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Thomas Edison

Sir Clive Sinclair discusses fellow inventor Thomas Edison with Matthew Parris.

• 30 mins

Leonard Bernstein

Conductor Charles Hazlewood chooses Leonard Bernstein.

• 30 mins

Simone de Beauvoir

Actress Diana Quick selects philosopher Simone de Beauvoir for Great Lives.

• 30 mins

Lewis Carroll

Writer Lynne Truss chooses the creator of Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll.

• 30 mins

Kathleen Ferrier

Broadcaster Sue MacGregor nominates singer Kathleen Ferrier who died tragically young.

• 30 mins

Paul Robeson

Anna Ford nominates singer, actor and civil rights activist Paul Robeson.

• 30 mins

Richard Pryor

Skills minister David Lammy puts the case for the revolutionary comedian Richard Pryor.

• 26 mins

Edward Lear

Nicholas Parsons nominates Edward Lear, now remembered best for his nonsense verse.

• 30 mins

Field Marshal Bill Slim

General Mike Jackson nominates Field Marshal Bill Slim, leader of the WW2 Burma campaign.

• 30 mins

Petra Kelly

Green MP Caroline Lucas nominates Petra Kelly, the German Green superstar politician.

• 30 mins

AE Housman

Author Colin Dexter nominates scholar and poet AE Housman. With Robert Douglas-Fairhurst.

• 26 mins

Juan Manuel Fangio

Stirling Moss nominates the great racing driver Juan Manuel Fangio.

• 30 mins

Ian Curtis

Poet Simon Armitage nominates Joy Division singer Ian Curtis.

• 30 mins

Joyce Grenfell

Arabella Weir nominates Joyce Grenfell. Biographer Janie Hampton assists.

• 30 mins

Graham Greene

War reporter Tim Butcher chooses an exploration into the strange world of Graham Greene.

• 30 mins

Kirsty MacColl

Broadcaster Janice Long champions the life and work of singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl.

• 30 mins

Eduardo Paolozzi

Restaurateur Antonio Carluccio nominates the Scottish artist Sir Eduardo Paolozzi.

• 30 mins

William Shakespeare

Poetry curator Daisy Goodwin nominates the Bard himself, William Shakespeare.

• 30 mins

Hans Fallada

Fast Show comic Simon Day tells Matthew Parris why he is fascinated by writer Hans Fallada

• 30 mins

Hildegard Von Bingen

Cerys Matthews on why 12th-century nun Hildegard von Bingen qualifies as a great life.

• 30 mins

Gerald Durrell

Former footballer Graeme le Saux champions conservationist Gerald Durrell.

• 30 mins

Emily Dickinson

The reclusive American poet Emily Dickinson is the choice of fellow poet Gwyneth Lewis.

• 30 mins

Edwin Lutyens

Simon Jenkins proposes Edwin Lutyens, architect of New Delhi and the Cenotaph.

• 30 mins

Philip K Dick

Michael Sheen champions Philip K Dick who has had an influence on his production of Hamlet

• 30 mins

Ludwig Wittgenstein

Ludwig Wittgenstein, fascinating and misunderstood thinker, is chosen by Raymond Tallis.

• 30 mins

Thomas Hobbes

Steven Pinker joins Matthew Parris to discuss the life of the philosopher Thomas Hobbes.

• 30 mins

Ludwig II of Bavaria

Brian Sewell on his love of 'Mad' King Ludwig II of Bavaria.

• 30 mins

Lonnie Donegan

Downton Abbey actor Jim Carter champions the life and work of skiffle king Lonnie Donegan.

• 30 mins

Gracie Allen

Actress Emma Kennedy chooses the life of the American comedienne Gracie Allen.

• 30 mins

Joseph Rotblat

Astronomer Royal Sir Martin Rees champions the life of his hero, physicist Joseph Rotblat.

• 30 mins