Honoré de Balzac was one of the founders of literary realism, whose vast linked series of novels La Comédie Humaine depicted French society with unparalleled scope and psychological depth. Works including Père Goriot and Lost Illusions influenced Dickens, Proust, Zola, and Marx, who praised his insight into social forces.

John Stuart Mill was the most influential liberal thinker of the 19th century. His works On Liberty, Utilitarianism, and The Subjection of Women remain foundational texts of political philosophy. He was also one of the first Members of Parliament to call for women's suffrage.

Sigrid Undset won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1928, primarily for her monumental medieval trilogy Kristin Lavransdatter, set in 14th-century Norway. Her historical novels combined deep psychological realism with a profound moral vision. During World War II she fled to the United States after the Nazi occupation of Norway.

Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean (in 1932) and set numerous aviation records. She disappeared over the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1937, during an attempt to circumnavigate the globe, and was never found — creating one of the most enduring mysteries of the 20th century.

Cher is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with a career spanning over six decades. Known for hits like "Believe" and "If I Could Turn Back Time," she is one of the few entertainers to have achieved number-one hits in each decade from the 1960s to the 2000s. She also won an Academy Award for Best Actress for Moonstruck (1987).