I have known many people who have been encouraged and influenced by the biographies of the military, of politicians and sports-people.

My personal favourites who inspire me tend to be people who have influenced people at a grass-roots level. Dorothy Day, Catherine de Hueck Doherty, Jean Vanier, Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen, CS Lewis all spring to mind.

Today I shed a tear(actually several) in honour of the memory of Rosa Parks.

Sulla Jones at the Agonist posted the wapo story, at wapo I found this list of blogs via technorati linking to the wapo story about Rosa.