{"product_id":"keir-hardie-labours-greatest-hero","title":"Keir Hardie: Labour's Greatest Hero? | Bob Holman","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"product-description-container\" style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.6; color: #333;\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"color: #2c3e50;\"\u003eKeir Hardie: Labour's Greatest Hero?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: #555;\"\u003eby Bob Holman | Foreword by Gordon Brown\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003chr style=\"border: 0; border-top: 1px solid #eee; margin: 20px 0;\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background-color: #fdfaf2; border-left: 5px solid #c0392b; padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 20px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0; font-weight: bold; color: #c0392b;\"\u003e⚒️ SOCIALISM \u0026amp; SPIRITUAL CONVERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0; font-size: 0.9em;\"\u003eAn essential biography exploring how Christianity and hardship forged the founder of the UK Labour Party.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eExtended Synopsis\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeir Hardie was the foundational architect and first parliamentary leader of the British Labour Party. Born into poverty as an illegitimate child near Glasgow in 1856, Hardie was the sole wage earner for his family before the age of ten. Despite having no formal schooling, his insatiable hunger for knowledge led him to a rigorous self-education, which eventually sparked two radical transformations: a conversion to Christianity and a devotion to socialism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile previous biographies have focused almost exclusively on his political activism, author Bob Holman argues that Hardie’s deep-seated faith was the primary engine for his social justice work. This biography meticulously documents how Hardie’s spiritual convictions shaped the Labour movement during the turn of the 19th century. It is a story of rising above insurmountable hardship to create a platform for the working class, serving as a timeless inspiration for modern political and social activists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 15px; border-radius: 5px; margin-top: 20px;\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 style=\"margin-top: 0;\"\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBob Holman\u003c\/strong\u003e was a celebrated author, academic, and community activist. His work often focused on poverty, social justice, and the history of the Labour movement, drawing from his personal experiences living and working in deprived communities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eReader Targeting\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePolitical History Students:\u003c\/strong\u003e Those researching the origins of the UK Labour Party and early socialist movements.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTheology \u0026amp; Ethics Scholars:\u003c\/strong\u003e Readers interested in the intersection of Christian faith and radical social reform.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBiographical Enthusiasts:\u003c\/strong\u003e Individuals seeking stories of self-taught leaders who overcame extreme childhood poverty.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eAccolades \u0026amp; Awards\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVoted \"Labour's Greatest Hero\" at the 2008 Party Conference.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePraised for its unique focus on the role of faith in early 20th-century political leadership.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eProduct Specifications\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 20px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd;\"\u003e9780745953540\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd;\"\u003eLion Hudson (Lion Books)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd;\"\u003ePaperback\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 8px; border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd;\"\u003e2010\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center; margin-top: 40px; font-size: 0.9em; color: #777;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommunity is Our Commodity\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBust-Down Books: A Name You Can Trust\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\n    {\n      \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/\",\n      \"@type\": \"Book\",\n      \"name\": \"Keir Hardie: Labour's Greatest Hero?\",\n      \"author\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Person\",\n        \"name\": \"Bob Holman\"\n      },\n      \"isbn\": \"9780745953540\",\n      \"bookFormat\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/Paperback\",\n      \"datePublished\": \"2010\",\n      \"publisher\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n        \"name\": \"Lion Hudson\"\n      },\n      \"inLanguage\": \"en\",\n      \"brand\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n        \"name\": \"Bust Down Books\"\n      }\n    }\n    \u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Bust-Down Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50890614473019,"sku":"0745953549","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0855\/2077\/7531\/files\/9780745953540.jpg?v=1772293820","url":"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/keir-hardie-labours-greatest-hero","provider":"Bust-Down Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}