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Kabila, Laurent-Désiré

(Encyclopedia)Kabila, Laurent-Désiré käbēˈlä [key], 1939–2001, Congolese political and rebel leader. He studied at universities in France and Tanzania. returning home in 1960. He supported Patrice Lumumba,...

anti-hero

(Encyclopedia)anti-hero, principal character of a modern literary or dramatic work who lacks the attributes of the traditional protagonist or hero. The anti-hero's lack of courage, honesty, or grace, his weaknesses...

Hawkins, Coleman

(Encyclopedia)Hawkins, Coleman, 1904–69, American jazz musician, b. St. Joseph, Mo. He began playing saxophone at the age of 9. He was part of Fletcher Henderson's band from 1924 until 1934. Hawkins established t...

André, Brother

(Encyclopedia)André, Brother äNdrāˈ, änˈ– [key], 1845–1937, Canadian Roman Catholic mystic, b. St. Grégoire d'Iberville, Que. His secular name was Alfred Bissette, Bassette, or Bessette. For about 40 yea...

Gasser, Herbert Spencer

(Encyclopedia)Gasser, Herbert Spencer găsˈər [key], 1888–1963, American physiologist, b. Platteville, Wis., grad. Univ. of Wisconsin (B.A., 1910; M.A., 1911), M.D. Johns Hopkins, 1915. From 1931 to 1935 he was...

Mosconi, Willie

(Encyclopedia)Mosconi, Willie (William Joseph Mosconi) mŏskōˈnē [key], 1913–93, U.S. professional billiard player, b. Philadelphia. After a brief period as a child prodigy he did not take up the game again un...

Méhul, Étienne Nicolas

(Encyclopedia)Méhul, Étienne Nicolas ātyĕnˈ nēkôläˈ māülˈ [key], 1763–1817, French operatic composer of outstanding importance during the Revolutionary period. Méhul's masterpiece was the biblical op...

Kit-Cat Club

(Encyclopedia)Kit-Cat Club, London political and literary club, active c.1700–1720. The membership of some four dozen included leading Whig politicians and London's best young writers. Among them were Charles Sey...

Wright, Patience Lovell

(Encyclopedia)Wright, Patience Lovell, 1725–86, American sculptor, b. Bordentown, N.J., mother of Joseph Wright. Her portraits, modeled in wax, were the earliest recorded attempts at sculptural expression in the ...

Talavera de la Reina

(Encyclopedia)Talavera de la Reina tälävāˈrä ᵺā lä rāˈnä [key], town (1990 pop. 69,215), Toledo prov., central Spain, in Castile–La Mancha, on the Tagus River. It is in an agricultural region and is k...