Last Working-Class Hero : The Biography of Bob Crow

Bob Crow was fearless, controversial and always ready for a fight.

A passionate campaigner for the workers, he was loved by union members and feared by employers - a true working-class hero. Colleagues saw him as dedicated, intelligent and shrewd.

To employers and political opponents he was a firebrand who brought chaos to London on a regular basis with strikes on the Underground.

Without doubt Britain's best-known union leader, you either loved him or hated him, but most who knew him also respected him. Widespread emotion and affection, some from unexpected sources, followed his death at the early age of fifty-two.

Those who had done battle with him across the negotiating table expressed respect for his dedication and commitment.

Thousands lined the streets for his funeral procession.

Transport for London displayed posters of a man who was their fiercest opponent, at all tube stations.

His union supporters carried banners declaring him a legend - to many people he was. It's unlikely that there will be anyone else quite like Bob Crow.

Why did he stand out so much when other union leaders struggle to be visible? And where does his death leave the union movement?This entertaining and balanced biography, rich with anecdotes from those who knew him best, answers all of these questions but also asks if Bob Crow really was the last working-class hero