Biography

Henry Graham Greene was born on 2 October 1904 in Berkhamsted in England and was one of six children. At the age of eight he went to the Berkhamsted school. As a teenager he was under so immense pressure that he got psychological problems and suffered a nervous breakdown. In 1922 he was enrolled on … Read more

Hippocrates, the central historical figure in Greek medicine, was born in Kos between 470-460 B. C. He was born of an ancestor of Aselepios, the son of Apollo, named Heraklides. He greatened his education by traveling. He traveled often and widely before he settled in Kos to practice and teach medicine. Hippocrates taught in Athens … Read more

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was born on the 27th of January in the year of 1832 and died on the 14th of that same month in 1898. His pseudonym, Lewis Carroll, was born on March 1st, 1856 and was destined to live forever. Most poets live out of sync with the era they exist in, but … Read more

Born in Salem, Mass, Nathaniel Hawthorne was a descendant of a judge in the Salem witch trials. He spent a solitary, bookish childhood with his widowed and antisocial mother. After graduating from Bowdoin College, he returned to Salem and prepared for a writing career with 12 years of solitary study and writing interrupted by summer … Read more

Ann Hopkins was an accomplished college professor, mathematical physicist, and systems management consultant working at Hollins College, IBM, NASA and the accounting firm of Touch Ross. In August of 1978 Hopkins began working for Price Waterhouse (PW), another national accounting firm as a manager in the Management Advisory Services. PW specialized in auditing, tax and … Read more

For centuries Nostradamus’s prophecies have inspired fear and controversy. His followers say he predicted the French Revolution, the birth and rise of Hitler, and the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Did he, as his believers’ claim, predict some of history’s most monumental events – from the Great Fire of London to the launch disaster of … Read more

Aldous Huxley was born in Surray, England on July 26, 1894. He belonged to a dis-tinguished British family, which included T. H. Huxley, an famous scientist and hu-manist; and Julian Huxley, a philosopher of science. Aldous Huxley went to Balliol College, Oxford. He wanted to become a doctor, but an eye infection blinded him, and … Read more

Aphra Behn (1640-1689) was not the first woman writer; neither was she the only woman writer of her day. But Aphra Behn holds the singular distinction of being the first professional woman writer in the English language. That’s right, ladies — Aphra Behn was the first woman writer who did it for money. It was … Read more

Ulysses Simpson Grant served effectively with Zachary Taylor’s army at Monterey during the Mexican war. Right when the war began Grant obtained a position on the staff of General George McClellan. During the war he showed courage in both physically and morally manners. In February 1862 Grant captured Fort Henry and Fort Donelson with help … Read more

Thomas Edison was born in Milan, Ohio on February 11, 1847. When he was young his family moved to Port Huron, Michigan where he attended school for three months – the only formal schooling he ever had. At school most of his teachers often thought him dumb because of all the questions he asked to … Read more

Ralph Waldo Emerson “…was truly one of our great geniuses” even though he may have a short biography (Hodgins 212). But as Emerson once said himself, “Great geniuses have the shortest biographies.” Emerson was also a major leader of “the philosophical movement of Transcendentalism”. (Encarta 1) Transcendentalism was belief in a higher reality than that … Read more

Born January 18, 1782, in Salisbury, New Hampshire, Daniel Webster was a central figure in the nation’s history. He successfully combined his political and legal career and played a role as lawyer, congressman, orator, secretary of state, leader of two parties, and a presidential candidate. His father, recognizing that his son was more suited for … Read more

As the end of the 20th century becomes closer each day, some of us will think back of the good times and memories they’ve had. Some of us may even think of the great leaders or people that have impacted their lives and the world. People such as Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy, or … Read more

The known facts of Chaucer’s life are fragmentary and are based almost entirely on official records. He was born in London between 1340 and 1344, the son of John Chaucer, a vintner. In 1357 he was a page in the household of Prince Lionel, later duke of Clarence, whom he served for many years. In … Read more

Maya Angelou, born April 4, 1928 as Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis, was raised in segregated rural Arkansas. She is a poet, historian, author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, and director. She has been working at Wake Forest University in north Carolina since 1981. She has published ten best selling books and numerous magazine articles earning … Read more

A brilliant virtuoso of violence, Richard Marcinko rose through the Navy ranks to create and command one of America’s most elite and classified counterterrorist units, Seal Team Six. Then Marcinko was given orders to create Red Cell, a team of the best counterterrorists, whose job was to check the security of the military’s top installations. … Read more

Archimedes (287-212 BC), preeminent Greek mathematician and inventor, who wrote important works on plane and solid geometry, arithmetic, and mechanics. Archimedes was born in Syracuse, Sicily, and educated in Alexandria, Egypt. In pure mathematics he anticipated many of the discoveries of modern science, such as the integral calculus, through his studies of the areas and … Read more

Jennifer Lopez was born in the Bronx, New York on July 20, 1970. She is the daughter of a computer specialist Kindergarten teacher. Lopez always knew se wanted to be a performer. She started her showbiz career by appearing in the chorus of dancer, singer and choreographer Hinton Battles Synchrocinicity musical in Japan. Jennifer Lopez … Read more

Painter, sculptor, inventor. Born April 15, 1452 near the village of Vinci, Italy. He was the illegitimate son of Ser Piero da Vinci, a prominent notary of Florence, who had no other children until much later. Ser Piero raised his son himself, a common practice at the time, arranging for Leonardo’s mother to marry a … Read more

In their books: Copland: 1900 through 1942 and Copland: Since 1943, Aaron Copland and Vivian Perlis give a detailed account of the life of one of Americas most influential composers. The books are arranged similarly to the Shostakovich biography that our class reviewed earlier this semester. That is, through personal accounts by Copland himself along … Read more

Stephen Sondheim was born on 22 March 1930, the son of a wealthy New York dress manufacturer. But, when his parents divorced, his mother moved to Bucks County, Pennsylvania and young Stephen found himself in the right place at the right time. A neighbour of his mother’s, Oscar Hammerstein II, was working on a new … Read more

Harold Pinter is one of the greatest British dramatists of our time. Pinter has written a number of absurd masterpieces including The Birthday Party, The Caretaker, The Homecoming, Betrayal, Old Times, and Ashes to Ashes. He has also composed a number of radio plays and several volumes of poetry. His screenplays include The French Lieutenant’s … Read more

It’s hard today to speak about Handel’s life and works without mentioning the similarities between him and Bach; first of all they were born in the same year:1685, even if it’s not a case than the most geniuses of the late baroque era (Couperin, Telemann Scarlatti ) would have almost been all co-aged. Neverhless unlike … Read more

Gabriel Jos Garca Mrquez was born on March 6, 1928 in Aracataca, a town in Northern Colombia, where he was raised by his maternal grandparents in a house filled with countless aunts and the rumors of ghosts. But in order to get a better grasp on Garca Mrquez’s life, it helps to understand something first … Read more

Cleopatra’s father was Ptolemy XII, who began his rule of Egypt in 80 BC but he was not respected and thought to be weak. His nickname was “Auletes”, which means flute player in Greek. Cleopatra’s mother could possibly be Cleopatra V, who either died or disappeared in 68 BC. Cleopatra had two older sisters, two … Read more

David Garricks contemporaries felt it would be vanity to describe his acting (Stone and Kahrl 27). Vanity has never stopped Shane Davis from doing anything ! David Garrick was considered to be the most influential and skilled actor of his time. Garrick is credited with revolutionizing the portrayal of character. His concept of experiencing the … Read more

Johannes Kepler is now remembered for discovering the three laws of planetary motion, and writing about them in books that were published in 1609 and 1619. He also did important work in optics, discovered two new regular polyhedra, gave the first mathematical treatment of close packing of equal spheres, gave the first proof of how … Read more

Nearly anyone knows Ness’ accomplishments in Cleveland when he went up against Al Capone. Most also know Capone eventually went to jail for tax evasion, but what happened to Ness and his Untouchables? Did they merely fade away into quiet life? The fate of Ness was quite the opposite, he continued doing what he fell … Read more

When Charlie Chaplin was a little boy, a sheep escaped on its way to a slaughterhouse near where he lived. Charlie and other youngsters chased the sheep around, laughing and having fun. But when it was taken away, Charlie realized the sad finality of death and cried to his mother. That incident paved the way … Read more