Mark Twain (1835 - 1910) American writer, humorist, publisher, and lecturer.

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 - April 15, 1865) The 16th president of the United States from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865

Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885) French poet, novelist, and dramatist. He is considered to be one of the greatest French writers. 

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844 -1900) German philosopher, cultural critic, composer, poet, philologist, and a Latin and Greek scholar.

Eugène Ionesco (1909 - 1994) Romanian-born French dramatist. Wrote mostly in French, and was one of the foremost dramatists of the 20th century. 

Mary Ann Evans (1819 - 1880) Also known by her pen name George Eliot, was one of the leading English writers of the Victorian era .

Will Durant,  Durant explains,  "The essential causes of Rome's decline lay in her people, her morals, her class struggle, her failing trade, her bureaucratic despotism, her stifling taxes, her consuming wars"

(Will Durant, Caesar and Christ, p. 665).

Albert Camus ~ (November 7, 1913 – January 4, 1960) French philosopher, author, and journalist.

Photo credit: Manfred Richter

Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC) Chinese philosopher and politician. His philosophy emphasized personal and governmental morality, sincerity and justice.

Albert Camus ~ (1913 – 1960) French philosopher, author, and journalist.