The World of Antebellum America: A Daily Life Encyclopedia

Kindell (Encyclopedia of Populism in America) has compiled entries from more than 100 contributors for this two-volume encyclopedia for the publisher's "Daily Life Encyclopedia" series, bridging the gap between The World of the American Revolution and The World of the Civil War, 1815–1860. The signed entries are arranged under ten sections, such as "Arts," "Economics and Work," "Family and Gender," and "Politics and Warfare." Entries list "see also" references and further readings. Scant black-and-white illustrations add little to the well-written text. Volume 1 includes a short preface, a brief introduction to each of the sections, and a chronology. Each section offers a lengthier introduction. Volume 2 features relevant primary documents for each section, a bibliography that excludes the further readings, contributors' information, and the general index. Use of the index in Volume 2 is critical, since the arrangement of entries is not alphabetical, and more information is needed in the preface about the choice of titles for the bibliography. Nonetheless, this series provides insight into topics readers may find intriguing. Librarians will want to compare this to Christopher G. Bates's The Early Republic and Antebellum America: An Encyclopedia of Social, Political, Cultural, and Economic History.