Brief biography and the ‘all-round man’

Abstract

Encapsulating an entire life and career in a short essay or outline, such as those published in biographical dictionaries and encyclopedias, is not a straightforward exercise. This article canvasses some of the broader issues and then as a case study examines the writing of the entry for Percy Grainger for the Australian Dictionary of Biography. The author in question, Dr Kay Dreyfus, faced particular challenges such as an over-abundance of primary source material, some controversial aspects of the subject’s private life, and differences of opinion between author and commissioning editor.