Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

190 results found

Atwood, Margaret Eleanor

(Encyclopedia)Atwood, Margaret Eleanor, 1939–, Canadian novelist and poet. Atwood is a skilled and powerful storyteller whose novels, set mainly in the near future, sometimes make use of such popular genres as hi...

theology

(Encyclopedia)theology thēŏlˈəjē [key], in Christianity, the systematic study of the nature of God and God's relationship with humanity and with the world. Although other religions may be said to have theologi...

Lemercier, Jacques

(Encyclopedia)Lemercier, Jacques zhäk ləmĕrsyāˈ [key], c.1585–1654, French architect, one of the group that evolved a classical mode of expression for French architecture. In Italy (c.1607–1614) he was str...

Louth, town, England

(Encyclopedia)Louth louth [key], town (1991 pop. 14,093), in the Parts of Lindsey, Lincolnshire, E England, on the Lud River. Although a canal was built to the Humber estuary in the 18th cent., Louth is no longer a...

Mansart, François

(Encyclopedia)Mansart or Mansard, François both: fräNswäˈ mäNsärˈ [key], 1598–1666, French architect. His work is noted as being an outstanding expression of French classical design. In 1635 he was commiss...

Johnson, Eyvind

(Encyclopedia)Johnson, Eyvind üˈvĭnt [key], 1900–1976, Swedish novelist and short-story writer. After working as a laborer in the north of Sweden, Johnson moved to Stockholm in 1919 and began to write. He is b...

Cleveland, James

(Encyclopedia)Cleveland, James, 1931–91, African-American gospel singer, composer, and arranger, b. Chicago. Known as the King of Gospel, he was renowned for his rough baritone voice. He revolutionized gospel mus...

Cary, Joyce

(Encyclopedia)Cary, Joyce (Arthur Joyce Lunel Cary), 1888–1957, English author. From 1910 to 1920 he served as an administrator and soldier in Nigeria. Several of his early works, including Mister Johnson (1939),...

rue

(Encyclopedia)rue, common name for various members of the family Rutaceae, a large group of plants distributed throughout temperate and tropical regions and most abundant in S Africa and Australia. Most species are...

Pure Land Buddhism

(Encyclopedia)Pure Land Buddhism or Amidism, devotional sect of Mahayana Buddhism in China and Japan, centering on worship of the Buddha Amitabha. According to the Pure Land Sutras, composed in India in the 2d cent...