SOCIAL SCIENCES

Everything Explained That Is Explainable: On the Creation of the Encyclopaedia Britannica's Celebrated Eleventh Edition, 1910–1911

by Denis Boyle
Knopf. Jun. 2016. 464p. illus. notes. index. ISBN 9780307269171. $30; ebk. ISBN 9781101947777. COMM
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A quick glance may lead one to believe that this is just another catchy trivia book. It is not; rather, what Boyles (journalism, political science, Catholic Inst. of Higher Studies; coauthor, The Man's Playbook) presents is a highly detailed account of the dubious history surrounding the creation and sale of the Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th ed., a slice of publishing history that includes aggressive marketing tactics, literary subscription services, brash American salesmanship, and sociocultural coercion to sell reference collections. While fascinating at times, the level of minutiae may be overwhelming to the casual reader. This is not a light read but an exhaustive account of a very specific set of events.
VERDICT Boyle's account will appeal to a niche audience interested in the history of publishing and journalism and early 20th-century marketing. The balance of biography, history, and primary-source material makes for a compelling read more appropriate for scholarly readers than readers of popular historical nonfiction.
Reviewed by Gricel Dominguez, Florida International Univ. Lib. , Apr 01, 2016
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