Which people from history would you most like to meet? Design your 'desert island dinner party'.

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My commute this morning was a long one. The roads were in chaos but that meant more time to listen to the radio. And since I was late, I caught the beginning of a Radio 4 show, Midweek. The question they posed was which person from history you'd most like to meet. The panelists were chatting away about their historic idols whilst I mused on the challenge. My first instinct was "Well, nobody". I didn't have anyone jump into my mind. But the longer I thought about it (sitting in traffic) the longer the list got. And then I remembered friends and I used to talk about doing a 'desert island dinner party'. Which people from history would you want to bring together for dinner. It's a twist on the long established 'desert island discs' radio show. First thought was Darwin. I'd love to meet the man who destroyed creationism. I'm a passionate evolutionist - well I have a PhD in Geology so that's kind of inevitable - but I also love nature, have been to the Galapagos and would love to talk about how he worked out and then published the unthinkable and unsayable. Next was a personal 'crush'. Everyone should have a crush on at least one dead leader and mine is Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India. I was never into Gandhi - too darned self righteous and prissy for my liking - but Nehru was the Independence leader who managed on one hand to fight for the future of his country and on the other to (allegedly) seduce the Vice-reine whilst getting along famously with Mountbatten. What a character. And then on a totally different note, and it absolutely isn't my intention to offend anyone, I'd love to have met Mohammed. Talk about people who really changed the world and he's got to be right up there. His inclusion wouldn't be a problem for the menu as I don't eat meat so I figure I won't have to worry about Halal but I hope he wouldn't mind if the rest of us had a few drinks. Of course I need to not ignore my own gender so I'd want to invite a couple of women too. My childhood idol was Marie Curie so she'd be the first I think of but I think we could have some fun having a chat to Queen Elizabeth I too and I figure she'd enjoy a good debate with Mrs Pankhurst. I suspect more are going to hit me during the day but that's my first draft for my 'desert island dinner party. How about you? Who would you want to meet from history.