N (Boston):

"The book has much of the fascination of a conversation, chatting
leisurely about the gossip, history, anecdotes, etc., which the names
of hundreds of authors, artists, and other celebrities suggest. The
index is so complete and accurate as to make this marvellous
compilation as available as an encyclopaedia."

SUNDAY BUDGET:

"A work of exceeding interest and value, for it is a veritable
epitome of biography, dealing with all the famous characters of
literature, science, and art, and presenting a wealth of instructive
data such as no volume of similar compass has ever contained. A more
instructive and interesting book has not been brought out the present
season, and its charm exerts a hold upon the reader that leads him on
from page to page."

THE JOURNALIST (New York):

"A charming, gossipy volume of literary anecdotes. It is this very
gossipy style which makes the book an easy one to read; and, while
the briefness of some of the references frequently piques the
reader's curiosity into further investigation, they are full enough
to furnish much valuable information concerning the masters of art
and literature. Mr. Ballou displays a broad and thorough knowledge of
men of genius in all ages, and the comprehensive index makes the
volume invaluable as a book of reference, while--a rare thing in
reference books--it is thoroughly interesting for consecutive
reading."

THE WATCHMAN:

"The book contains, in a condensed form, so large an amount of
interesting information concerning the personality of authors,
artists, and scientists as to cause us to wonder how one mind could
be sufficiently retentive to produce so comprehensive a collection.
The book is so easy and flowing in style as to seem more like
listening to agreeable conversation than the reading of printed
pages."

BOSTON TRAVELLER:

"One of the most permanently valuable publications of the year. It
has one very striking and curious element in being a kind of literary
phonograph, so to speak, with which one can sit down alone in one's
room and summon up spirits from the vasty deep of the past with far
better success than attended Glendower's efforts in that line. One
returns to Mr. Ballou's book again and again to discover the secret
of this peculiar quality; but, open the work where he will, the same
spell of fascination is over it. The wide range of literature in many
lands and languages, the fine and discriminating insight, and the
scho