Today's Google logo, Doodle, on the home page of Google.com is for Samuel Johnson, aka Dr. Johnson. He was a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer and was described by the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography as "arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history."
Google's doodle pays "homage to this pioneer lexicographer who dedicated years to his craft," they said.
He was born 308 years ago today in England and passed on December 13, 1784 at the age of 75 in England as well.
There is a ton about his life works on Wikipedia - so check it out.
Forum discussion at Google+.