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This edition of Famous First Facts, the
sixth, takes the popular reference book into a new century, one in which
scientific, technological, and medical advances are occurring with greater
speed than ever before. It contains more than 7,500 entries, with five
indexes to assist readers in locating information.
The present volume also includes several new features
that distinguish it from previous editions. There are over 1,000 new
entries describing “firsts” in science, technology, military history,
politics, and more, that have occurred since the publication of the Fifth
Edition, along with events from earlier years that had not been covered
previously. Sidebars highlighting interesting details about selected
events are also attached to many of the new firsts, while several existing
entries have been updated. In addition, some 100 images illustrating the
individuals, inventions, and moments covered in new and existing entries
visually augment the text.
The book’s overall structure has been revised as
well—entries have also been reorganized into 16 chapters, with chapter
headings appearing atop right-hand pages for easier browsing. A more
detailed discussion of the book’s arrangement is presented in the section
entitled “How to Use This Book,” which appears on page ix. Finally, the
subject index has also been reorganized into a more conventional,
topic-oriented index, so that a single entry can be listed in more than
one place.
Since Famous First Facts is a book of
firsts, it is appropriate to mention its first edition, which was
published by the H.W. Wilson Company in 1933. It was the brainchild of
Joseph Nathan Kane, then a freelance, self-syndicated journalist. In the
course of a decade of research for a book on the history of American
inventions, he accumulated 3,000 “firsts” which he organized into a
manuscript. Eleven publishers rejected it; finally, Halsey W. Wilson
accepted it after receiving multiple requests for the book from reference
librarians.
That first edition of Famous First Facts
was so successful that in 1938–39 it was turned into a radio program of
the same name, hosted by Mr. Kane, who subsequently became a consultant to
radio and television quiz shows. He also compiled additional books for the
H.W. Wilson Company, including Facts About the Presidents and
Facts About the States, both of which quickly became—and remain to
this day—standard reference volumes in schools and libraries. The world
changed so rapidly during the 20th century that it became necessary to
issue a second, updated edition of Famous First Facts by
1950, followed by a third in 1964, a fourth in 1981, and a fifth in 1997.
Now, a personal note. The preparation of this edition
was undertaken by an editorial team consisting of myself and my husband,
Steve Anzovin. The two of us had collaborated for many years on book
projects for the H.W. Wilson Company, including the fifth edition of
Famous First Facts. We were in the early stages of the current
revision when Steve was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer, which took
his life on December 25, 2005. I carried on the work with the help of a
number of people to whom I would like to express my gratitude. At H.W.
Wilson, I had the good fortune to work with General Reference Editor Lynn
Messina, the most tactful of editors even under the most challenging
circumstances, and her assistants Paul McCaffrey and Richard Stein. At the
B. Davis Schwartz Memorial Library, C.W. Post Campus, Long Island
University, I received assistance from Masako Yukawa, head of the
Government Information Department, who answered many factual questions;
Robert Delaney, Reference Associate, who furnished advice on photo
research; and my mother, Diane Podell, who researched hundreds of possible
new firsts. Computer programming for the indexes was started by Morgan
Robinson and completed by Hypercard magician Brian Kendall.
In addition to my mother, the rest of the family pitched
in. Roger and Sheri Podell, my brother and sister-in-law, looked up new
state firsts. My son Rafael took over some of my tasks at Anzovin Studio,
the computer animation company he founded with Steve. My daughter Miriam,
a student at the University of Massachusetts, served as my picture
researcher. My daughter Hannah proofread entries with me late into the
night and supplied me with her nourishing homemade cookies. Both of them
kept me going with their constant demonstrations of encouragement and
love. So did my brother, David Podell; my cousin, Susanne Barkan; my
friend Karen Anolik; and my father, Larry Podell, who died shortly before
this book was finished.
Steve and I were married for 31 years. Steve, this book
is dedicated to you.
Janet Podell
Amherst, Massachusetts
November 2006
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Famous First Facts
6th Edition
Contents
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