Rebels and mavericks make it into 2014 Dictionary of National Biography

Comedians, punks and sportspeople now among 'notables' in the online reference work, once the preserve of the great and goodThe Dictionary of National Biography has charted the lives of the British establishment for 130 years. But while entry into its prestigious pages after death used to depend on financial standing and pedigree, the latest online version is responding to a growing taste for mavericks and risk-takers.Fashion designer Alexander McQueen, irreverent novelist Beryl Bainbridge, comedian and clown Norman Wisdom, turkey farmer Bernard Matthews and hard-living snooker player Alex "Hurricane" Higgins are all to be announced this week as new entrants, selected by experts for inclusion in the 2014 edition.None of these people would have counted themselves among the great and good of the land. "We are looking for 'notability', and what that word means has changed," said the dictionary's editor, Dr Lawrence Goldman, explaining that an impact on national culture is now an important factor. "There are people in there who were rebels, and certainly there is something about death that adds a silver lustre to many well-known figures. We include someone like Malcolm McLaren now. He was a punk and a maverick, but also an influential businessman – almost an exemplar of his age."In the past the dictionary was almost exclusively male and white and gave little space to entertainers, sports stars or even businessmen. "It was very much a Victorian dictionary, interested in the... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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