Reference

This fourth collegiate edition of The American Heritage® Dictionary (AHD)continues and expands the "Usage Notes" feature, which is made up of brief essays describing common use, critical principles of "best" practice, and reports of the surveyed opinion of the dictionary's group of 200 well-known writers, critics, and scholars. Updates to this lower-priced, reduced-format, black-and-white version include 7500 new words and senses, timely additions to biographical entries (e.g., Donald Rumsfeld), and factual, statistical revisions to entries about U.S. states, cities, and towns. A style guide; an extensive appendix on Indo-European roots; and useful charts and tables on the books of the Bible, calendars, world currencies, geologic time, the planets of the solar system, proofreading marks, the taxonomy of life; and the Periodic Table of the Elements round out the work. A free CD-ROM permits users to download the entire contents of this dictionary (with audio pronunciations) as well as those of the college-level Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition. The electronic version of the dictionary is easily accessible from within MS Office applications, which makes it one of the most flexible and comprehensive electronic-language reference packages available. BOTTOM LINE The distinctive aim of the AHD since its 1969 inception has been to provide an authoritative alternative to what some thought was a permissive, descriptive-only trend in major American dictionaries following the 1961 publication of the controversial Webster's Third New International Dictionary. While dictionary making has become less rigidly divided along descriptive/prescriptive lines since the Sixties, the degree of care taken in this edition with the question of usage recommends its purchase. All in all, a useful and economical acquisition for all libraries, large and small. Highly recommended.—Paul D'Alessandro, Portland P.L., ME

This seventh volume in the series covers the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush presidencies (1981–93), providing an introduction to the major people, events, institutions, policies, and issues of the era. Renowned scholar Conley (political science, Univ. of Florida; Transforming the American Polity) authored the roughly 400 cross-referenced, A-to-Z entries, which average less than one page in length. The entries are divided into ten sections, beginning with "President Ronald Reagan and His Administration, 1981–89" and ending with "President George H.W. Bush's Monthly Approval Data (%), 1989–92." Included are ten appendixes with statistical and other representative information as well as a chronology. The only illustrations—a portrait and inaugural photo of each President—add little to the volume. BOTTOM LINE The entries are more factual than analytical in nature and avoid taking a position on the controversial positions of the day, e.g., the Iran-Contra Affair, abortion, or President Reagan's nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court; the 31-page bibliography (arranged by subject) is very useful for students or scholars needing further information. Recommended for academic libraries.—Ryan Johnson, Univ. of Mississippi Lib., Oxford

Though this work edited by Anderson (administration, leadership & technology, Steinhardt Sch. of Education, NYU) and Herr (Coll. of Education & Human Services, Montclair State Univ.) and written primarily by academic specialists emphasizes activism, social justice, and movements in the United States, it is international in its scope. More than 850 A-to-Z entries cover important people, organizations, and social events that have influenced social norms. The biographical entries average half a page to two pages, while the subject entries may be as long as six pages (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education). Each volume contains a reader's guide for related articles in the series. Some of the movements discussed are better known than others (e.g., the Antigonish movement). Further reading suggestions and a See also section end each entry, offering readers additional information. There were some minor errors in the review copy, e.g., the entry on the American Revolution placed the skirmishes of Lexington and Concord in May instead of April. And while the entries are informative, they are not always objective. For example, the essay on Fidel Castro stresses the benefits he has brought to Cuba and downplays the negative side of his policies. BOTTOM LINE Emmanuel Ness's Encyclopedia of American Social Movements (Sharpe Reference, 2003) focuses more on the United States and covers a smaller number of categories. Sage's publication is useful for anyone researching social justice groups or social activists. However, be alert for author bias. Libraries buying the set might want to purchase a conservative encyclopedia to balance their collection. While it might appeal to public libraries, it will probably be more useful in college libraries.—James Langan, Univ. of Pittsburgh Lib., Johnstown

Flinn's (religious studies, Washington Univ.) entry in the publisher's world religions series succeeds admirably in presenting Catholicism and its tenets to a general audience. Easy to read and to comprehend and written in accessible, nontechnical language, the work is made up of more than 700 A-to-Z entries detailing the theology, events, persons, doctrines, and movements that have shaped Catholic religion throughout its nearly 2000-year existence. Entries come with ample cross references and suggestions for further reading. A comprehensive index, a chronology, and a brief introduction to Catholicism help to instruct and aid in further reading. Flinn manages to explore both basic concepts (e.g., the Bible, God, the patron saints) and more controversial issues (e.g., abortion, pedophilia, anti-Semitism) with clarity and objectivity. Although he discusses many social and religious issues, the volume lacks any mention of homosexuality and the church, an interesting omission. Some 80 black-and-white illustrations complete the text. BOTTOM LINE Certainly less comprehensive than Gale's massive New Catholic Encyclopedia (2003), which will remain the source of choice for serious religious scholars, this is nonetheless a quality and economical alternative for students, lay scholars, and the general public. Highly recommended for school, public, and undergraduate libraries.—Amanda K. Sprochi, Univ. of Missouri Lib., Columbia

These two volumes make logical additions to the "Weapons and Warfare" series, written by expert military historians and focusing on major weapons systems. In Submarines, Fontenoy (curator, North Carolina Maritime Museum; Aircraft Carriers) describes the development of submarines within the context of technology, tactical and strategic doctrine, and political impact. He illustrates the influence of submarines on naval command structures and the consequences of their development on strategic, military, and political decisions during the last 90 years. The bulk of the work is made up of a section with detailed information (by nationality) on more than 400 different types of submarines built since 1888—from the steam-driven models used in World War I to today's nuclear-powered classes—including technical specifications and the number of vessels produced for each type listed.

In Artillery, Kinard (Lafayette of the South: Prince Camille de Polignac and the American Civil War) presents a concise history of artillery weapons, offering detailed descriptions of all technical innovations and developments in the field of military artillery. He covers artillery's impact on the battlefield, from the ancient times of catapults and ballistas to artillery developed during the second half of the 20th century. The last chapters contain specifications for more than 700 field, coastal, heavy, self-propelled, and antiaircraft artillery pieces, from the late 19th to the late 20th century, including date of adoption, caliber, and maximum range. BOTTOM LINE These two very specialized, well-written works are ideal for military history experts and students. Best suited for specialized history collections at special and large academic and public libraries. [Submarines (ISBN 978-1-85109-568-1) and Artillery (ISBN 978-1-85109-561-2) are both available as ebooks.—Ed.]—Luis J. Gonzalez, Hunter Coll. Libs., New York

Homer courageously adds his book to the abundance of publications available on the topic of miscellanea. A former champion amateur golfer, he admits to a "lifelong obsession with obscure facts," of which this slim debut seems to be a culmination. As he notes in his introduction, the book is meant for "people who want to know how and when things began." Nineteen topical chapters (e.g., "Inventions" and "Crime") are arranged alphabetically and subdivided (e.g., the "Famous People" chapter contains an "Actors and Other Show Business People" section). Otherwise, the entries within the chapters do not appear to follow a chronological or other typical arrangement. Though Homer doesn't cite entry sources in the proof, he states in both the acknowledgments and epilog that he's used the Encyclopaedia Britannica (edition unspecified) and has "googled" the web to research facts. A table of contents guides readers to specific topics. As is usually the case with miscellanea, it is difficult to know just what information one can count on finding upon consultation. The book lists just ten British "famous people" (not one of them a Beatle). And the "Judaism" entry in the "Religion" chapter takes up five brief paragraphs, while the entry on Christianity is twice as long—surely there are more obscure facts about Judaism? BOTTOM LINE More like a vanity project than a reference book; purchase where interest in or demand for miscellanea dictates. (Index not seen.)—Katherine Mossman, Everett P.L., WA

This seventh volume bears all the features and benefits of the earlier volumes in the "Defining Moments" series, which highlights in an accessible format U.S. historical events of the 20th century that have captured the nation's attention and sparked heated debate. Each volume is organized into three main sections that together provide a balanced account of the titular event, biographies of its key participants, and a collection of pertinent primary-source material. Each also includes a glossary of relevant people, places, and terms; a chronology of significant events; a bibliography of the sources consulted; and suggested resources for further investigation. This volume presents an overview of how a growing division between science and Christian religious figures over the origins of humankind, combined with the needs of a variety of players—among them, the American Civil Liberties Union, religious leaders of the mid-1920s, a young teacher with strong convictions, and a town in need of an economic boost—erupted in The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes, popularly known as the Scopes Monkey trial. Among those profiled here are attorneys Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan, naturalist Charles Darwin, and defendant John T. Scopes. The chronology extends from Darwin's work in the 19th century through the debate over intelligent design that continues today. BOTTOM LINE This and all the other books in the series are rich resources that lay readers and students alike will find useful as starting points for exploring events that have shaped American history. Recommended for high school and undergraduate college libraries.—Sarah Sutton, Texas A&M Univ. Lib., Corpus Christi

Drawing on primary and secondary sources, historian McCartney (Jamestown Island: An American Legacy) documents individuals who resided in the James River and Eastern Shore regions of Virginia between 1607, when the first permanent English colony in Jamestown was established, and 1635, just after Virginia's county governments came into being. She details her sources in Part 1 along with their corresponding abbreviations, which are used later in the 5500 A-to-Z biographical entries. The "Where They Were" section describes the background of the early settlements and plantations, each of which is designated with a number; in biographical entries mentioning any of these locations, that number appears in bold. Rounding out the section is a map demarcating the locations of the sites. The biographical entries are thorough, accounting for persons mentioned in documents only by their first or last names (thankfully, McCartney includes variant spellings). Some of the entries (e.g., that on Jamestown physician John Pott) are as long as one and a half pages; others are as brief as a dozen words. Yet even the brief entries brim with information, e.g., the "Anthony" entry states that "On February 16, 1624, an African named Anthony was living at Flowerdew Hundred," thus providing researchers with three vital bits of data: name, date, and place. Every entry ends with a source citation. A three-page glossary defining terms that may not be familiar to most readers, e.g., "Whit Sunday" and "hogshead," and a 52-page name index complete the book. BOTTOM LINE Researchers with early Virginia roots as well as those with a general interest in the Colonial years will appreciate this resource; recommended for public and genealogical libraries.—Elaine M. Kuhn, Allen Cty. P.L., Fort Wayne, IN

Formerly with the Organization of American States, the authors of this revised 5000-entry dictionary of terms, organizations, and acronyms bring years of experience in negotiating and administering international environmental agreements to the task of clarifying and standardizing the vocabulary of global environmental governance. (The first edition was published in 2004 under the title C.H.A.O.S.S.: An Essay and Glossary for Students and Practitioners of Global Environmental Governance.) While dictionaries of environmental terms abound, this volume adds the vocabulary of international law and diplomacy. Unlike U.S.-focused dictionaries of environmental law, this one takes as its primary audience policy makers who create and interpret instruments that govern global environmental issues. The introductory essay explains the need for common definitions: "What good is an instrument that contains all the right words if the parties that agreed to them understand them in mutually exclusive ways?" Additional material includes a list of definition sources, selected agreements, and principles and a separate list of acronyms and abbreviations. BOTTOM LINE Though well crafted and unique, this will appeal to a specialized audience. Recommended for large academic or specialized collections only.—Mary Rumsey, Univ. of Minnesota Lib., Minneapolis

Slavery in the United States has long been a charged topic of discussion among historians and the public at large. Unique to this work edited by Rodriguez (history, Eureka Coll.; Historical Encyclopedia of World Slavery) are ten contextual essays on topics such as conquest, colonialism, and the origins of African slavery as well as essays—e.g., "End of the Slave Trade" and "Rise of Abolitionism"—that bring together the set's various parts (one of them is written from a slave's perspective). Three hundred A-to-Z entries by more than 100 contributors span some 575 pages and highlight people, issues, and events dating from the first colonization through Reconstruction, e.g., "African American Culture and Strategies for Survival" and "The Coming of the War and Emancipation." Primary-source documents include "John Locke Prepares a Constitution for Carolina (1669)" and "Frederick Douglass Offers Reflections upon Emancipation (1883)." BOTTOM LINE J. Blaine Hudson's Encyclopedia of the Underground Railroad (McFarland & Co., 2006), though useful in its specialized treatment, does not compare; neither do other recent treatments of the subject. Notwithstanding the rather high price, a necessary purchase for all libraries. [Also available as an e-book: ISBN 978-1-85109-549-0.—Ed.]—Albert C. Vara, Temple Univ. Lib., Philadelphia

Tate, a self-described freelance editor who holds a master's degree in English, first published this work under the title F. Scott Fitzgerald A to Z (Facts On File, 1998). Her new edition converts the book's single alphabetical sequence into two sequences—one for "Works" and a second for "Related People, Places, and Topics." Other changes, though fairly minor, are good: an enlarged biographical essay, the addition of several hundred-word "Critical Commentaries" for five of Fitzgerald's novels and 19 of his stories, and updated critical bibliographies. Though the publisher's web site refers to this edition as "revised, reorganized, and fully updated," this reviewer found very few differences between their entries (there are approximately 2000 in each). Further, many of the illustrations appearing in the first edition are missing here. A chronology of Fitzgerald's life completes the book. BOTTOM LINE Robert L. Gale's An F. Scott Fitzgerald Encyclopedia (Greenwood, 1998), though lacking illustrations entirely, covers much of the same material while offering some unique information (e.g., Fitzgerald's yearly income). Larger and comprehensive collections may want to add Tate's new edition, but either Gale's work or Tate's earlier edition continues to be satisfactory for high school and college students.—Peter Dollard, Mount Pleasant, MI

Taylor's (general editor, Early Modern Europe: Issues and Interpretations) encyclopedic guide to the French novel from its origins to the present day is the most comprehensive of its kind. Each of the more than 550 A-to-Z entries ranges from 300 to 2500 words and is followed by a short bibliography of works. Coverage takes the form of biographies of French and Francophone authors and synopses/analyses of their major works. The book concludes by listing French titles alongside their English translations. Some novels and writers receive extensive coverage (e.g., Nobel prize winner André Gide), some shorter (e.g., Algerian novelist Albertine Sarrazin), depending on their importance and significance. Novels explored include The Three Musketeers, Les Misérables, and The Plague. The explanations of the novels and their writers do not merely present the facts but offer analytic interpretations. Helpful also are definitions of literary movements (e.g., surrealism) and political events (e.g., the Vichy regime's development) influencing these writers and contextualizing their times. BOTTOM LINE A worthy addition to any university's reference collection and useful to all students and lay readers interested in the French novel; highly recommended.—Bob Ivey, Univ. of Memphis

Editor Hersen (psychology, Pacific Univ.; Psychological Assessment) began this revision shortly before the death of fourth-edition author/editor Samuel M. Turner (psychology, Univ. of Maryland; Diagnostic Interviewing); colleague Deborah C. Beidel (psychiatry, Penn State Coll. of Medicine; Shy Children) joined the project afterward. Comprising 17 expanded chapters and one new one (on race and ethnicity), it uses the nomenclature of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV throughout and includes the field's most current research. Following nine field specialists' theories on classifications, diagnoses, the interviewing process, and relevant racial, ethnic, and genetic concerns, 13 chapters explain recognized clinical disorders, their distinct neural pathology, associated case studies, related epidemiology, and suggested treatments. Written specifically for field specialists, this edition will prove vital to psychological and psychiatric medical collections.

Combs (political science, Univ. of North Carolina, Charlotte; Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century) and Slann (Introduction to Politics: Governments and Nations in the Twenty-First Century) offer a highly accessible, information-rich guide to the figures, events, and consequences of international terrorism, both historical and contemporary. Organized alphabetically by topic name, the 350-plus entries run from a single paragraph to several pages long. New and updated entries include "Army of God," "biological agents," and "Egyptian Islamic Jihad." An appendix contains charts detailing terrorist-related patterns, while a two-month, day-by-day time line documents international responses to 9/11 and critical global events leading to the invasion of Afghanistan. Fully indexed and featuring a six-page bibliography and black-and-white photographs, this edition is highly recommended for both specialized political science collections and public libraries.

In this resource intended to promote awareness and to document present circumstance, Moseley (From Baltic Shores) brings together the highly detailed work of nine international linguistic scholars who catalog the world's dying languages and provide an anthropological classification of them. With detailed definitions and extensive further-reading references, the entries are organized first by continent and subcontinent, then alphabetically by language name; each entry is numbered (with the numbers appearing on relevant maps), and the geographical distribution of its speakers is noted. Geared toward field specialists, this work will become a vital contemporary record of extant languages and their level of endangerment. Highly recommended for linguistic and anthropological collections.

This expansion of Dutch author/illustrator Felius's Genus Bos: Cattle Breeds of the World, originally released in the Netherlands in 1995, is the first to document cattle breeds—dairy, beef, and draft animals—on a global scale. Through written descriptions and watercolor drawings, Felius explains the characteristics and historical significance of nearly 1000 breeds organized by continent. Her chronological scope is wide, extending back to prehistory, and she provides ample supplementary material on cattle's ritual significance. With extensive distribution maps, a chart describing cattle's scientific classification, and an eight-page bibliography, this sizable tome is highly recommended for agricultural and animal husbandry collections.

Editors Dabydeen (Black Writers in Britain), John Gilmore (Faces of the Caribbean), and Cecily Jones (Engendering Whiteness) have collected the research of 112 field specialists in this book devoted to prominent deceased British figures of African and Afro-Caribbean descent. Equally well examined are the events, organizations, places, concepts, and non-British historical figures—from the second century C.E. to the 21st century—that contributed significantly to the development of Afro-Briton history. Averaging several paragraphs to several pages in length, the entries are organized alphabetically by topic name. A 14-page chronology and an extensive bibliography conclude this thoroughgoing and engagingly written work. Highly recommended for general history and cultural studies collections.

Wasniewski (House Office of History & Preservation) has compiled the first comprehensive guide to the 229 women who have served in the U.S. congressional system, from the pre-suffrage era (e.g., Jeannette Rankin of Montana) to the present day. In the segment highlighting former congressional members, striking, full-page sepia-toned photographs precede profiles averaging three to six pages. Each entry is concluded by further reading titles, references to pertinent manuscript collections, and abundant primary-source material. Part 2 offers one-page alphabetical profiles of current members, while an appendix provides condensed entries on 74 first-year 109th congressional members. Meticulously researched and extremely well organized; highly recommended for political science and women's studies collections.—Savannah Schroll Guz, formerly with Smithsonian Inst. Libs., Washington, DC