Over 4,300 famous men and women, past and present; leading figures, past and present, from a wide variety of countries, cultures, and periods; excellent coverage of twentieth-century personalities and popular culture; notable figures from the past; authoritative and up-to-date information: each carefully researched entry gives the important facts about a person's life and work as well as putting into context his or her significance; and a quick reference supplement at-a-glance information on the kings and queens of England and the United Kingdom, prime ministers of Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and presidents of the United States.