Category: Biography
Emile Zola Emile Zola, (1840-1902). French novelist, who founded the naturalist movement in writing. He began work as a journalist and made his name in the literary world with …
Franco Zeffirelli Franco Zeffirelli, (1923- ). Italian opera, stage, and film director. Born illegitimate and orphaned as a young child, he began his career as an actor and theatrical …
Emil Zatopek Emil Zatopek, (1922- ). Czech athlete. The greatest runner of his time, he won his first Olympic gold medal in the 10,000 metres in 1948. Four years …
Yevgeny Yevtushenko Yevgeny Yevtushenko, (1933- ). Russian poet and writer. He was already publishing poems in journals at the age of 17, but made his name in the ‘thaw’ …
Boris Yeltsin Boris Yeltsin, (1931- ) Russian politician; president (1991- ). Born in Sverdlovsk, he worked in the construction industry before becoming a full-time Communist Party worker in the …
William Butler Yeats William Butler Yeats, (1865-1939). Irish poet and dramatist. The son of a painter, he studied art until 1889, when he published his first volume of poems, …
Xerxes Xerxes (c. 529-465 BC). King of Persia. He succeeded his father Darius in 486 BC and in 480 invaded Greece with enormous forces. After meeting unexpected resistance at …
Xenophon Xenophon (c. 432-350 BC). Greek soldier and author. In 400 BC he led 10,000 Greek mercenaries, the survivors of an unsuccessful expedition against Persia, through hostile territory to …
