Prominent individuals from all walks of national life appear in the Dictionary of National Biography, a work of reference of unrivalled reputation as the compendium of national achievement, combining scholarship with lively and entertaining prose. The contributors of the lives, often eminent persons in their own right, provide not only accurate detail but also anecdotal evidence about their subjects, many of whom were known to them personally. The books are not only an authoritative record of great importance to historians but also works of reference of singular interest to the general reader. The backgrounds and careers of the entrants are as varied as the large range of activities their lives encompass. The DNB is renowned for its accuracy of information and the soundness of its judgement.

Dictionary of National Biography 1961-1970
Edited by E.T. Williams and C.S. Nicholls
Oxford University Press, 1981, 1178 pages

 

 

Dictionary of National Biography 1971-1980
Edited by Lord Blake and C.S. Nicholls
Oxford University Press, 1986, 1010 pages

 

 

Dictionary of National Biography 1981-1985
Edited by Lord Blake and C.S. Nicholls
Oxford University Press, 1990, 518 pages

 

 

Dictionary of National Biography - Missing Persons
Edited by C.S. Nicholls
Oxford University Press, 1993, 768 pages

 

 

Dictionary of National Biography 1986-1990
Edited by C.S. Nicholls
Oxford University Press, 1996, 607 pages