The Century Book of Facts: A Library of Ready Reference Embracing History, Biography, Government, Law, Language, Literature, Invention, Science, Domestic Economy, Industry, Finance, Art, Religion, Education, Hygiene, and Useful Miscellany

The Century Book of Facts was first published at the turn of the 20th century, emerging during a golden age of American subscription reference books. Designed to serve as a comprehensive home library in a single volume, it aimed to provide middle-class families with immediate access to information on a vast range of topics including government, science, and domestic economy. Its creation reflected the era's widespread cultural emphasis on self-improvement and the systematic organization of knowledge for the benefit of the general public.

The content was typically curated by a team of anonymous editors and contributors who prioritized brevity and broad utility over specialized scholarship. While the editorial staff remained uncredited to emphasize the volume's status as a collective repository of universal facts, the layout and typography were representative of the dense, informative design style favored by publishers like the King-Richardson Company. It was well-received as a practical tool for the home and school, serving as a precursor to the modern single-volume encyclopedia.