Hans Christian Andersen (1805 – 1875) was born in Odense, Denmark. There were unproven claims that he was of royal ancestry, though the Danish king recognized his early talent and paid for his education. He is famous for being the author of fairy tales such as The Emperor's New Clothes, The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling.

Geoffrey Chaucer (1343 – 1400) was born in London and has had a major influence on the development of English literature. Of the many works that he wrote, his most famous is The Canterbury Tales. He was one of the first writers to promote the use of the English language rather than Latin or French in literature.

Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870) was born in Portsmouth in England. He is one of the most important English novelists. His work often touched on social issues of the Victorian period. Known for his rich plots and strong characters, his international fame started during his own life and has continued. Some of his works include Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities and David Copperfield.

Homer (8th century BC) was a Greek poet, believed to have written the Iliad and the Odyssey, which describe events surrounding the Trojan War. It is debatable how much the poems were his work and the extent to which he was recording stories passed down through oral tradition. These works are considered to be at the start of Classical literature and among the greatest products of European civilization.

Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906) was born in Skien, Norway. He was an important playwright who has been credited with developing greater realism in drama. He helped to establish modern theatre, by applying a critical approach to contemporary life issues and morality. The ambiguities in his work challenged traditional certainties in the theatre of his time.

William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) was born in Stratford-upon-Avon. He was a poet and playwright and is considered to be a genius of the English Language, into which many of his quotations have entered. He wrote 38 plays, including masterpieces such as Hamlet and Macbeth, as well as many poems, which have been translated into every major language. His works were popular during his life and his reputation has grown during the centuries since. The depth and complexity of the plots and characters in his plays have influenced generations of writers across the world.

George Bernard Shaw (1856 – 1950) was born in Dublin, Ireland. He wrote numerous plays and was also an advocate for social reform. Among his works was Pygmalion, which he adapted into a screenplay that won him an Oscar in 1938. He had already been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1925 in recognition of his contribution to literature, making him the only person to have won both.

Leo Tolstoy (1828 – 1910) was born in Central Russia, to an aristocratic family. He is considered to be one of the Worlds greatest writers, praised for the range and depth of his descriptions of Russian life. His works include the novels Anna Karenina and War and Peace. His moral philosophy of nonviolent resistance, inspired people such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King.