Covering the period comprising the Renaissance and Reformation, this volume introduces a unique set of interdisciplinary biographical dictionaries providing basic information on the people who have contributed significantly to Western culture. Unlike general dictionaries which focus on political and military figures, this book covers such figures as the religious leaders who contributed to the Reformation, scientists who paved the way for a new view of the universe, and Renaissance painters, sculptors, and architects, as well as writers and musicians.
Presidents: A Biographical Dictionary (3rd edition)
Presidents, Third Edition closely examines the hopes and disappointments, the victories and defeats, and the integrity and weaknesses of the men who have held this office. Featuring up-to-date information, including the January 2009 inauguration of Barack Obama, the first African-American president of the United States, this new edition is an expertly written, detailed reference that narrates and explains the lives and careers of America's presidents.
Like that of any human activity, the history of astronomy has been played out under the influence of myriad cultural, institutional, political, sociological, technological, and natural forces. Any history that focuses only on the greatest participants in a field likely misses a great deal of interest and historical value. Inasmuch as astronomy is undertaken by and for human beings, therefore, its history cannot be limited to the lives and achievements of a narrow group.
This dictionary will be a useful quick-identification source suitable for a school or small public library. Larger, more expensive titles, such as Roy Porter's Biographical Dictionary of Scientists (1994), John Daintith's Biographical Encyclopedia of Scientists (1994), and Gale's Notable Twentieth-Century Scientists (4v., 1995), are available for further information.
This substantial set covers the complex topics of its title and is mainly focused on the U.S. Its nearly 600 entries are contributed by close to 400 scholars from all over the world. The alphabetically arranged entries cover a plethora of topics from a multidisciplinary perspective and may be concerned with economics, politics, law, religion, social welfare, media, entertainment, or sports.
