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BATES, Christopher G., ed. The Early Republic and Antebellum America. 4 vols. 1488p. charts. maps. photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. further reading. glossary. index. CIP. Sharpe Reference. 2010. Tr $449. ISBN 978-0-7656-8126-3. LC 2010007258. Digital price on request from publisher. BROWN, Brandon P., et al. Magill’s Medical Guide. 6th ed., 6 vols. 3500p. charts. diags. photos. appendix. bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Salem. 2010. PLB $495. ISBN 978-1-58765-677-4. LC 2010031862. CONNORS, Anthony J. et al., ed. Conflicts in American History: A Documentary Encyclopedia. 8 vols. 3912p. maps. photos. reprods. appendix. bibliog. chron. index. Web sites. CIP. Facts On File. 2010. PLB $720. ISBN 978-0-8160-7093-0. LC 2009047715. CUSHMAN, Clare, ed. Supreme Court Decisions and Women’s Rights: Milestones to Equality. 2nd ed. photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. further reading. index. CIP. CQ. 2010. PLB $65. ISBN 978-1-60871-406-3; pap. $55. ISBN 978-1-60871-407-0. LC 2010026076. GRANT, R. G. Commanders: History’s Greatest Military Leaders. 360p. diags. maps. photos. reprods. chron. index. DK. 2010. Tr $40. ISBN 978-0-7566-6736-8. LC number unavailable. MOSER, Linda Trinh & Kathryn West. Research Guide to American Literature: Contemporary Literature, 1970 to Present. 415p. (Facts On File Library of American Literature). bibliog. glossary. index. CIP. Facts On File. 2010. Tr $50. ISBN 978-0-8160-7867-7. LC 2009047815. PARTNOW, Elaine Bernstein, comp. The Quotable Woman. rev. ed. 1038p. index. CIP. Facts On File. 2010. PLB $95. ISBN 978-0-8160-7725-0. LC 2009039139. REEVE, Paul & Ardis E. Parshall, eds. Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia. 449p. maps. photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. index. CIP. ABC-CLIO. 2010. Tr $85. ISBN 978-159884-107-7. LC 2010014518. WAYNE, Tiffany K. American Women of Science Since 1900. 1024p. photos. chron. further reading. index. Web sites. CIP. ABC-CLIO. 2010. PLB $180. ISBN 978-1-59884-158-9. LC 2010026838.
ALEXANDER, Becky, et al., eds. Natural History: The Ultimate Visual Guide to Everything on Earth. 648p. (Smithsonian Series). diags. illus. maps. photos. reprods. glossary. index. DK. 2010. Tr $50. ISBN 978-0-7566-6752-8. LC number unavailable.
Gr 5 Up–A dazzling visual introduction to natural history. This oversize volume, which marks the centennial of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, begins with an explanation of how the information is arranged, including a discussion of the measurements, icons, and abbreviations used throughout the text. The first chapter offers a brief introduction to Earth, and its geology and life-forms, followed by separate, extensive chapters devoted to minerals, rocks, and fossils; microscopic life; plants; fungi; and animals (“the largest kingdom”). Each chapter consists of sections representing major taxonomic classifications and within these sections lower taxonomic groups are discussed. Numerous pictorial galleries highlight varieties of specific species. Scattered throughout are feature profiles that offer in-depth analyses of single specimens (white water lily, cane toad, etc.). Pages dedicated to a specific life-form include a chart that indicates phylum, class, orders, families, and species. The information provided for each entry (both common names and Latin names are included) is generally brief and limited to two or three sentences. The stunning color photographs (totaling more than 5000) and the volume’s encyclopedic approach make it a welcome addition.–Maren Ostergard, King County Library System, Issaquah, WA
Gr 9 Up–Utilizing a multidisciplinary approach, the hundreds of signed articles in these volumes examine American history and culture during the years 1781-1861. Four introductory essays consider “Politics and Political Culture,” “Economy and Economic Policy,” “Foreign Affairs,” and “The Road to Civil War,” while A-Z entries survey an array of topics from historic events, treaties, and elections to industries, laws, and the states. Biographical entries are also included, along with an examination of cultural topics such as sports, spas, and alcohol and temperance. All entries are cross-referenced and include suggestions for further research. Throughout the volumes, sidebars, charts, and black-and-white maps and reproductions of photos, advertisements, paintings, and broadsides add useful information. The more than 80 pages of documents in volume four reflect the variety of political, economic, and social entries, and the 10 chronologies cover such topics as slavery, territorial expansion, economics, Native Americans, and religion. An extensive glossary and bibliography complete the set. Excellent organization, a detailed table of contents and index, a list of sidebars, and a topic finder make this set particularly user friendly. However, it should be noted that Abraham Lincoln was never a United States senator and in the accounts of the May 1856 beating of United States Senator Charles Sumner, contributors disagree about the kinship between Representative Preston Brooks and Senator Andrew Butler. Still, this solid resource supports U.S. history standards for high school students, making it a particularly valuable addition. A digital version is available through Sharpe Online Reference.–Patricia Ann Owens, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges
Gr 10 Up–This thoroughly revised version of a standard reference title supersedes the 2008 edition with updated general content, special “In the News” features and resource lists, and entries for 161 new topics such as “H1N1 Influenza” and issues related to “Health Care Reform.” The alphabetically arranged articles, also available free online with better, color illustrations to owners of the print edition, range in length from 500 to 3500 words. Coverage includes human anatomy and physiology, diseases and their treatment, surgical and other medical procedures, broad topics (“African American Health” and similar surveys for American Indians and Asian Americans), and discussions of subjects such as “Aging: Extended Care” and “Rape and Sexual Assault” from medical perspectives. The authoritative articles are systematically organized and full of specific detail. A few also offer a sharp black-and-white photo or a labeled diagram. Complete tables of contents plus subject and relevant medical specialty indexes in each volume and helpful lists of symptoms and diseases and name and general indexes in volume six enhance accessibility. Back matter in the last volume also includes comprehensive annotated lists of organizations and websites. The sparse number of illustrations lends this set a utilitarian look. Like its predecessors, though, this is a solid source of reliable information and will also serve as a replacement for The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine (Gale, 1998).–John Peters, formerly at New York Public Library
Gr 9 Up–A stupendous collection of primary documents. Each volume covers a distinct period from 1492 to the present and addresses a broad range of topics encompassing critical social, economic, political, religious, and military conflicts. An introduction to the era and an annotated chronology begin each volume, followed by articles and a dozen or so documents on such topics as “Christopher Columbus: Hero or Villain?” “Disenfranchisement, Segregation, and the Jim Crow South,” “Fundamentalism and the Right to Life,” and “The Iraq Wars.” A historical overview, topic-specific chronology, and annotated bibliography are also found under each of these headings. The well-chosen documents, which range from testimony and acts to speeches and diary entries, and reflect our nation’s diversity, are introduced with a short paragraph. Source information is provided. A section of biographical profiles concludes each volume. Black-and-white reproductions of photos, political cartoons, posters, and maps, among other images, illustrate the set. Conflicts concludes with a “Master Chronology” (through 2010), an annotated bibliography, and a set index. The scope, variety, and quality of these primary and secondary resources make this a superior addition.–Patricia Ann Owens, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges
Gr 9 Up–A thorough, updated history of the high court’s cases involving women’s rights. Divided into 11 chapters, the text presents a chronology of legal decisions beginning with the post-Civil War era when women sought to enter various professions and claim suffrage. Other chapters encompass topics such as jury duty, women’s rights within the family, single-sex schools, workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, and reproductive rights. The chapters cite and quote from pertinent cases and offer historical context. Importantly, the arrangement allows readers to see the evolution of rights and laws within the changing social, economic, and political landscape of the country. Black-and-white photographs and reproductions are scattered throughout, and edifying sidebars offer appealing additional information. The final chapter, “Leading the Way” chronicles female attorneys who first argued before the Supreme Court, the first female law clerks, and the four women who have served or are currently serving on the high court. A great resource for reports and a handy reference tool for students and teachers alike.–Patricia Ann Owens, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges
Gr 9 Up–Thirty-five hundred years of military leadership are covered in this attractive, concise presentation. The text opens with a detailed table of contents covering five major eras, divided by empires, conflicts, and/or type of warrior or soldier. Each era is introduced and followed by individual entries: Ramesses II is the first entry in the volume and Osama Bin Laden is the last. Biographical profiles begin with the subject’s name in a tinted bar followed by his or her title, birth and death dates, key conflicts, and key battles. Many entries contain an image of the person and possibly a sidebar, a time line, and a battle map. The book is visually arresting. Each page has a decorative trim and often a highlighted pull quote, and is profusely illustrated with a variety of captioned, quality color and black-and-white photos of sculpture, statuary, paintings, artifacts, and battle scenes or sites. There are some full- and double-page illustrations as well. A selection of fonts is used effectively throughout the volume. The index is extensive. Send students to this book for basic introductions to or quick facts on an era or individual. The resource will also be enjoyed by military and ancient-history buffs.–Eldon Younce, Anthony Public Library, KS
Gr 9 Up–An overview of the period; a study guide to genres and trends (feminist, African-American, and Vietnam War literature, etc.); and a section on specific works and authors comprise this resource. The authors/works section is wide-ranging, covering, for example, short stories by Raymond Carver, Joyce Carol Oates, and others; best sellers such as Phillip Roth’s The Human Stain and Alice Walker’s The Color Purple; poetry, including the work of Billy Collins and Rita Dove; and plays such as David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross and August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. Each entry contains a two- to three-page essay, a list of topics for discussion and research, and an annotated bibliography. The essays include a modicum of historical context and/or biographical data as well as a concise critical assessment of the author or works under consideration. However, on occasion the writing becomes a bit effusive and wandering. The lists of “Topics for Discussion and Research” give this book real value. Both the questions and prompts are inspiring. They will be useful in the classroom and to students, who will be able to mine them for research topics and as study aids. Unfortunately, the bibliographies are only a little better than what is available from Gale’s Literature Resource Center or EBSCO’s Literary Reference Center.–Herman Sutter, St. Agnes Academy, Houston, TX
Gr 8 Up–A quote, according to Partnow’s foreword, merits inclusion in this work only if it inspires, moves, delights, and/or reveals. This revision does that with exuberance and bounty, incorporating more than 4000 new entries spoken or written by individuals from a variety of disciplines, philosophies, and cultures. (Some 1,000 entries from the fifth edition are gone.) Quotes are arranged chronologically by the birth year of the figure quoted, providing readers with a panorama of female thought through the centuries. Four indexes facilitate use: person, career and occupation, ethnicity and nationality, and subject. There is a scarcity of contributors born after 1970. Unfortunately, for Sarah Palin, Partnow selected five quotes, all of which have been mocked in the media. Also, out of the 18,000 quotes in the book, Sotomayor’s controversial “wise Latina woman” quote appears on the front cover. Still, no other book of quotes comes close to having such an impressive representation of women. Despite a few flaws, this work is organized, thorough, and well researched.–Jennifer Prince, Buncombe County Public Library, NC
Gr 7 Up–This encyclopedia opens with six lengthy essays covering the history of the church from before its founding in 1830 to the present. The essays are followed by more than 100 shorter articles under the separate headings of “Events,” “People,” and “Issues.” Both the essays and articles are well researched and fully referenced and, on the whole, either favorable or neutral in their opinions of the church. (They are also signed, and most of the contributors are prominent Mormon historians.) Controversial issues, such as polygamy, are handled objectively and explored more extensively than other topics. “Non-Mormon Views of Mormonism” and “Mormonism and Other Faiths” are also considered. Occasional use of church-specific jargon occurs without explanation. The volume concludes with a detailed chronology; a lengthy, “selected” bibliography; a list of contributors; and a thorough index. A few photocopy-quality black-and-white photographs and captioned maps illustrate the volume. A useful resource.–Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT
Gr 7 Up–In this long-overdue successor to Martha J. Bailey’s American Women in Science (1994) and its sequel, American Women in Science, 1950 to the Present (1998, both ABC-CLIO), Wayne enhances the profiles of 500 researchers and educators with 10 historical or issues-related essays and 29 field-by-field international overviews. The topical and overview essays at the beginning of the set range from an examination of the controversy over supposed “science genes” or other sex-linked predisposition agents to an analysis of “Science and Technology Education for Girls” and a survey of American minority women in the sciences. The ensuing biographical entries are alphabetically arranged; each one opens with a professional résumé, followed by a lucid account of the subject’s career path, significant achievements, awards, and publications. Most close with a resource list, and occasional entries feature a small black-and-white photo. Back matter includes a list of female Nobel Prize winners (all 16 of them), a comprehensive index, a chronology through 2009, and an index of subjects by field. Along with providing significant support for research in women’s studies and the history of science–particularly since much of the information here is not easily found elsewhere–this resource is chock-full of role models for young women contemplating science careers.–John Peters, formerly at New York Public Library
