Which historical figure would you like to meet?

[DougS]

And why?

Predictably it would be Charles Darwin for me. There are several things I'd like to know. Was he as nice as he seems in the stories about him? What did he really, really believe about god? And I'd like to know more about his symptoms to see if I, as a medically unqualified but reasonable well education person of the 21st century could diagnose his illness. Most of all, I want to know exactly when natural selection dawned on him. And I'd love to be able to tell him what's happened to evolutionary theory since. Even better would be to introduce him to Richard Dawkins and watch them getting along together.

[Ninny]

The woman about whom I am trying to write. I know I would loathe her, but she could answer so many questions.

[Maria Mac]

I second Charles Darwin.

In addition, I'd like to meet the Boleyn women: Anne because she was so accomplished and I'd like to know her thinking about various social and political questions and about her philanthropic gestures about which little is known but apparently she was unusual for her time and status in her efforts at providing some systematic poverty relief from her own purse; her sister Mary because I'd like know to whether her survival was down to luck or good judgement on her part; their sister-in-law Jane Boleyn because history has painted her a villain and I don't really believe this; finally, Anne's daughter, Elizabeth I, because she seems to have been a phenomenon and I really wonder what her personality was like.

[Firebrand]

Beethoven, though I think he'd be a bit scary as a person. I just find him fascinating.

[Alan H]

Richard Feynman

I find him a fascinating character, particularly after reading a book of his letters. A good person to know if you ever got stuck with calculus or a lock you'd lost the key for!

[Zoe]

Jesus of Nazareth:

Did he exist? What he Christ? How did he spend his teenage years. There are so many things I'd like to ask but never will.....maybe, just maybe, I'll meet him one day.

[Alan C.]

Zoe

How did he spend his teenage years.

Yes I'd also like to know that, it seems he morphed from being a baby to being a 30 year old, with nothing in between, I'd also want to ask him why he never married, apparently it would have been unheard of at the time, for a 30 year old Jewish male not to have a wife, oh but he did like to hang out with "the boys" didn't he

There are so many things I'd like to ask but never will.....maybe, just maybe, I'll meet him one day.

Don't hold your breath Zoe

[Nick]

Don't hold your breath Zoe

...or you might meet him sooner than you might think!


(But probably not.)

[xman]

William Shakespeare. I'm sure there are many hours of stimulating conversation to be had, not to mention that it would be awesome to spend some time in rehearsal with him. The man understood his society very well and knew what made great theatre.

X

[duncolm]

John Muir,
to be inspired by a man who escaped a horrendous religious upbringing, recognised and worked to protect the beauty of nature.

[SkiCarver]

ditto the dick feynman. If you could keep up, I'm sure spending time with him would be fascinating.

I'm sure there would also be some satifaction meeting hitler. Just to be able to kick him in the nuts. There would be some small comfort to know that he is suffering in the non-existant afterlife.

[thundril]

Kit Marlowe. I would have kept him out of duels. If he had lived longer, IMO he would have left Shakespeare in the dust!

[Maria Mac]

Kit Marlowe. I would have kept him out of duels. If he had lived longer, IMO he would have left Shakespeare in the dust!

Yes, he'd be a good one. I'd also like to meet Shakespeare himself and his wife and to know what their relationship was really like. I'll just have to read Germaine Greer's new book on the subject. *hint*

I'd like to know the same about Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester and alleged lover of Queen Elizabeth, and his unfortunate wife who died in mysterious circumstances.

A lot of people I'd like to meet are for the purpose of helping me solve historical mysteries. I could make a fortune.

[Beki]

Agree with Maria on Elizabeth I - the Tudor times always seem fascinating and lots of stealth and intrigue surrounded her.

On a more patriotic note perhaps William Wallace to see if he really did speak with an Australian accent?

I would love to have been around at the time of Mozart and found a way of telling him that he was going to be remembered in history as one of the greatest composers of all time.

Good question though. I will need to have a think and see if I can come up with any more......

[kbell]

I think Rabbie Burns would be an interesting person to have a few drinks with.

[Alan H]

I'll just have to read Germaine Greer's new book on the subject. *hint*

It arrived in the post this morning, dear!

*Some Brownie points for me, he said smugly!*

[Parapraxis]

Erich Fromm, although he would not be my first choice of person I would wish to meet as that said person is still alive and thus hardly "from history". Even Fromm is not much of a historical figure, but his book (The Fear of Freedom) is one of the few books that has "struck an intuitive chord" with me.

[Maria Mac]

I'll just have to read Germaine Greer's new book on the subject. *hint*

It arrived in the post this morning, dear!

*Some Brownie points for me, he said smugly!*

Thank you. I won't divorce now.

[Grim Reaper]

Adolf. I have some questions to ask ....