Sphere signs Ross Edgley’s exploration of heroism

Publishing director Tig Wallace of Sphere, an imprint of Little, Brown Book Group, has acquired world all language rights directly from the author to How to Hero: Find Strength, Forge Resilience and Fulfil Your Purpose by Ross Edgley. Publication is scheduled for 8th October 2026.

In How to Hero, Edgley explores the science, psychology and history of heroism, uncovering what drives ordinary people to do extraordinary things, the publisher description reads: “Blending modern neuroscience with ancient mythology and lived experience at the very edge of human endurance, he argues that resilience is not an innate gift possessed by the few, but a trainable human capacity – one that can be built deliberately and called upon when it matters most.”

The blurb states: “Written during Edgley’s historic 1,000-mile (1,600-km) swim around the entire coast of Iceland, How to Hero follows his journey through Arctic storms, active volcanoes and one of the largest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic. Along the way, Edgley weaves together Nordic sagas and contemporary neuropsychology to explore one of the most powerful tools any human can wield against adversity and suffering: purpose.”

Edgley said:”‘I am so excited to return home to Sphere where my writing career began. This has been my most ambitious book to date, moving between Nordic mythology and modern neuroscience, and written over five years. How to Hero teaches us how resilience can be built, trained and weaponised for the moments when life gets hard. Essentially, we are all on a hero’s journey in some form – my hope is that this book helps readers to answer the call.”

Wallace commented: “We’re thrilled to welcome Ross back to Sphere, the home of his incredible first bestseller ,The World’s Fittest Book, which has sold 250,000 copies to date. In How to Hero, Ross takes the reader through not just an implausible, boundary-pushing feat, but something deeper and vital. He finally solves the puzzle of what drives him to tackle challenge after challenge and, in doing so, shares lessons and philosophies that anyone can use to shift their own mindset and find meaning. It’s a gripping story and a practical, eye-opening manual, from an author we’re hugely proud to publish.”