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Jones, James

(Encyclopedia)Jones, James, 1921–77, American novelist, b. Robinson, Ill. Written in the tradition of naturalism, his novels often celebrate the endurance of man. From Here to Eternity (1951), his best-known work...

Aru Islands

(Encyclopedia)Aru Islands or Aroe Islands both: äˈro͞o [key], group of about 95 low-lying islands, 3,306 sq mi (8,563 sq km), E Indonesia, in the Moluccas, in the Arafura Sea, SW of New Guinea. The largest islan...

Kroehl, Julius Hermann

(Encyclopedia)Kroehl, Julius Hermann, 1820–67, German-American inventor and engineer, b. Memel, Prussia (now Klaipeda, Lithuania). Immigrating in 1844 to the United States, he became an iron manufacturer and civi...

Daniels, Jonathan Worth

(Encyclopedia)Daniels, Jonathan Worth, 1902–81, American newspaper editor and author, b. Raleigh, N.C. In 1925 he joined the staff of the Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer, edited by his father, Josephus Daniels. ...

Nimitz, Chester William

(Encyclopedia)Nimitz, Chester William nĭmˈĭts [key], 1885–1966, American admiral, b. Fredericksburg, Tex. A graduate of Annapolis, he was chief of staff to the commander of the submarine force of the Atlantic ...

Rarotonga

(Encyclopedia)Rarotonga rärōtôngˈgä, rărətŏngˈgə [key], formerly Goodenough's Island, volcanic island (2006 pop. 15,153), 26 sq mi (67 sq km), South Pacific, capital of the Cook Islands. The most southwes...

Cline, Patsy

(Encyclopedia)Cline, Patsy, 1932–63, American country singer, b. Winchester, Va., as Virginia Patterson Hensley. She began singing locally while still in her teens and signed her first recording contract in 1953,...

Levi, Primo

(Encyclopedia)Levi, Primo prēˈmō lāˈvē [key], 1919–87, Italian writer. A chemist of Jewish descent, Levi was sent to the concentration camp at Auschwitz during World War II. His first memoir, If This Is a M...

langue d'oc and langue d'oïl

(Encyclopedia)langue d'oc dôēlˈ [key], names of the two principal groups of medieval French dialects. Langue d'oc (literally, “language of yes”) was spoken south of a line running, roughly, from Bordeaux to ...