Quick guide to the Oxford DNB

What is the Oxford DNB?

• 'The greatest reference work on earth.'   (Daily Telegraph)
• An illustrated collection of more than 50,000 specially written biographies of the men and women from around the world who shaped all aspects of Britain's past.    > Find out more

Who gets a biography in the Oxford DNB?

• Remarkable people in any walk of life who were connected with the British Isles.    > Find out more

Who has written for the Oxford DNB?

• 10,000 specialist contributors, making this the largest collaborative research project in the humanities. Many of the authors are world authorities on their subject and bring a lifetime's knowledge to the Oxford DNB biography.    > Find out more

Who is the Oxford DNB for?

• Everyone interested in the men and women who have left a mark on British history—scholars, family historians, biographers, students, teachers, librarians, archivists, and anyone with an interest in the quirks of human nature.    > Find out more

How do I read the Oxford DNB?

• Many libraries throughout the world, including almost all UK public libraries, subscribe, and can let their readers use their subscriptions from their own homes. We also have personal subscriptions, plus an always-changing selection of free material.    > Find out more

< About Oxford DNB

> The online edition
> Sample articles: Lives of the Week
> Free biographies by email: sign up for Life of the Day