The Famous Words Of The Nationa Famous Person
In Oxford, I found this small Asian import store, and amid the Pokémon and Sailor Moon knockoffs, I found these small wooden bookmarks.
They're in a small booklet that has a cloth cover, and the title made it an instant purchase.
When I opened the booklet, I was amazed. 12 "Nationa Famous Person"s, but I didn't know who they were supposed to be.
That's why this page is here. Does anyone know who these people are?
I can guess on some -- Einstein and Shakespeare are dead easy, but then there are people like this:
Is it Moses?
Abraham?
Isiah?
John Brown?
Darwin?
Another old man with a beard that I don't know about?
Who are these people and why should they be the "famous person"? What are their "famous words"? And what does it say anyway?
People rock!
Since I put this question up on Ask Metafilter, I've gotten several responses as to who they are.
Unfortunately, the quality of my scans means I can't get them all identified, but thanks to the fine people at Metafilter, I now know that the man above is Tolstoy! Not Moses, not Darwin, not even Charleton Heston, but, yes, Leo Tolstoy.
Currently, the Famous Words Of The Nationa Famous Person bookmarks are packed. When I find them again, I'll try to get better pictures of them.
Thanks to everyone who has tried to figure it out, especially languagehat, who asked Chinese readers about them.