Topic

Biography & Personal Stories

A collection of 192 issues

Abandoned Thrice: The Brutal Childhood That Forged Lafcadio Hearn

Lafcadio Hearn, a celebrated writer of ghost stories and Japanese folklore, endured a brutal childhood. Born in Greece to an Irish father and Greek mother, he was abandoned first by his father, then his mother, and finally by the great-aunt who raised him, leaving him destitute and alone.

How Playing the T-1000 Forced Robert Patrick to Terminate a Secret Addiction

Robert Patrick's iconic role as the T-1000 in Terminator 2 demanded extreme physical endurance. To embody the relentless machine, he had to confront and overcome a secret substance addiction, getting completely sober to deliver his career-defining performance.

The 50% Promise: How Charles Ponzi's Postage Stamp Scam Became a Legend

Charles Ponzi promised investors an astonishing 50% return in 45 days by exploiting price differences in international postal coupons. In reality, he never traded the coupons, instead using money from new investors to pay earlier ones, creating the blueprint for the modern financial scam.

The Boy with 18 Names: A Story of Hope Aboard an Irish Famine Ship

Amid the horrors of the Irish Famine, the ship Jeanie Johnston had a perfect safety record. On one voyage, a baby was born and given 18 names by the passengers and crew—a powerful symbol of community and hope in a time of despair. This is the story of Nicholas Johnston Reilly.

The Last Civil War Echo: How a Union Drummer Boy Lived to See the Dawn of Rock and Roll

Albert Woolson, the last verified Union veteran of the Civil War, was a living bridge to the past. He wasn't just a historical footnote; he was a drummer boy who lived until 1956, witnessing the world's transformation from the age of Lincoln to the dawn of the atomic era and rock and roll.

Fleeing the Inquisition, Burned by the Reformation: The Tragic Heresy of Michael Servetus

In 1553, theologian Michael Servetus escaped a Catholic death sentence for heresy. Seeking refuge in Protestant Geneva, he was arrested at the behest of John Calvin, tried for the same heresy, and burned at the stake. His story is a stark tale of Reformation-era intolerance.

The Last Tommy Was a Woman: Florence Green and the End of the Great War Era

On Feb 4, 2012, Florence Green, the last surviving WWI veteran and WRAF member, died at 110. Her passing severed the final living link to the Great War, closing a monumental chapter of history and leaving behind a world shaped by a conflict now passed entirely from memory to record.