Reference Reviews, February 1, 2011
Feb 1, 2011Arts & Humanities
Booker, M. Keith. Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction Cinema. Scarecrow. (Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts, No. 44). 2010. 368p. bibliog. ISBN 9780810855700. $80; Online: NetLibrary, Overdrive, MyiLibrary, EBL, & Questia REF
In this easy-to-read and informative reference, Booker (English, Univ. of Arkansas; Science Fiction Television) covers sf movies from their beginnings to the present. Varying in length from one-quarter of a page to three pages, the 300-plus alphabetically arranged articles discuss directors, producers, writers, actors, subgenres, styles, and production companies. Biographical listings include birth and death years and information on relevant movies and the subjects’ contributions to the industry; actor entries also offer brief synopses of characters they played. Movie entries list the release date, director, a brief synopsis of the film, and social or moral issues it may raise. The main characters in the Star Wars and Star Trek series are among the few fictional characters to receive their own entries, owing to their popularity. Bolded words in each entry refer users to other entries in the book. BOTTOM LINE Sf aficionados may feel that the book is not inclusive enough. While some movies merit full entries, numerous others are instead briefly summarized only in other entries. Still, this could be a helpful place to begin research on sf movies, offering more depth of coverage than Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction (2007). It is likely to be of most interest to academic researchers but may also be useful to curious public library patrons.—James Langan, Univ. of Pittsburgh, Johnstown
Zirpolo, Lilian H. Historical Dictionary of Baroque Art and Architecture. Scarecrow. (Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts, No. 42.). 2010. c.642p. bibliog. ISBN 9780810861558. $140; Online: NetLibrary, Overdrive, MyiLibrary, EBL, & Questia REF
Although the baroque period lasted for almost 200 years (approximately 1580 to 1750) and produced artists like Rembrandt, Rubens, and Vermeer, it hasn’t received much popular attention. Zirpolo (Historical Dictionary of Renaissance Art) has written a reference for those at the university level unfamiliar with the era. The best feature of this dictionary is the convenience of having a large amount of useful information in one volume. Its reasonable size will appeal to college students not specializing in the period but needing to read or write about the baroque. In over 500 entries, Zirpolo covers the artists and architects of the time—their works, techniques, and styles—along with the era’s important figures and events and the historical, mythological, and biblical stories that are subjects of much baroque art. A detailed introduction and thorough chronology provide a narrative for the definitions, and the bibliography offers leads for further research. BOTTOM LINE The wealth of information in a useful package cannot compensate for the book’s high cost. Before easy Internet access, the price might have been justifiable. Now most of the information is available as easily through online searching. For the rest, a student can refer to the baroque chapter in any history of Western art. Not recommended.—Robert Mixner, Bartholomew Cty. P.L., Columbus, IN
FOLKLORE
Encyclopedia of the Vampire: The Living Dead in Myth, Legend, and Popular Culture. Greenwood. 2010. 386p. ed. by S.T. Joshi. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780313378331. $85; Online: ABC-CLIO eBook Collection REF
Joshi (coeditor, Supernatural Literature of the World: An Encyclopedia) brings together 217 entries by 42 authors, scholars, and educators on all aspects of vampires in literature and legend—authors, novels, short stories, films, television series, topical essays, and more. Arranged alphabetically, the volume begins with a listing of entries and a guide to related topics. Each entry is signed, although there are neither references listed for the entries nor cross-references to other entries within the encyclopedia. The emphasis is on U.S. and English authors, although a few others from around the world are included. The entries about authors lack bibliographies of the authors’ works. However, the volume itself has a general bibliography organized by topic. The index enables the quick location of subjects of interest. BOTTOM LINE This volume is good for information about the living dead in myth, legend, and popular culture from the past through today, but it will not serve the serious researcher in need of references to further sources. High schools and public libraries where patrons are interested in learning more about vampires will benefit from adding this to their holdings, but academic collections would be better off with a source that has bibliographic references. [For a recent example, see The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead (3d ed., Visible Ink), reviewed in LJ 9/15/10, p. 99.—Ed.] —Sara Rofofsky Marcus, Queensborough Community Coll., Bayside, NY
HISTORY
The Encyclopedia of Middle East Wars: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts. 5 vols. ABC-CLIO. 2010. 1927p. ed. by Spencer C. Tucker. photogs. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781851099474. $495; Online: ABC-CLIO eBook CollectionREF
This five-volume work presents strong, well-researched, and well-documented information on Americans’ presence in the Middle East during the last part of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century. It covers the domestic, cultural, religious, diplomatic, international, and military events of this troubled region and, particularly, U.S. involvement. The encyclopedia’s more than 500 entries provide guidance in understanding both the cultural clashes between East and West and the influence that U.S. military, diplomatic, and national security policies and interests have had. It traces U.S. involvement in the Middle East and south-central Asia, concentrating on the last three decades. Beginning with the 1980–88 Iran-Iraq war, it covers the 1979–89 Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, the 1991 Persian Gulf War, allied punitive actions against Iraq during the 1990s, the Afghanistan war, the two Iraqi wars, and the global war on terror. The set is supplemented with maps and hundreds of photographs, cross-references, and suggested readings in many entries. Tucker and Priscilla M. Roberts, editor of the “Documents” volume, are both Fulbright scholars and well-known editors and authors of several works on military history and Middle East conflicts, including The Encyclopedia of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, The Encyclopedia of World War I, and The Encyclopedia of the Cold War. BOTTOM LINE An essential resource for anyone seeking detailed information and in-depth reading on U.S. actions and involvement in the Middle East region during the last 15 years. Highly recommended for public, school, and college libraries. —Luis J. Gonzalez, Indiana Univ. of Pennsylvania Lib.
Tucker, Spencer C. Battles That Changed History: An Encyclopedia of World Conflict. ABC-CLIO. 2010. 550p. illus. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781598844290. $95; Online: ABC-CLIO eBook CollectionREF
Tucker (coeditor, The Encyclopedia of Middle East Wars [see review, p. 83]) has compiled over 200 battles that had a significant impact on history. About half of the battles are drawn from the 19th through 21st centuries. The earliest account is of the Battle of Megiddo that took place in May 1479 B.C.E., and the last entry is the Iraq war’s battle for Baghdad, which took place from March 19 to May 1, 2003. Each entry includes the date, opponents (with the winner denoted by an asterisk), commanders, number of troops, and importance of the battle. Many include a map of the battlefield, and each entry ends with a list of references. The book is arranged chronologically, and there is a list of battles at the beginning of the book that allows researchers to find a specific battle easily. An extensive bibliography provides further information about the battles. BOTTOM LINE This clear and concise overview of the major battles from a number of wars and would be a great addition to the collection of any library. Recommended.—Diane Fulkerson, Univ. of West Georgia Lib., Carrollton
LANGUAGE & LINGUISTICS
Adonis to Zorro: Oxford Dictionary of Reference and Allusion. 3d ed. Oxford Univ. 2010. c.432p. ed. by Andrew Delahunty & Sheila Dignen. index. ISBN 9780199567454. $34.95. REF
Previously published as Oxford Dictionary of Allusions (2d ed., Oxford, 2006), this retitled third edition contains 1900-plus compact entries of both direct and indirect allusions. As with previous editions, each entry includes an origination description and one to two quotations per entry from books, magazines, and other media. Entries range from the biblical, historical, and classical to people, places, literature, and modern society. A few include the trademark symbol (e.g., “Barbie”). See references appear within the body of the work, and cross-references between entries are indicated with a star symbol (e.g., “Hunchback of Notre Dame [Lit.; Cin.] Another name for *Quasimodo”). Despite the inclusion of indirect allusions such as “Beam me up, Scotty,” the third edition contains significantly fewer subjects and is 66 pages shorter than its predecessor. Designed for quick-and-easy access with the 12-page thematic index, this volume is eminently browsable. The editors, freelance lexicographers, have collaborated on several titles, including the Longman Business English Dictionary (Pearson, 2000) and the Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture (Pearson, 1992). BOTTOM LINE This edition nicely supplements Ruffner’s Allusions: Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical; A Thematic Dictionary (3d ed., KWS Pub., 2010) and 1500 Literary References Everyone Should Know (Arco, 1983). There is little duplication between this and previous editions. It will be a valuable addition to any literature reference collection. Highly recommended.—Laurie Selwyn, formerly with Grayson Cty. Law Lib., Sherman, TX
SOCIAL SCIENCES
A Cultural History of the Human Body. 6 vols. Berg. 2010. 1700p. ed. by Linda Kalof & William Bynum. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781845204952. $550. REF
Managing editors Kalof (sociology, Michigan State Univ.; editor, A Cultural History of Animals) and Bynum (history of medicine, emeritus, Univ. Coll. London; The History of Medicine: A Very Short Introduction) intend to present an authoritative survey of the past 2800 years of the human body as a physical, social, spiritual, and cultural object in Western culture. Though other works analyze portions of the cultural history of the body, usually from the perspective of gender or time frame, this set is the most ambitious in its reach and scope. It consists of six chronological volumes, from antiquity to the modern age. Each begins with a narrative account by the volume editor of the body during the time span covered, followed by suggestions for further reading. Next, chapters consider aspects of the body under ten headings: birth/death, health/disease, sex, medical knowledge/technology, popular beliefs, beauty/concepts of the ideal, gender/race/class, the bestial/divine, cultural representations, and self and society. These chapters are written by contributors listed at the end of each volume. Chapters are copiously footnoted, while notes, a bibliography, and an index are available in each volume. BOTTOM LINE Written in a readable and accessible style, this set can support a number of undergraduate programs in cultural and historical topics. A valuable ready-reference source for supporting undergraduate education.—Samantha Schmehl Hines, Univ. of Montana–Missoula Lib.
Queers in American Popular Culture. 3 vols. Praeger. 2010. 900p. ed. by Jim Elledge. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780313354571. $184.95; Online: ABC-CLIO eBook CollectionREF
Lambda Award–winning poet Elledge (English, Kennesaw State Univ.) assembles in three volumes 45 substantive, scholarly essays regarding the significance of queer people in American popular culture. These essays cover a wide range of topics ranging from blogs written by transgendered women to portrayals of gays and lesbians in blaxploitation films. In his introduction, Elledge writes that his goal is to provide a comprehensive overview of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and queer topics, but the content is heavily skewed toward gay, lesbian, and queer. A few essays explore transsexual or transgendered subjects, but influential figures such as Kate Bornstein and Leslie Feinberg are ignored. Also, with no essays on bisexual topics, bisexual people are rendered nearly invisible. Many significant bisexual artists are excluded (for example, Bessie Smith, David Bowie, and Margaret Cho), while bisexual authors such as Virginia Woolf and Djuna Barnes are mentioned only in the context of lesbian fiction. Other important artistic communities and movements such as the Harlem Renaissance, women’s music festivals, and Andy Warhol and the Factory are also neglected. BOTTOM LINE An optional purchase for large academic libraries with significant collections in LGBT, queer, women’s, and gender studies. Readers seeking a more comprehensive, balanced, and detailed reference work on LGBTQ topics would be better served by the Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender History in America (Scribner Reference, 2004).—Martha Hardy, Metropolitan State Univ. Lib., St. Paul
Reference Short Takes by Savannah Schroll Guz
Broom, Dave. The World Atlas of Whisky: More Than 350 Expressions Tasted—More Than 150 Distilleries Explored. Mitchell Beazley, dist. by Hachette. 2010. 320p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781845335779. $34.99. REF
Packed with stunning, full-color photographs of distilleries, tasting rooms, undulating landscapes, and dazzlingly lit bottles, this attractive coffee-table reference details the tasting notes and histories of 150 whiskies produced around the globe. Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Award winner Broom (Handbook of Whisky) divides the book by region, beginning with the renowned Scottish clusters, highlands, lowlands, and islands and continuing through Ireland, Japan, America, and Canada. Nearly 30 pages are devoted to whiskies distilled in Europe, India, South Africa, and Australia. A perfect complement to Dominic Roskrow’s expansive The World’s Best Whiskies, which includes distiller interviews.
Everitt, B.S. & A. Skrondal The Cambridge Dictionary of Statistics. 4th ed. Cambridge Univ. 2010. 468p. illus. ISBN 9780521766999. $59. REF
An update to the 2005 edition, this field-specific dictionary explains nearly 4000 terms, concepts, and models relevant to fields employing theoretical, applied, scientific, and survey-related probability methods. Everitt (coauthor, A Dictionary of Statistics for Psychologists) and Skrondal (Multi-Level Modeling) incorporate both computational and graphic considerations while profiling in paragraph-long biographies the field’s 100 most significant statisticians. Entries are alphabetized by name and include equations, illustrations, cross-references, and source titles. A thoroughgoing update to Graham Upton and Ian Cook’s cost-effective paperback Oxford Dictionary of Statistics, which, although straightforward enough for the novice, contains only half the entries of Everitt and Skrondal’s book.
Gough, Barry M. Historical Dictionary of Canada. 2d ed. Scarecrow. 2010. 498p. illus. bibliog. ISBN 9780810854963. $99. REF
One part history book, two parts lexicon, this guide defines the people, regions, resources, and events that have shaped Canada since its colonization 500 years ago. To augment the detailed opening time line, Gough (history, Wilfrid Laurier Univ., Ont.) offers an engaging introduction to Canadian history, organizing his essay with chronological subheadings. Alphabetically arranged entries run several paragraphs to several pages in length and offer focused explanations. An appendix lists prime ministers and governors, while a 46-page bibliography presents an expansive range of province-oriented titles. Although a nice companion to Gerald Hallowell’s 2006 Oxford Companion to Canadian History, this alone offers a strong survey of Canadian civilization.
International Monetary Fund Statistics Department. Direction of Trade Statistics: Yearbook 2010. IMF. 2010. 586p. illus. ISBN 9781616350031. pap. $107. REF
Published annually by the International Monetary Fund, this surprisingly slender reference offers tables detailing the documented or estimated by-nation values of imports and exports from 184 alphabetically organized advanced and developing countries. The book opens with trade data from larger global regions like Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Western Hemisphere. A special segment called “Memorandum Tables” details fuel and nonfuel income and outlay by continent. In this way, the book allows for rapid recognition of trends and eases national comparisons. Although this volume is intended for economics and political science specialists, the handy, three-language user guide enhances accessibility.
Lenburg, Jeff. The Facts On File Guide to Research: Finding Information in Print and Online. 2d ed. Facts On File.2010. 720p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780816081219. $50. REF
Intended for grades six through 12, this one-stop subject guide may also benefit college-level students, since it presents information included in freshman composition courses. Lenburg (The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons) divides the book into four segments: topic development; source locating, from physical to virtual information reservoirs; specific search strategies; and proper citation formats. Especially enlightening are essays on keyword searches, a surprisingly complex research component that is well explained. This guide does not replace the highly detailed citation samples in guides like Diana Hacker’s oft-reprinted A Writer’s Reference, but a series of closing appendixes offer MLA-, APA-, and Chicago-style citation templates to follow.
Snowden, Jonathan & Kendall Shields. The MMA Encyclopedia. ECW, dist. by IPG. 2010. 585p. illus. ISBN 9781550229233. pap. $24.95. REF
Expanding on his 2008 title, Total MMA, Snowden, along with Shields (Dalhousie Univ. Judo Club), has compiled the most comprehensive reference now available on the fights, fighters, managers, and executives defining contemporary mixed martial arts (MMA) and its related commercial industry. Alphabetized entries, written informally, run several paragraphs and offer histories, biographical profiles, and sidebars containing fighter quotations. While black-and-white photographs appear throughout, a slender segment of full-color action shots—some of arrested fists striking jaws and noses—anchors the book. Two appendixes on UFC Championships and other significant MMA fighting results close the book.
Stein, Michael, M.D., & Guy Taylor, M.D. The Encyclopedia of Arthritis. Facts On File. (Library of Health and Living). 2010. 420p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780816077670. $75. REF
In this update to the 2004 edition, practicing rheumatologists Taylor and Stein (medicine & pharmacology, Vanderbilt Univ. Medical Ctr.) reflect significant advances in the research and treatment of inflammatory and noninflammatory rheumatic conditions. Organized alphabetically by disease or treatment name, the entries run several pages and contain subheadings, clarifying symptoms, treatment options, and risk factors. Extremely detailed, each entry includes specialized medical terms but remains highly accessible. A superb glossary, an appendix of relevant websites, and an eight-page bibliography make this an essential reference. More comprehensive than John D. Clough’s chapter-style The Cleveland Clinic Guide to Arthritis (2009).
The Times Guide to the House of Commons: The Essential Guide to Britain’s 2010 Historic General Election. Times Bks. UK: HarperCollins UK, dist. by Trafalgar Square. Mar. 2011. 382p. illus. index. ISBN 9780007351589. $85. REF
For this annually published reference, the Times brings together the writings of its staff commentators, correspondents, editors, and critics to offer a historical account of the 2010 landmark elections, which are the first since 1974 to yield no political majority. The book’s first three chapters have the look of newspaper articles and offer accounts of the new parliament, difficulties experienced by departed politicians, and a House of Commons overview. A full-color segment includes amusing election ads. The final two chapters organize winning candidate profiles by region and detail party manifestos. A fascinating subject record. —Savannah Schroll Guz, formerly with Smithsonian Libs., Washington, DC
