Anyone knows about International Who's Who? http://www.internationalwhoswho.com I need your feedback please...I'm ignorant about this thing... 1. Is it legitimate? 2. Had anyone here been into this? Thanks
I believe the only well-accepted Who's Who books are the ones published by Marquis. A Google search for the publisher finds only three listings. While the website makes it sound like a big deal, here's another view -- a brief description of the publisher on another site: ERICSON BOOKS CAROLYN ERICSON, 1614 REDBUD ST., NACOGDOCHES, TX 75961—2936 ERICSON BOOKS is a small genealogical book business dealing principally with records from the Southeastern United States. Cemetery, military, marriage, land,_ and church records and some family histories. [email protected] Like the vast majority of non-Marquis Who's Who books, and there are a lot of them, the listings are free, but your own personal copy, and wall plaque, and certificate, and whatever else listees want, can be quite expensive.
Dr Bear is correct, except for his first sentence. The British Who's Who is the original: started in 1849, and now published by Palgrave Macmillan. It is certainly "well-accepted". Marquis followed with Who's Who in America in 1899. International Who's Who is a scam trading on the name of both the above. "Can I find your book/publication in my library or bookstore? Our directories are strictly proprietary, for our members' use only. We do not allow them to be in any library other than the Library of Congress." http://www.internationalwhoswho.com/faq2.cfm#12
It occurs to me that the dubious Who's Who books have the same business model as some of Dixie Randock's fake schools in Spokane -- if you can manage to score 26% or higher on the absurdly-simple multiple choice test, you are awarded the degree free of charge. But if you want the diploma and transcript, you need to pay hundreds of bucks. Similarly, listing in these directories is free, but no one will know you're there (since they aren't found in libraries or stores) unless you buy your copy or copies, and the wall plaque and so forth). I love the fact, incidentally, that the legit Marquis Who's Who books always include a bunch of totally fake entries, complete with real addresses and phone numbers, which is their way of protecting their copyrights and protecting the listees against appearing on mailing lists. If any of the fake people get a letter or Email, the lawyers are unleashed. What fun it must be to have the job of writing the fake entries.
