American National Biography

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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

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.

Background[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

  • 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)[edit]

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[edit]

Via online[edit]

See also[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]