(Encyclopedia) kidnapping, in law, the taking away of a person by force, threat, or deceit, with intent to cause him to be detained against his will. Kidnapping may be done for ransom or for…
(Encyclopedia) Caldwell, Zoe (Zoe Ada Caldwell)Caldwell, Zoezō [key], 1933–2020, Australian theater actress. From the late 1950s she played many Shakespearean roles first with England's Royal…
(Encyclopedia) Boleslaus IBoleslaus Ibōˈləslôs [key], c.966–1025, Polish ruler (992–1025), the first to call himself king; also called Boleslaus the Brave. He succeeded his father, Mieszko I, as duke…
(Encyclopedia) book clubs. As a phenomenon in American cultural life, book clubs have made an impact in two periods of history. During the 18th and 19th cent. book clubs were formed for the purposes…
(Encyclopedia) Bergson, HenriBergson, HenriäNrēˈ bĕrgsôNˈ [key], 1859–1941, French philosopher. He became a professor at the Collège de France in 1900, devoted some time to politics, and, after World…
(Encyclopedia) rationalism [Lat.,=belonging to reason], in philosophy, a theory that holds that reason alone, unaided by experience, can arrive at basic truth regarding the world. Associated with…
(Encyclopedia) synchrotron radiation, in physics, electromagnetic radiation emitted by high-speed electrons spiraling along the lines of force of a magnetic field (see magnetism). Depending on the…
(Encyclopedia) steering system, in automobiles, steering wheel, gears, linkages, and other components used to control the direction of a vehicle's motion. Because of friction between the front tires…
(Encyclopedia) Beattie, AnnBeattie, Annbēˈtē, bāˈ– [key], 1947–, American writer, b. Washington, D.C. She gained attention in the early 1970s with short stories in the New Yorker; the 48 stories she…
(Encyclopedia) Terkel, Studs, 1912–2008, American writer, social historian, and radio and television personality, b. the Bronx, N.Y., as Louis Terkel, grad. Univ. of Chicago (Ph.B. 1932, J.D. 1934).…
