The contenders in tonight's second semi-final are: Brian Bibby (civil servant) History of the Belgian Royal Family; Isobel Osmont (wife and mother) Life and times of Simon Bolivar; Patrick Welch (retired lecturer) Life and times of H H Asquith; Philip Atkinson (media director) The Dance to the Music of Time novels of Anthony Powell. With Magnus Magnusson from the Whitworth Hall at the University of Manchester.