Interesting stories from the lives of great people that can inspire. Outstanding citizens of Russia: list, biographies, interesting facts and achievements Biography of legendary people

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All of us, graduates of Soviet and post-Soviet secondary schools, can remember at least something about the famous historical figures. Well, for example, that Gaius Julius Caesar was killed as a result of a conspiracy involving a certain Brutus. Or that Albert Einstein is the author of the general theory of relativity. However, there are a number of interesting facts about famous people that you are unlikely to be taught about at school.

1. Once upon a time, a famous physicist had a chance to become the president of Israel. However, he refused this position with the caveat that he would not be able to decide state affairs due to their significance and scale.

2. Perhaps, while dying, Albert Einstein finally put forward another brilliant theory or said something equally significant. Alas, we will never know about this, since he died in the presence of a nurse who did not understand a word of German.

3. The last wish of the founder of the Nobel Prize was a request not to be considered a promoter of violence due to the fact that he invented dynamite.

4. Queen Anne of England was the mother of 17 children and outlived them all.

5. Elizabeth the First introduced a tax for those men who wore a beard.

6. She also passed a law obliging everyone, except very rich people, to wear special hats on Sunday.

7. One can only guess what happened during feasts before Catherine the First issued a law stating that no man had the right to get drunk during a feast before 21.00.

8. For her wedding, among other things, Queen Victoria received a “piece” of cheese weighing half a ton and three meters in diameter.

9. Lady Astor is credited with saying the following to Prime Minister Winston Churchill: “If you were my husband, I would put poison in your coffee.” They say that a worthy answer was received to this: “If you were my wife, I would drink it.”

10. And the British Prime Minister himself smoked about 15 cigars a day.

11. The autograph of a famous Roman emperor is valued at $2 million. The problem is that no one has been able to find it yet.

12. The appearance of a laurel wreath on the head of Julius Caesar is associated with his attempt to hide the beginning of hair loss.

13. Loving Israeli king Solomon had about 700 wives and at least a hundred mistresses.

14. The sex icon's bra, which Marilyn wore in Some Like It Hot, fetched $14,000 at auction.

15. Famous writer Charles Dickens slept exclusively facing north. He firmly believed that this would help improve his writing talent.

16. What would US President Thomas Jefferson think of his descendants if he learned that the house in which he wrote the Declaration of Independence is now... a diner?

17. George Washington can be proud that his birthday is the only birthday that is an official holiday in all states of America.

18. During World War I, the future Pope John XXIII served as a sergeant in the Italian army.

19. Isaac Newton was interested in occult and supernatural ideas.

20. John Rockefeller gave away more than $500 million to charitable causes during his lifetime.

21. Personally, I am perplexed by the fact that a two-time Nobel Prize winner was unable to become a member of the prestigious French Academy solely because she was a woman.

22. Mozart never went to school.

23. There was a payphone in the mansion of one of the richest people in the world.

24. First Chairman communist party China worked as an assistant librarian at Beijing University before taking power.

25. Three most famous names in China they amaze with their modesty and originality: Jesus Christ, Richard Nixon and Elvis Presley.

26. John Glenn became the first American astronaut which reached the earth's orbit.

27. This professional illusionist claimed that his extraordinary abilities came to him from the distant planet Huva.

And finally

28. Italians owe their national flag Napoleon Bonaparte.

Usually great people differ from the average man in the street, not only in their famous achievements, but also in their character and habits. Among such habits there are many oddities that distinguished many famous personalities. This post contains a selection of oddities of famous people.

Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov was one of the most famous Russian commanders. He did not lose a single battle, and all of them were won with the numerical superiority of the enemy. Suvorov was famous for his strange antics: he went to bed at six in the evening, and woke up at two in the morning, and when he woke up, he wet himself cold water and loudly shouted “ku-ka-re-ku!” Despite all his ranks, he slept on hay. Preferring to wear old boots, he could easily go out to meet high officials in a sleeping cap and underwear. He also gave the signal for the attack to his loved ones “ku-ka-re-ku!”, and, they say, after he was promoted to field marshal, he began jumping over chairs and saying: “And I jumped over this one, and over that one.” That!"

Often famous people were very forgetful and absent-minded. For example, Diderot forgot days, months, years and the names of loved ones. Anatole France sometimes forgot to get a new sheet of paper or notebook and wrote on everything he could get his hands on: envelopes, business cards, wrappers, receipts. But scientists are usually the most absent-minded.

Newton once received guests and, wanting to treat them, went to his office to buy wine. The guests are waiting, but the owner does not return. It turned out that upon entering the workroom, Newton was thinking so deeply about his next work that he completely forgot about his friends. There is also a known case when Newton, having decided to boil an egg, took a watch, noticed the time and after a couple of minutes discovered that he was holding an egg in his hand and was boiling a watch. One day Newton had lunch, but did not notice it. And when he went to dine another time by mistake, he was very surprised that someone ate his food.

Einstein, having met his friend and, absorbed in thoughts, said: Come to me in the evening. I will also have Professor Stimson. His friend, puzzled, objected: But I am Stimson! Einstein replied: It doesn’t matter, come anyway! In addition, Einstein's wife had to repeat the same thing three times before the great physicist understood the meaning of her remarks.

The father of Russian aviation, Zhukovsky, once, after talking the whole evening with friends in his own living room, suddenly got up, looking for his hat, and began to hastily say goodbye, muttering: However, I stayed too long with you, it’s time to go home!

The German historian Theodor Mommsen once rummaged through all his pockets to find glasses. The little girl sitting next to him handed them to him. “Thank you, baby,” Mommsen said, “What’s your name?” “Anna Mommsen, dad,” the girl answered.

One day, Ampere, leaving his apartment, wrote in chalk on his door: Ampere will only be home in the evening. But he returned home in the afternoon. He read the inscription on his door and went back, because he forgot that he himself was Ampere. Another story that was told about Ampere was this. One day, while sitting in a carriage, he wrote the formula with chalk instead of a slate board on the coachman's back. And I was very surprised when, upon arriving at the place and getting off the crew, I saw that the formula began to be removed along with the crew.

Galileo was no less absent-minded. He spent his wedding night reading a book. Finally noticing that it was already dawn, he went to the bedroom, but immediately came out and asked the servant: “Who is lying in my bed?” “Your wife, sir,” answered the servant. Galileo completely forgot that he got married.

Some great ones never married at all. Now this will not surprise anyone, but a hundred years ago it was considered a great oddity. Voltaire, Dante, Rousseau, Spinoza, Kant and Beethoven died as convinced bachelors, believing that a wife would only hinder them from creating, and that a servant would look after the house perfectly.

True, in Beethoven’s house the servants were powerless to maintain any semblance of order: sheets of symphonies and overtures were scattered throughout the office mixed with bottles and plates, and woe to anyone who tried to collect them, disturbing this disorder! And the owner himself at this time, despite any weather, jogged around the streets of the city.

The famous satirist La Fontaine also loved to take a walk. At the same time, he loudly recited the lines and rhymes that came into his bright head, waving his arms and dancing. Fortunately for him, people then treated such individuals quite calmly, and no one called the orderlies.

The famous writer Leo Tolstoy was famous among his contemporaries not only for his works, but also for his quirks. As a count, he worked in the fields along with the men. At the same time, working in the field side by side with the peasants was not an extravagant hobby for him; he sincerely loved and respected hard physical work. Tolstoy, with pleasure and, what is important, with skill, sewed boots, which he then gave to relatives, mowed grass and plowed the land, surprising the local peasants who were watching him and upsetting his wife.

Over the years, Tolstoy became increasingly obsessed with spiritual quests, and he paid less and less attention to everyday life, striving for asceticism and “simplification” in almost everything. The Count engages in hard peasant labor, sleeps on the bare floor and walks barefoot until the coldest weather, thereby emphasizing his closeness to the people. This is exactly how Ilya Repin captured him in his painting, barefoot, wearing a belted peasant shirt and simple trousers.

Lev Nikolaevich maintained physical vigor and fortitude until his very last days. The reason for this is the count’s passionate love for sports and all kinds of physical exercise, which in his opinion were mandatory, especially for those engaged in mental work. Tolstoy’s favorite discipline was walking; it is known that already at the quite respectable age of sixty years, he made three walks from Moscow to Yasnaya Polyana. In addition, the count was fond of speed skating, mastered cycling, horse riding, swimming, and began every morning with gymnastics.

Already at the advanced age of 82 years, the writer decided to go wandering, leaving his estate, leaving his wife and children. IN farewell letter To his Countess Sophia, Tolstoy writes: “I can no longer live in the conditions of luxury in which I lived, and I do what old people of my age usually do: leave worldly life to live in solitude and silence last days own life".

And among scientists, Nikola Tesla was known as one of the most eccentric people. Tesla had neither his own house nor apartment - only a laboratory and land. Great Inventor I usually spent the night right in the laboratory or in hotels in New York. Tesla never married. According to him, a solitary lifestyle helped the development of his scientific abilities.

He was terribly afraid of germs, constantly washed his hands, and in hotels he could demand up to a couple of dozen towels a day. By the way, in hotels he always checked whether the number of his apartment would be a multiple of three, and otherwise he flatly refused to check in. If a fly landed on the table during lunch, Tesla demanded that the waiters bring everything again. In modern psychiatry, there is a special term for this kind of oddity - “mysophobia”.

Tesla counted steps while walking, the volume of bowls of soup, cups of coffee and pieces of food. If he failed to do this, then the food did not give him pleasure, so he preferred to eat alone.

Having become the author of many inventions that changed the life of modern civilization, Nikola Tesla left behind even more rumors and guesses about incredible discoveries, which for some reason never reached their publication and application.

Life always teaches us many lessons, but we can learn not only from our mistakes. After all, you can open biographies of great people and get a lot of valuable advice from them. When you read success stories outstanding personalities, then you understand that not everything is given at once, that for many famous people was difficult fate, there were ups and downs. But they succeeded, which means anyone can succeed!

“I, Faina Ranevskaya...both quarrelsome and lonely”, Faina Ranevskaya

Faina Georgievna Ranevskaya - legendary Soviet actress Belarusian-Jewish origin. Her sharp statements scattered into quotes and became popular. Ranevskaya devoted 60 years of her life to acting, playing on the theater stage and in films. In 1949 and twice in 1951, the actress was awarded the Stalin Prize, and in 1961 she was awarded the title People's Artist of the USSR.

But, despite universal love and recognition, she lived most of her life alone and far from in luxury. And she put the received orders in a separate box with the inscription: “Funeral supplies”...

"Steve Jobs", Walter Isaacson

Biography of the co-founder of Apple Corporation was created with his direct participation. The author of the book was journalist Walter Isaacson. When Steve Jobs When he learned about his terrible diagnosis, he himself suggested that Walter write a book. There were no strict restrictions on the content, so in the end the biography turned out to be extremely honest and unbiased.

Walter Isaacson's book “Steve Jobs” is based on conversations with Steve Jobs himself, as well as with his relatives, friends, enemies, competitors and colleagues. This is a story about a life full of ups and downs, oh strong man and a talented businessman who was one of the first to understand: to succeed in the 21st century, you need to combine creativity and technology. Book with delivery here.

“Life without boundaries. The path to an incredibly happy life, Nick Vujicic

Book “Life without boundaries. Way to awesome happy life» is an inspiring, emotional story about how to overcome difficulties, despair, believe in yourself and become happy.

Nick Vujicic was born without arms and legs, but this does not prevent him from being independent and living a full and vibrant life. He got two higher education, independently types on a computer at a speed of 43 words per minute, surfs, enjoys fishing, swims and even dives from a springboard into the water. It took Nick a long time to see your problems not as an obstacle, but as an opportunity for growth, learn to set big goals for yourself and always achieve them. The book formulates rules of life that helped the author. And now he shares them with readers. Look for books here.

"My Life, My Achievements", Henry Ford

His last name is known to everyone. Henry Ford- American industrialist and inventor. He was burning with ideas to create a “car for everyone” and he succeeded. Ford developed cheapest cars at the dawn of the automobile era. Book "My life. My achievements " is an interesting philosophical and historical treatise that explains the temporary world order.

"Walt Disney: It All Was Started by One Mouse", Nikolai Nadezhdin

“Coco Chanel”, Henri Guidel

Coco Chanel- one of the brightest French fashion designers, founder of the Chanel fashion house, which seriously influenced European fashion of the 20th century. But she is known not only for her passion for work, but also for her vibrant personal life, as well as her friendship with brilliant people – Winston Churchill, Sergei Diaghilev, Cocteau, Jean Marais, Igor Stravinsky. All this makes Henri Guidel's biographical narrative a fascinating “high read.”

“The Rothschilds rule the world. The story of my family, Guy de Rothschild

The author of this book is Baron Guy de Rothschild - banker, member Rothschild financial dynasty. This dynasty is one of the most powerful financial groups, so many believe that it is the Rothschilds who currently rule the world. Is this really so, what is the wealth of this family based on, how do they conduct business, what is their role in international politics, how is their personal life built? Guy de Rothschild reveals the entire history of his house.

"Madonna. The True Biography of the Queen of Pop by Lucy O'Brien

This book is an impartial study by a British music journalist Lucy O'Brien, which became the most full biography queens of the pop scene. There are many different opinions about what Madonna In fact. Her songs are simple, but she herself is a very complex person. Her style is contradictory, her vanity is boundless, and yet she constantly turns her life into a mesmerizing work of art.

Madonna absorbed thousands of different cultures and became best-selling female singer in music history. Experiencing drama and loss, she used music as a way to confront pain and looked for new sources of joy in it.

“Farewell to illusions”, Vladimir Pozner

This book has been waiting for its translation for 18 years. The fact is that Vladimir Pozner wrote it in English, and the book was published in the USA. "Farewell to illusions" spent twelve weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The book is interesting because Vladimir Posner observed many of the major events of the 20th century “with different sides barricades” and is able to talk about it in a fascinating and very poignant way. But the most important thing is that he is trying to soberly and impartially assess Russia, America and Europe. For the first time in Russian literature of the 21st century, the author decides to honestly reflect on issues of national identity, religion, politics and the characteristics of the Russian mentality.

"Remember all. My Incredibly True Story, Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger- American bodybuilder, entrepreneur and actor of Austrian origin, Republican politician, 38th governor of California. In the book he shares unique history own life. He comes from a small Austrian town from a simple family. And at the age of 21 he already lived in Los Angeles and bore the title “ Mister Universe“. His career developed rapidly. How did an actor, an athlete and a politician come together in one person? And in this book, Arnold Schwarzenegger will really remember everything...

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Famous people seem almost ideal to everyone else; it seems that they immediately became famous, or that they cannot get into funny and absurd situations. But, in fact, they are people like everyone else. Not everyone immediately understood what exactly they were talented at, and some did not immediately receive recognition. Reading interesting stories from , you begin to treat them not only as special people, but also as people who can make mistakes, get into ridiculous situations and achieve their goals.

Jules Verne

This is not just a writer of adventure novels, but also one of those authors who could foresee some things. Jules Verne also belonged to this category, and his works were the favorite books of not only children, but also adults. They contained not only fantastic inventions for that time, but also colorful descriptions of nature, depths of the sea. And the life of Jules Verne was as bright and a little mysterious as his novels.

1. Back in 1839, the boy, who was only 11 years old, went to the port of Nantes, where the schooner Coralie was located. This is exactly what this boy chose as a cabin boy. This ship was supposed to go to the fabulous and mysterious India, where he so dreamed of going. But he was noticed in time and put ashore. Many years later, already as a grown man, he told those around him that his calling was in maritime affairs. And he regretted that he could not become a sailor then. This boy was Jules Verne.
2. People often said that his novels described technologies that would be invented in the future. One of these stories is connected with the legend of the writer’s family. Allegedly, in 1863 the writer finished work on the novel “Paris in the 20th Century.” He returned from the publishing house puzzled: the publisher refused to print the manuscript because it was too fantastic! And suddenly, in 1989, Verne’s great-grandson discovered that very novel and the inventions that were described in the book actually existed.
3. Jules Verne is one of those writers who popularized science in society thanks to his writing talent. Therefore, for many designers and engineers spaceships, as well as cosmonauts and astronauts, his books became reference books. His talent and faith in science were rewarded: a large crater on back side Moons.

The famous Russian writer, whose talent was most clearly revealed in drama, managed to completely change the idea of ​​what a play should be. In his works, Anton Pavlovich knew how to very accurately select expressions that would describe all the weaknesses of human nature. At the same time, the writer himself was philanthropic and throughout his life he urged everyone to “take care of the person within you.” Chekhov did not like to write about himself, but notebooks the writer, his letters, memories of people who had the opportunity to communicate with him, allow you to get acquainted with interesting facts from the life of Anton Pavlovich.

1. There was always a place for medicine in Chekhov’s life. After all, initially he saw his calling as a doctor, and writing stories, plays and humorous notes for him was just a way to earn extra money. Among the teachers at the medical faculty where the writer studied was famous Nikolai Sklifosovsky. Later, Anton Pavlovich began working as a doctor.

After some time, there was a change in priorities, and in January 1886 a sign was removed from his door, which stated that a doctor was seeing there. It was not only that Anton Pavlovich began to seriously engage in writing, but a difficult case occurred in his practice: two of his patients died of typhus. During his famous trip to Sakhalin, Chekhov wrote that he was ready to leave medicine.

But, in fact, he always continued to be a doctor. Anton Pavlovich attended various medical congresses to keep up to date latest news in this area. On his estate in Melikhovo he continued to provide medical care to all those in need, and treated the sick in Yalta. Even being already seriously ill, Anton Pavlovich was ready to go to Far East not as a writer, but as a doctor.

2. It was Chekhov who “gave” Sakhalin to Russia. In 1890, the playwright made the most difficult expedition to Sakhalin, which was a place of exile for prisoners and convicts. One newspaper wrote about this trip as significant event. Anton Pavlovich took a responsible approach to the trip: he studied the history of the Russian prison, all kinds of records about the island, the works of historians, geographers and ethnographers about Sakhalin.

When Chekhov went to Sakhalin, then this place was not fully studied, of no interest to anyone, there was not even accurate data on the population. The trip lasted three months, during which the writer took a census of the population and studied the life of convicts. It was thanks to Anton Pavlovich that Russian and foreign researchers became interested in the island.

3. Chekhov was engaged in charity work, which was not limited to one medical care. He raised funds for the needy, built schools, opened public libraries, to which he donated his numerous books, which were of museum value. Well, of course, he helped all the sick and even arranged for those who had little money to go to a sanatorium. All his life he followed his covenant: “Take care of the person within you!”

An outstanding scientist who laid the foundations of chemistry, creator of the periodic table, professor - the life of such talented person, like Dmitry Mendeleev, was just as interesting. There was quite a place in it interesting facts, which reveal a different side to the scientist.

1. The most important well-known fact of the scientist’s biography is the famous dream in which he had periodic table chemical elements. No matter how it gives a certain aura of mystery to Mendeleev’s personality, it is not so. Dmitry Ivanovich created this table through long research and reflection.

Open periodic law was in 1869. On February 17, the scientist sketched a table on the back of one letter, which contained a request to come and help production. Later, Mendeleev wrote on separate cards the names of all chemical elements known at that time, as well as atomic weight and put them in order. Therefore, the trip was postponed, and Dmitry Ivanovich himself plunged into work, as a result of which the periodic table of chemical elements was obtained. And in 1870 the scientist was able to calculate atomic mass those elements that had not yet been studied, which is why there were “empty” spaces in his table, which were later filled with new elements.

2. Despite its numerous scientific works And important discoveries, Dmitry Ivanovich never received Nobel Prize. Although he was nominated for it more than once, each time it was awarded to a different doctor. In 1905, Mendeleev was among the candidates, but the German chemist became the laureate. In 1906, it was decided to present the prize to Dmitry Ivanovich, but then the Royal Swedish Academy changed its mind and presented the award to the French scientist.

In 1907, a proposal was voiced to divide the prize between the Italian scientist and Mendeleev. But on February 2, 1907, the 72-year-old outstanding scientist passed away. Possible reason, due to which Dmitry Ivanovich did not become a laureate, they call the conflict between him and the Nobel brothers. It occurred due to disagreements over the introduction of a tax on oil, thanks to which the brothers were able to get rich and control some of the Russian shares.

The Swedes started a rumor about exhaustion oil field. A special commission was created, among whose members was Mendeleev. He was opposed to introducing a tax, and denied the rumor started by the Nobel brothers, which became the cause of the conflict between the Nobels and the scientist.

3. Despite the fact that for the majority the name Mendeleev is associated with chemistry, in fact, works devoted to chemistry accounted for only 10% of the total amount scientific research. Dmitry Ivanovich was also interested in shipbuilding and participated in the development of navigation in Arctic waters. And he devoted about 40 works to this area.

Mendeleev took Active participation in the construction of the first Arctic icebreaker "Ermak", which was launched on October 29, 1898. For his active participation in the study of Arctic development, a ridge located under water in the Arctic, discovered in 1949, was named in his honor.

The facts written above are only a small part of the cases that happened to these outstanding people. But these stories show that famous personalities did not always immediately determine their calling, tried to set an example for other people and follow their principles. Therefore, interesting stories from the lives of great people can inspire humanity to do something important for the development of science or contribute to art or simply help other people.