Playwright Noel Coward, designer Mary Quant, artist David Hockney, actor Alan Bates, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, author Daphne du Maurier: the parade of people who have stepped in front of John Hedgecoe's camera come from all walks of life. And no matter who he has photographed in his stellar forty-year career, Hedgecoe has always succeeded in snapping a stylish shot that lets the subject's personality shine through. Here are the best of the best, in an unrivaled collection of classic portraits, accompanied by short, entertaining anecdotes. Some, like mystery writer Agatha Christie and composer Igor Stravinsky, are among the most famous individuals of our age; others-like Louise, a child contortionist who could bend her body in amazing positions and keep a big smile on her face--are unknown, but every bit as compelling. Together, they capture Hedgecoe's brilliant career, from his early days on Queen magazine to his years as Professor of Photography at the Royal College of Art in London.