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Zoshchenko, Mikhail Mikhailovich

(Encyclopedia)Zoshchenko, Mikhail Mikhailovich mēkhəyēl mēkhīˈləvĭch zôˈshchənkô [key], 1895–1958, Soviet humorist. Zoshchenko was born in Poltava, but spent most of his life in St. Petersburg where h...

Straujuma, Laimdota

(Encyclopedia)Straujuma, Laimdota līmˈdōtä strouˈyo͞omä [key], 1951–, Latvian economist and political leader. Straujuma was a division head (1993–97) at the Agriculture Consulting and Education Center of...

Thomas, Alma Woodsey

(Encyclopedia)Thomas, Alma Woodsey, 1891–1978, American painter, b. Columbus, Ga., B.S. Howard Univ., 1921, M.A. Teachers College, 1934. Thomas grew up in Washington, D.C., and taught (1924–60) in junior high s...

Southcott, Joanna

(Encyclopedia)Southcott, Joanna southˈkət [key], 1750–1814, English religious visionary. Uneducated, even illiterate, she spent her earlier years in domestic service. She began c.1792 to claim the gift of proph...

Sigurðardóttir, Jóhanna

(Encyclopedia)Sigurðardóttir, Jóhanna yōhäˈnä sĭˈgürᵺärtōˌtĭr [key], 1942–, Icelandic political leader. A former flight attendant (1962–71) and union organizer, she was elected to Iceland's parl...

Simon

(Encyclopedia)Simon, in the Bible. 1 One of the Maccabees. 2 or Simon Peter: see Peter, Saint. 3 See Simon, Saint. 4 Kinsman of Jesus. 5 Leper of Bethany in whose house a woman anointed Jesus' feet. He may have bee...

Simpson-Miller, Portia

(Encyclopedia)Simpson-Miller, Portia, 1945–, Jamaican political leader, prime minister of Jamaica (2006–7, 2012–16). A member of the People's National party (PNP), she was first elected to parliament in 1976....

Rostand, Edmond

(Encyclopedia)Rostand, Edmond ĕdmôNˈ rôstäNˈ [key], 1868–1918, French poet and dramatist. In 1890 appeared his first volume of verse, Les Musardises. His first plays were light, fanciful, and charmingly poe...

Puig, Manuel

(Encyclopedia)Puig, Manuel mänwĕlˈ pwēg [key], 1932–90, Argentine novelist. He is considered one of Latin America's most creative writers, and his writing reflects the myths and realities of contemporary Arge...

Baker, Josephine

(Encyclopedia)Baker, Josephine, 1906–75, African-American dancer and singer, b. St. Louis, Mo., as Freda Josephine McDonald. In 1923 and 1924 she appeared in Broadw...