For other people named William Gilbert, see William Gilbert (disambiguation)

William Gilbert (or Gilberd, as he wrote it - see below) was born May 24, 1544, Colchester, England and died November 30, 1603, in London, probably of the plague. English physician to Elizabeth I and James I and natural philosopher known for his investigations of magnetism and electricity. He was the originator of the term "electricity". Many people regard Gilbert as the father of Electrical Engineering or Father of Electricity.

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NPR Topics: Authors

Suze Rotolo: Of Dylan, New York and Art
Wed, 14 May 2008 10:29:00 -0400
Artist Suze Rotolo — the woman walking beside Bob Dylan on the album cover for The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan — was Dylan's girlfriend in the '60s. She's written about the relationship, and about that era's New York, in a new memoir.
Belly Laughs — and Wampas — in 'Expertise'
Wed, 14 May 2008 10:52:00 -0400
Real out-loud laughter may be uncommon among adults, says Mary Roach, but she cracked up upon cracking open John Hodgman's The Areas of My Expertise. Even Hodgman's list of "Jokes That Have Never Produced Laughter" proved funny.
Reporter Jonathan Steele Examines Missteps in Iraq
Tue, 13 May 2008 19:31:00 -0400
In Defeat, reporter Jonathan Steele contends that the Bush administration, by failing to balance military strategy with cultural sensitivities, was fighting an unwinnable battle from the day it invaded Iraq.
Writer Kasra Naji on Ahmadinejad's 'Secret History'
Tue, 13 May 2008 09:47:00 -0400
Iran's president was relatively unknown on the international stage before he was elected, but he's a standard-bearer for a new generation of hardliners. In a new biography, journalist Kasra Naji explores Ahmadinejad's rise to power, his complex character and his motivations.
From Sweeper to Capitol Hill Staffer, 'Step By Step'
Tue, 13 May 2008 08:37:00 -0400
For six decades, Bertie Bowman has worked on Capitol Hill. He began as a 13-year-old sweeping the steps, and now he is the hearing scheduler for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In between, he forged friendships with some of the most prominent members of the Senate. Step by Step is his new memoir.
Nuala O'Faolain, Journalist and Author, Dead at 68
Mon, 12 May 2008 12:06:00 -0400
The celebrated Irish memoirist, who had been battling lung cancer, died May 9. Her 1996 memoir — about growing up poor in the Ireland of the '40s and '50s — became a best-seller. Terry Gross talked to her in 2001.

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