Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Helmholtz, Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von hĕrˈmän lo͞otˈvĭkh fĕrˈdēnänt fən hĕlmˈhôlts [key], 1821–94, German scientist. Although known especially as a physicist and biologist, he was al...

(Encyclopedia) Glasgow, Ellen glăsˈgō [key], 1873–1945, American novelist, b. Richmond, Va. In revolt against the romantic treatment of Southern life, Glasgow presented in fiction a social history of Virginia s...

(Encyclopedia) Gokhale, Gopal Krishna gōpäl krĭshˈnə gōkäˈlā [key], 1866–1915, Indian nationalist leader. A Brahman from Maharashtra, he was educated in India and became involved in the nationalist moveme...

(Encyclopedia) Fukuyama, Francis, 1952–, American political scientist, b. Chicago, grad. Cornell (B.A., 1974), Harvard (Ph.D., 1981). He has been a political scientist at the RAND Corporation (1979–80, 1983–89...

(Encyclopedia) federal government or federation, government of a union of states in which sovereignty is divided between a central authority and component state authorities. A federation differs from a confederation...

(Encyclopedia) Connally, John Bowden, Jr. kŏnˈəlē [key], 1917–93, U.S. public official, b. Floresville, Tex. A lawyer, he became associated with Lyndon B. Johnson, managed the latter's successful senatorial ca...

(Encyclopedia) Kushner, Tony ko͝oshˈnər [key], 1956–, American playwright, b. New York City. He was a little-known off-Broadway playwright with several interesting works, e.g., Yes, Yes, No, No (1985) and A Bri...

(Encyclopedia) Ma, Yo-Yo mä [key], 1955–, American cellist, b. Paris. The son of musicologist Hiao-Tsun Ma, who left China in the 1930s, he was a musical prodigy, giving a public recital in Paris at the age of si...

(Encyclopedia) Beaufort, Margaret, countess of Richmond and Derby bōˈfərt, därˈbē [key], 1443–1509, English noblewoman, mother of Henry VII. She was the daughter and heiress of John, 1st duke of Somerset, an...

(Encyclopedia) Polybius pōlĭˈbēəs [key], 203? b.c.–c.120 b.c., Greek historian, b. Megalopolis. As one of the leaders of the Achaean League and a friend of Philopoemen, he was influential in Greek politics. H...