JL MC 2010 & JL MC 3020

Marking the centenary of the first publication of a now-classic volume, this thoroughly revised and updated edition continues the tradition of excellence offering over 17,500 profiles of notable achievers. With more than 3,000 completely new entries, the Chambers Biographical Dictionary provides expanded coverage of contemporary figures including a wide range of luminaries such as Nadine Gordimer, Alan Greenspan, Wayne Gretzky. Still notable for its global and historical perspective - from Alexander the Great to Nelson Mandela - this new book covers an ever broader spectrum of human achievement including the arts, science and technology, popular entertainment, sports, religion, the media, politics and business. Each fascinating biography includes the historical and social context. A more attractive and readable volume than ever, each also entry now features a convenient at-a-glance summary under the name, while particularly important and influential people are highlighted in special boxed entries. Fully indexed with alphabetical and subject indexes. The Chambers Biographical Dictionary remains an essential reference for the general reader as well as writers, journalists and researchers.

The Cambridge Dictionary of American Biography is a comprehensive biographical reference of Americans, both living and dead. It is not based on any pre-existing work but has been originally compiled with the help of over one hundred consultants, many of international stature, representing different fields of endeavour. Containing over 8900 brief biographies, this book is written for anyone interested in having a basic but eminently readable reference to one's living contemporaries and their achievements as well as to historically important figures. The work covers all careers and all of the history of the United States, from colonial times to the present day. Special attention has been given to provide coverage to worthy individuals belonging to groups often neglected in the past, such as women, African-Americans, and other minority groups.

Featuring more than 80 new entries and hundreds of revisions, this second edition of a classic resource is the most in-depth and analytical of its kind. Comprehensive in scope and meticulous in detail, The Encyclopedia of American Biography examines more than 1,000 Americans who have contributed to the historical and cultural richness of the American scene, from the earliest explorers to those making headlines today. Each entry is at least a full page in length, which allows for two sections. The first, the objective section, outlines all the notable facts, dates and events of the figure's career. The second section, a subjective essay written by a prominent scholar or authority who specializes in the individual being discussed, fills the gap left by facts alone. It evaluates and puts in context the subject's contributions to American life and thinking and it discusses his or her style and personality: It brings the facts to life. The book also includes cross-references, showing how these lives affected those of their contemporaries and successors, and recommended sources for further reading. The only single-volume biographical reference to offer in-depth information, The Encyclopedia of American Biography is a cornerstone to every home, professional and public library.