The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived

From Santa Claus to

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, from Uncle Sam to Uncle Tom, here is a compelling,

eye-opening, and endlessly entertaining compendium of fictional trendsetters

and world-shakers who have helped shape our culture and our lives. The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived offers fascinating histories of our most

beloved, hated, feared, and revered invented icons and the indelible marks they

made on civilization, including:

28: Rosie the Riveter, the buff,

blue-collar factory worker who helped jump-start the Women's Liberation

movement

7: Siegfried, the legendary warrior-hero

of Teutonic nationalism responsible for propelling Germany into two world wars

80: Icarus, the headstrong high-flyer who

inspired the Wright brothers and humankind's dreams of defying gravity . . .

while demonstrating the pressing need for flight insurance

58: Saint Valentine, the hapless,

de-canonized loser who lost his heart and head at about the same time

43: Barbie, the bodacious plastic babe who

became a role model for millions of little girls, setting an impossible

standard for beauty and style

From Publishers Weekly

In the opening pages of

this entertaining compendium of influential characters, myths and legends, the

authors ponder whether the Wright brothers would have built the first airplane

without the legendary example of Icarus and Daedalus. Perhaps, the authors

muse, the Wright brothers would have built something else altogether. Authors

and friends Karlan, a computer programmer, Lazar, a former faculty member at

the Columbia University College of Physicians Surgeons, and Jeremy

Salter, an analytical chemist, followed two criteria to determine their

admittedly subjective list-"the number of people affected and the depth of

impact." Darth Vader, Charlie Brown and Mr. Whipple did not make the list

("popular" does not always translate as "influential,"

explain the authors). However, Dr. Frankenstein's monster, Uncle Tom, G.I. Joe

and HAL 9000 did, largely due to their impact on popular culture and how we

define ourselves. Of particular note are the book's "Did You Know"

boxes, which offer figures and trivia.

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About the Author

Allan Lazar is a

graduate of Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia and did post graduate

work at the University of Chicago where he was also a member of the faculty. He

has also served on the faculty of Columbia University College of Physicians

Surgeons as well as Fairleigh Dickinson University Dental School.