The Oxford Desk Dictionary of People and Places

This text offers in-depth information of the kind usually found in unabridged dictionaries. The biographical section covers more than 7,500 individuals, from earliest recorded history right through to the present. Each entry includes pronunciation, the date of birth and death, nationality, and significant achievements. We learn, for instance, that Chinua Achebe was born in 1930, is a Nigerian novelist, poet, short-story writer, and essayist, wrote "Things Fall Apart" (1958) and "Anthills of the Savanna" (1987). Major historical figures, such as U.S. presidents, have boxed entries that include information about their private lives and public careers. The geographical section covers some 10,000 places of all kinds.