Dictionary of Medical Biography

I just want to announce the publication of the five volumes of Dictionary of Medical Biography, edited by Bill and Helen Bynum for Greenwood Press. It came out the day before New Year's Eve (30 Dec. 2006), so I haven't seen it in print yet.

Several of my present and former colleagues here at Medical Museion (and myself) have written articles for it (in addition I was area editor for the Nordic countries, i.e., Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden; unfortunately no Icelandic medical doctors are included). The Bynums allowed for 38 entries from the Nordic countries out of a total of approx. 1100, so we had to make some pretty tough decisions -- in fact, not even all medical Nobel prize winners have been incorporated.

I'm curious to read the Bynums' editorial introduction. Judging from the original author instructions back in 2004, this is a fairly conventional biographical dictionary. But I will postpone all critical remarks until I have received my area editor's copy (wouldn't dream of buying it myself; it costs 750 USD! -- hopefully major libraries will buy it, though)