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Brooks, Van Wyck

(Encyclopedia) Brooks, Van WyckBrooks, Van Wyckvăn wĭkˈ [key], 1886–1963, American critic, b. Plainfield, N.J., grad. Harvard, 1908. His first book, The Wine of the Puritans (1909), presented the…

Bunau-Varilla, Philippe Jean

(Encyclopedia) Bunau-Varilla, Philippe JeanBunau-Varilla, Philippe Jeanfēlēpˈ zhäN bünōˈ-värēyäˈ [key], 1859–1940, French engineer, prominent in the Panama Canal controversy. An engineer after 1884…

Afrofuturism

(Encyclopedia) Afrofuturism, artistic and cultural movement that is based on the wedding of African diasporic themes with modern technology and elements of science fiction and fantasy.…

Stuyvesant, Peter

(Encyclopedia) Stuyvesant, PeterStuyvesant, Peterstīˈvəsənt [key], c.1610–1672, Dutch director-general of New Netherland. He served as governor of Curaçao and lost a leg in an expedition against St.…

Diebenkorn, Richard

(Encyclopedia) Diebenkorn, Richard, 1922–93, American painter, b. Portland, Oreg. Raised in California, he studied at Stanford and at a collector's home encountered (1943) the work of Matisse, whose…

Sabbath

(Encyclopedia) Sabbath [Heb.,=repose], in Judaism, last day of the week (Saturday), observed as a rest day for the twenty-five hours commencing with sundown on Friday. In the biblical account of…

Anderson, Maxwell

(Encyclopedia) Anderson, Maxwell, 1888–1959, American dramatist, b. Atlantic, Pa., grad. Univ. of North Dakota, 1911. His plays, many of which are written in verse, usually concern social and moral…

Udall, Stewart Lee

(Encyclopedia) Udall, Stewart LeeUdall, Stewart Leey&oomacr;ˈdôl [key], 1920–2010, U.S. cabinet member and environmentalist, b. St. Johns, Ariz. After serving in World War II, Udall practiced law…

cane, walking stick

(Encyclopedia) cane, walking stick. Probably used first as a weapon, it gradually took on the symbolism of strength and power and eventually authority and social prestige. Ancient Egyptian rulers…

Dillard, Annie

(Encyclopedia) Dillard, Annie, 1945–, American writer, b. Pittsburgh, Pa., as Meta Ann Doak, grad. Hollins College (B.A., 1967; M.A., 1968). She has taught writing at Western Washington Univ. and…