Stranded Encyclopedias, 1700–2000

Stories of successful works have often dominated the history of Scandinavian encyclopedias. This is understandable given the rich encyclopedia tradition that characterizes the Scandinavian book market. Among the publications within this tradition, one encyclopedia stands out in particular. By being in print for more than sixty years, Salmonsens Konversationsleksikon had a special impact on the development of the genre in both Denmark and Norway. From 1891 to the second half of the 1950s, the influential family company J.H. Schultz published various editions of the encyclopedia. For years, it was considered one of the most important knowledge forums for the well-educated in the Scandinavian countries. Scattered among histories of great publications, we also find another and often overlooked storyline, namely the history of the unsuccessful or the incomplete—the stranded encyclopedia. In this chapter, Maria Simonsen explores a number of stranded Danish encyclopedias—printed as well as digital—and thereby gives new insights into the long history of the Danish encyclopedia tradition. Throughout her study, Simonsen argues that regardless of time and space, and no matter what media you publish in—print or digital—there are some obstacles and challenges for the encyclopedic genre that are universal

Encyclopedia · Library science · Colonialism, slavery, and trade · Computer Science · Historical Influence and Diplomacy · Philippine History and Culture

• Encyclopedias and Nationalism in Denmark

  Open Access•Maria Simonsen•Mémoires du livre•2022

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