Reference Reviews, April 15, 2011
Ap 15, 2011ARTS & HUMANITIES
Edgington, K. & Thomas L. Erskine with James M. Welsh. Encyclopedia of Sports Films. Scarecrow. 2011. 551p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780810876521. $85. Online: NetLibrary, Overdrive, MyiLibrary, EBL & Questia REF
Edgington (English, Towson Univ.) and Erskine and Welsh (cofounders, Literature/Film Quarterly) have produced a specialized encyclopedia describing sports films across categories such as silent films, prominent directors, independent productions, major hits, and obscure movies. Each film entry identifies production crew (from director to costume designer), cast members, running time, and available format (DVD and/or VHS). This information is followed by film synopses and relatively brief evaluations. The oldest film is The Freshman (1925), produced by and starring the successful comic Harold Lloyd and featuring action sequences performed by members of the University of Southern California football team. Coverage extends through 2010. There are six appendixes: films by sport, a chronological title list, movies made for television or direct to video, movies inspired or based upon actual events, sports documentaries, and ESPY Awards for best sports movies. These are followed by a bibliography, index, and information about the authors. A similar title is Sports Cinema 100 Movies: The Best of Hollywood’s Athletic Heroes, Losers, Myths, and Misfits (Limelight Editions, 2006), though that broad survey covers only “the best” 100 sports movies, compared with more than 200 in this Scarecrow title. BOTTOM LINE By providing film synopses and evaluations, Edgington and team have developed an engaging encyclopedia that should appeal to individuals interested in film studies, sports, and the history of popular culture. Recommended for film reference collections.—Patrick Owens, Central Washington Univ. Lib., Ellensburg
Encyclopedia of Themes in Literature. 3 vols. Facts On File. (Library of World Literature). 2011. 1224p. ed. by Jennifer McClinton-Temple. index. ISBN 9780816071616. $195. Online: Infobase eBooks REF
This three-volume set provides two distinct and thorough methods of examining the concept of literary themes. Volume 1 collects 50 essays on specific themes like abandonment, coming-of-age, futility, oppression, social class, and violence. Employing a general but interdisciplinary approach, the essays describe the evolution of theme, including its historical development and its use by particular authors. The other method of examination comes via basic information on approximately 300-plus work-specific entries by title, each of which is followed by three essays looking at that work’s themes, e.g., death, identity, and illness in Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher.” A lengthy index in Volume 3 and cross-references within the general essays, as well as in the evaluations of individual titles, increase the set’s value. The author of the analysis is identified and provides suggestions for further reading. Editor McClinton-Temple (English, King’s Coll.) is also general editor of the Encyclopedia of American Indian Literature. Designed to help high school students conduct research, the selections come mostly from familiar, classic English-language authors, though other writers like Milan Kundera (Franco-Czech), Hanif Kureishi (Indian British), Cao Xueqin (Chinese), and Rudolfo Anaya (Mexican) are included. BOTTOM LINE A useful volume for writing research papers and gaining insight into literary theme. Recommended for high school students and beginning undergraduates.—Marilyn Lary, San Bernardino, CA
Film and Television Music: A Guide to Books, Articles, and Composer Interviews. Scarecrow. 2011. 698p. ed. by Warren M. Sherk. index. ISBN 9780810876866. $75.
Pool, Jeannie Gayle & H. Stephen Wright. A Research Guide to Film and Television Music in the United States. Scarecrow. 2011. 192p. illus. index. ISBN 9780810876880. $50. ea. vol:
Online: NetLibrary, Overdrive, MyiLibrary, EBL & Questia REF
In the introduction, we read that Film and Television Music: A Guide is to be an authoritative work representing a comprehensive listing of materials on the subject—and it very much is, though the listings can be a bit difficult to access. Sherk’s (Margaret Herrick Lib., Acad. of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences) book is divided into 11 sections; in addition to materials listed in the title, it includes academic dissertations and theses, silent film music, and songwriter and lyricist biographies. Some sections have subject headings, making information easy to find, while others are alphabetical lists that require users to read through every entry until they find the information needed. The index appears to be incomplete; choosing an article at random from the text was not found by title or by author. The book is much more useful and easier to understand when used in tandem with A Research Guide to Film and Television Music in the United States by Pool (American Composer Zenobia Powell Perry: Race and Gender in the 20th Century) and Wright (librarian, Northern Illinois Univ.; Film Music at the Piano). The authors discuss how to conduct this type of research and where many special collections are held (also including contact information). They include sidebars with possible research topics, what the researcher needs to know when reviewing certain documents, and types of music. BOTTOM LINE Alone, Sherk’s work could be overwhelming without prior subject research knowledge. Unless paired with Pool and Wright’s book or a similar text, this is information overload for general researchers. Together, recommended for film and music reference collections.—Beth Bland, Milwaukee
Guter, Eran. Aesthetics A–Z. Edinburgh Univ., dist. by Columbia Univ. (Philosophy A–Z). 2011. 237p. bibliog. ISBN 9780748623396. $70; pap. ISBN 9780748623402. $22. REF
According to Guter’s (philosophy, Max Stern Academic Coll. of Jezreel Valley) preface, the “Philosophy A–Z” series serves to introduce concepts and “whet the appetite,” thereby influencing readers to seek out more detailed and/or primary sources. This alphabetical dictionary focuses on describing the key people, concepts, and arguments related to aesthetics and the philosophy of art, e.g., “Absolute Music,” “Bloomsbury Group,” “formalism,” and “photography.” Entries are appropriately short and include accompanying See also references and suggestions for further reading. Additionally, frequent cross-references to stand-alone entries are usefully indicated by bold text. A complete bibliography concludes the text. BOTTOM LINE Quite the handy introductory pocket guide where needed. Appropriate for larger public libraries and academic institutions as well as those collecting the series. Likely unnecessary for those libraries owning Blackwell’s similar though lengthier and more expensive A Companion to Aesthetics (2d ed., 2009).—Lura Sanborn, St. Paul’s Sch. Lib., NH
BIOGRAPHY
Olstrom, Clifford E. Undaunted by Blindness: Concise Biographies of 400 People Who Refused To Let Visual Impairment Define Them. Perkins. 2010. 288p. illus. ISBN 9780982272145. pap. $29.95. REF
Olstrom (executive director, Tampa Lighthouse for the Blind) has ably compiled here short biographies of 400 people who made their mark in spite of visual impairment. Persons selected for inclusion hail from several countries and time periods, from poet Homer, born in Greece c. 700 B.C.E., to musician Tony DeBlois, born in El Paso, TX, in 1974. Musicians and writers predominate, but many occupations are represented, including popes (Clement XII, 1652–1740), generals and statesmen (Appius Claudius, c. 350 B.C.E.–c. 290 B.C.E., builder of the Appian Way). A quarter of the subjects were living at the time of publication. The extent of their visual impairment varies from total blindness at birth to impairment later in life. Entries are listed alphabetically and range in length from one paragraph to three pages. Each entry describes the subject’s visual impairment, as well as claim to fame and synopsis of their life and career. Black-and-white photos or drawings accompany some entries. Usefully, the book is in large print. BOTTOM LINE The vocabulary used is accessible to middle school–aged children and up, so the book will accommodate those who may need it most. However, while inspirational, the lack of an index—particularly one listing entries by field of endeavor—severely limits its usefulness. Recommended with some reservations to libraries serving visually impaired students and other collections where needed. —Teresa R. Faust, Vermont Dept. of Libs., Berlin
FOLKORE
Morton, Lisa. The Halloween Encyclopedia. 2d ed. McFarland. Jun. 2011. c.264p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780786460748. $75. Online: EBL, ebrary, MyiLibrary, & Netlibrary REF
In this update of the 2003 edition, Morton—a playwright, screenwriter, and fiction writer—has compiled research based on an impressive number of primary sources, both current and historical. Approximately 430 entries range in length from one paragraph to several pages and are arranged alphabetically. Entries are also cross-referenced to related subjects within the book. Two appendixes are included: “Chronology of Halloween” and “Halloween in Literature and the Arts.” An extensive bibliography and an index follow (note: the index was not completed at the time of review). Illustrations are sprinkled throughout the book. Entries include both the expected (“Candy,” “Jack-O’-Lantern,” “Trick-or-Treat”) and the unexpected (“Apple Seeds,” “Eggs,” “Rhyming”). Subjects seemingly unrelated to Halloween are thoughtfully examined for their relevance to the holiday. The book is notable for its inclusion of lesser-known historical festivals and celebrations from which many modern-day Halloween traditions have been derived. Readers seeking a more detailed narrative about the history of Halloween would be better served by Nicholas Rogers’s Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night (Oxford Univ. Pr., 2003). BOTTOM LINE A well-written resource that will appeal to both students and adults curious about this autumnal celebration.—Jennifer Michaelson, Cleveland
HISTORY
Encyclopedia of American Indian Removal. 2 vols. Greenwood. 2011. 648p. ed. by Daniel F. Littlefield Jr. & James W. Parins. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780313360411. $165. Online: ABC-CLIO eBook Collection REF
The authors or editors of numerous books about Native Americans and Native American studies, Littlefield and Parins (director and associate director, respectively, Sequoyah National Research Ctr., Univ. of Arkansas at Little Rock) have produced a concise two-volume encyclopedia about a dark chapter in the history of this country and its native peoples. Volume 1 provides a time line for Indian removal, essays about geographic regions and laws pertaining to Indian removal, as well as a discussion of the affected individuals and tribes. The essays were written by 16 scholars from a variety of disciplines, and each includes a section for further reading with a list of books, articles, or websites. Volume 2 compiles primary-source documents related to Indian removal in three parts. The first covers Indian removal policy, the second responses to that policy, and the last the removals themselves. Document excerpts are followed by brief analysis. At the end of Volume 2 is an extensive annotated bibliography and index. BOTTOM LINE Clear, concise, and well researched, this set provides an excellent overview of a notorious era in American history. Any student of American history will find this set a valuable source of information; recommended for the reference collection of any library.—Diane Fulkerson, Univ. of South Florida–Polytechnic, Lakeland
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Encyclopedia of Disaster Relief. 2 vols. SAGE. Apr. 2011. c.984p. ed. by K. Bradley Penuel & Matt Statler. photogs. index. ISBN 9781412971010. $350. Online: SAGE Reference Online REF
Penuel (director, Ctr. for Catastrophe Preparedness and Response, NYU) and Statler (Richman Family Director of Business Ethics and Social Impact Programming, NYU Stern Sch. of Business; Everyday Strategic Preparedness) attempt a very broad approach to disaster, including economic disasters. They also aspire to include sociological effects. The result is a bit strained, heavy on description and a light on analysis. More than a quarter of the 242 entries are “relief case studies,” e.g., “Measles (1850–Present)” and “Thumb Fire, Michigan (1881).” Most of the articles are a page or two long. “History of Disaster Relief, Europe” and “United Nations” both rate four pages, but merit more. Likewise, more expansive articles on UN subagencies would be welcome, as would any number of maps given the international scope. Many articles are alphabetized under amorphous headings like “mass casualty management,” “intergovernmental relations and preparedness,” or “state governments.” This makes the index, the list of articles, and the classified reader’s guide all absolutely essential to a reference approach. There are 135 contributors, largely American or British, drawn from academia and public and private agencies. The helpful further readings appended to each article are current and include websites. An appendix including Homeland Security Guidelines is a nice addition, though these are readily available elsewhere. BOTTOM LINE For high school and college students lacking historical background, these volumes might work. Researchers needing more depth on relief efforts will move quickly to monographs. Librarians might consider waiting to examine a half-dozen forthcoming titles, e.g., the three-volume Encyclopedia of Natural Disasters (CRC Pr.) or Humanitarian Logistics (Kogan Page). —Janice Dunham, John Jay Coll. Lib., CUNY
