New Dictionary of Scientific Biography (Dictionary of Scientific Biography (8 Vols)) [Hardcover]

Noretta Koertge (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 10 Up—These approximately 740 articles update information found in the Dictionary of Scientific Biography (1970–1980) and its two-volume 1990 supplement. They also reevaluate previously discussed scientists (Isaac Newton); add prominent individuals who have died since the previous publication (Stephen Gould); include new or previously minimally treated fields such as computer science (Ada Lovelace), ecology (Aldo Leopold), the sociology and philosophy of science (Thomas Kuhn), and psychology (Jean Piaget); and groups underrepresented in the earlier editions, such as Arabic peoples of the medieval era, females, African Americans, and Asians. This latter extension is hard to verify, as there is no ethnic-, nationality-, or gender-based list; African-American scientists Charles Drew and Percy Julian, however, are absent. Articles discuss the scientists' lives and the social context and technical aspects of their work. Each entry includes a bibliography, and many have black-and-white portraits or photographs of subjects at work. Though generally comprehensible to students with a strong science background, some articles are more accessible than others. A detailed index, cross-references, and a list of scientists by field are additional strengths. Schools that have the earlier work may want this update; others may prefer the electronic Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography, which includes the material from both print works.—Judith V. Lechner, Auburn University, AL
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 4400 pages
• Publisher: Charles Scribners & Sons; 1 edition (December 14, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684313200
• ISBN-13: 978-0684313207
• Product Dimensions: 20.2 x 12.1 x 6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 25.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,195,832 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars More useful as a supplement, June 5, 2008

By 

Jeffrey Eldredge "Jeffel" (HONOLULU, HI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: New Dictionary of Scientific Biography (Dictionary of Scientific Biography (8 Vols)) (Hardcover)

The New Dictionary of Scientific Biography (New DSB) is mainly a supplement rather than a revision of the Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Like its predecessor, the New DSB covers only dead scientists. Therefore, you will find Carl Sagan (d. 1996) in the New DSB, but you won't find Stephen Hawking.

The New DSB includes many scientists who died after 1980 and therefore, were not included in the original set. There are also revised articles on many scientists from the original set, such as Aristotle, Einstein, Galilei (Galileo), Planck, Plato, and Ptolemy. However, these revised articles often cover only new interpretations of the subject's work and not much about the person's life.

My three-star rating is based on the new set's usefulness, not its accuracy. Since it has been over 30 years since the original set was published, I would like to have seen a complete revision that could have replaced the old set. However, even if that were not feasible, I would have expected the following:

a) Write the revised biographies as stand-alone articles, not supplements to the previous ones.
b) Incorporate the 4 supplementary volumes from the original set into the New DSB, so there would be just one additional place to look for biographies.
c) Create a master index that covers the new set and the old one.

The publisher does have an e-Book edition that may offset some of the above mentioned shortcomings. Therefore, libraries or schools may decide if either format will work for them.