Biographical dictionaries — a type of encyclopedic dictionary limited to biographical information — have been written in many languages. Many attempt to cover the major personalities of a country (with limitations, such as living persons only, in Who's Who, or deceased people only, in the Dictionary of National Biography). Others are specialized, in that they cover important names in a subject field, such as architecture or engineering.
The quality of biographical dictionaries varies. Most are long-established and authoritative, but some are simply schemes for flattering biographees into paying for commemorative copies of the publication. Anyone who receives an invitation to be included in a biographical dictionary should check the publication carefully. Warning signs include the offers of high-priced special commemorative editions, and requests for names and addresses of additional possible candidates for inclusion. Appearance in this Wikipedia article is not a guarantee of quality.
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