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Reference Reviews, January 2012

By on January 11, 2012

Slavery in the Modern World: A History of Political, Social, and Economic Oppression. 2 vols. ABC-CLIO. 2011. 859p. ed. by Junius P. Rodriguez. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781851097838. $189. Online: ABC-CLIO eBook Collection REF

Rodriguez (history, Eureka Coll.; The Historical Encyclopedia of World Slavery) provides a fascinating look at concepts, topics, people, places, and events related to slavery from the late 19th century to the present, an era not often considered in relation to the subject. Several essays at the beginning of Volume 1, such as Sweatshop Labor and Organized Crime and Enslavement, explore modern slavery topics. The alphabetically arranged main entries are varied, discussing subjects from Jane Addams to the Decree Respecting Domestic Slavery in German East Africa. Each easy-to-read, signed entry is a few pages long and followed by cross-references and a short further-reading list. Black-and-white reproductions of photos and paintings appearing intermittently throughout provide focus. Volume 2 closes with more than 200 pages of chronologically arranged primary-source documents ranging from legislative acts to treatises on human liberty. The index is comprehensive. BOTTOM LINE This highly focused encyclopedia offers useful source material for those interested in human rights issues in the modern age. It is recommended for the general public and high school students seeking additional information or as a starting point for research.‚ Annette Haldeman, Dept. of Legislative Svcs. Lib., Annapolis, MD

census Reference Reviews, January 2012Encyclopedia of the U.S. Census: From the Constitution to the American Community Survey (ACS). 2d ed. CQ Pr. 2011. c.488p. ed. by Margo J. Anderson & others. illus. maps. index. ISBN 9781608710256. $175. Online: CQ Press Electronic Library REF

Anderson (history, Univ. of Wisconsin‚ Milwaukee), Constance F. Citro (National Acad. of Sciences), and Joseph J. Salvo (Dept. of City Planning, New York) have revised and updated the first edition of this encyclopedia with the assistance of more than 90 contributors. The introduction to the American Community Survey (ACS) that precedes the articles is backed up by the publisher’s blog about that enumeration, which was created in response to a landmark moment in U.S. population statistics: the full transition from the ‚Äòlong form’ of the decennial census to the‚Ķ(ACS). The 140 signed articles that follow feature cross-references and brief bibliographies and describe principal census techniques, terms, processes (census taking), issues, and concepts. The book also offers 12 appendixes, including Census Leadership, 1850‚ 2010 and U.S. Population and Area, 1790‚ 2010. Although Thomas Jay Kemp’s The American Census Handbook (Rowman & Littlefield, 2002) has subject sections covering ethnic groups and military personnel, it is primarily a guide to print and online census indexes and is dated. BOTTOM LINE This encyclopedia provides a valuable examination of the history and current status of the U.S. census. It will appeal to individuals interested in political science and history and is highly recommended for specialized reference collections.‚ Patrick Owens, Central Washington Univ., Ellensburg, WA

The following titles are reviewed in the January print issue. Visit our Reviews Center (Beta) for the full reviews.

Atlases

Oxford Atlas of the World. 18th ed. Oxford Univ. 2011. 448p. illus. maps. index. ISBN 9780199829958. $89.95. REF

History

Gods and Goddesses of Greece and Rome. ISBN 9780761479512.
Heroes and Heroines of Greece and Rome. ISBN 9780761479529.
ea. vol: Marshall Cavendish. 2011. 320p. illus. bibliog. index. $85.64. Online: Marshall Cavendish eBooks REF

Hillstrom, Kevin & Laurie Collier Hillstrom. The Spanish-American War. Omnigraphics. (Defining Moments). 2011. c.227p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780780812352. $55. Online: Credo Reference, ebrary, Gale, MyiLibrary, Rittenhouse R2 Digital Library REF

Slavery in the Modern World: A History of Political, Social, and Economic Oppression. 2 vols. ABC-CLIO. 2011. 859p. ed. by Junius P. Rodriguez. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781851097838. $189. Online: ABC-CLIO eBook Collection REF

Voices of Civil War America: Contemporary Accounts of Daily Life. Greenwood. (Voices of an Era). 2011. 184p. ed. by Lawrence A. Kreiser Jr. & Ray B. Browne. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780313377402. $79. Online: ABC-CLIO eBook Collection REF

LANGUAGE & Literature

2012 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market. c.448p. ed. by Chuck Sambuchino. ISBN 9781599632315. $29.99.
2012 Guide to Literary Agents. c.368p. ed. by Chuck Sambuchino. ISBN 9781599632292. $29.99.
2012 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. c.656p. ed. by Adria Haley. ISBN 9781599632285. $29.99.
2012 Poet’s Market. c.276p. ed. by Robert Lee Brewer. ISBN 9781599632308. $29.99.
2012 Writer’s Market. c.1024p. ed. by Robert Lee Brewer. ISBN 9781599632261. $29.99.
2012 Writer’s Market Deluxe Edition. 2011. c.1024p. ed. by Robert Lee Brewer. ISBN 9781599632278. $49.99.
ea. vol: Writer’s Digest: F+W. 2011. illus. index. pap.
2012 Photographer’s Market. North Light: F+W. 2011. c.688p. ed. by Mary Burzlaff Bostic. illus. index. ISBN 9781440314193. pap. $34.99. REF

Ruud, Jay. Critical Companion to J.R.R. Tolkien: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work. Facts On File. 2011. c.658p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780816077946. $75. Online: Infobase eBooks REF

Albert Camus. c.360p. ed. by Steven G. Kellman. ISBN 9781587658259.
Flannery O’Connor. c.360p. ed. by Charles E. May. ISBN 9781587658310.
Harlan Ellison. c.388p. ed. by Joseph Francavilla. ISBN 9781587658280.
Jack London. c.360p. ed. by Lawrence I. Berkove. ISBN 9781587658303.
John Cheever. c.360p. ed. by Robert A. Morace. ISBN 9781587658273.
John Updike. c.360p. ed. by Bernard F. Rodgers Jr. ISBN 9781587658327
Lillian Hellman. c.360p. ed. by Carl Rollyson. ISBN 9781587658297.
Saul Bellow. c.360p. ed. by Allan Chavkin. ISBN 9781587658242.
Sherman Alexie. c.434p. ed. by Leon Lewis. ISBN 9781587658235.
Willa Cather. c.360p. ed. by Nicholas Birns. ISBN 9781587658266.
ea. vol: Salem. (Critical Insights). 2011. bibliog. index. $85. Online: Salem Literature Database REF

Performing Arts

Gagné, Nicole V. Historical Dictionary of Modern and Contemporary Classical Music. Scarecrow. (Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts). 2011. c.368p. bibliog. ISBN 9780810867659. $80. Online: NetLibrary, Overdrive, MyiLibrary, EBL, & Questia REF

Psychology

The Psychology of Teen Violence and Victimization. 2 vols. Praeger. 2011. 557p. ed. by Michele A. Paludi. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780313393754. $110. Online: ABC-CLIO eBook Collection REF

Religion

CEB Bible Dictionary. Common English Bible. 2011. 448p. ISBN 9781609260248. pap. $24.95. REF

Sciences

Medical Tests Sourcebook. 4th ed. Omnigraphics. (Health Reference Series). 2011. c.600p. ed. by Joyce Brennfleck Shannon. illus. index. ISBN 9780780811515. $78. Online: Credo Reference, ebrary, Gale, MyiLibrary, Rittenhouse R2 Digital Library REF

De Vito, Dominique with Heather Russell-Revesz & Stephanie Fornino. The Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds: A Field Guide to 231 Dog Breeds and Varieties. TFH. 2011. c.480p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780793812776. $29.95. REF

Woodward, Susan L. & Joyce A. Quinn. Encyclopedia of Invasive Species. 2 vols. Greenwood. 2011. 764p. photogs. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780313382208. $189. Online: ABC-CLIO eBook Collection REF

Social Science

Encyclopedia of the U.S. Census: From the Constitution to the American Community Survey (ACS). 2d ed. CQ Pr. 2011. c.488p. ed. by Margo J. Anderson & others. illus. maps. index. ISBN 9781608710256. $175. Online: CQ Press Electronic Library REF

mental_floss: The Book. Harper: HarperCollins. 2011. c.240p. ed. by Ethan Trex & others. illus. ISBN 9780062069306. pap. $17.99. REF

Salem Pr. Eds. Survey of American Industry and Careers. 6 vols. Salem. 2011. 2000p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781587657689. $695. Online: Salem History Database REF

 

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Henrietta Thornton-Verma About Henrietta Thornton-Verma

Henrietta Thornton-Verma (hthornton@mediasourceinc.com, @ettathornton) is reviews editor at Library Journal, edits Library Journal and School Library Journal's reference review columns, and covers ereference and digital databases for both magazines. Before joining LJ's staff, Etta was reference editor at SLJ for five years and edited that magazine's Series Made Simple supplement. Etta, who is from Ireland, has also been a reference librarian and a library director and is the mom of two avid readers.

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