Fascinating and Surprising Facts About Famous Historical Figures
Pearl S. Buck Learned Chinese Before English
Pearl S. Buck, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, spent her early years in China, where she learned to speak Chinese before she even learned English. Ironically, her most famous novel The Good Earth — which earned her the Nobel Prize — was rejected by 14 publishers before finally making it into print.
Charlie Chaplin and His Young Brides
Known as the king of silent film comedy, Charlie Chaplin’s romantic life was as dramatic as his movies. He married four times — all to younger women. His first and second wives were only 16 years old at the time of marriage, his third was 24, and his last was 18.
Charles Bronson’s Russian Name
Before he became a Hollywood action hero, Charles Bronson was born Charles Buchinsky. Fearing that his name sounded too Russian during the Cold War era, he adopted "Bronson" from a street near a Hollywood studio.
Gandhi and a Book Called Lustful Stories
Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence is world-famous. What’s lesser known is that the idea reportedly came to him while reading a book titled Lustful Stories. He was also known to take sedatives to maintain calmness during moments of civil disobedience.
James A. Garfield — The Multilingual President
The 20th President of the United States, James Garfield, was a professor of Greek and Latin. It’s said he could write in Greek with one hand and Latin with the other — simultaneously — while holding a conversation in English.
Ivan the Terrible's Tragic Transformation
Czar Ivan IV of Russia, known as Ivan the Terrible, initiated a reign of terror in 1565. Some historians believe his violent behavior may have been the result of syphilis, which he contracted after the death of his wife Anastasia. In his later years, he turned to religion and eventually became a monk under the name Jonah.
Charlton Heston as a Nude Model
Before rising to fame as an epic film actor, Charlton Heston worked as a nude model at an art school in New York — earning just $1.25 per hour.
Hitler's Early Catholic Aspirations
Adolf Hitler, who would later become one of history’s most infamous dictators, was a devout Catholic in his youth and even considered becoming a priest. According to The People’s Almanac, he also owned 8,900 acres of land in Colorado.
Thomas Jefferson and the Paradox of Freedom
Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and a champion of liberty, owned 130 slaves during his lifetime — a stark contradiction that continues to spark debate among historians.
James Joyce Wrote Blind
Irish novelist James Joyce, known for his complex and experimental style, was nearly blind when he wrote his final and most surreal work, Finnegans Wake. His deteriorating eyesight made the process grueling, yet he continued to write with the help of assistants.