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.

Thank you for downloading this podcast from BBC Radio 4. For more information and details of other

podcasts, just visit BBC.co.uk.

slash radio four.

Hello, welcome to a good read, where I'm joined today by the TV producer John Plowman

and by Tim Coates, who's probably best known as a book retailer, having been managing

director-stroke CEO of Sheraton Hughes, Waterston's and W.H. Smith, as well as running his own bookstore.

But Tim's love of books and reading has also led him to write books, edit them, blog and campaign for improvements to libraries.

And in August, he's due to launch an e-book, retail and lending site, www. bilberry.com, which isn't quite an anagram of library but almost.

Tim, welcome to the programme.

Thank you, Harriet. It's nice to be here.

And welcome to you, John Plowman.

John is a former head of comedy at the BBC and now works as a freelance executive producer.

He began his career at the Royal Court Theatre in London with film director Lindsay Anderson

and says it went downhill from there.

But in fact he's brought us some of the greatest TV comedy of recent years.

Absolutely fabulous, the vicar of Dibley, The Office, Little Britain, French and Saunders

and the terrifying Olympics-inspired 2012,

which we can only pray is a work of pure imagination.

In the process, John has won a slew of awards and lifetime achievement awards.

And John, your choice of a good read?

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