Vol. 4 : Saint Kitts and Nevis to Zimbabwe. Index. - 679 p.

Like the ten-volume Encyclopedia of World Cultures (Macmillan, 1996), the four-volume Countries and Their Cultures is based on the collection of ethnographic information known as the Human Relations Area Files based at Yale University. Unlike World Cultures, which is organized by culture, the new work is organized by country. This work's strength is that readers who know very little about a country can quickly obtain a good orientation to the major issues, history, and social structure of a nation. The 225 entries are between ten and 20 pages long and read like a cross between a well-written encyclopedia article, a travel guide, and a social science essay. They provide a good general overview of a country without greatly oversimplifying or distorting. All entries have the same structure, with sections on geography, history, demography, languages, food, economy, etiquette, politics, family, religion, and arts and humanities. A country's degree of cultural unity as well as its cultural variations are described in the sections on national identity, ethnic relations, and social stratification. Each entry has a map with a regional insert, black-and-white photographs, and a bibliography of recent scholarly books. Recommended especially for libraries that do not own Encyclopedia of World Cultures. Marc Meola, Coll. of New Jersey Lib., Ewing

Vol. 4 : Chippendale - Dickinson. - 544 p.

Vol. 4 : Dacian - Esther. - 742 p.

Vol. 4 : Electronic Universe. - 368 p.

Here is an attractive, readable set designed to present the history of computers and reflect on their purpose, use, and impact today. Nearly 300 entries are organized into four volumes, usually with black-and-white illustrations, photos, or charts. Signed entries are two to four pages long and often include sidebars, definitions for terms or concepts, see also references, and bibliographies with a handful of current sources, many of them online. University professors are among the contributors. Repeated at the beginning of each volume are the preface, tables of measurements, time lines, and table of contents. Each volume concludes with the same glossary and topic outline and a volume index, with a cumulative index at the end of volume 4. Volume 1 (Foundations: Ideas and People) covers history; volume 2 (Software and Hardware), the nuts and bolts of the technology; volume 3 (Social Applications), how computers affect our everyday lives; and volume 4 (Electronic Universe), the networked society. Organization within each volume is alphabetical. Some representative subjects covered in volume 1 include Babbage, Charles; IBM Corporation; and Transistors. In volume 2 we learn about Client/server technology, Game controllers, and Touch screens; in volume 3, about Airline reserva tions, Educational software, and Spreadsheets; and in volume 4, Cookies, Global positioning systems, and Political applications. Several articles are current enough to include the 9/11 attacks and October 2001 anthrax letters. There are so many interrelated topics that dividing them by volume is confusing to a user. Chemistry and Electronic campus are in volume 4, but Distance learning and Physics are in volume 3. Assistive computer technology for persons with disabilities is in volume 4, although it could be considered a social application. Art and Music composition are placed in different volumes. The topic outline lists entry headings under broad topics and might be helpful in providing an overview, but it gives no indication of the volumes in which the entries can be found. For academic libraries, the standard Encyclopedia of Computer Science (4th ed., Grove, 2000) will probably be adequate, even though this field changes so rapidly. High-school and public libraries where there is emphasis on technology may want to add this set for its detailed coverage of people, concepts, and applications.

Vol. 4 : Our Future in Space. - 304 p.

In this wonderful encyclopedia designed for middle- and high-school students, 341 entries explore the wonders of space. Each volume has a theme. Space Business (volume 1) covers topics such as Communications satellite industry, Law of space, and Space tourism. Planetary Science and Astronomy (volume 2) covers the more scientific aspects, including planetary explorations. Humans in Space (volume 3) treats manned missions and various astronauts, and Our Future in Space has entries for topics such as Asteroid mining, Mars bases, and Military uses of space. The entries in each volume are in alphabetical order and range from a single paragraph to several pages in length, with most being one or two pages long. The front and back matter are the same in each volume and include a few pages of reference tables such as conversion charts, time lines of milestones in space history and human achievements in space, a list of contributors, a table of contents for the set, and a glossary. Volume 1 has a unique time line of "Major Business Milestones in U.S. History." The index in the first three volumes is specific to the volume only, and there is a cumulative index in volume 4. Numerous sidebars provide additional information throughout the set. Words that appear in bold type in the entry are defined in the page margins and also in the glossary. The color illustrations and photographs are beautifully reproduced and appear on almost every two-page spread. Additionally, there are smaller portraits and black-and-white illustrations. Almost every person mentioned has a portrait somewhere in the set. The entries are well written and should be easily understood by the target audience of YA students. The breadth and depth of information will fascinate students and be very helpful in preparing reports and projects on a wide variety of space-related topics. School and public libraries should eagerly add this set to their collections.

Vol. 4 : Asia & Oceania. - 977 p.

Vol.4 : Romantic Comedy–Yugoslavia. - 432 p.

Drawing on authoritative, international contributors, information on film is extensively documented in this set, which is intended as a film-studies staple. The alphabetically arranged volumes are titled as follows: "Academy Awards—Crime Films"; "Criticism—Ideology"; "Independent Film—Road Movies"; and "Romantic Comedy—Yugoslavia." Subtopics include countries, history, philosophies, and more, with information on individual movies often spread over several entries. Articles range from as few as 5 pages ("Slapstick comedy") to 17 pages ("Italy"). Contemporary topics, such as "Gay, lesbian and queer cinema," are included along with more-expected entries on "Teen films" and "Cinematography." See-also references guide readers to one or more related topics or subtopics, while further-reading suggestions provided after every entry list academic and popular articles and books. The more than 16,000 index entries, with major topics in bold type, make access straightforward. The text is highlighted with photographs varying in size, color, and clarity, along with brief biographies on related figures. While there is a plethora of good publications on film, such as Ephraim Katz's single-volume The Film Encyclopedia (HarperCollins, 2005) and his The Macmillan International Film Encyclopedia (2001), this set is more comprehensive and current. Public libraries and secondary schools, especially those with a focus on filmmaking, should plan to include it in their collections.

Atomic and Molecular Physics. - 276 p.

Vol. 4 : Sadat - Zulu. - 234 p.

The highly regarded Encyclopedia of Africa South of the Sahara was published by Scribner in 1997. The editor, John Middleton, has now produced an abbreviated version, appropriate for high-school and undergraduate students and adults. The original included 896 articles. This new version has about 450 entries in just under 1,000 pages. Topics include countries, regions, geographic features, cultural groups, personalities, and general subjects, such as Body adornment and clothing, Oral tradition, and Writing systems. The preface indicates that many of the original articles have been adapted and updated and that a substantial amount of new information has been added on North Africa. In an effort to make the resource user-friendly, time lines, sidebars, and definitions now appear in margins next to related text; and individual country entries include quick reference fact boxes. Each volume has an eight-page color photo-essay: "People and Culture" in the first volume, followed by "The Land and Its History," "Art and Architecture," and "Daily Life" in subsequent volumes. Additional black-and-white photographs and more than 50 maps are also offered.