Ratiner Tracie (editor). Encyclopedia of World Biography. Volume 27: Supplement A - Z

Gale Learning, 2008. — 557 p.The study of biography has always held an important, if not explicitly stated, place in school curricula. The absence in schools of a class specifically devoted to studying the lives of the giants of human history belies the focus most courses have always had on people. From ancient times to the present, the world has been shaped by the decisions, philosophies, inventions, discoveries, artistic creations, medical breakthroughs, and written works of its myriad personalities. Librarians, teachers, and students alike recognize that our lives are immensely enriched when we learn about those individuals who have made their mark on the world we live in today. Encyclopedia of World Biography Supplement, Volume 27, provides biographical information on 175 individuals not covered in the 17-volume second edition of Encyclopedia of World Biography (EWB) and its supplements, Volumes 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26. Like other volumes in the EWB series, this supplement represents a unique, comprehensive source for biographical information on those people who, for their contributions to human culture and society, have reputations that stand the test of time. Each original article ends with a bibliographic section. There is also an index to names and subjects, which cumulates all persons appearing as main entries in the EWB second edition, the Volume 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 supplements, and this supplement—more than 8,000 people! Articles. Arranged alphabetically following the letter-by-letter convention (spaces and hyphens have been ignored), articles begin with the full name of the person profiled in large, bold type. Next is a boldfaced, descriptive paragraph that includes birth and death years in parentheses. It provides a capsule identification and a statement of the person’s significance. The essay that follows is approximately 2,000 words in length and offers a substantial treatment of the person’s life.