Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Restif de la Bretonne, Nicolas Edme nëkôläˈ ĕdˈmə rĕstēfˈ də lä brətônˈ [key], 1734–1806, French novelist. A printer by trade, he wrote and published over 250 novels, mostly based on ...

(Encyclopedia) Robertson, Oscar, 1938–, U.S. basketball player, b. Charlotte, Tenn. Passionately devoted to basketball as a youth, Robertson led his high school team to 45 consecutive victories. After an athletica...

(Encyclopedia) Roland de la Platière, Jeanne Manon Philipon (Mme Roland) rôläNˈ də lä plätyĕrˈ [key], 1754–93, French revolutionary. Imbued with classical ideals and with the philosophy of Rousseau, she ...

(Encyclopedia) La Rochejaquelein or La Rochejacquelin, Henri Du Vergier, comte de both: äNrēˈ dü vĕrzhyāˈ kôNt də lä rôshzhäkəlăNˈ [key], 1772–94, French commander, leader of the counterrevolutionar...

(Encyclopedia) Scalfaro, Oscar Luigi ōsˈkär lo͞oēˈjē skälˈfärō [key], 1918–2012, Italian political leader, president of Italy (1992–99). A lawyer, Scalfaro aided jailed antifascists during World War I...

(Encyclopedia) Lacépède, Bernard Germain Étienne de la Ville, comte de bĕrnärˈ zhĕrmăNˈ ātyĕnˈ də lä vēl kôNt də läsāpĕdˈ [key], 1756–1825, French naturalist. As a youth he showed considerable...

(Encyclopedia) Garcilaso de la Vega gärthēläˈsō ᵺā lä vāˈgä [key], 1503?–1536, lyric poet of the Spanish Golden Age, b. Toledo. Garcilaso, the embodiment of the cultured and gifted courtier, was chiefl...

(Encyclopedia) Arias Sánchez, Oscar ôsˈkär ärˈyäs sänˈchĕz [key], 1941–, president of Costa Rica (1986–90, 2006–). He was financial adviser to the president (1970–72), minister of national planning...

(Encyclopedia) Mancha, La lä mänˈchä [key], historic region of central Spain, in historic New Castile, comprising Ciudad Real prov. and part of the provinces of Toledo, Albacete, and Cuenca. This high, barren pl...

(Encyclopedia) La Vérendrye, Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de: see Vérendrye. ...