Shirley Hazzard
Shirley Hazzard is one of the most singular, erudite, and elegant prose writers to have lived.
La Pelegrina pearl
La Pelegrina pearl is one of the most famous pearls in the world. Its history spans more than 350 years, and it has survived both the French Revolution of 1789–99 and the Russian Bolshevik revolution of 1917. It was owned by European kings and queens. The pearl was found by an African slave on the coast of the isle of Santa Margarita in the Gulf of Panama in the mid-16th century. The slave who found it was rewarded with freedom. The enormous silvery luster oval shaped perfect pearl weighs 203.84 grains. It was purchased for Taylor in 1969 by Richard Burton on Valentines Day for $37,000.00.
Ainu
The Ainu of Japan are typically said to descend from the Jomon people, who appeared in Japan around 16,000 years ago, and are also associated with the Emishi people and the Satsumon, who were both active around 700 CE and into the early 1000s CE. Like their ancestors, the Ainu were hunter-gatherers. During the summer, they would gather plants and fish for salmon, and during the fall and winter, they would hunt rabbit, bear and ezo deer. Tattooing among the Ainu was for women only. A specially trained woman would tattoo a girl’s face and perhaps forehead. The process of the tattooing began early, around age 6 or 7. A few dots at first, near the upper lip, made with small cuts from a ceremonial knife. Each year new cuts would be made, and the cuts rubbed with charcoal (specifically birch charcoal, for its rich, dark color), and then the wound would be cleaned in an antiseptic made of boiled ash bark. The process continued until her wedding day, when the groom would make the final cuts that turned the tattoo into a smile.
Roy Cohn
Roy Cohn (1927–1986) was an American lawyer and political figure who rose to prominence as chief counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy during the 1950s Red Scare. Known for his aggressive and often controversial legal tactics, Cohn played a central role in McCarthy's anti-communist hearings, which sought to expose alleged communist influence in government and other institutions. Following his work with McCarthy, Cohn became a powerful and polarizing figure in New York's legal and political circles. He represented high-profile clients, including business leaders and organized crime figures, and was known for his connections to influential individuals, including Donald Trump, whom he mentored during Trump's early career. Cohn's career was marked by accusations of unethical behavior, including the manipulation of evidence and witness intimidation. In 1986, he was disbarred by the New York Supreme Court on charges of professional misconduct. He died later that year from complications related to AIDS, a diagnosis he denied publicly.
Surya Bonaly
Surya Bonaly is the only Olympic figure skater to land a backflip on one blade; she performed it at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
Matthäus Schwarz
Matthäus Schwarz was a German accountant, best known for compiling his Klaidungsbüchlein or Trachtenbuch (usually translated as "Book of Clothes"), a book cataloguing the clothing that he wore between 1520 and 1560. The book has been described as "the world's first fashion book".
Cándido López
Cándido López was an Argentine soldier and painter who worked in the Naïve style. He is best known for his historical scenes from the Paraguayan War in which he fought.
Boskoop
Boskoop is a town in the South Holland province of the Netherlands, recognized for its extensive horticultural history and its network of canals. Established in the Middle Ages, Boskoop became a center for tree and plant nurseries, a reputation it maintains today as one of the largest nursery districts in the world. The town’s geography is defined by its narrow waterways and low-lying agricultural plots, which are characteristic of the Dutch polder landscape. Boskoop is also known for its efficient transportation systems, historically using boats to move goods through its canals.
Philippe Jullian
Philippe Jullian was a French writer, illustrator, and art historian known for his wit, eccentricity, and deep engagement with the aesthetics of the Belle Époque and fin-de-siècle periods. Born in Bordeaux into an aristocratic family, Jullian developed an early fascination with decadence and symbolism, which became central themes in his work. He gained prominence through his biographies of cultural figures like Oscar Wilde, Edward VII, and Sarah Bernhardt, offering incisive and often humorous portraits of their lives and times.
MV Lyubov Orlova
The MV Lyubov Orlova was a Soviet-built cruise ship that gained notoriety not for its voyages, but for its strange and mysterious fate after being abandoned at sea. Constructed in 1976 in Yugoslavia and named after the famed Russian actress Lyubov Orlova, the ship initially served as a luxury liner for expeditions in polar regions, ferrying passengers to destinations like Antarctica. For decades, it operated as a charter vessel, but financial troubles caught up with the ship, and it was seized in 2010 in Canada due to unpaid debts. In 2013, after sitting docked for years, the Lyubov Orlova was sold for scrap in the Dominican Republic. During its tow from Canada, the ship broke free from its tug in rough seas near Newfoundland. Efforts to secure it failed, and the derelict vessel drifted into international waters. Declared a hazard to navigation, it was to be monitored, but over time, tracking ceased, and the ship effectively disappeared.