Handel's "Messiah" is written and the birthday club includes William H. Armstrong, Kate Millett, Bernard MacLaverty, and Bonnie Jo Campbell - with a reading from Millett's "Sexual Politics."

Henry Hudson sees the north coast of North America, the Battle of Quebec City decides European claims of Quebec, the bombardment of Baltimore in the War of 1812, and it is the birthday of author Mildred Taylor. This episode includes a reading from Francis Scott Key's "The Defense of Fort M'Henry."

U.S. President John F. Kennedy delivers his speech "We Choose to Go to the Moon," and the birthday club includes H. L. Mencken, Nellie Wong, and Michael Ondaatje - with a reading from Mencken's diary.

Charles Lindbergh reveals his thinking on WWII, and the birthday club includes O. Henry and D. H. Lawrence - with a reading from Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's Lover."

John Smith becomes one of the first elected leaders from Europe in North America, Elias Howe gets the patent for his sewing machine, and the birthday club includes Hanna Webster Foster, Mary Oliver, and Stephen Jay Gould - with a reading from Gould's "Ever Since Darwin: Reflections in Natural History."

The Compromise of 1850 changes the US, "debugging" becomes real, and the birthday club includes Leo Tolstoy, Kimberly Willis Holt, and Adam Sandler - with a reading from Tolstoy's classic "Anna Karenina."

Michelangelo unveils his sculpture "David," the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance is published - possibly for the first time, the first episode of Star Trek airs, and Richard Nixon is pardoned - with a reading from Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray."

Union General William T. Sherman orders the evacuation of Atlanta, and the birthday club includes C. J. Dennis, Elinor Wylie, Edith Sitwell, Dorothy Marie Donnelly, and Sonny Rollins - with a reading from "The Memoirs of General William T. Sherman: By Himself."