ABC-CLIO

America in revolt during the 1960s and 1970s.

Twelve American academics and independent scholars contribute 12 chapters exploring how counterfactual and alternative history can shed light on the very recent past in the U.S. Each chapter offers readers deeper insight into the underlying developments of the period by looking first at how the event actually happened and then asking how things might have turned out differently under slightly different conditions. Major events discussed include the Civil Rights movement; John F. Kennedy's death; Johnson's War on Poverty; the Vietnam War; Martin Luther King, Jr.'s death; the Tet Offensive; Kent State; the 1963 civil rights march on Washington, D.C.; women's rights; the counterculture movement of the 1960s; the free speech movement; and Richard M. Nixon's resignation. Academic but accessible to the general reader. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

American Revolution; people and perspectives.

Frank (history, Florida State University) gathers work detailing how Americans of varied backgrounds, including small farmers, African Americans, children, women, enlisted men, and Native Americans, experienced and shaped the outcome of the American Revolution. Specially commissioned chapters integrate analysis with anecdotes, and include b&w historical illustrations. An eight-page chronology outlines events from 1754 to 1784, and a reference section offers brief entries on key figures, places, terms, and military actions. A 30-page section of primary documents presents various legislative acts, speeches, first-hand accounts, broadsides, letters, treaties, and the Virginia Bill of Rights. Primary documents are accompanied by brief introductions. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Artillery; an illustrated history of its impact.

Military historian Kinard traces the history of artillery and its place in society from the ancient world to the present in this reference for specialists, students, and military buffs. Chronological chapters cover innovations in weapons from ancient Rome through the invention of gunpowder, the Napoleonic wars, and 20th-century conflicts. B&w photos and illustrations of equipment are included. Most of the book's photos are found in three reference chapters, which offer specifications and photos for 19th- and 20th-century weapons discussed in previous chapters. Some of the photos are on the poor end of average in terms of quality. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Brazil; a global studies handbook.

Edwards provides an introduction to Brazil and its people, geography, history, politics and government, economy, and society and culture. He discusses topics such as the country's monarchy in the nineteenth century, poverty issues, its transition from colonial administration to democracy, its political system, ethnic groups, customs, language, cuisine, and arts. The volume is aimed at general readers, from high school students to researchers, and businesspeople to travelers. The bibliography is annotated, and brief profiles of famous figures, as well as a list of Brazil-related organizations, are included. Edwards, who holds a PhD in Latin American studies, is an independent writer, consultant, and investment strategist specializing in Latin America. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Childhood sexual abuse; a reference handbook, 2d ed.

This reference for students in high school and up surveys the literature and other resources on the causes, treatment, and prevention of childhood sexual abuse, and directs readers to sources for further research. The reference contains a detailed chronology, biographical sketches, facts and data, documents and other primary source material, a directory of organizations and agencies, and annotated lists of print and nonprint resources. Kinnear is a professional researcher who has written other reference books on women's and children's issues. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Encyclopedia of American Indian history; 4v.

The editors of this 4-volume encyclopedia address the often profoundly tragic history of Native Americans with a careful focus on the viewpoint of Native Americans and attention to the issues that concern them today. Rather than organizing the material into A-Z entries, the material is grouped into six initial chronological essays, followed by groups of essays (arranged alphabetically) and organized by themes. The themes are issues, events, culture, governments, and people and groups. A sampling of individual topics includes Bering Strait Theory, education, genocide, Spanish influence, and the Red Power movement. The final volume contains descriptions of the culture, traditions, and history of the individual Indian nations, grouped into major geographical region. A section of primary source documents concludes the essays and a substantial list of resources is provided. This is a thoughtfully prepared resource that will compel students to read beyond their initial topic of interest. Johansen is at the U. of Nebraska, Omaha; Pritzker is at Skidmore College. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Encyclopedia of American Jewish history; 2v.

Treating American Jews as both a religious and an ethnic group, this two-volume reference by international contributors traces their history and demographics in, and contributions to, the United States. Starting with the first wave of Jewish immigration to America, entries in Volume 1 profile diverse Jewish beliefs, communities, leading figures, and organizations; and discuss the central issues of antisemitism, responses to the Holocaust, and Zionism. Volume 2 focuses on the contributions of American Jews in fields including business and philanthropy, labor, popular culture, the arts, sciences, and education. Entries with references and further reading also address Jewish relations with American Blacks, Christians, and Muslims. The well-illustrated volumes include maps and b&w photographs. Each volume includes a cumulative table of contents. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Encyclopedia of the Cold War; a political, social, and military history; 5v.

Written for the undergraduate student and interested general reader, this 5-volume encyclopedia offers entries in an A-Z format on the ideologies, people, countries, organizations, and events of the Cold War. Two initial essays by Tucker describe the origins and course of the Cold War from 1950 and 1991, which marked the end of the Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union. A glossary, chronology, and bibliography are included in Vol. 4. Volume Five is filled with 171 primary sources, including Joseph McCarthy's speech on the spread of Communism, the Equal Rights Amendment, and a number of speeches by American presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. For 6 years, Tucker taught military history at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington and for 30 years at Texas Christian U. in Fort Worth; he was an army captain and an intelligence analyst in the Pentagon. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The executive branch of federal government; people, process, and politics.

In this reference for high school and up, Dirck (history, Anderson University) offers a multifaceted look at the historical development of the presidency, from George Washington to George W. Bush. The book reviews the history of the presidency, then looks at the constitutional powers of the office, the day-to-day functions of the federal bureaucracy, general elections, and presidential relationships with Congress and the courts. An annotated bibliography is also included. The bulk of the book, 250 pages, presents edited highlights from inaugural addresses from 1789 to 2005, and from state of the union addresses from 1790 to 2002. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The home front encyclopedia; United States, Britain, and Canada in World Wars I and II; 3v.

Written for the high school library, this 3-volume reference contains entries on life, culture, and commerce in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. during WWI (Volume One) and WWII (Volume Two). The entries in each volume are divided into two parts: biographies and topics. The biographies feature the lives of actors, businessmen, politicians, African American leaders, and labor activists, among others and their activities during the period. Topics include both the general, such as agriculture and banking, and the specific, including significant organizations, places, and events. Each of the entries concludes with cross-references and a brief list of references. Volume Three contains primary documents. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Industrial Revolution in America; communications, agriculture and meatpacking, overview/comparison; vs.7-9.

It was not subtle, nor was it slow. The Industrial Revolution in America took on every aspect of life in short order and created an entirely new national identity. In addition, individuals had to completely reorder their families, public lives and identities. This nine-volume set for general readers considers how technologies affected lives and concludes with these three volumes. The two on communications and on agriculture and meatpacking describe innovations and inventions, major entrepreneurs and companies, the lives of the workers, labor organizations and reform movements, impacts on the environment and the effects of immigration, the influence of communications technologies on society, art and literature, and comparisons to the modern era. The overview/comparison volume follows the same sequence, comparing the effects of the Industrial Revolution on iron and steel, railroads, steam shipping, textiles, mining and petroleum, automobiles, agriculture and meatpacking and communications. Includes full citations. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Jamestown Colony; a political, social, and cultural history.

Marking the 400th anniversary of the establishment of the first permanent British settlement in the New World, this reference goes beyond the legends surrounding Jamestown to provide a definitive account. It offers 250 entries on Jamestown's founding and daily life, covering political, economic, and social topics, important figures, and Native American tribes. It also includes 50 primary documents from the Jamestown era, a chronology, a complete census of first and second settlers, and b&w historical illustrations and photos of places and artifacts. Grizzard is director of the Lee Family Digital Archive, Washington and Lee University. Smith has worked as an archaeologist on prehistoric and historic sites in Virginia, including the Jamestown Colony site. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The judicial branch of federal government; people, process, and politics.

For general readers, Zelden (history, Nova Southeastern U.) and other contributing historians describe the history and daily operations of the judicial branch of the US government. Along with the historical context, the way that the courts work with the other branches of government and the background and roles of the people who serve in it are discussed, including the power of judges, the selection and appointment process, the organization and procedures of the courts, and the role of politics. Some specific cases are detailed. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Mainline Christians and U.S. public policy; a reference handbook.

Conservative fundamentalists may get the press, but mainline Christians have the numbers, at least for the present. The top Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church may have their problems, but they also still have significant power to influence attitudes toward social issues. Utter (political science, Lamar U.) assesses that power in policies relating to sexuality, capital punishment, stem cell research, assisted suicide, abortion, immigration, and the Iraq war. He also reviews the situations of mainstream faiths in various European countries, gives a chronology of faith-based activism and political events, lists a number of past and present mainstream Christian social activists, supplies denominational and Church documents and quotations on social issues and a directory of organizations. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Nuclear weapons and nonproliferation; a reference handbook, 2d ed.

A professor and a research associate at the Monterey Institute of International Studies review the history of nuclear weapons, political efforts to control proliferation, and the terrorist threat posed by large quantities of nuclear materials. A chronology, 21 biographical sketches, seven source documents, a directory of organizations, and suggested resources are provided. The second edition adds a chapter on the current U.S. approach to nonproliferation. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Policing in America; a reference handbook.

Steverson (sociology, South Georgia College) provides an accessible text for high school and college students, scholars, and general readers on law enforcement in America, including the sociohistorical factors involved in social control measures. The introductory chapter outlines the background and history of the topic, followed by chapters on problems, controversies, and solutions, such as ethics, diversity, and intelligence-led policing; international and comparative criminal justice and policing systems in other countries; a chronology; and brief biographical sketches of key individuals, from Eliot Ness to J. Edgar Hoover. Tables of facts and data about police personnel and agencies and a directory of organizations and agencies are provided. The bibliography is annotated. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Pop culture China!; media, arts, and lifestyle.

For students, travelers, and other readers, this volume introduces the different aspects of Chinese popular culture, with a focus on trends that have occurred mostly since the 1970s. Latham (anthropology and sociology, U. of London, UK) provides historical and cultural background and discusses contemporary practices in mass media, television, radio, newspapers, magazines, film, the internet and telecommunications, leisure time, sports and martial arts, theatre, and popular music. These chapters are preceded by discussion of Chinese history, its political territories, and language. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Sentencing; a reference handbook.

Champion (criminal justice, Texas A&M International University) examines the sentencing process in detail in this reference for students and general readers. The reference includes a chapter on the background and history of sentencing, a discussion of controversies and solutions in sentencing, and a comparison of sentencing systems in 15 countries. It also offers a chronology of key events in US sentencing history, biographical sketches of key people who have influenced the sentencing process in the US, and an overview of facts and statistics on sentenced offenders in the US. A directory provides detailed descriptions of organizations, from Amnesty International to the Victim-Offender Reconciliation Project. A glossary and an annotated list of print and nonprint resources complete the reference. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Slavery in the United States; a social, political, and historical encyclopedia; 2v.

This two-volume encyclopedia on slavery in the United States by Rodriguez (history, Eureka College) contains a wealth of material on the historical, social, and political aspects of the "peculiar institution." The bulk of the encyclopedia consist of some 300 alphabetical entries that provide information on the legal and institutional framework of encyclopedia, prominent individuals involved in perpetuation of or resistance to slavery, significant legislation and judicial cases, the cultural and ideological underpinnings of slavery, slave rebellions and other major events, and the day-to-day social and economic practices of the slave trade. Also included are 150 primary source documents, including abolitionist pamphlets, government investigations of slave uprisings, legal slave codes, manumission documents, journalistic editorials, excerpts from and criticisms of Uncle Tom's Cabin, and political correspondence. Ten contextual essays provide broad overviews of such topics as revolutionary ideology, citizenship, and slavery; the hardening of racial distinctions in Early American slavery; the economics of slavery; slavery and antebellum Southern culture; African American culture and strategies for survival; and the origins of African slavery. A detailed 77-page chronology is also included, along with a few maps and a general bibliography (no bibliographies are included for the individual entries). (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

United States West Coast; an environmental history.

Sowards (history and Pacific Northwest studies, U. of Idaho) summarizes and synthesizes the environmental history literature for the west coast of the United States. In an effort to make political and economic contexts more manageable, he has limited himself to discussion of US territory as of 1848, but with the inclusion of watershed criteria has extended the study out beyond the Cascade Mountains to take into account most or all of the modern states of California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. His account of the interplay of ecology, political economy, and culture is chronological and stretches from the arrival of the first humans; through colonial trade, industrialization, and urbanization; and on to current environmental movements and public policy. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)