Oz, Amos, 1939-, Israeli writer, b. Jerusalem as Amos Klausner. As a teenager he changed his name to Oz, Hebrew for "strength." A former kibbutz member, Israeli soldier, and schoolteacher, he is is one of Israel's major novelists. Written in Hebrew, richly atmospheric and often poetic, his fiction explores the conflicts and tensions in Israeli society, ranging from religious beliefs to the practical demands of modern life. His novels include My Michael (1968, tr. 1972), Touch the Water, Touch the Wind (1973, tr. 1974), To Know a Woman (1989, tr. 1991), Panther in the Basement (1995, tr. 1997), and The Same Sea (1999, tr. 2001), a blend of prose and poetry. A collection of essays (1962-79) was published in translation as Under This Blazing Light (1995); he has also written other nonfiction works dealing with Israel's past and present and frequently reflecting his liberal Zionist views.

Muñoz Rivera, Luis, 1859-1916, Puerto Rican journalist and nationalist. He founded La Democracia, a newspaper later edited by his son Luis Muñoz Marín. A leader in the campaign for independence from Spain, he obtained (1897) a charter, which was never put into effect, that granted some autonomy to Puerto Ricans. Heading the first Puerto Rican cabinet under U.S. occupation, Muñoz Rivera opposed military governorship and pleaded for greater self-government. Faced with bitter opposition in Puerto Rico, he moved to New York City and published the Puerto Rico Herald, which expounded the island's problems. As resident commissioner of Puerto Rico in Washington, D.C. (1910-16), he obtained U.S. citizenship for Puerto Ricans.

Muñoz Marín, Luis, 1898-1980, Puerto Rican political leader, governor of Puerto Rico (1949-65). He abandoned a career as poet and journalist in New York City to enter Puerto Rican politics. In 1938 he organized and headed the Popular Democratic party, campaigned vigorously for social and economic reform, and edited La Democracia, a San Juan daily founded by his father, Luis Muñoz Rivera. The slogan "Bread, land, and liberty" won a large following among the poor. In 1948 he won the first free popular election for the governorship of Puerto Rico, and he was reelected in 1952 and 1956. A resourceful and energetic supporter of Commonwealth status for the island, he brought about the 1952 decision that proclaimed Puerto Rico an Associated Free State. In 1960 his election was opposed by the Roman Catholic Church in Puerto Rico, which denounced him for advocating the teaching of birth control; he was easily reelected despite the opposition. He consistently championed economic expansion in close cooperation with the United States. He did not run for reelection in 1964.

Unit of weight in the avoirdupois system, the traditional European system of weight, which was incorporated into the British Imperial system and the U.S. system of weights and measures (see measurement). The ounce is equal to 1/16 lb (437.5 grains). In the troy and apothecaries' systems (two other traditional systems of weight), it is equal to 1/12 troy or apothecaries' lb (480 grains). The avoirdupois ounce is equal to 28.35 g, the troy ounce to 31.1 g. As a unit of volume, the fluid ounce is equal to 1/16 of a pint (29.57 ml) in the U.S. system, and to 1/20 of a pint (28.41 ml) in the British Imperial system. Seealso gram, International System of Units, metric system, pound.

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orig. Amos Klausner

(born May 4, 1939, Jerusalem, Israel) Israeli novelist, short-story writer, and essayist. A second-generation Israeli, Oz lived primarily on a kibbutz from the 1950s to the 1980s. He served in the Israeli army (1957–60, 1967, and 1973) but later became a leading advocate of peace. His symbolic works—including Where the Jackals Howl, and Other Stories (1965); My Michael (1968), perhaps his best-known novel; Black Box (1987); and A Tale of Love and Darkness (2002)—reflect the conflicts in Israeli life.

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orig. Amos Klausner

(born May 4, 1939, Jerusalem, Israel) Israeli novelist, short-story writer, and essayist. A second-generation Israeli, Oz lived primarily on a kibbutz from the 1950s to the 1980s. He served in the Israeli army (1957–60, 1967, and 1973) but later became a leading advocate of peace. His symbolic works—including Where the Jackals Howl, and Other Stories (1965); My Michael (1968), perhaps his best-known novel; Black Box (1987); and A Tale of Love and Darkness (2002)—reflect the conflicts in Israeli life.

Learn more about Oz, Amos with a free trial on Britannica.com.