The Reader's Companion to American History

November 1, 1991
In their introduction, the editors emphasize that this book is truly intended as a reader's encyclopedia, to be perused for pleasure or read for instruction. While the alphabetic (rather than chronological) arrangement might make a cover-to-cover reading rather disjointed, there is no question that it would be enlightening. The nearly 1000 entries, ranging from concise explanations to multipage essays, are all equally well written, crisp, and entertaining. Most articles are signed by the nearly 400 contributors, many of whom are acknowledged experts in their fields (e.g., Arthur S. Link on Woodrow Wilson). Brief bibliographies and thorough "See also" references to related articles follow each entry. The accustomed bow to American popular culture is included, with Sinatra and Astaire rubbing elbows with Jefferson and King. By far the most useful and interesting articles are the essays on sociological issues, presenting fact-filled historical overviews on such topics as Housework, Abortion, Divorce, and Advertising. A similar book in concept and execution is the Concise Dictionary of American History (Scribner, 1983. $95). However, the articles here are more current and lengthy, and the authoritative writing and reasonable price make The Reader's Companion the better buy. This handy one-volume reference source for overviews of issues, movements, trends, and personalities is recommended for school, public, and university libraries.-- James Moffet, Baldwin P.L., Birmingham, Mich.

Copyright 1991 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 1992
The basic facts about events, places, and people in American history can be found in a variety of sources--encyclopedias, dictionaries, and guides are readily available. "The Reader's Companion to American History" is a one-volume work that is primarily a reader's encyclopedia to be read for enjoyment and enlightenment rather than just for information. Editors Foner and Garraty have pulled together the many and varied aspects of American history into a series of over 1,000 articles that make essential information readily accessible but also reveal the underlying relationships among subjects.There are three kinds of articles in the "Reader's Companion." Short entries contain basic information about an event or narrow topic like "American Civil Liberties Union," "Bay of Pigs," and "Pearl Harbor." These short entries were written by graduate students at Columbia University. Longer, interpretative essays on broad topics, written by distinguished historians, make up the bulk of the work. These explore key periods, concepts, or themes in American history. Some of the topics treated this way are obvious ones like "Civil War" and "American Revolution." However, some are more unusual, such as the long essays "Feminism," "Dance," and "Libraries and Museums." The various points of view of the authors of these signed essays are readily apparent and enrich this volume in unexpected ways. Some names, such as Dee Brown, who is responsible for the entries "Crazy Horse" and "George Armstrong Custer" and part of "Indians," or James McPherson, who wrote "Emancipation Proclamation" and a section of "Civil War," will be familiar to general readers. A complete list of contributors and affiliations can be found following the table of contents.Concise biographies of 400 key figures from the past are the third type of entry in the "Reader's Companion." These signed entries include key dates and facts as well as the author's interpretation and estimation of the subject's significance to American history and culture. Because of limited space, the editors chose subjects for biographical treatment based on positions held or significance of achievements. A special effort was made to include women and members of minority groups. The biographical entries spotlight individuals from politics (all of the presidents) and the arts (Thomas Eakins, Margaret Bourke-White) as well as sports (Jesse Owens, Billie Jean King), business (George Eastman, Luisa Moreno), and entertainment (Duke Ellington, Elvis Presley).Entries are arranged alphabetically. The longer, interpretative essays, the biographical entries, and many of the short factual pieces are followed by cross-references to related topics. Some articles also contain bibliographic citations to related works. A few black-and-white maps and charts are used to expand on topics. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are reprinted as appendixes, and the volume concludes with a comprehensive index."The Reader's Companion to American History" is informative and readable, an excellent combination of political and social history that can be read and enjoyed by students and the general public. Reference librarians in high school, academic, and public libraries will want to find a place for it on the reference shelves, but, for those who love history, a second circulating copy will be necessary. ((Reviewed Jan. 1, 1992))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1992, American Library Association.)