The New Century Book of Facts: A Handbook of Ready Reference, Embracing Language, Grammar, History, Mathematics, Geography, Atlas, Kindergarten, Physiology, Literature, Science, Government, Law, Economics, Biography, Fine Arts

First published in the early 20th century, The New Century Book of Facts was conceived as a comprehensive compendium for the home, intended to serve as a one-volume reference library for the educated household. Edited by Carroll Davidson Wright, a prominent American statistician and the first Commissioner of Labor, the work reflects the Progressive Era's emphasis on systematized knowledge and civic self-improvement. Its design prioritized utility, organizing a vast array of disparate academic subjects into a single, accessible format that could be quickly consulted by students and laypeople alike.

The publication was part of a larger pedagogical movement to provide authoritative data on topics ranging from government and economics to science and the fine arts. The inclusion of sections like 'Kindergarten' illustrates the contemporary belief in standardized childhood development and the popularization of structured educational methodologies. As a staple of reference publishing during its time, the volume was highly valued for its dense, fact-heavy content, embodying the era's Victorian-rooted desire to categorize the totality of human knowledge within a single, manageable binding.