Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin and happy birthdays to Ben E. King, and George W. S. Trow - with a reading from Trow's "Within the Context of No Context."

Rachel Carson publishes her landmark book "Silent Spring" - with a reading from three of her writings.

Albert Einstein publishes his theory on special relativity, a Nazi official publishes his valuations of everything left behind by Jewish people who were sent to death camps, and the first televised Presidential debate was broadcast. Happy birthday to Jane Smiley - with a reading of her love for bookstores.

The U.S. Bill of Rights is passed, the Columbia School of Journalism is founded, and the Little Rock Nine integrate a school in Arkansas. Happy birthdays to William Faulkner and Shel Silverstein - with a reading from Faulkners "The Sound and the Fury."

The Gold Ring causes the gold panic, the leader of the Church of Latter Day Saints says he has a vision to ban polygamy, Atlanta is convulsed by white people attacking people of color, and it's F. Scott Fitzgerald's birthday - with a reading from his landmark work "The Great Gatsby."

Signing the Karlstad Treaty dissolves the union of Norway and Sweden, and the birthday club includes John Lomax, Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, and Ani Defranco - with a reading from Lomax's Collector Notes from "Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads."

The last executions of people found guilty of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony and U.S. President Abraham Lincoln releases his preliminary version of the Emancipation Proclamation. The birthday club includes Elizabeth Simcoe, Eric Baker, and Joan Jett - with a reading from Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels."

Benedict Arnold betrays George Washington and the American colonists, and the birthday club includes H. G. Wells, Allen Lane, Chuck Jones, and Stephen King - with a reading from Wells' "The Time Machine."

Magellan sets sail, the Battle of the Sexes hits the tennis court, "don't ask, don't tell" ends, and happy birthday to Upton Sinclair - with a reading from his landmark book "The Jungle."

U.S. President George Washington publishes his farewell address, and the birthday club includes Sadie Delany, Rachel Fields, and William Golding - with a reading from "Death Comes for the Archbishop," by Willa Cather.