Most biographical dictionaries merely provide a bald and arid listing of the subject's date of birth, life history and major achievements, offering scant idea of what he or she was really like as a human being. Private Lives, in total contrast, scores strongly on the 'Hello!' magazine scale of intimate revelation, painting full, warts-and-all, what-do-they-keep-in-their-underwear-drawer pictures of over 200 famous and infamous characters from history.