Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Newman, Paul, 1925–2008, American actor, b. Cleveland, Ohio. After performing in a Broadway play (1952–53) and in television dramas, Newman became a versatile film actor and a major Hollywood star...

(Encyclopedia) Laban lāˈbăn [key], in the Bible, father of Leah and Rachel and uncle of Jacob. The Nuzi tablets contain the stories of Laban and Jacob. ...

(Encyclopedia) Walker Lake, salt lake, c.105 sq mi (270 sq km), W Nev., SE of Carson City. Fed by the Walker River, it is a remnant of prehistoric Lake Lahontan and has no outlet. ...

(Encyclopedia) Beale, Edward Fitzgerald, 1822–93, American frontiersman, b. District of Columbia. During the Mexican War, Beale was in California, where he aided Stephen W. Kearny in the battle of San Pasqual by c...

(Encyclopedia) Newlands project, on the Carson and Truckee rivers, W Nev.; one of the first projects built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (1903–8). Lahontan Dam was completed in 1915 to produce electricity for ...

(Encyclopedia) Sara or Sarah, in the Bible, wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. With Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah, she was one of the four Hebrew matriarchs. Her name was originally Sarai [Heb.,=princess]. She was chi...

(Encyclopedia) Ouida də lä rəmāˈ [key], 1839–1908, English novelist. She was a prolific writer of flamboyant, romantic tales, the best of which are Under Two Flags (1867), Moths (1880), and In Maremma (1882)....

(Encyclopedia) Law, Andrew Bonar bŏnˈər [key], 1858–1923, British statesman, b. Canada. He went to Scotland as a boy and in 1900, after a business career, was elected to Parliament as a Conservative. He soon be...

(Encyclopedia) Fitzsimmons, Robert L., 1863–1918, British boxer, b. Cornwall, England. Fitzsimmons began fighting professionally in Australia and New Zealand before going to the United States in 1890. He won the w...

(Encyclopedia) Jacob jāˈkəb [key], in the Bible, ancestor of the Hebrews, the younger of Isaac and Rebecca's twin sons; the older was Esau. In exchange for a bowl of lentil soup, Jacob obtained Esau's birthright ...