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Mapu, Abraham

(Encyclopedia)Mapu, Abraham mäˈpo͞o [key], 1808–67, Lithuanian novelist who wrote in Hebrew. For many years an impoverished, itinerant schoolmaster, Mapu gained financial security when he was appointed teacher...

Ashurnasirpal II

(Encyclopedia)Ashurnasirpal II äˈsho͝ornäˈzĭrpäl [key], d. 860? b.c., king of ancient Assyria (884–860? b.c.), also called Ashurnazirpal II and Assurnasirbal II. One of the earliest of the Assyrian conquer...

McCracken, James Eugene

(Encyclopedia)McCracken, James Eugene, 1926–88, American dramatic tenor, b. Gary, Ind. He was noted for his robust voice, his intense singing style, and his prominent vibrato. McCracken made his debut (1952) at t...

Master Honoré

(Encyclopedia)Master Honoré ōnôrāˈ [key], French manuscript illuminator, active c.1288–1318. Honoré worked in Paris for the court of Philip the Fair (1285–1314). A breviary (Bibliothèque nationale) made ...

Masaoka Shiki

(Encyclopedia)Masaoka Shiki mäˈsäˈōˈkä shēˈkē [key], 1867–1902, Japanese waka and haiku poet. Founder of the literary magazine Hototogisu and patron to a number of young poets, Shiki played a leading ro...

Kaverin, Veniamin Aleksandrovich

(Encyclopedia)Kaverin, Veniamin Aleksandrovich vĕnyəmēnˈ əlyĭksänˈdrəvĭch kəvyĕˈrĭn [key], 1902–89, Russian novelist and short-story writer. He was a member of the literary group that called itself ...

Kennedy, Nigel

(Encyclopedia)Kennedy, Nigel, 1956–, British violinist. He studied with Dorothy DeLay at Juilliard and debuted as a soloist with the London Philharmonic in 1977. Adept at the classical repertoire, he developed an...

Leochares

(Encyclopedia)Leochares lēŏkˈərēz [key], fl. 4th cent. b.c., Greek sculptor, probably an Athenian. Leochares was associated in the decoration of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. He is known to have made portrai...

Lampedusa, Giuseppe di

(Encyclopedia)Lampedusa, Giuseppe di jo͞ozĕpˈpā dē lämpādo͞oˈzä [key], 1896–1957, Italian novelist. A wealthy Sicilian prince, Lampedusa drew on his family's history for his internationally acclaimed wo...

Klabund

(Encyclopedia)Klabund älˈfrĕt hĕnshˈkə [key], 1890–1928, German poet, novelist, and dramatist. A skillful translator and adapter of Asian literature, he wrote original poems in a Chinese style. His play Kre...