Maria Popova wrote the extraordinary Figuring. It recounts the relationships between thinkers and doers from the 16th through the 20th centuries in a seemingly unfocused way. Beginning with Kepler, continuing to Margaret Fuller. Popova describes the personal and idealistic up-hill battles of these usually rather non-conformist thinkers—a wonderfully addictive book.

Popova has long been writing one of the best blogs in the world: Brainpickings.