St. James Guide to Biography

Book by

The first edition of this critical reference work is a solid, well-edited, and annotated bibliography whose strongest feature is its currency. Titles are included through 1990, and works in progress are mentioned if they were not available for review. Each entry consists of a brief bibliography of biographies on the subject, followed by a signed critical essay that assesses and evaluates each work. The essayists are profiled in an appended Notes on the Contributors, and each seems refreshingly qualified to write about his or her assigned individuals. These are not the staid and parched essays one would expect but rather make for interesting reading on their own; the editor has kept each author to the prescribed guidelines while simultaneously allowing a flowing narrative that is balanced, entertaining, and outspoken in its praise and invective. While the bibliographies are not exhaustive (the entry for John Kennedy states 200 books have been written relating to him since his death, but only seven are formally listed here), the scope is broad, covering 700 men and women in many areas of endeavor. If this volume has a weakness, it is in its concentration on biography, which may cause the researcher to miss valuable autobiographical materials such as memoirs, diaries, and letters. The format is easy to use, typos are rare, and the binding will last until the book becomes outdated by the incessant flood of new biographies. The only competition, the 12-volume In ternational Bibliography of Biography, 1970-1987 (K.G. Saur, 1988, $2500) is beyond the reach of most libraries. Public and university libraries should use this for reader's advisory, interlibrary loan, and as a starting point for research.
- James Moffet, Baldwin P.L., Birmingham, Mich.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.