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Andersen, Hans Christian

(Encyclopedia)Andersen, Hans Christian, 1805–75, Danish poet, novelist, and writer of fairy tales. Born to an illiterate washerwoman and reared in poverty, he left Odense at 14 for Copenhagen, where he lived with...

Hitchcock, Sir Alfred

(Encyclopedia)Hitchcock, Sir Alfred, 1899–1980, English-American film director, writer, and producer, b. London. Hitchcock began his career as a director in 1925 and became prominent with The 39 Steps (1935) and ...

Britten, Benjamin, Baron Britten of Aldeburgh

(Encyclopedia)Britten, Benjamin, Baron Britten of Aldeburgh, 1913–76, English composer. Britten's most characteristic expression is found in his vocal music, much of which was written for his partner, the tenor S...

Berryman, John

(Encyclopedia)Berryman, John bĕrˈēmən [key], 1914–72, American poet and critic, b. McAlester, Okla., as John Allyn Smith, Jr., grad. Columbia, 1936, also studied at Cambridge. His father committed suicide whe...

Moton, Robert Russa

(Encyclopedia)Moton, Robert Russa mōˈtən [key], 1867–1940, black American educator, b. Amelia co., Va., grad. Hampton Institute, 1890. He was commandant (1890–1915) of Hampton Institute, then principal and p...

Diophantus

(Encyclopedia)Diophantus dīəfănˈtəs [key], fl. a.d. 250, Greek algebraist. He pioneered in solving a type of indeterminate algebraic equation where one seeks integer values for the unknowns; work in this field...

Ames, Ezra

(Encyclopedia)Ames, Ezra, 1768–1836, American painter, b. Framingham, Mass. Early in his life he worked as a carriage painter, miniaturist, engraver, and decorator, first in Worcester, Mass., and later in Albany,...

Juan Manuel, Infante de Castile

(Encyclopedia)Juan Manuel, Infante de Castile hwän mänwĕlˈ, ēnfänˈtā ᵺā kästēˈlā [key], 1282–1349?, Spanish nobleman, soldier, and writer; nephew of Alfonso X (called the Wise). Juan Manuel was a w...

Simpson Desert

(Encyclopedia)Simpson Desert, c.50,000 sq mi (130,000 sq km), barren region of central Australia, predominantly in the southeastern portion of the Northern Territory, extending S into Queensland and E into South Au...

Branner, Hans Christian

(Encyclopedia)Branner, Hans Christian, 1903–66, Danish writer. Branner's early novels, often concerned with the irrational fears of childhood, include The Child Playing on the Shore (1937). With The Riding Master...