K.G. Saur has never been a publisher to shrink from the reference challenge. Gigantic bibliographical or biographical projects have long been a speciality and continue to be produced, often in printed or microform formats even in this predominantly electronic age. The International Encyclopedia of Pseudonyms, issued under a joint Saur/Gale label but published from Saur's Munich office, is the latest mammoth undertaking. Many of the hallmark features reference librarians have come to associate with the publisher are present: handsome hardbound volumes, high quality printing and design, multilingual prefatory information and, as unambiguously signalled by the title, encyclopedic international coverage.
Of the projected 16 volumes of the International Encyclopedia of Pseudonyms the first nine, or Part I, are to list persons by their real names in alphabetical order and the final seven, or Part II, to list pseudonyms A‐Z with the real names. Completion of the project is scheduled within two years. When this review, based on the first volume of Part I covering A‐Bradds, was written in October 2006 two further volumes had already appeared taking the real name sequence to Gosiorovský. Prefatory matter and publicity on Saur's web site claim that the completed set will decipher approximately 635,000 pseudonyms used by about 270,000 people. A wide interpretation of “pseudonym” is taken so that as well as the expected, such as stage names, noms de plume, aliases and anagrams, coverage also extends to nicknames, maiden names, married names, initials, monograms and abbreviations. In addition, “(T)o a lesser extent references to anonymous persons are provided” (p. vii). The result is unquestionably the most comprehensive reference work on pseudonyms ever assembled and one that will never be superseded, at least not as a print led production.
The unravelling of pseudonyms, especially literary pseudonyms, has long been a comparatively busy area of reference endeavour and Saur's volumes enter an already crowded field. A late nineteenth century English language work was Initials and Pseudonyms (Cushing, 1885) covering 12,500 writers. At the same time a German publisher produced the larger Lexicon Pseudonymorum (Weller, 1886) listing 32,000 pseudonyms and having a more international scope. Through the twentieth century reference works unravelling pseudonymous and anonymous writing appeared for most countries and literatures, the standard source for English being the Dictionary of Anonymous and Pseudonymous English Literature (Halkett and Laing, 1926‐34) containing, with its two supplements published in 1962, nearly 90,000 entries. International coverage specifically of pseudonyms and nicknames was attempted in the Scarecrow Press set Handbook of Pseudonyms and Personal Nicknames (Sharp, 1972‐82). This was soon challenged by a title from Gale, Pseudonyms and Nicknames Dictionary, which was published in three editions in the 1980s, the last in 1987 (Mossman, 1987), and must be considered the main precursor of Saur's new volumes.
Most of the above are cited in the c.130 item List of Sources, as are Saur's extensive series of biographical archives such as the French Biographical Archive and Italian Biographical Archive, which clearly form a major underpinning of the set and were probably critical in allowing the publisher to undertake the project. Particularly notable is the extensive reference made to national and regional works treating pseudonyms. In addition to works dealing with pseudonyms from European countries and languages, there is a sprinkling of sources relating to Latin American, Asian and African countries. With at least half of the works drawn from in languages other than English, the “international” claim of the title is much more than standard publisher patter and serves to emphasise the comprehensiveness of Saur's efforts. What is less clear, however, is the extent to which verification of the sources has been undertaken. The Notes for the User states “(D)espite all attempts to be accurate and thorough, instances may occur where errors or incorrectly attributed information may have been derived from the sources”. Unravelling pseudonyms is a notoriously hazardous endeavour; this work may be the most extensive that will ever be produced, but it is not necessarily the last word or definitive statement for all the pseudonyms treated.
This caveat aside, on the basis of the initial volume, there is little to fault in this set. Layout is in five clearly spaced columns with entry headings in boldface type. Real names are given in full with biographical dates where available. Preceding the pseudonym or pseudonyms used by an individual, which are clearly listed A‐Z on separate lines in boldface italicised type, are various biographical and other data as gathered from the sources. This can include place names, more commonly the profession of the person, for example “author”, “journalist” or more unusually “fiscal employee” or “president of the international ice hockey federation” (sic), and nationality or country of birth. Closing the entry is an abbreviation for the source from which the information is taken. Nearly all the entries have at least one of these but, intriguingly, a few lack sources and “result exclusively from internet research” (Notes to the User p. viii). No typographical or other errors were found in the review volume and the whole package is easy on the eye, the use of boldface type for entry term and pseudonyms being especially helpful in highlighting the essential information.
Selling at €3,280 and with the Real Name and Pseudonym sequences apparently unavailable for separate purchase, the International Encyclopedia of Pseudonyms represents a considerable investment. Only major reference collections or research libraries are likely to be able to contemplate acquisition. Even here, there might be some hesitation before committing to purchase, especially if some of the more standard sources drawn on in compilation are already held. Considering the research that must have gone into compiling these volumes, €3,280 is not an unreasonable asking price. Gathering together just about all the information ever assembled on pseudonyms and presenting it in one carefully cited and convenient sequence, this will be a boon to researchers of all types, especially in literature and history related subjects. Mossmann, the last work to attempt a serious global charting of pseudonyms, is outnumbered, outdated and outclassed. If a library has this now overwhelmed work, or the similarly overtaken Sharp volumes, and has the funding available, then purchase of the International Encyclopedia of Pseudonyms should be a high priority.
