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 : Q - Z. - 1221-1682 pp.

The central aim of this encyclopedia is to give the reader a comparative perspective on issues involving conceptions of gender, gender differences, gender roles, relationships between the genders, and sexuality. The encyclopedia is divided into two volumes: Topics and Cultures. The combination of topical overviews and varying cultural portraits is what makes this encyclopedia a unique reference work for students, researchers and teachers interested in gender studies and cross-cultural variation in sex and gender. It deserves a place in the library of every university and every social science and health department.

Vol. 4 : Europe. - 336 p.

Vol. 4 : S-Z. - 496 p.

A scholarly resource accessible to a general audience, the Encyclopedia of Russian History provides more than 1,500 entries encompassing more than 1,000 years of Russian history, from the formation of Kievan Rus in the mid-ninth century to the present-day Russian Federation. A seven-member editorial board of Russian scholars headed by editor-in-chief Millar (Director of the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies, George Washington University) oversaw topic selection. All entries are signed by one of more than 500 contributors. Entries are arranged alphabetically. To access them, users can scan the article title list in volume 1 or use the cumulative subject index in volume 4. Bold type in the index designates main entries. Volume 1 also provides a list of article titles arranged by one of 21 general topics, such as "Agriculture," "Government," "Religion," and "Science and Technology".

Vol. 4 : Modern World. Part I : 1900-1945. - 276 p.

Vol. 4 : Sc - Ze. - 210 p.

Mathematics has been defined as the "universal language of numbers," a language whose basic principles remain the same for all users. Many rouroutine activities, from balancing a checkbook to measuring ingredients for a recipe, require a certain familiarity with mathematical concepts and appliapplications. In Macmillan's Nlathematics encyclopedia, users will learn more about the function of mathematics in everyday life, as well as its role as a tool for measurement, data analysis, and technological development. InterInterdisciplinary in scope, the encyclopedia provides students with a clear and comprehensive introduction to this vast topic through nearly three hundred entries commissioned especially for the set. A Broader Look at Mathematics For many people, mathematics and its basic disciplines—such as algealgebra, geometry, and trigonometry—are subjects of fear and dread. The goal of the Mathematics encyclopedia is to make these topics more accessible and interesting to students and the general user. Readers will learn that Mathemathematics is much more than numbers alone—it is also an integral part of his history and culture. Biographical entries highlight mathematicians who have made significant contributions to the field. Over thirty career-related artiarticles offer examples of mathematics "on the job," whether it's a nutritionist calculating dietary needs or a photographer compensating for low-light conconditions. Entries on applications explore the role of mathematics in our modmodern world, from everyday conveniences to global communication methods and a multitude of scientific and technological advances. Organization of the Material The authors who contributed entries to Mathematics bring a variety of expertise to the subject, and include members of academic institutions, math educators, and curriculum specialists. Contributors used their subject knowledge to write entries that are authoritative and up-to-date, but free of overly technological terms or scientific jargon. Many entries are illustrated, and numerous equations, tables, figures, and sidebars help illuminate the text. Unfamiliar terms and concepts are highlighted and defined in the margin, while cross-references direct users to articles of related interest. Most entries feature a selected bibliography, including Internet resources. Each volume includes a topical outline, glossary, and index, with a cumulative index to the entire set appearing in volume 4.

Vol. 4 : 1700-1799. - 468 p.

Vol. 5 : U-Z. - 416 p.

This alphabetically arranged, 2,700-entry encyclopedia treats aspects of U.S. popular culture, defined as "all the experiences in life shared by people in common, generally though not necessarily disseminated by the mass media." In the process of winnowing the 4,000 or so potential topics that were suggested by an advisory group to a manageable number of entries, the editors sought balance, though not necessarily equal coverage. Content breaks down into articles that address social life (23 percent of the articles), music (16 percent), print culture (16 percent), film (15 percent), television and radio (14 percent), sports (10 percent), and art and performance (6 percent). A few entries, such as Currier and Ives and Dime novels, relate to the culture of the nineteenth century, but treatment is purposely slanted toward the twentieth century, and the latter half of the twentieth at that. Articles range from 75-to 150-word introductions to 3,000-word analyses. Each of the 450 contributors, mostly college or university professors and freelance writers, was asked to describe his or her topic and analyze its relevance to American popular culture, a charge successfully carried out in uniformly zesty and interesting prose, accompanied by numerous clear black-and-white illustrations. There are entries covering broad topics (Advertising, Jazz, Radio) and specific activities, comic strips, companies and consumer products, films, foods, individuals, musical groups, publications, social issues, sports teams, television and radio programs, and various other trends and phenomena, such as Advice columns, AARP, Aerobics, Air travel, and Astrology. Reflecting pop culture's inherent inclusiveness, there seems to be almost nothing missing, and an examination of the impact of Sigmund Freud keeps company with entries on Frederick's of Hollywood, Frosty the Snowman, and frozen food. This is one of those rare encyclopedias that is good not only for research but for casual browsing, and readers will find much that is fascinating. Each entry, laid out in an easy-to-read typeface in double-column format, concludes with a list of further readings that includes references to both standard print and online sources. The introduction, list of contributors, and alphabetical list of entries are repeated in each volume. The indexing in volume five is superlative and broad, consisting of three different indexes--one general, one organized by subject, and one organized by decade, creating linkages and widening access to the information available on any given topic. Cross-referencing is limited to see references that refer readers to appropriate headings. The indexing helps make up for the lack of see also references, although these would more easily guide readers between entries for Orson Welles and War of the Worlds, to take one example. Other reference works, such as the Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Television [RBB Ag 97] and The Sixties in America [RBB S 1 99], cover specific aspects of popular culture or specific periods in greater detail, but none can match this set's broad sweep. A superb source for high-school, public, and academic libraries.