Reading lists
Every list is drawn from the index and ordered by birth, so a list reads as a sequence rather than a pile. Save any of them to your library.
By era
Read a century end to end and watch one set of ideas hand off to the next.
The 15th–17th century
Lives born between 1401 and 1700, read in order of birth — the arc of one long age.
24 lives
The 18th century
Lives born between 1701 and 1800, read in order of birth — the arc of one long age.
23 lives
The 19th century
Lives born between 1801 and 1900, read in order of birth — the arc of one long age.
125 lives
The 1st–5th century
Lives born between 1 and 500, read in order of birth — the arc of one long age.
14 lives
The 20th century
Lives born between 1901 and 2000, read in order of birth — the arc of one long age.
181 lives
The 6th–14th century
Lives born between 501 and 1400, read in order of birth — the arc of one long age.
31 lives
By field
A discipline told through the people who built it, in the order they arrived.
A course in Literature
The people who built literature as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
125 lives
A course in Philosophy
The people who built philosophy as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
87 lives
A course in Medicine
The people who built medicine as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
55 lives
A course in Biology
The people who built biology as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
36 lives
A course in Mathematics
The people who built mathematics as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
32 lives
A course in Physics
The people who built physics as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
32 lives
A course in Economics
The people who built economics as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
28 lives
A course in Chemistry
The people who built chemistry as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
26 lives
A course in Astronomy
The people who built astronomy as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
24 lives
A course in Engineering
The people who built engineering as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
23 lives
A course in History
The people who built history as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
23 lives
A course in Integrative Medicine
The people who built integrative medicine as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
21 lives
A course in New Thought
The people who built new thought as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
21 lives
A course in Peace
The people who built peace as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
19 lives
A course in Education
The people who built education as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
16 lives
A course in Political Economy
The people who built political economy as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
15 lives
A course in Politics
The people who built politics as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
15 lives
A course in Traditional Chinese Medicine
The people who built traditional chinese medicine as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
11 lives
A course in Ayurveda
The people who built ayurveda as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
10 lives
A course in Business
The people who built business as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
10 lives
A course in Theology
The people who built theology as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
10 lives
A course in Computing
The people who built computing as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
9 lives
A course in Functional Medicine
The people who built functional medicine as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
9 lives
A course in Nutrition
The people who built nutrition as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
9 lives
A course in Psychology
The people who built psychology as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
9 lives
A course in Public Health
The people who built public health as we practise it, in the order they arrived.
6 lives
By country
The essential lives of a single nation, earliest record to the present day.
United States: the essential lives
76 figures from United States, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
76 lives
United Kingdom: the essential lives
34 figures from United Kingdom, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
34 lives
India: the essential lives
26 figures from India, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
26 lives
Germany: the essential lives
21 figures from Germany, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
21 lives
China: the essential lives
18 figures from China, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
18 lives
France: the essential lives
16 figures from France, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
16 lives
Italy: the essential lives
15 figures from Italy, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
15 lives
Japan: the essential lives
11 figures from Japan, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
11 lives
Austria: the essential lives
10 figures from Austria, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
10 lives
Russia: the essential lives
7 figures from Russia, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
7 lives
Brazil: the essential lives
6 figures from Brazil, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
6 lives
Canada: the essential lives
6 figures from Canada, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
6 lives
Egypt: the essential lives
6 figures from Egypt, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
6 lives
Australia: the essential lives
5 figures from Australia, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
5 lives
Hungary: the essential lives
5 figures from Hungary, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
5 lives
Iran: the essential lives
5 figures from Iran, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
5 lives
New Zealand: the essential lives
5 figures from New Zealand, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
5 lives
Poland: the essential lives
5 figures from Poland, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
5 lives
Spain: the essential lives
5 figures from Spain, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
5 lives
Argentina: the essential lives
4 figures from Argentina, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
4 lives
Ireland: the essential lives
4 figures from Ireland, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
4 lives
Netherlands: the essential lives
4 figures from Netherlands, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
4 lives
Nigeria: the essential lives
4 figures from Nigeria, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
4 lives
Sweden: the essential lives
4 figures from Sweden, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
4 lives
Uzbekistan: the essential lives
4 figures from Uzbekistan, from the earliest recorded to the present day.
4 lives