Robert Schumann’s fight with mental illness
On this day in 1810 the German composer Robert Schumann was born. During his forty six years he composed a body of musical work that... Read More
Paul Gauguin, stockbroker extraordinaire
On this day in 1848 the French painter Paul Gauguin was born in Paris. Gauguin’s family moved to Peru a year later and he did... Read More
Giacomo Casanova, philanderer and lottery salesman
On this day in 1798 the Venetian adventurer and philanderer Giacomo Casanova died. People who are so well known that their own name becomes a... Read More
Franz Kafka’s horror stories
On this day in 1924 the Czech author Franz Kafka died. Anyone who reads his work is likely to be horrified and strangely, amused. Here... Read More
Thomas Hardy’s ‘Jude the Obscure’ sold in brown paper bags
On this day in 1840 the English author and poet Thomas Hardy was born. Hardy qualified as an architect but practiced this profession very little.... Read More
Reinhold Niebuhr composes the Serenity Prayer
On this day in 1971 American pastor, academic and theologian Reinhold Niebuhr died. Born into a devout German immigrant family, Niebuhr worked in Detroit for... Read More
Rameses II, Great Pharoah of Egypt, dies of toothache
On this day in 1279 BC Rameses II of Egypt became Pharaoh. Said by many to be the greatest of all the pharaohs, this warrior... Read More