Hi, it's Nicola Cochlin. Young people have been making history for years, but we don't often hear about them. My brand new series on BBC Sounds sets out to put this right. In history's youngest heroes, I'll be revealing the fascinating stories of 12 young people who've played a major role in history and who've helped shape our world. Like Audrey Hepburn, Nelson Mandela,

Louis Braille and Lady Jane Grey, history's youngest heroes with me, Nicola Cochlin. Listen on BBC Sounds.

Thanks for downloading a good read. You can find more information on all the BBC downloads at

BBC.co.uk slash radio four.

Hello, welcome to a good read. With me today are the general secretary-designate of the TUC,

Francis O'Grady, and the historian Ruth Richardson. Ruth was studying literature when reading

Frankenstein caused her to wonder whether one inspiration

for the book, given that it was written in 1816, was body snatching. She transferred to history

and ended up doing a doctorate on corpse procurement. titled Death, Dissection and the Destitute,

it was published in 1987, is still in print and forms the basis of an exhibition currently at the Museum of London called Doctors, Dissection and Resurrection Men.

Ruth's other books include The Making of Mr Grey's Anatomy and, most recently Dickens and The Workhouse, which is about an old workhouse just round the corner from here at Broadcasting House, I think.

Yes, it was under threat of demolition and local people called me in to help.

And just by luck, I happened to find that Dickens had lived nine doors away for four years before he wrote Oliver Twist.

Ah, brilliant. Well, Ruth, good to have you on the programme and good to have you with us, Francis O'Grady.

Francis becomes General Secretary of the TUC in the New Year, the first woman ever to hold the post.

She joined back in 1994 as Campaign's Officer, going on to launch the TUC's Organising Academy to head its organisation department

and to restructure local skills projects into

union learn, which now helps a quarter of a million workers a year into education.

As Deputy General Secretary from 2003, Francis has led on industrial policy, the NHS and

the Olympics. She's been a member of both the low pay and the high pay commissions. Very

broad-minded, Avi Francis. Your choice of a good read? My choice is the gathering by Anne Enright.

And I chose it because Anne Enright, I think, is a daring and intelligent writer.

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