CREATE TABLE table_204_866 (id NUMBER, "name" CLOB, "lifetime" CLOB, "nationality" CLOB, "notable as" CLOB, "notes" CLOB)

which name is before sam falson
SELECT "name" FROM table_204_866 WHERE id = (SELECT id FROM table_204_866 WHERE "name" = 'sam falson') - 1
SELECT "name" FROM "table_204_866" WHERE "id" = (SELECT "id" FROM "table_204_866" WHERE "name" = 'sam falson') - 1