American National Biography

The American National Biography (ANB) is a 24-volume biographical encyclopedia set that contains about 17,400 entries[1] and 20 million words,[2] first published in 1999 by Oxford University Press under the auspices of the American Council of Learned Societies.

American National Biography
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
PublisherOxford University Press for the American Council of Learned Societies
Published
  • 1999 (24 vols.)
  • 2002 (1st Supplement)
  • 2005 (2nd Supplement)
Media typePrint, Digital
No. of books26
Preceded byDictionary of American Biography
Websitewww.anb.org

Background

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A 400-entry supplement appeared in 2002.[3] Additional funding came from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.[4]

The ANB bills itself as the successor of the Dictionary of American Biography, which was first published between 1926 and 1937. It is not, however, a strict superset of this older publication; the selection of topics was made anew.[5]

It is commonly available in the reference sections of United States libraries,[6][7] and is available online by subscription (see external links).

Awards and reception

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In 1999, the American Library Association awarded the American National Biography its Dartmouth Medal[8] as a reference work of outstanding quality and significance. The American Historical Association's Waldo G. Leland Prize was awarded for 2001.[9]

It has been criticized for missing cross references and occasional errors,[10] and for its cost, which is said to limit availability in poor countries.[11]

Selected access

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  • American National Biography. Vol. 24 Vols. American Council of Learned Societies, by Oxford University Press. 1999 – via Internet Archive (full access) & Google Books (snippet view). LCCN 98-20826 (full set); ISBN 0-1952-0635-5 (full set); & 468280018 (full set).
General editors: John Arthur Garraty, PhD (1920–2007) & Mark Christopher Carnes, PhD (born 1950)

Volumes via Internet Archive (full access, free, with registration)

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Vol. 1 ANB ("Aarons, Alexander A." – "Baird, Spencer Fullerton"). 1999. Retrieved 20 May 2021. ISBN 0195127803; OCLC 246050663 (all editions).
Vol. 4 ANB ("Burnett, Alfred" – "Clarke, Lewis G."). 1999. Retrieved 28 May 2021. ISBN 0195127838; OCLC 772374229 (all editions).
Vol. 5 ANB ("Clarke, Mary Bayard Devereux" – "DaCosta, John Chambers"). 1999. Retrieved 20 May 2021. ISBN 0195127846; OCLC 795981225 (all editions).
Vol. 7 ANB ("Dubuque, Julien" – "Fishbein, Morris"). 1999. Retrieved 20 May 2021. ISBN 0195127862; OCLC 772374289 (all editions).
Vol. 10 ANB ("Handerson, Henry Ebenezer" – "Hofmann, Josef Casimir"). 1999. Retrieved 20 May 2021. ISBN 0195127897; OCLC 772371685 (all editions).
Vol. 12 ANB ("Jeremiah, Thomas" – "Kurtz, Benjamin"). 1999. Retrieved 20 May 2021. ISBN 0195127919; OCLC 246051972 (all editions).
Vol. 17 ANB ("Park, Edwards Amasa" – "Pushmataha"). 1999. Retrieved 20 May 2021. ISBN 019512796X; OCLC 772371687 (all editions).
Vol. 20 ANB ("Simms, Florence" – "Stratemeyer, George Edward"). 1999. Retrieved 20 May 2021. ISBN 0195127994; OCLC 246052393 (all editions).
Vol. 21 ANB ("Stratton, Eugene" – "Tunney, Gene"). 1999. Retrieved 20 May 2021. ISBN 0195128001; OCLC 795981277 (all editions).

Volumes via Google Books

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Via online

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See also

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Bibliography

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Notes

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References

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