Famous First Facts
Encyclopedia
Famous First Facts is a book listing "First Happenings, Discoveries and Inventions in the United States
". The current version of the book — the sixth edition (ISBN 0-8242-1065-4), published in December 2006 — includes more than 7,500 entries on 1,300 pages, organized by five different indexes.
The book was originally published by H. W. Wilson Company
in 1933, weighing in at 757 pages and selling for $3.50. The book was created by Joseph Nathan Kane
, a freelance journalist who had assembled 3,000 "firsts" into a text that had been rejected by 11 other publishers before it was accepted by its current publisher. The book became a library reference standard.
The first edition led to a 1938-39 radio show hosted by Kane on the Mutual Broadcasting System
.
The second edition of the book was published in 1950, the third in 1964, the fourth in 1981 and the fifth in 1997.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
". The current version of the book — the sixth edition (ISBN 0-8242-1065-4), published in December 2006 — includes more than 7,500 entries on 1,300 pages, organized by five different indexes.
The book was originally published by H. W. Wilson Company
H. W. Wilson Company
The H. W. Wilson Company is a publisher based in New York City. It publishes print and online indexes, full-text databases, and other products and services for public, school, college, and special libraries around the world....
in 1933, weighing in at 757 pages and selling for $3.50. The book was created by Joseph Nathan Kane
Joseph Nathan Kane
Joseph Nathan Kane was an American non-fiction writer.-Early life:Kane was the oldest of three children in his family born to Jewish parents. His father was Albert Kane and his mother was Hulda Kane. At the time he grew up he lived at Manhattan's Upper West Side in New York City...
, a freelance journalist who had assembled 3,000 "firsts" into a text that had been rejected by 11 other publishers before it was accepted by its current publisher. The book became a library reference standard.
The first edition led to a 1938-39 radio show hosted by Kane on the Mutual Broadcasting System
Mutual Broadcasting System
The Mutual Broadcasting System was an American radio network, in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the golden age of U.S. radio drama, MBS was best known as the original network home of The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Superman and as the long-time radio residence of The Shadow...
.
The second edition of the book was published in 1950, the third in 1964, the fourth in 1981 and the fifth in 1997.
External links
- Famous First Facts Series, H. W. Wilson CompanyH. W. Wilson CompanyThe H. W. Wilson Company is a publisher based in New York City. It publishes print and online indexes, full-text databases, and other products and services for public, school, college, and special libraries around the world....