Biographical Resources

REFERENCE BOOKS

The following reference books contain primarily biographies or contain lengthy (2000+ words) biographies.

Portraits of Pioneers in Psychology
REF BF109.A1 P67
Multi-volume set containing biographies of influential psychologists.

Renaissance and Reformation: Biographies
REF CB359.R455 2002 Bio
50 biographies of women and men relevant to the Renaissance and Reformation period in Europe.

Ancient Civilizations: Biographies
REF CB311.K594 2000 Biog
Two-volume set containing biographies of 38 individuals from approximately 3500BC to AD 750.

World Philosophers and Their Works
REF B104.W67 2000
Contains biographical essays of 226 world philosophers.

Life Sciences Before the Twentieth Century: Biographical Portraits
REF QH26.L52 2002
Biographies of famous life scientists from ancient times through the 19th century.

Dictionary of World Biography
REF CT104.D54
Multi-volume set contains biographies of over 2,800 people from 6 historic periods.

Explorers
REF G200.E874 1998
Two-volume set containing biographical essays on 78 explorers and pioneers in world history.

Encyclopedia of World Explorers: From Armstrong to Shackleton
REF G200.S24 2002
Contains brief biographies on explorers.

Lives and Works in the Arts: From the Renaissance to the 20th Century REFNX449.5.L58 2002
Multi-volume set containing biographies of European and American writers, artists, and composers from the Renaissance into the twentieth century.

St. James Guide to Black Artists
REF N40.S78 1997
Brief biographies of nearly 400 notable visual artists.

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Encyclopedia of Artists
REF N31.E53 2000
Biographies of 222 artists from late medieval time to the present. Western art only.

Ancient Writers: Greece and Rome
REF PA3002.A5 1982
Lengthy essays on the lives and works of 47 famous writers from Ancient Greece and Rome.

Cyclopedia of World Authors
REF PN451.M36 2004
Multi-volume set containing biographies of approximately 2400 world authors from antiquity to the present.

Critical Survey of Poetry
REF PN1021.C7 2003
Multi-volume set containing biographies, information on works, and analyses of approximately 700 poets.

Critical Survey of Drama
REF PN1625.C74 2003
Multi-volume set containing 538 biographical and critical essays on dramatists from ancient times to the present.

International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers
REF PN1997.8.I58 2000
Volumes 2-4 of this reference have biographies of directors, actors and actresses, and writers and production artists.

Critical Survey of Short Fiction
REF PN3321.C7 2001
Multi-volume set containing biographies and criticism of 480 authors of short stories.

Reference Guide to Short Fiction
REF PN3373.R36 1998
Contains biographical information and critical essays on 376 writers of short stories and novellas.

Science Fiction Writers
REF PN3433.5.S35 1999
Biographies and criticism of science fiction authors from the early 19th century to the present.

100 Masters of Mystery and Detective Fiction
REF PN3448.D4 A16 2001
This two-volume set contains biographies, analyses, and lists of major works for 100 notable mystery writers.

Critical Survey of Long Fiction
REF PN3451.C75 2000
Multi-volume set containing biographies and criticism of 463 world authors.

Hispanic Literature Criticism
REF PQ7081.A1 H573 1994
Multi-volume set containing brief biographies and critical essays prominent Hispanic writers.

Reference Guide to American Literature
REF PS129.R44 2000
Contains biographical information and brief critical essays on notable 590 notable American writers.

Latino and Latina Writers
REF PS153.H56 L39 2004
With an emphasis on those who published after 1960, this multi-volume set contains biographies and criticisms of Latino and Latina writers.

Harlem Renaissance: A Gale Critical Companion
REF PS153.N5 H245 2003
Volumes 2 and 3 of this set contain biographical information and critical essays on key people in the Harlem Renaissance.

World Writers in English
REF PR9080.5.W67 2004
Multi-volume set of biographical and critical essays of world authors who write primarily in English.

The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature
REF PS21.E537 2004
Multi-volume set containing biographies and criticism of American authors from colonial times to the present.

Life Sciences in the Twentieth Century: Biographical Portraits
REF QH26.L53 2001
Biographies of influential life scientists in the 20th century.

The Renaissance and the Scientific Revolution: Biographical Portraits
REF Q141.R36 2001
Biographies of scientists from the Renaissance and Scientific Revolution (1500 to 1800).

ADDITIONAL REFERENCE BOOKS:

Many of our other reference books contain brief biographies. Please see a librarian if you need assistance.

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CIRCULATING BOOKS (AVAILABLE FOR CHECK-OUT)

Biographies are arranged by subject area. To find where a biography is shelved, search by Subject Keyword for the person’s name in the library catalog (LINCC).
To access the catalog, click here or go to http://valenciacc.edu/wp/Library and click on Library Catalog (LINCC) which is located under Research Tools.

Here is sample of biographies available:

Dinesen, Isak. Out of Africa.
DT433.54.D56 2002

Dennis, Felix and Don Atyeo. Muhammad Ali: The Glory Years.
GV1132.M84D46 2003

McCourt, Frank. Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir.
E184.I6M117 1996

Dallek, Robert. An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963.
E842.D28 2003

Buffalo Bill. The Life of Hon. William F. Cody, Known as Buffalo Bill, the Famous Hunter, Scout and Guide: An Autobiography.
F594.B843 1991

Armstong, Lance. It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life.
GV1051.A76A3 2000

Tucille, Jerome. Alan Shrugged: The Life and Times of Alan Greenspan, the World's Most Powerful Banker.
HB119.G74T83 2002

Sting. Broken Music: A Memoir.
ML420.S847A3 2003

Hughes, Robert. Goya.
N7113.G68 H83 2003

McGilligan, Patrick. Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light
PN1998.3.H58 M38 2003

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ONLINE DATABASES

The following databases contain biographical information:

To access the databases, click here or

1. Go to http://valenciacc.edu/wp/Library
2. Click on Online Databases & Articles (located under Research Tools)
3. Select Valencia Community College from the "Select Your College" drop-down menu.
4. Type your borrower ID (the 14 digit number found on the back of your Valencia student ID) and your PIN (the last 4 digits of your Social Security number or student ID number.)
5. Click on log on.
6. Click on the name of the database you want to use.

Biography Index

Biography Index provides the citations to biographical articles in more than 3,000 periodicals and more than 2,000 books. Also includes citations to interviews, obituaries, collections of letters, diaries, memoirs, juvenile literature, book reviews, bibliographies and exhibition reviews. Citations only, no full text.

Biography Resource Center

Contains biographies of over 320,000 individuals throughout history. Contains narrative biographies, thumbnail biographies, full-text magazine articles, and links to web sites.

RECOMMENDED WEB SITES

Biography Center
http://www.biography-center.com/
"Biography-Center's aim is to index all the available biographies on the Web."

Biography.com
http://www.biography.com
"Search over 25,000 of the greatest lives, past and present."

Who's Alive and Who's Dead
http://www.whosaliveandwhosdead.com/
"Welcome to Who's Alive and Who's Dead - the site that helps you keep track of which famous people have died and which are still alive!"

For more biographical resources, visit the Winter Park Public Library.
460 E. New England Ave., Winter Park, FL 32789 www.wppl.org

If you have questions or need additional assistance, please call the Winter Park Library at 407-582-6814.

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