If you're going to study a subject or learn a profession, a good strategy is to investigate one of the earliest theoreticians or practitioners. If you study physics, you might start with Albert Einstein. There were others, but he's a good beginning. If you're interested in drama, you could turn to William Shakespeare. Other playwrights are around, but he'll give you a good start. If you're considering nursing, you could read up on Florence Nightingale. The work of other early nurses would benefit you, but she's a helpful start.

If you want to be a medical missionary, David Livingstone is an excellent example in the nineteenth century. He shared some values of his day that seem strange to modern people, but you'll find that he was in many ways far advanced in his own time. He was instrumen…