George Steiner, Jim Fixx, Roy Orbison, and Victoria Glendinning were born on this day. We look at their work and hear a reading from Steiner's "Lessons of the Masters."

On Earth Day, a look at its origins. And the birthday club includes Henry Fielding, Immanuel Kant, Vladimir Nabokov, and Louise Gluck - with a reading from Fielding's "The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling."

On their birthdays, we celebrate Charlotte Brontë and John Muir - with a reading from Brontë's "Jane Eyre."

U.S. President William McKinley signs the declaration that began the Spanish-American War and British politician Enoch Powell delivers his infamous racist tirade now known as the "River of Blood" speech. And it is the birthday of Gro Harlem Brundtland who became the first female Prime Minister of Norway - with a reading of her "Our Common Future, Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development."

The Netherlands become the second country to recognize the United States as in independent nation. Mae West is jailed for obscenity - and this episode includes a reading from Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God."

The birthday club includes James McCune Smith, Kathy Acker, and Susan Faludi - with a reading from Anne Bronte's "Agnes Grey."

Christopher Columbus signs "The Capitulations of Santa Fe" and the birthday club includes Thornton Wilder, Cynthia Ozick, and Nick Hornby - with a reading from Wilder's "The Bridge of San Luis Rey."

We remember "Letter from Birmingham Jail," written by the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. - including a reading from the letter.

Samuel Johnson publishes "A Dictionary of the English Language," and SNCC or the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee is formed, and the birthday club includes Henry James and Avital Ronell - with a reading from James' "The Portrait of a Lady."

Benjamin Franklin co-founds the Pennsylvania Abolition Society and the birthday club includes Jean Pierre-Bloch and Loretta Lynn - with a reading from Hannah Arendt's "The Origins of Totalitarianism."