(Encyclopedia) bayberry, common name for the Myricaceae, a family of trees and shrubs with aromatic foliage, found chiefly in temperate and subtropical regions. The waxy gray “berries” of the North…
(Encyclopedia) Przhevalsky, Nikolai MikhailovichPrzhevalsky, Nikolai Mikhailovichnyĭkəlīˈ mēkhīˈləvĭch pərzhĭvälˈskē [key], 1839–88, Russian geographer and explorer in central and E Asia. He made…
(Encyclopedia) Purchas, SamuelPurchas, Samuelpûrˈkəs, –chəs [key], 1577?–1626, English clergyman and compiler of travel literature, b. Essex. Chaplain to the archbishop of Canterbury, he later was…
actorBorn: 5/29/1959Birthplace: Norfolk, England Well-regarded though somewhat temperamental actor who rescued himself from obscurity with the scene-stealing role of Julia Roberts's confidante in…
twin child stars Born: 6/13/1986Birthplace: Sherman Oaks, California Ashley and Mary-Kate became wildly popular in the TV series Full House (1987–95), in which they alternated playing the role of…
novelistBorn: 1961Birthplace: Ho’olehua, Molokai, Hawaii Lois-Ann Yamanaka is a Japanese-American writer who grew up in Hawaii. With a unique voice that often uses pidgin English, Yamanaka's novels…
actorBorn: 1/23/1944Birthplace: Breukelen, Netherlands Having spent much of the '70s honing his skill in European cinema, Hauer gained the coveted starring role in Grijpstra en de Gier (1979), a…
actressBorn: 10/3/1973Birthplace: Guelph, Ontario, Canada Canadian-born actress who earned national attention as Julia Salinger on the critically acclaimed TV drama, Party of Five (1994–present).…
actressBorn: 8/9/1957Birthplace: New York City Leading actress whose career has survived the Hollywood potholes of addiction, over-publicized marriages, and (sometimes) ill-chosen projects. The…
