ABC-CLIO
The Greenwood encyclopedia of Latino literature; 3v.
This three-volume encyclopedia of Latino literature is a result of a project initiated by the Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage organization, and covers a wide range of works from the colonial era to around 1960, with cultural repercussions and observations reaching well into the 21st century. Editor Kanellos (U. of Houston) has brought together entries that include more than just biographical information on hundreds of noteworthy Latino authors. Important themes and topics in Hispanic art and culture are also explored in depth, such as Latino perspectives of life during wartime, aesthetic concepts in Latino literature and even how references to the Virgin of Guadalupe seem to permeate so many different Latin cultures. Contributors from throughout Latin America and the United States also comment upon the influences of different countries such as Cuba, Puerto Rico and Mexico, and how these cultural foundations affect life in America. Students of Latin American literature and culture will find these volumes to be a comprehensive and valuable reference. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
A hallucinogenic tea, laced with controversy; ayahuasca in the Amazon and the United States.
Dobkin de Rios (medical anthropology, U. of California-Irvine and emeritus anthropology, California State U.-Fullerton) and Peruvian journalist and author Rumrrill join forces to provide a broad account of the drug both in its native tropics and among its traditional users who have moved to chiller environments. Ayajhuasca has both medicinal and spiritual uses in the Amazon, and has been approved by the US Supreme Court for use there by members of a Brazilian church. Meanwhile, Western tourists are going to the tropics to take it for the high. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Harley-Davidson motor company.
Scott provides a history of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, describing how the company grew from the founders' (Bill Harley and the Davidson brothers) idea of a motorized bicycle in the early 1900s, and how it expanded. She details the company's involvements in racing, its rivals, and famous people who rode the motorcycles, and throughout the text, gives snapshots about Harley women at each period of the company's development. Scott, a former broadcast journalist, is a freelance writer and instructional designer. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Healing from the trauma of childhood sexual abuse; the journey for women. (reprint, 2004)
This volume, a paperback reprint of a work first published in 2004, describes the treatment of women who were abused as children, through case studies discussing how they healed and long-term effects as adults. Duncan, a marriage and family therapist and licensed social worker who worked with these women, details the impact of and recovery from abuse, using a cognitive and humanist psychology approach, blended with information from feminist theory on women's development, the treatment of traumatic stress, and women. Chapters also address recalling memories, family legacies of abuse, chronic shock and dissociation, prolonged problems, issues related to exposing a perpetrator, and the therapeutic relationship. The book is meant for victims, professionals, and family and friends of those abused. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Hero of Hispaniola; America's first Black diplomat, Ebenezer D. Bassett.
Teal, a diplomat with the US Department of State, presents a biography of Ebenezer D. Bassett (1833-1908), who served as the first black US ambassador. An educator, abolitionist, and activist, Bassett served as ambassador to Haiti, and Teal recounts his life and career, role in foreign affairs during America's late nineteenth century expansion in Latin America and the Caribbean, his achievements, and how they pioneered racial equality. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
A history of organized labor in Panama and Central America.
Alexander (Rutgers U.) offers narrative histories of the organized labor movements of Central America and Panama (omitting Belize because of its relatively separate development as a former British colony). He covers each country separately and describes developments from the beginnings of the 20th century to around 1990. In addition to Panama, the countries discussed are Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The history of Pakistan.
This is an analytical history of Pakistan that is intended to be accessible to the student and the lay reader alike. Malik (history, Bath Spa U., UK) spends the first half of the volume providing an overview of the area and discussing the pre-Pakistan history of the region, encompassing Dravidian and Aryan civilizations, the arrival of Islam in South Asia and the Indus and Delhi Sultanates, the Mughal Empire, British rule and the independence movements, and the role of religion in forming the contours of the nascent state of Pakistan. The second half of the text describes the political history of Pakistan from independence through the February, 2008 elections that were to pave the way for the departure of General Pervez Musharraf as President. Also included are a guide to acronyms, a timeline of historical events, a glossary, basic biographical information on notable people, and a bibliography. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The history of the Philippines.
Nadeau (anthropology, California State U.) presents high school students and above this concise history of the Philippines, beginning with Southeast Asian prehistory. The remaining chapters, about 15 pages each, cover 300 years of Spanish colonization, the Philippine revolution, American colonization, independence post WWII, the Marcos regime, the Philippines after Marcos, and notable figures in the country's history. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The history of Ukraine.
As part of the Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations series (whose aim is to give concise, updated histories for the student or interested layperson), this volume provides a comprehensive overview of Ukraine's social, political and geographic history. The book begins with a helpful introduction covering topics such as climate, religion, economy and language. Chapters progress chronologically beginning with a brief discussion of the area's prehistory and covering the foundation of Ukrainian culture, the Polish-Lithuanian period, Ukraine under the Russian empire and Ukraine's independence. Particular attention is given to the period from the revolution and establishment of Soviet authority to Ukraine's present day, post-Soviet experience. Includes a time line of historical events, a section on notable people in the history of Ukraine and a bibliographical essay for those wishing to explore the subject further. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Homelessness in America; 3v.
In this collection of articles, presented in three volumes, experts describe the real lives of the homeless well as analyze the statistics in ways we cannot ignore. They began by establishing who the homeless are, including men, women, veterans, children, runaway youth and those abandoned by the foster care system, the frail and indigent elderly, and those marginalized by reasons of race. In the second volume, contributors describe the causes of homelessness, including lack of low income housing, natural disasters, domestic violence, drug use, de-institutionalization, HIV/AIDS and prisoner reentry. The third volume focuses on possible solutions including new styles as shelters, policing, criminalization of homelessness, community action, new modes of assessments service utilization, and enlightened laws and their administration. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Hot spot; Asia and Oceania.
As part of the Hot Spot Histories series from Greenwood, this entry focuses on Asia and Oceania, documenting turbulence and social unrest in areas such as East Timor, Korea, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Fernandes (U. of New South Wales, Australia) has edited these contributions with a slant toward recent events, although the historical causes of these clashes can literally go back several centuries. For instance, the chapter on Korea discusses the era of Japanese Colonialism as well as Kim Jong Il's pursuit of nuclear technology. Written for students and scholars of world history, these articles use a very broad approach to cover a wealth of information. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Hot spot; North America and Europe.
This is one of a series describing "hot spots" around the world, or "politically volatile locales, where hot button issues and hotheads make for a combustible political mix," a definition that here appears to range from war to anti-globalization protests. This volume covers Europe and Canada and the United States (the rest of North America is left to the volume on Latin America). It offers narrative explanations of such topics as religious extremism in Turkey, the politics of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, the situation of the Roma people in Central Europe, corruption and criminal activity in Eastern Europe, international territorial disputes in Eastern Europe, the war in Chechnya, anti-foreigner violence in Western Europe, immigration and ethno-cultural conflict in France, Basque separatism in Spain, Quebecois nationalism and separatism in Canada, and single-issue extremists in the US. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
How globalization spurs terrorism; the lopsided benefits of "one world" and why that fuels violence.
Moghaddam (director of the conflict resolution program in the department of government at Georgetown U.) argues that "fractured globalization," in which economic and technological forces push us towards the global while identity-based barriers magnify and push us towards the local, is a main driver of radicalization in the Islamic world that leads to terrorism. He also addresses what he calls the "new global American dilemma," which is rooted in the contradictions between US rhetorical support for democracy and US practices in support of "pro-American" dictatorships, a dilemma that has been brought to a boil by the George W. Bush administration. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Icons of Latino America; Latino contributions to American culture; 2v.
In this two-volume set, the contributions and biographies of 24 iconic Latino figures in American popular culture are described for students and general readers. Teachers, playwrights, journalists, writers, and labor activists (Cesar Chavez, Sandra Cisneros, and Dolores Huerta, for example) are profiled alongside celebrities like Desi Arnaz, Celia Cruz, Jennifer Lopez, Placido Domingo, Rita Moreno, Edward James Olmos, Selena, Lee Trevino, and Ritchie Valens, as well as fictional characters Speedy Gonzalez and Zorro, and the non-human icon of Mexican food. Profiles are organized in alphabetical order. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Icons of the American West; from cowgirls to Silicon Valley; 2v.
Bakken (California State U., Fullerton) has edited this two-volume encyclopedia on icons of the American West, starting with the Lewis and Clark expedition and ending with Nancy Pelosi becoming Speaker of the House in 2007. Many entries are broad in theme and discussed in depth, such as the history of cowboys and cowgirls, rifles and revolvers and famous politicians on the West Coast, with others revolving around individuals such as Ronald Reagan, Annie Oakley and Bill Gates. Designed as a reference for general audiences, each volume contains a chronology and an annotated bibliography as well. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Imagining men; ideals of masculinity in ancient Greek culture.
Masculine themes and imagery in ancient Greece are explored in this book, which uses art and literature from the period to form insights into how Greek men were expected to both act and think. Van Nortwick (Oberlin College) discusses the rigid standards that were imposed on men at the time, describing the codes and morals that guided each generation through childhood and into maturity. Written for cultural anthropology students, practitioners and anyone interested in life in ancient Greece, this book also explores the relationship of man and the gods, and how men were expected to fulfill their individual destinies. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Immigration.
Eleven Latino academics, writers, and journalists contribute ten chapters examining the historical, social, and cultural context against which immigration unfolds, and providing a sampler of individualized narratives across economic, political, racial, and national lines. Included are essays focusing on Latino immigration in the context of current immigration in general, globally, and to the U.S. in particular, which explore how the experience of Hispanics differs from that of other immigrant groups such as Irish, German, Scandinavian, Jewish, Italian, and Asian, and how it compares to the experiences of Native and African Americans. Other essays consider how immigration plays out in the media, the moods through which public opinion oscillates, ways that Latino immigrants are transforming American cities and suburbs, their connections to their home countries, and the impact of return migration. For students, scholars, and general readers. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The impenetrable fog of war; reflections on modern warfare and strategic surprise.
Nineteenth-century military theorist Carl von Clausewitz declared uncertainty and chaos, or the "fog of war," to be perpetual characteristics of warfare and little has happened in ensuing years to suggest that he was wrong. In this volume, Cronin (International Institute for Strategic Studies) presents 13 papers he commissioned for the September 2007 Global Strategic Review Conference concerned with the "fog of war." Topics covered include the chameleonic nature of irregular warfare, the evolution of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance and the challenges of adaptation, increasingly blurry lines between state and nonstate violence and changing normative frameworks of violence; the role of civil resistance in political change; counterinsurgency lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan; limited versus total war theory and their applications for the formation of European and American grand strategy; comparison of the counterinsurgency campaign of the British in Northern Ireland and the Syrian government suppression of a Muslim Brotherhood revolt at Hama; the flaws in the fundamental concepts connected to the US "Revolution in Military Affairs" and its obsession with technology; the ubiquity of asymmetry, the significance of ignorance, and the role of political context as fundamental aspects of military strategy; the military culture needed for counterinsurgency; how to prepare for "Black Swans," defined as large-impact, hard-to-predict, and rare events; and strategic surprise as characteristic of the current historical era. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Information literacy; search strategies, tools & resources for high school students and college freshmen, 2d ed.
Revised to include more material useful to students facing early undergraduate-level research assignments, this edition also contains plenty of help for high school students and general readers trying to avoid six million hits at a time on the Net. Consultant Ercegovac structures this guide to searching for and using information to be used by classroom teachers or in-service enrichment, keeping readers working on practical exercises while learning standards and theory. Ercegovac draws on a wide experience of students' searching skills as well as the approach of the American Association of School Librarians on information literacy to include lesson plans, skills tests, scoring rubrics and checklists, focusing on developing problem-solving skills, logic in using key words and search strategies, finding sources, evaluating facts, and citing or summarizing appropriately. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
An intimate understanding of America's teenagers; shaking hands with aliens.
For general readers, educators, and parents, Gevirtzman provides a guide to understanding teenagers. He explains their language, rebellion, self-image, involvement in sports, drugs, partying, gangs, sex, technology, and other topics, incorporating their stories throughout. Gevirtzman, a high school English teacher, sport and debate coach, and playwright for youth theater, runs educator workshops about teen issues. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
