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Émile Zola was born on April 2, 1840, in Paris, France. His father was an Italian engineer. Young Zola studied at the Collége Bourbon in Provence, where his schoolmate and friend was Paul Cezanne. In 1858 Zola returned to Paris and became a student at the Lycée Saint-Louis, from which he graduated in 1862. After working at clerical jobs, he began to write a literary column for a Parisian newspaper. Zola's main literary work was "Les Rougon-Macquart", a monumental cycle of twenty novels about Parisian society during the French Second Empire under Napoleon III and after the Franco-Prussian War.

Zola was the founder of the Naturalist movement in 19th-century literature. His medicinal approach in scrupulous description of the lives of ordinary people was based on the contemporary theory of hereditary determinism, which he used to demonstrate how genetic and environmental factors influence human behavior. His most notable novels, "L'assommoir" (1877), "Nana" (1880) and "Germinal" (1885), displayed Zola's concerns of both scientific and artistic nature, as well as his stances on social reform. His life in the Parisian intellectual elite was that of a statesman and a bon vivant. He lived in a villa in Medan on the Seine and had a home in Paris. He was a political apprentice and follower of Victor Hugo in his stand against the corrupt monarchy of Napoleon III. Zola was among the strongest proponents of the Third Republic and was elected to the Legion of Honour. At the same time he was an important figure in the Parisian cultural milieu. He entered a circle of realist writers such as Edmond de Goncourt, Alphonse Daudet, Ivan Turgenev and Gustave Flaubert, his literary mentor and a close friend. After his novels brought him critical and financial success, Zola himself became surrounded by such followers as Guy de Maupassant and Paul Alexis, among others.

Zola shook the Parisian art world with his novel "L'Oevre" ("The Masterpiece") in 1886. Its protagonist, named Claude Lantier, was actually an amalgam of several artists including Paul Cezanne, Edouard Manet and Claude Monet. Zola also portrayed himself and his friend and mentor Gustave Flaubert. However, the personality and artistic career of painter Paul Cezanne was shown with a closer resemblance, especially when it came to intimate personal characteristics. Zola and Cezanne were schoolmates and close friends from childhood, which gave the writer a wealth of material for the novel. Cezanne's reticent personality, his self-doubt, his artistic anxieties and his more hidden sexual anxieties all came out in Zola's narrative. He revealed Cezanne's "passion for the physical beauty of women, and insane love for nudity desired but never possessed", his almost misogynistic perception of the "satanic female beauty", which affected his sexuality, and sublimated in his brush-strokes that he laid on his paintings. He showed Cezanne's work on his numerous sketches of nudes and impressionistic bathers as an outlet to artist's masculinity. He also hinted on Cezanne's countless depictions of apples as a sublimation and displacement of the artist's erotic interests. Zola used Cezanne's inner struggles of artistic and sexual nature and the interdependence of his sexual and artistic anxiety, to show some intricate parts of an eternal conundrum where lies one of the mysterious sources of creativity. In Zola's novel the artist fails to depict a perfectly beautiful nude, his wife has a baby that has a disfigured head and dies, then artist presents a painting of his dead child to the Salon, then artist commits suicide. In real life Cezanne, as a highly sensitive and refined individual, took Zola's novel too personally. The book ended their life-long friendship. Even the wise and friendly comments by Claude Monet and Camille Pisarro failed to help their reconciliation. Zola's powerful literary image had formed a lasting perception of Cezanne among his fellow artists, as well as among critics and public. Cezanne fled from the Parisian art world into a self-imposed isolation.

Zola risked his career in February of 1898, when he defended army Capt. Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish officer who was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for treason. Zola accused the French government of anti-Semitism in an open letter to François Félix Faure, the President of France. Zola's "J'Accuse" was published on the front page of the Paris daily "L'Aurore". Zola declared that Dreyfus' conviction was based on false accusations and forged "evidence" of espionage, which the court that convicted him knew was false, and was a misrepresentation of justice. Zola was brought to trial for libel for publishing "L'Accuse" and was convicted two weeks later, sentenced to jail, and removed from the Legion of Honour. Zola managed to escape to England. He returned during the collapse of the government and continued defending Dreyfus, who was imprisoned on the hellish penal colony in South America called Devil's Island. France became deeply divided by the case, known as the Dreyfus affair. Zola stood together with the more liberal commercial society opposite the reactionary army and Catholic church. Zola's open letter formed a major turning point in the Dreyfus affair. The case was reopened and Dreyfus was acquitted, then convicted again, but ultimately freed and completely exonerated by the French Supreme Court.

Zola's strange and tragic death from carbon monoxide poisoning was caused by a stopped chimney and remained an unresolved mystery. His enemies were blamed, but nothing was proved. He died on September 29, 1902, in Paris, and was initially laid to rest in the Cimetiere de Montmartre in Paris. On June 4, 1908, Zola's remains were laid to rest in the Pantheon in Paris, France.

Albert Kirchner was a French photographer, manufacturer, exhibitor, and filmmaker who is noted for producing several religious and erotic films. He was employed by Eugène Pirou, a French filmmaker and photographer. Kirchner directed the first known erotic film, Coucher de la mariée (1896), that featured actress Louise Willy. The success of the film led him to continue to work in the cinema, and in January 1897 he and two colleagues, Anthelme and Pacon, patented a film camera "Biographe Français Léar" and formed a company to exploit it. In 1897, he arranged screenings of his films at multiple locations in Paris. That same year, in partnership with Michel Coissac, who later became a well-known film historian, Kirchner directed the film Passion du Christ (The Passion of Christ). Shot in Paris, it was the first film made based on the story in the Bible, and made Kirchner the first filmmaker to direct a film about the life of Christ. It was shown in a large number of regions and created influence among contemporary film directors of whom many adopted its theme.

Bret Harte was born on 25 August 1836 in Albany, New York, USA. Bret was a writer, known for The Girl Who Ran Wild (1922), Wild Girl (1932) and Tongues of Flame (1918). Bret was married to Anna Griswold. Bret died on 5 May 1902 in Camberley, Surrey, England, UK.

Frank Norris was born on 5 March 1870 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was a writer, known for Greed (1924), Moran of the Lady Letty (1922) and Life's Whirlpool (1916). He was married to Jeanette Black. He died on 25 October 1902 in San Francisco, California, USA.

American popular novelist and short-story writer of mainly humorous fiction, best known as the author of the title story of a collection called The Lady, or the Tiger? (1884). Stockton contributed to and was on the staff of Hearth and Home and in 1873 became assistant editor of the St. Nicholas Magazine. His earliest fiction was written for children. Among his most popular children's stories were those collected in Ting-a-Ling Tales (1870) and The Floating Prince, and Other Fairy Tales (1881). His adult novel Rudder Grange (1879), originally serialized in Scribner's Monthly, recounted the whimsically fantastic and amusing adventures of a family living on a canal boat. Its success encouraged two sequels, Rudder Grangers Abroad (1891) and Pomona's Travels (1894). The Casting Away of Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine (1886) told of two middle-aged women on a sea voyage to Japan who become castaways on a deserted island. A sequel appeared in 1888 as The Dusantes. Though he continued to write some juvenile fiction, Stockton wrote mostly for adults after 1887. He also wrote a book of history, Buccaneers and Pirates of Our Coast (1898).

Constantin was born in 1872 in Reutlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He was an actor, known for I Pagliacci (Vesti la Giubba) (1909) and The Giant Constantin (1902). He died on 30 March 1902 in Mons, Belgium.

Septimus Winner was born on 11 May 1827 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He is known for The Handmaid's Tale (1990), I'm from the City (1938) and Hollywood Barn Dance (1947). He was married to Hannah Jane Guyer. He died on 22 November 1902 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Xavier de Montépin was born on 10 March 1823 in Apremont, Ardennes, France. He was a writer, known for Le secret de la comtesse (1917), The Bread Peddler (1934) and La joueuse d'orgue (1925). He died on 1 May 1902 in Paris, France.

Richard von Krafft-Ebing was born on 14 August 1840 in Mannheim, Baden, Germany. He was a writer, known for Libidomania (1979), Psychedelic Sexualis (1966) and Stato di Grazia (2011). He died on 22 December 1902 in Graz, Styria, Austria-Hungary [now Austria].

Paul Leicester Ford was born on 23 March 1865 in New York City, New York, USA. Paul Leicester was a writer, known for Janice Meredith (1924) and The Great K & A Train Robbery (1926). Paul Leicester was married to Mary Grace Kidder. Paul Leicester died on 8 May 1902 in New York City, New York, USA.

Swami Vivekanand narrated the Mahabharata in his lecture in California

A short excerpt from his lecture

The other epic about which I am going to speak to you this evening, is called the Mahabharata. It contains the story of a race descended from King Bharata, who was the son of Dushyanta and Shakuntala. Maha means great, and Bharata means the descendants of Bharata, from whom India has derived its name, Bharata. Mahabharata means Great India, or the story of the great descendants of Bharata. The dispute was over the region of the north western India. So the region of the quarrel is not very big. This epic is the most popular one in India; and it exercises the same authority in India as Homer's poems did over the Greeks. As ages went on, more and more matter was added to it, until it has become a huge book of about a twenty thousand couplets. The central story of the Mahabharata is on Karna and his brothers whose heroism and glories were spread all over Bharatvarsha that time. They conquered the Aryavartha at different periods of time and subjugated many old nations, kingdoms and republics of the great ancient India! The core of the story is on the control over the empire of India and mainly Hastinapur. The story's hero comes from the Suta tribe and his name is Karna, the possessor of all qualities and also known as Vasusena who gets into the Kuru family and becomes the backbone of the Kurus. Out of the brothers, Karna and Yudhisthira were on the verge to sit on the throne of Hastinapur whereas the rest characters were subordinates and supporters of them. The irony in this situation is that Yudhisthira does not know that Karna is his eldest brother and the rightful heir to the throne though Karna knows it but at the play of destiny, he was bound to side against Yudhisthira and the rest Pandavas. As I told you in the Ramayana, Bharat despite being the 2nd eldest brother sits on the throne, in the Mahabharata also Yudhisthira sits on the throne. However just like every ancient Indian text, the ending of the epic will not be tragic one but will be in the heaven where the 106 brothers unite and Karna being the eldest brother will be crowned as the king of the Aditya Lok. In the Ramayana also, the ending was not tragic, Rama united with his brothers and was crowned as the king of Ayodhya. The positive ending in ancient epics by the authors and writers of times immemorial is to show that the life is 'unending' and should be always taken as a positive aspect to move forward in life and finally attain the highest goal which is the 'salvation'. Unlike Buddha's teachings, these pieces of history teach us heroism, the way to live.

John Wesley Powell was born on 24 March 1834 in Mount Morris, New York, USA. He was a writer, known for The Magical World of Disney (1954) and Ten Who Dared (1960). He was married to Emma Dean. He died on 23 September 1902 in Haven, Maine, USA.

Iosif Ivanovici was born in 1845 in Temesvár, Hungary [now Timisoara, Romania]. He was a composer, known for Payback (1999), The Silencers (1966) and The Wrecking Crew (1968). He died on 29 September 1902 in Bucharest, Romania.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born on 12 November 1815 in Johnstown, New York. She died on 26 October 1902 in New York City, New York, USA.

Tom Merry was born in 1853 in St Saviour, Southwark. He was an actor, known for Tom Merry, Lightning Cartoonist (1895), Tom Merry, Lightning Cartoonist Drawing Prince Bismarck (1895) and Tom Merry Sketching Lord Salisbury (1896). He died on 21 August 1902.

William T. Sampson was born on 8 February 1840 in Palmyra, New York, USA. He died on 6 May 1902 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA.

Sol Smith Russell was the son of a Missouri preacher and the nephew of renowned actor, Sol Smith (1801-1869). Shortly before the outbreak of the American Civil War his family moved to Cairo, Illinois, where at the age of 14 Russell found work at a local theater as a bit actor, singer and drummer. Russell had been a drummer boy for a Cairo juvenile military organization and for a brief time served as a drummer boy for the 10 Illinois Infantry. Before he had turned eighteen, Russell joined a traveling theater group that would ultimately lead him to the theaters of New York. In 1874 he began a working relationship with the great Broadway producer Augustin Daly. Russell eventually formed his own acting company and became successful performing such plays as: "Edgewood Folks", "Felix McCusick", "A Poor Relation" and "Peaceful Valley".

In an 1894 interview, Russell revealed that his grandfather had been a drummer boy at the Battle of Bunker Hill and that another relative had served as a drummer boy aboard the frigate USS Constitution.

In 1876 Russell married Alice Adams (1856-1923), the daughter of author William Taylor Adams (1822-1897), who as Oliver Optic, became a successful writer of juvenile fiction.

On the morning of 26 February, 1891, one of the two office buildings he owned in Minneapolis burned to the ground. Upon receiving the news he refused to let it affect his comedic performance in that night's showing of "A Poor Relation". Sol Smith Russell was not only one of the greatest comic actors of his day, he was also one of the shrewdest. With an estate worth between two and three million dollars he had managed to become at the relatively young age of 54, one of the wealthiest entertainers in American. This success came despite the fact that, even though he was very popular throughout America, he never achieved a major success on the New York stage.

Sol Smith Russell died on 28 April, 1902 while staying at the Richmond Hotel in Washington, D.C. In December of the previous year he was forced to retire from the stage after being diagnosed with the disease Locomotor ataxia. His first symptoms appeared in 1899 when he broke down during a performance in Chicago and was unable to go on. Russell was survived by his wife Alice, daughter Alice and son, Robert. Both Russell and his wife are interned at the Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, D.C. After his death, the city of Brunswick, Missouri renamed a city auditorium, the Russell Opera House (later the Russell Theater), in his honor.

Cecil Rhodes was born on 5 July 1853 in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England, UK. He died on 26 March 1902 in Muizenberg, Cape Colony.

Octavius L. Pruden was born on 29 March 1842. He died on 19 April 1902.

Julia Grant was born on 16 February 1826 in White Haven, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. She was married to Ulysses S. Grant. She died on 14 December 1902 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA.

Lajos Dobsa was born on 6 October 1824 in Makó, Hungary. Lajos was a writer, known for Musical TV Theater (1970). Lajos died on 9 July 1902 in Kosgyán, Hungary.

Lorrin A. Cooke was born on 6 April 1831 in New Marlboro, Massachusetts, USA. He died on 12 August 1902 in Winsted, Connecticut, USA.

Alfred Plumpton was born in 1842 in Islington, Middlesex, England, UK. Alfred was married to Carlotta Tasca. Alfred died on 2 April 1902 in London, England, UK.

Avqsenti Tsagareli was born on 9 February 1857 in Digomi, Georgia, Russian Empire. Avqsenti was a writer, known for Khanuma (1926), Keto and Kote (1948) and Rats ginakhavs, vegar nakhav (1965). Avqsenti died on 12 August 1902 in Tiflis, Russian Empire [now Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia].

Annie Jones was born on 14 July 1865 in Smyth County, Virginia, USA. She was married to William Donovan and Richard Elliott. She died on 25 October 1902 in Brooklyn, New York, USA.