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Lofting, Hugh

(Encyclopedia)Lofting, Hugh, 1886–1947, American writer of juvenile stories, b. Maidenhead, England. He settled in the United States in 1912. His famous “Dr. Dolittle” stories, which concern an extraordinary ...

M'Ba, Léon

(Encyclopedia)M'Ba, Léon lāôNˈ əmbäˈ [key], 1902–67, Gabonese political leader. He was a member of the dominant Fang ethnic group. When Gabon became a self-governing republic in the French Community (1958)...

Aram

(Encyclopedia)Aram āˈrăm [key], ancient country and people centered in Damascus in S Syria between the 11th and 8th cent. b.c. The Bible records constant contacts between the Hebrews and Aram. The Aramaeans spok...

Mswati III

(Encyclopedia)Mswati III, 1968–, king of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). Given the title of Prince Makhosetive at an early age, he was crowned king in 1986, following a regency after his father, King Sobhuza II, d...

Havemeyer, Henry Osborne

(Encyclopedia)Havemeyer, Henry Osborne hăvˈəmīˌyər [key], 1847–1907, American industrialist, b. New York City. He inherited large family interests in sugar refining and, with his brother Theodore, expanded ...

Heart, river, United States

(Encyclopedia)Heart, river, 180 mi (290 km) long, rising in the low prairie country near the Little Missouri River, SW N.Dak., and flowing E to the Missouri at Mandan, N.Dak. The Heart Butte and Dickinson dams, irr...

Gog

(Encyclopedia)Gog, in the Bible. In the Book of Ezekiel, Gog is a leader, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal who will attack Israel and be defeated in the last days. Magog is his country. The same theme surfaces...

Ephraim

(Encyclopedia)Ephraim ēˈfrēəm [key], in the Bible, younger son of Joseph and Asenath and eponymous ancestor of one of the 12 tribes of Israel. His tribe occupied the rugged country around Shiloh that later came...

Delderfield, R. F.

(Encyclopedia)Delderfield, R. F. (Ronald Frederick Delderfield), 1912–73, English writer, b. London. He did not start writing novels until he was 44, after having been a successful playwright and newspaperman. Hi...

Drangiana

(Encyclopedia)Drangiana drănˌjēāˈnə, –ănˈə [key], ancient country, part of the Persian Empire, between Aria on the north and Gedrosia on the south. It was conquered (330 b.c.) by Alexander the Great and ...