Albert Camus (Nobel Prize & The Stranger) Born; Also Joni Mitchell, Free Man/Paris; Joan Sutherland, Casta Diva

As today's NPR story by Eleanor Beardsley makes clear, Camus is still controversial 100 years after his birth.  You can listen to her report here to understand why.  Then, if you have time, you might want to take a few minutes to check out this clip from Visconti's 1967 film version of The Stranger and the short BBC clip that provides more insight into why Camus was ostracized after winning the Nobel Prize.

TAGS: Writers & Writing, Famous Birthdays

Joni Mitchell
She may have been born in Canada, but this singer, songwriter, painter, and overall extraordinary human being, was also a "Free Man in Paris." Here she is singing that song during a live concert at London's Wembley Arena in 1983. She turns 70 today, but as her fans have long understood, she was always far older than years.

Joan Sutherland
This Aussie Diva, born today in 1926, was one of the great coloratura sopranos of opera's bel canto repertoire. Here she is in a breathtaking performance of "Casta Diva" from Bellini's Norma.

TAGS: Famous Birthdays, Muses & Music