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Brewer's: Sardonic Smile, Grin, or Laughter

A smile of contempt: so used by Homer. “The Sardonic or Sardinian laugh. A laugh caused, it was supposed, by a plant growing in Sardinia, of which they who ate died laughing.” —Trench:…

Fernández de Lizardi, José Joaquín

(Encyclopedia) Fernández de Lizardi, José JoaquínFernández de Lizardi, José Joaquínhōsāˈ hwäkēnˈ fārnänˈdās dā lēsärˈdē [key], 1776–1827, Mexican journalist, novelist, and dramatist, known by his…

Mauldin, Bill

(Encyclopedia) Mauldin, Bill (William Henry Mauldin), 1921–2003, American cartoonist, b. Mountain Park, N.Mex. During World War II, in which he served as an infantryman-cartoonist in Italy, France,…

Parker, Dorothy

(Encyclopedia) Parker, Dorothy (Dorothy Rothschild Parker), 1893–1967, American short-story and verse writer, b. West End, N.J. While serving as drama critic for Vanity Fair (1916–17) and book critic…

Baskin, Leonard

(Encyclopedia) Baskin, Leonard, 1922–2000, American sculptor, graphic artist, and teacher, b. New Brunswick, N.J. In sculptural and graphic works that are figurative in style, Baskin's images of a…

Wilder, Billy

(Encyclopedia) Wilder, Billy, 1906–2002, American film director, producer, and writer, b. Sucha, Galicia (now Poland) as Samuel Wilder. He wrote for films in Berlin, fled the Nazis, and arrived in…

Adler, H. G.

(Encyclopedia) Adler, H. G. (Hans Günther Adler)Adler, H. G.häns günˈtər ädˈlər [key], 1910–88, modernist author and Holocaust studies pioneer, b. Prague to a German Jewish family, studied Charles…

Szymborska, Wisława

(Encyclopedia) Szymborska, WisławaSzymborska, Wisławawēswäˈvä shĭmbôrˈskä [key], 1923–2012, Polish poet, b. Bnin, studied Jagiellonian Univ., Kraków (1945–48). Although highly acclaimed in her…

Lemmon, Jack

(Encyclopedia) Lemmon, Jack (John Uhler Lemmon 3d), 1925–2001, American actor, b. Newton, Mass., grad. Harvard (1947). He became famous in roles ranging from sardonic comedy to compelling drama,…