Dictionary of National Biography vs The Library of American Biography: Which Should You Read?

Both live on shelves: Biography & Memoir

Cover of Dictionary of National Biography

Dictionary of National Biography George Murray Smith · 1885 ★★★★☆ 3.9 1031 pages · ≈ 19 h 06 m · Demanding Find on Amazon

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Cover of The Library of American Biography

The Library of American Biography Jared Sparks · 1846 402 pages · ≈ 7 h 27 m · Challenging Find on Amazon

The verdict

The Library of American Biography is the quicker read — about 7 hours vs 19 for Dictionary of National Biography.
The Library of American Biography is the easier read (Challenging), Dictionary of National Biography more demanding (Demanding).

Side by side