORGE MATHEWSON o KENNETH MURRAY o NOREEN MURRAY o GEORGE ROBERTSON o LEWIS ROBERTSON o JACKIE STEWART o WILLIAM STEWART