January 31, 1764

My Young Readers,

I’ve been asked to tell you a bit about myself and the life I have lived. When I was a boy, my family was poor, and I was often sickly. Still, I managed to do well in school. By the time I was in my late 20’s, I began to become established in my career as a writer.

I always knew that language was very important. That is why, a few years ago, I did something no one had done before. I wrote the Dictionary of the English Language, the first book of its kind on English lexicography. What is lexicography? Well, look up the definition in the dictionary! I have also written poetry, magazine articles, essays, and novels.

Many people say that I make repeated sounds and whistling noises, and that I have tics and movements almost all of the time. If I had been born in another time, it’s likely that I would have been diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome.

Well, the Literary Club I founded is about to meet, so I must go. I hope you can find a little bit of inspiration in my story.

Yours truly,
Samuel Johnson, PhD

January 29, 1786

Dearest Children,

I hope when you read this letter that you are happy and healthy. I am glad to have the chance to write to tell you some things about myself that you might not know.

Maybe you have heard that even as a young man, I was well known for my music abilities. Before I even turned five, I was composing songs. At the age of six, my father took my sister and me all over Europe, where we performed for an Empress (an Empress is just like a queen) and for many other important people.

People say that I am a little bit eccentric. That means I have a unique personality and sometimes do things that other people find a bit strange. My good friend Mr. Haydn, who is a famous music composer you may have heard of, says it makes me one of the most interesting people he knows. He says, “So what if you make different noises when you speak than other people? It doesn’t bother me one bit that you have tics.”

So far, my life has been extraordinary. I have had the chance to travel all over Europe and to write symphonies, concertos, sonatas, and operas. I have met and performed for more famous people than I can count. And, I have been called a child prodigy and a genius!

I must go now. My opera, “The Marriage of Figaro,” is about to be performed for the first time. I think it is the best piece of music I have ever written; I hope everyone agrees!

With sincere and warm regards,
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart