Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Escher, M. C. (Maurits Cornelis Escher) ĕsˈkhər [key], 1898–1972, Dutch artist. Primarily a graphic artist, Escher composed works notable for their irony, often with impossible perspectives rende...

(Encyclopedia) Herbert, A. P. (Sir Alan Patrick Herbert), 1890–1971, English author and member of Parliament. He was a regular contributor to the comic magazine Punch from 1910 until his death. Herbert served in P...

(Encyclopedia) Patterson, P. J. (Percival James Patterson), 1935–, Jamaican political leader, prime minister of Jamaica (1992–2006). A lawyer, he became an active member of the People's National party (PNP) in t...

(Encyclopedia) Nielsen, A. C. (Arthur Charles Nielsen) nēlˈsən [key], 1897–1980, American market researcher, b. Chicago, grad. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison (B.S., 1918). He worked as an electrical engineer befor...

(Encyclopedia) Travers, P. L. (Pamela Lyndon Travers), 1899–1996, British author best known for her Mary Poppins children's books, b. Australia as Helen Lyndon Goff. She worked as an actress and journalist and mov...

(Encyclopedia) Onions, C. T. (Charles Talbut Onions), 1873–1965, English philologist, lexicographer, author, and editor. After a post with British Naval Intelligence in World War I, he held a fellowship at Magdale...

(Encyclopedia) Walker, Madam C. J., 1867–1919, African-American entrepeneur, b. Delta, La., as Sarah Breedlove. Thought to be America's first black female millionaire, this daughter of ex-slaves was orphaned at 7,...

(Encyclopedia) Rao, P. V. Narasimha (Pamulaparti Venkata Narasimha Rao) päˌmo͝oləpärˈtē vĕnkätˈə näräsˈĭmhə rou [key], 1921–2004, Indian politician, prime minister of India (1991–96), b. Hyderaba...

(Encyclopedia) avalanche, rapidly descending large mass of snow, ice, soil, rock, or mixtures of these materials, sliding or falling in response to the force of gravity. Avalanches, which are natural forms of erosio...

(Encyclopedia) Simenon, Georges zhôrzh sēmənôNˈ [key], 1903–89, Belgian novelist. One of the most prolific of modern authors, he is best known for the more than 75 stories he wrote featuring the intuitive Fre...