Legends in Their Own Time : A Popular Biographical Dictionary - Softcover

Amende, Coral

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0671880535 ISBN 13: 9780671880538

Publisher: Macmillan General Reference, 1994

Synopsis

Identifies more than ten thousand people in the areas of history, entertainment, sports, politics, and the arts

About this title

From Booklist:

This ready-reference tool contains very brief biographical descriptions of more than 10,000 celebrities. The editor, a copywriter and crossword-puzzle creator, has assembled a collection of well-known people from around the globe, from earliest recorded time to the present day. These luminaries can be accessed four separate ways. The most extensive information is found in the listing by last name, which provides birth and death dates, pen or nickname, familial relationships to others included in this work, nationality, field of specialization, and major awards. The three indexes are by first name, nickname, and famous marriages.

Coverage ranges from Yahoo Serious to Mother Seton. Information seems to be accurate; however, Anne Boleyn is misidentified as a "French queen." Many familial relationships are identified, such as that between father Martin Sheen and sons Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen, and the family lines connecting the nine members of the Kennedy clan included here. However, the 18 Ford entries fail to identify the connection between Henry and Edsel. Some personalities who would seem to be eligible for inclusion based on other entries have been omitted, e.g., boxer Thomas Hearns, and actress Vera Ellen.

The second section is useful when only the first name is known, or when a list of, say, "famous Woodys" is needed (Allen, Guthrie, Harrelson, Hayes, and Herman). The last two sections, "Nicknames" and "Famous Marriages," answer equally specialized questions. Some stage names, such as "Baby Snooks" or "Weary Willie," are found in the "Nicknames" section, while others, such as "Pee Wee Herman," are found in the first section only, with no entry for Paul Reubens. "Famous Marriages" includes a preponderance of twentieth-century liaisons, with asterisks noting those couples who were still together at press time.

This work seems well suited to its identified audience: "student, writer, trivia buff, or crossword puzzle aficionado." While not an essential reference selection, libraries may want to consider purchase.

From Library Journal:

This biographical dictionary provides basic information on more than 10,000 people from the past and present in the fields of entertainment, sports, politics, business, science, and the arts. Emphasis is given to popular figures often not found in standard biographical dictionaries. The entries, which are indexed by first names, nicknames, and subject, are arranged alphabetically by last name and include such facts as full name, stage name, birth and death dates, most famous works, and awards. There is, moreover, a section listing famous marriages. The book's main drawback is that the entries are somewhat inconsistent. For example, actors and actresses in new TV shows such as Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and The X Files are listed with the shows under their names. Yet Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine are not listed under their actors' names even though the shows have been on several years. In addition, names are chosen somewhat randomly. Many actors from these shows (e.g., Patrick Stewart) are not listed at all, and while baseball player Bobby Bonilla is listed, Barry Bonds is not. Nevertheless, the book does provide excellent indexes and gives access to many people who are usually not included in such dictionaries. Recommended with reservation.
Mary Salony, West Virginia Northern Community Coll. Lib., Wheeling
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Macmillan General Reference
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0671880535
• ISBN 13: 9780671880538
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 384