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novel

(Encyclopedia)novel, in modern literary usage, a sustained work of prose fiction a volume or more in length. It is distinguished from the short story and the fictional sketch, which are necessarily brief. Although ...

Macready, William Charles

(Encyclopedia)Macready, William Charles məkrēˈdē [key], 1793–1873, English actor and manager. The son of a provincial manager, he first appeared as Romeo in his father's company in 1810. His London debut (181...

Arden, John

(Encyclopedia)Arden, John ärˈdən [key], 1930–2012, English playwright and novelist best known for his politically engaged work of the 1950s and 60s, a period during which he was considered one of Britain's maj...

Zhang Yimou

(Encyclopedia)Zhang Yimou, 1951–, Chinese film director. Sentenced to forced labor during the Cultural Revolution (1966–76) because his father had been an officer in Chiang Kai-shek's army, he then studied at t...

Liliencron, Detlev, Freiherr von

(Encyclopedia)Liliencron, Detlev, Freiherr von dĕtˈlĕf frīˈhĕr fən lēˈlyənkrôn [key], 1844–1909, German lyric poet, b. Schleswig-Holstein. First a Prussian army officer and later a minor government off...

Mehta, Zubin

(Encyclopedia)Mehta, Zubin zo͞oˈbĭn māˈtə [key], 1936–, Indian conductor. Son of the violinist Mehli Mehta, founder and conductor of the Bombay Symphony Orchestra, Mehta studied medicine for two years befor...

Mori Ogai

(Encyclopedia)Mori Ogai mōˈrē ōˈgäē [key], 1862–1922, Japanese army physician, medical researcher, literary critic, novelist, translator, scholar, and playwright, he is now primarily remembered for his fic...

La Hire, Laurent de

(Encyclopedia)La Hire or La Hyre, Laurent de lä ēr [key], 1606–56, French painter. He produced many portraits and historical paintings, a few romantic landscapes, important decorative works for Richelieu, Pier...

Mácha, Karel Hynek

(Encyclopedia)Mácha, Karel Hynek käˈrel hēˈnĕk mäˈkhä [key], 1810–36, Czech romantic poet. After studying law at the Univ. of Prague he became a civil servant. He published a number of promising poems an...

Mapu, Abraham

(Encyclopedia)Mapu, Abraham mäˈpo͞o [key], 1808–67, Lithuanian novelist who wrote in Hebrew. For many years an impoverished, itinerant schoolmaster, Mapu gained financial security when he was appointed teacher...