The definitive New Zealand's Top 100 History-Makers, which profiles the people who have shaped New Zealand, is staggering in its scope. The 100 people profiled by author Joseph Romanos range from politicians and inventors to musicians and sports stars. New Zealand's icons, including Edmund Hillary, Kate Sheppard, Jean Batten, Apirana Ngata and Ernest Rutherford, are all there. So, too, are a huge variety of others who have shaped New Zealand, such as bungy jumping pioneer A J Hackett, John Clarke of Fred Dagg fame, Maori leader Whina Cooper, activist John Minto, film-maker Peter Jackson and musician Dave Dobbyn. The early years of New Zealand's history are well covered, through the stories of such people as Hone Heke and Samuel Marsden. So are more recent achievers like Neil and Tim Finn, Michael King and Billy T James. New Zealand's Top 100 History-Makers, which sprang out of the seven-part television series of the same name, is brilliantly illustrated and outstandingly-researched. It will be fascinating reading for anyone with an interest in the people who have made New Zealand the country it is, as well as an essential learning resource.