"Biographical information is always useful in libraries, and this contribution by the publishers of the "Dictionary of American Biography" is a very welcome one...The 306 people included in the book come from a wide variety of ethnic and racial groups and backgrounds, and their reasons for inclusion vary greatly. Their achievements have not all been positive, but they have been remarkable, even when they are not considered famous...Each signed entry provides a photograph, bibliography, and, where appropriate, information on the location of the biographee's papers. The quality of the writing ensures that the entries are not only informative, but entertaining, significantly more so than those in the competing work, the "American National Biography...Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives" is highly recommended for all types of libraries."
-- "ARBA (American Reference Books Annual)" 2002