Sainthood is a posthumous honour, but the business of who deserves the title is a live issue - witness the canonisation this month of Padre Pio, a 20th-century Italian friar. But what determines who becomes a saint? The Inside Story this week raises possibilities for looking at how history is interpreted and at the nature of belief. My apologies if the parade of images of one legendary saint are not to your taste but George, the patron of English football, has had a great season - though it may astonish some fans to learn that George does not hold an exclusive contract with England. He is also the patron saint of Germany...

“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel,” according to Dr Johnson, who used quotations to illustrate word use in his dictionary. Read our survey of the best on the market for class use (page 20).