''Contemporary Authors'' is a reference work which has been published by
Gale
A gale is a strong wind; the word is typically used as a descriptor in nautical contexts. The U.S. National Weather Service defines a gale as sustained surface winds moving at a speed of between 34 and 47 knots (, or ).[vanity press
A vanity press or vanity publisher, sometimes also subsidy publisher, is a publishing house where anyone can pay to have a book published.. The term "vanity press" is often used pejoratively, implying that an author who uses such a service is pub ...]
es or through other
self-publishing
Self-publishing is the publication of media by its author at their own cost, without the involvement of a publisher. The term usually refers to written media, such as books and magazines, either as an ebook or as a physical copy using POD (pri ...
methods.
Content
Entries in ''Contemporary Authors'' consist of a biography of the writer and bibliographies of their work and secondary sources covering it.
Writing need not be a person's primary occupation for them to be covered in ''Contemporary Authors'';
Martin Luther King Jr. and
Bear Bryant
Paul William "Bear" Bryant (September 11, 1913 – January 26, 1983) was an American college football player and coach. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest college football coaches of all time, and best known as the head coach of ...
have entries even though they are not mainly known as writers.
The series focuses on people who have published in English, but sometimes includes writers in other languages whose works have been translated.
''Contemporary Authors'' is not selective about whom it includes.
However, according to Gale, authors whose works have been published only by vanity presses are generally excluded.
Most biographical data published in ''Contemporary Authors'' comes from questionnaire responses.
Its staff may also conduct independent research if an entry's subject does not respond to questions.
Some entries contain a "Sidelights" section where writers can offer personal commentary on their life or work.
Publication
The first edition of ''Contemporary Authors'' was released in 1962.
As of 1990, it was published twice per year.
''Contemporary Authors'' has been published in five different series, each assigned its own entry in the
International Standard Serial Number
An International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is an eight-digit serial number used to uniquely identify a serial publication, such as a magazine. The ISSN is especially helpful in distinguishing between serials with the same title. ISSNs a ...
database: the original series, not otherwise named; first revision; new revision; permanent; and autobiography series.
Some of its iterations group multiple volumes into a single printed book.
As of 2002, it was published both in print and on CD-ROM.
Reception
In 1985,
American Library Association
The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members ...
named ''Contemporary Authors'' one of the "most distinguished reference titles" of the preceding 25 years.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Gale: Contemporary Authors (digital edition)
1962 introductions
Biographical dictionaries
Cengage books