World Biographical Encyclopedia

Charles Sanders Peirce

Charles Sanders Peirce was an American scientist, logician, and philosopher. He is noted for his work on the logic of relations and on pragmatism as a method of research.

Dmitry Shostakovich

Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Russian composer and pianist. He is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century.

Kenule "Ken" Beeson Saro-Wiwa was a Nigerian writer, television producer and environmental activist. He was also an outspoken critic of the Nigerian government, which he viewed as reluctant to enforce environmental regulations on the foreign petroleum companies operating in the Niger Delta.

David Brewer

David Josiah Brewer was an American jurist and an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court for 20 years. Mr. Brewer was one of four justices nominated by President Harrison to the Supreme Court. He served during The Fuller Court.

Jared Leto

Jared Leto is an American actor, singer, composer, director and producer. He is known for roles in the films Requiem for a Dream and Dallas Buyers Club. He is also co-founder and lead singer of the rock band 30 Seconds to Mars.

Hermann Minkowski

Hermann Minkowski was a German mathematician. He created and developed the geometry of numbers. Minkowski is best known for his work in relativity.

John Kellogg

John Harvey Kellogg was the 19th century medical practitioner, who is primarily credited with development of a proper nutritious breakfast in the form of flaked cereals, that almost brought a revolution. He was also the founder and the first President of Battle Creek College, and known for his Battle Creek Sanatorium.

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic is a Serbian tennis player who was one of the game's premier performers in the early 21st century when he won 17 Grand Slam titles. He is currently ranked world No. 1 in men's singles tennis.

Joseph Story

Joseph Story was an American lawyer and jurist who served on the Supreme Court of the United States from 1811 to 1845. He is most remembered for his opinions in Martin v. Hunter's Lessee and The Amistad case, and especially for his magisterial Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, first published in 1833.

Philip I Landgrave of Hesse

Philip I of Hesse was the Landgrave (Landgraf) of the German province of Hesse. He is best known for being one of the first Reformers of the Protestant Reformism in Germany. Also, Philip I is well-known for being one of the early Protestant rulers of Germany. He had championed the independence of the prince of Germany against Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor.

Dominique Pire

Dominique Pire was a Belgian cleric and educator. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1958 for his aid to displaced persons in Europe after World War II.

Walter Scott

Sir Walter Scott is the most acknowledged Scottish novelist and poetmaster of the historical novel who was popular throughout much of the world in the 19th century. He still remains one of the most influential authors of modern times. His work was widely read and imitated across the whole of Europe throughout the Nineteenth-Century in particular and his influence is marked even in such writers as ...

Luiz da Silva

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, popularly known simply as Lula, is a Brazilian politician and former union leader who served as the 35th President of Brazil from 1 January 2003 to 1 January 2011.

Silas Mitchell

Silas Weir Mitchell was an American physician and neurologist. In addition, Mitchell wrote novels, short stories, and poetry.

Gérard de Villiers

Gérard de Villiers was a French writer and journalist. He's famous for his spy novel series about Prince Malko Linge, Austrian Prince and CIA operative. De Villiers wrote 200 novels that were sold in over 150 million copies worldwide. Each of them is full with high-paced action, unique characters and vivid sex scenes, which is why he is considered to be the successor of Ian Fleming, creator of Ja...

Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston was an American singer, actress, producer and model and is considered to be one of the world's best-selling music artists, whose albums have diamond, multi-platinum, platinum or gold certification. Moreover, she is the most awarded female artist of all time.