Reference Reviews, October 1, 2011
October 1, 2011EDUCATION
The Greenwood Dictionary of Education. 2d ed. Greenwood. 2011. 570p. ed. by John W. Collins III & Nancy Patricia O’Brien. bibliog. ISBN 9780313379307. $95. Online: ABC-CLIO eBook Collection REF
Collins (librarian, Monroe C. Gutman Lib.; faculty, Harvard Graduate Sch. of Education) and O’Brien (librarian, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign) provide 200 updated and 800 new terms in this second edition of their 2008 book, for a total of 3500 brief, signed definitions. The additions reflect new areas of interest and emphasis in the fields of education, such as gaming strategies, social networking, distance education, and the use of neuroscientific theory in studying educational behavior. Acronym entries are cross-referenced to their spelled-out terms, enabling quick location of definitions without reference to additional tables or appendixes. The layout is easy to read and follow, and one can quickly locate desired terms using the guide words at the top of each page and bolded entry headings. These definitions are not aimed toward those completely new to the study of education or toward those with advanced knowledge of the profession. Rather, they assume a basic knowledge of the field while offering insight into terms that only readers far advanced in a specific subset of education will require, focusing on the use of those terms in education. BOTTOM LINE This is a valuable reference for those seeking quick definitions of educational terms in a single location. A worthy purchase for late undergraduate and graduate education collections.—Sara Rofofsky Marcus, Queensborough Community Coll. Lib., Bayside, NY
HEALTH & MEDICINE
AIDS Sourcebook. 5th ed. Omnigraphics. (Health Reference). 2011. c.688p. ed. by Sandra J. Judd. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780780811478. $85. Online: Credo Reference, ebrary, Gale, MyiLibrary, Rittenhouse R2 Digital Library REF
This wide-ranging update of the 2008 edition covers just about every aspect of the disease, providing updated statistics, reporting on the most promising treatment research initiatives, and briefly explaining recently discovered strains of the ever-mutating virus. Chapters are presented in seven sections: “Basic Information About HIV/AIDS,” “Transmission, Risk Factors, and Prevention,” “Receiving an HIV/AIDS Diagnosis,” “Treatments and Therapies,” “Co-occurring Infections and Complications,” “Living with HIV Infection,” and “Additional Help and Information.” Within this expansive framework, a variety of specific issues are discussed; for example, a chapter on HIV/AIDS status disclosure offers legal, logistical, and psychological counsel. Several chapters discuss typical risk behaviors and prevalent rumors and myths, as well as transmission-prevention strategies. Also, in what can be seen as a sign of hope, many pages are devoted to the growing phenomenon of aging with HIV/AIDS. Overall, the writing style is direct, with simple language and occasional slang terms, thereby deftly striking a balance between effectively communicating to a demographically diverse group of readers without being offensive or too graphic. Short bibliographies supply references for material presented in several chapters, e.g., “Prison Populations,” in addition to the standard list of references located throughout. Concluding the book are a glossary, a directory of national organizations that includes URLs, and a comprehensive index. BOTTOM LINE Kudos on successfully fitting a multifaceted subject between two covers. An excellent starting point for any consumer-health question pertaining to HIV/AIDS.—Christina Connolly, Clark Univ., Worcester, MA
Bell, Sigall K., M.D., & others. AIDS. Greenwood. (Biographies of Disease). 2011. c.151p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780313376825. $45. Online: ABC-CLIO eBook Collection REF
This thorough work focuses on the history of HIV; its transmission, diagnosis and treatment; and the cultural impact of the disease. Detailed, technical language (mostly, though not always, included in the glossary) is used to explain the virus, the workings of the human immune system, and epidemiology as related to AIDS. Bell (Harvard Medical Sch.) and resident physicians Courtney L. McMickens and Kevin Selby begin each of the ten chapters (e.g., “HIV Around the World,” “How Does HIV Affect the Body?”) with five to ten questions that will focus readers’ attention on the information presented within that section. “My Story” offers the perspectives of three patients, effectively humanizing the impact of the condition, and the final chapter briefly discusses what readers can do to help. Informative, black-and-white graphs, charts, and diagrams explicate the text, which is also complemented by a few black-and-white photos. An index and an extensive list of recommended readings are also included. BOTTOM LINE This work, with its textbooklike feel, is best suited for an audience with a somewhat sophisticated scientific background.—Patricia N. McClune, Conestoga Valley H.S., Lancaster, PA
HISTORY
American Civil War: The Essential Reference Guide. ABC-CLIO. 2011. 312p. ed. by James R. Arnold and Roberta Wiener. illus. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781598849059. $85. Online: ABC-CLIO eBook Collection REF
This run-of-the-mill rundown of major players (politicians, generals), significant battles (Antietam, Gettysburg, Shiloh), and other important aspects of the war in general includes representative entries on industry, medicine, and railroads. While supplementary materials such as primary-source documents, a chronology, and thematic essays add value, these would be better positioned in the main text, and in general the book just doesn’t provide enough material. Its 90 articles are spread out over 223 pages that measure a mere 7" x 10". There is no introductory material, so it is unclear what prompted the decision to produce yet another Civil War reference work when so many other—and better—sources are available. Even more perplexing is that this publisher produced in 2000 what is considered the gold standard in the field, David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler’s Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History. With 1600-plus articles, more and better illustrations, five appendixes, and other bonus material, that five-volume work (later to reappear in one massive volume published by Norton) is tops but unfortunately out of print. BOTTOM LINE Libraries that can find a copy should consider the Heidlers’ work, which is the last word in American Civil War reference, instead of this title.—Michael Bemis, Minnesota Dept. of Corrections Lib., Oak Park Heights
Encyclopedia of Native American History. 3 vols. Facts On File. (Library of American History).2011. 1344p. ed. by Peter C. Mancall. photogs. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780816072507. $300. Online: Infobase eBooks REF
Mancall (history & anthropology, Univ. of Southern California; director, USC-Huntington Early Modern Studies Inst.) has authored several titles on early American history and edited eight other works. This set provides an overview of Native American life from a historical perspective, mainly covering the territory north of Mexico from the first-known human settlements there to the present day. The approximately 500 entries, which range from half a page to four pages in length, are arranged alphabetically and include “Blood Quantum” (a method used by the U.S. government to determine who qualifies as Native American), “Geronimo,” “Iroquoian Language Family,” “Lone Wolf v. Hitchcock,” “Ottawa,” “Pequot War,” and “Trail of Broken Treaties.” The entries are written in a readable, concise style, often illustrated with black-and-white photos, charts, or maps, and followed up in most cases with further-reading suggestions. Volume 3 closes with an appendix of tribes recognized by the U.S. government and a set index that does not appear in the other volumes. This work is a slightly more up-to-date competitor to Bruce E. Johansen and Barry M. Pritzker’s Encyclopedia of American Indian History (ABC-CLIO, 2008), laid out in a more narrative manner and organized by themes rather than alphabetically. Also available are works from various publishers that focus more narrowly on Native American historical and cultural experiences. BOTTOM LINE A useful quick reference for Native American history basics.—Samantha Schmehl Hines, Univ. of Montana–Missoula Lib.
Historic Documents of 2010. CQ Pr. (Historic Documents). 2011. 776p. ed. by Heather Kerrigan. index. ISBN 9781608717248. $180. Online: CQ Press Online Resources REF
The books in this series, which began in 1972, profile the national and international events of the year in question through primary-source documents. The passages are excerpted from a variety of sources, including the White House, Congress, and other U.S. and international governmental and nongovernmental organizations. The subjects are accessible in several ways. In the front of the volume, events and documents are listed in a month-by-month table of contents; a second listing breaks down the issues thematically (e.g., “American Life,” “Business,” “The Economy and Labor,” “International Affairs by Country”); and the third list is arranged according to document source. At the back of the book is an alphabetical cumulative index for 2006–10. Entries include a “Document in Context” portion that introduces the theme and abstracts of further documents that pertain to it. At the end of each topic are source citations and annotations to material of interest elsewhere in the volume as well as in previous editions in the series. BOTTOM LINE Best for academic libraries and those with collections that include governmental, legal, and/or global issues holdings. Another useful volume in the long-running series.—Christine Sharbrough, Derry P.L., NH
Jones, Terry L. Historical Dictionary of the Civil War. 2d ed. Scarecrow. (Historical Dictionaries of War, Revolution, and Civil Unrest). 2011. 1816p. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780810878112. $199. Online: NetLibrary, Overdrive, MyiLibrary, EBL, & Questia REF
In this thorough work, there are 60 new entries, and the bibliography is substantially updated. Jones (history, Univ. of Louisiana; Lee’s Tigers: The Louisiana Infantry in the Army of Northern Virginia) provides a detailed year-by-year chronology of events and a well-written introduction that describes happenings in the United States before, during, and after the war. By far the most important aspect of the work, though, is the 1700 plus–entry dictionary that includes hundreds of bolded cross-references and encompasses everything Civil War related, from battles to people, weapons to politics. Also provided are several black-and-white line maps that depict the east and west theaters of war, as well as a general map of the United States during 1860. This meticulously researched reference work will be as useful and educational for Civil War enthusiasts as for students and researchers. The timing of its publication this year commemorates the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. BOTTOM LINE Although this is an excellent title, it is pricey and should be purchased primarily by libraries with large Civil War collections or where there is strong patron interest. Others may want to consider less expensive options such as Mark M. Boatner’s The Civil War Dictionary (Vintage, 1991).—Lucy Roehrig, Ann Arbor Dist. Lib., MI
LAW & CRIME
Garner, Bryan A. Garner’s Dictionary of Legal Usage. 3d ed.Oxford Univ. 2011. 991p. index. ISBN 9780195384208. $65. REF
Despite recent trends toward writing about legal issues by simplifying legal English for nonlawyers, such language still involves jargon as well as numerous style and linguistic questions that are inadequately addressed by standard style manuals and writing guides. This basic legal dictionary and abridged legal style guide will “allow readers to resolve at a glance the many grammatical and stylistic questions that arise in legal writing.” Since publishing the book as A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage (1987, 2001; both Oxford), Garner has replaced “uncited illustrative quotations with citable examples”; increased the number of citations and updated them with more recent selections from opinions, statutes, briefs, and classic legal treatises; and provided favorable, unfavorable, and neutral examples, including his own grammatically incorrect passages. The alphabetically arranged, interfiled dictionary and essay entries include information on style, grammar, usage, punctuation, typography, word formation, spelling, and pronunciation as well as a legal lexicography. The title lists legal definitions of ordinary English terms such as cutting edge, legal jargon, and French and Latin words (e.g., cy pres) that are commonly used in the profession. Garner also provides a bibliography of additional writing aides and indexes of writers and periodicals cited. BOTTOM LINE Despite the bibliography’s exclusion of the Manual on Usage and Style (Texas Law Review, 11th ed., 2008), this is an excellent companion to the author’s Black’s Law Dictionary (Thomson-West, 9th ed., 2009) and other legal citation and style resources. An affordable and invaluable reference resource for any library with a writing or law collection, this title will be of interest to lexicographers, legal students, scholars, and writers.—Laurie Selwyn, formerly with Grayson Cty. Law Lib., Sherman, TX
POLITICAL SCIENCE
The Concise Princeton Encyclopedia of American Political History. Princeton Univ. 2011. c.672p. ed. by Michael Kazin & others. index. ISBN 9780691152073. pap. $35. Online: press.princeton.edu/etailers.html REF
Edited by Kazin (history, Georgetown Univ.; America Divided: The Civil War of the 1960s), Rebecca Edwards (history, Vassar college; America’s History), and Adam Rothman (history, Georgetown Univ.; Slave Country: American Expansion and the Origins of the Deep South), this multicontributor encyclopedia covers the evolution of American politics from the country’s founding to 2008. The 150 entries discuss periods, institutions, movements, major political parties, ideas and philosophies, war and foreign policy, founding documents, regions, and issues. Each piece provides a historical overview of the topic discussed, tracing origins and providing conclusions, and ending with a welcome, comprehensive further-reading list, which will be of true value to those using the text as a springboard for additional study. Front matter includes alphabetical and topical entry lists, though the material is presented alphabetically. Topical presentation might have been better, as moving from, for example, “Interest Groups” to “Iraq wars of 1991 and 2003” is somewhat jarring. This problem is amplified by the title’s excellent index, which reminds readers of the context that is lost by alphabetization. BOTTOM LINE While a good starting point for researchers interested in exploring American political history, this encyclopedia will be confusing to lay readers as the evolution of politics in America is best served by an understanding of a broader context of the events or topics at hand. Though it is also alphabetically arranged, beginning history students will find the more comprehensive version of this text, The Princeton Encyclopedia of American Political History (2010), of more value.—Annette Haldeman, Dept. of Legislative Svcs., Maryland General Assembly, Annapolis
Congress Investigates: A Critical and Documentary History. rev. ed. 2 vols.Facts On File. (Library of American History). 2011. 1222p. ed. by Roger A. Bruns & others. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780816076796. $195. Online: Infobase eBooks REF
Bruns (Almost History), former deputy executive director of national historical publications and records commission at the National Archives; David L. Hostetter (director of programs & research, Robert C. Byrd Ctr. for Legislative Studies, Shepherd Univ.); and Raymond W. Smock (director, Robert C. Byrd Ctr.) have gathered here information on congressional investigations from the Colonial period to the 21st century. The entries, written by U.S. historians and archivists, each offer an overview, chronology, documents, excerpts from congressional committee reports and testimony, and a bibliography; many also include black-and-white illustrations, photographs, or political cartoons. They cover well-known events such as the Teapot Dome scandal, the burning of Washington in 1814, the Hurricane Katrina inquiry of 2005–06, and several lesser-known happenings—General St. Clair’s defeat of 1792–93 and the Pujo Committee on the “Money Trust,” for example. Each volume contains a list of congressional investigations covered in the set and one of related documents. BOTTOM LINE This well-researched and richly detailed resource provides an excellent overview of major congressional investigations and will be a quality addition to a high school, public, or undergraduate academic library.—Diane Fulkerson, Univ. of South Florida–Polytechnic, Lakeland
Guide to Interest Groups and Lobbying in the United States. CQ Pr. 2011. 490p. ed. by Burdett A. Loomis & others. illus. index. ISBN 9781604264579. $185. Online: CQ Press Online Resources REF
Loomis (political science, Univ. of Kansas; coeditor, Interest Group Politics) and coeditors Peter L. Francia (political science, East Carolina Univ.) and Dara Z. Strolovitch (political science, Univ. of Minnesota) provide a descriptive and analytical history of the multifaceted political and historical aspects of the lobbying of the U.S. government, plus a much smaller amount of information on state and local activities. The title’s 36 chapters cover a broad range of topics such as the history of interest-group politics, theoretical approaches to the organizations, their involvement with the three branches of government, types of lobbying groups by sector (agriculture, business, civil rights, women’s interest, education, etc.), and lobbying techniques and tactics. Interspersed throughout the volume are charts, statistics, interesting sidebars, and bibliographies that enhance the material’s reference value. BOTTOM LINE The large subgenre of literature addressing various aspects of interest group lobbying in the United States includes many specialized directories, e.g., the “Washington Representatives” and “Government Affairs Yellow Book” series. Combining both ready reference and narrative information, this guide, as the introduction accurately notes, is a “good place to start” research on this very important topic.—Donald Altschiller, Boston Univ. Lib.
Congressional Roll Call 2010. CQ Pr. 2011. 331p. illus. index. ISBN 9781608717354. pap. $79. Online: CQ Press Online Resources REF
CQ Press opens this guide to the 2010 congressional session with an introductory overview that reads more like an editorial than an objective report. Word choice consistently condemns Republicans as obstructive while appearing unduly sympathetic to Democrats' frustrations. Persistent generalizations and the omission of the controversy surrounding the passage of health-care reform will spark questions about the book's impartiality. However, the hard data that follow, such as the graph outlining lawmakers' overall attendance and the segment detailing House and Senate votes by bill and by lawmaker, offer a more dependable portrait of collective behavior and individual actions.
Davies, R.E.G. Airlines of the Jet Age: A History. Smithsonian Inst: Rowman & Littlefield. 2011. 463p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780978846084. $99.95. Online: www.rlpgbooks.com/ebooks REF
In this first comprehensive historical reference to airline history, Davies (Delta: The Illustrated History of a Major U.S. Airline and the People Who Made It) divides the industry's rise into ten segments and 53 chapters, covering the evolution of planes through the industry's advance across continents and into the contemporary era's complications. The book functions as a highly detailed and engaging chronology that also highlights industry figures and government regulations in subdivided chapters. Studded with photographs and charts comparing historical circumstances, the history closes with several valuable appendixes that include tables relating aircraft specs by nation and manufacturer. An excellent, accessible cover-to-cover read for nonspecialists interested in airline history.
The Directory of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms 2011: Domestic and International. 15th ed.Grey House. 2011. 1153p. ed. by Richard Gottlieb. index. ISBN 9781592377404. pap. $450. Online: Grey House GOLD database REF
Published annually since 1996, this book remains the comprehensive print register of seed funders for high-risk start-up companies. The update now includes 2,332 firms and more than 10,000 executive contacts. Gottlieb (Directory of Mail Order Catalogs) divides the directory into three segments: domestic firms, international firms, and national and state agencies. Companies are organized alphabetically within one of the three segments. Entries include physical address, phone and electronic contact details, known funding preferences, principals' names, and a brief indication of their educational backgrounds. Extremely user-friendly, the title is rivaled only by online portals like vFinance.com and VCgate.com, with their thousands of listings.
Ernst, Carl H. & Evelyn M. Ernst. Venomous Reptiles of the United States, Canada, and Northern Mexico. Vol. 1: Heloderma, Micruroides, Micrurus, Pelamis, Agkistrodon, Sistrurus. Johns Hopkins. 2011. 352p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780801898754. $75. REF
Amid a raft of specialized literature, the Ernsts' (coauthors, Snakes of the United States and Canada) first volume—in what will be a two-volume set—is a revised expansion of Carl Ernst's Venomous Reptiles of North America (Smithsonian Books, 1999). Chapter-style entries offer meticulous examinations of the first 13 venomous species, their habitats, fossil records, and defining traits. Detailed, too, are venom toxins, their physiological effects, and potential treatments. Intended for herpetologists rather than curious lay readers, the chapter essays and the 95-page bibliography incorporate the latest field research. A highly detailed, scholarly examination, rich with further-reading sources.
New Catholic Encyclopedia Supplement 2011. 4th ed. 2 vols.Gale Cengage in assoc. with Catholic Univ. of America. 2011. 887p. ed. by Robert L. Fastiggi. illus. index. ISBN 9781414475912. $284. Online: Gale Virtual Reference Library REF
Complementing previous supplements, including "Science and the Church" (2009) and "Modern History and the Church" (2010), Fastiggi (What the Church Teaches About Sex) brings together the scholarship of over 240 contributors who profile artists, writers, and performers with Catholic backgrounds or connections. Expanding beyond the traditional Western-centric scope, entries on African, Asian, and Mesoamerican subjects are also incorporated. Consistently engaging and elegantly written, alphabetized entries are subtitled, cross-referenced, and studded with direct quotes and textual citations. Each closes with its author's name and affiliation. With significance extending well beyond religious concerns, this set will prove valuable to any humanities collection.
The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture. Vol. 18: Media. Univ. of North Carolina. 2011. 440p. ed. by Allison Graham & Sharon Monteith. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780807834015. $47.50; pap. ISBN 9780807871430. $26.95. REF
Series editor Charles Reagan Wilson updates the original 1989 four-volume study by dividing emergent themes into individual monographs. With Volume 18, Graham (Framing the South: Hollywood, Television, and Race During the Civil Rights Struggle) and Monteith (Advancing Sisterhood?: Interracial Friendships in Contemporary Southern Fiction) bring together the scholarship of 121 academics to profile Southern-born media figures and organizations. Also explored are Southern media-related developments such as New South Journalism and broader themes, e.g., Southern horror films. Alphabetized, multipage essays are incisive and illuminating. When offering interpretation, contributors remain objective in tone, enhancing their entries' instructive power. Each essay closes with a contributor name and considerable further-reading lists. Enlightening for both subject scholars and curious lay readers.
The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture. Vol. 19: Violence. Univ. of North Carolina. Nov. 2011. 368p. ed. by Amy Louise Wood. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780807835227. $45; pap. ISBN 9780807872161. $24.95. REF
Like Volume 18, reviewed above, Volume 19 also developed from series editor Charles Reagan Wilson's 1989 four-volume set. Here, Wood (Lynching and Spectacle: Witnessing Racial Violence in America, 1890–1940) compiles more than 100 alphabetized entries by as many subject scholars. These explain foregoing examples of, and ideological foundations for, violence, which is identified in the introduction as "a defining feature of the region." Some entries carefully and impartially describe specific cases, such as James Byrd's murder. However, broader themes like "vigilantism" and "honor" often seem redolent with more subjective interpretation than specific, supporting examples. While some entries close with appropriately long bibliographies, others include only two titles, undercutting article content and research guidance.—Savannah Schroll Guz, formerly with Smithsonian Libs., Washington, DC
