Encyclopedia Latina : history, culture, and society in the United States /

All contributors to this four-volume encyclopedia are Hispanic. The signed entries address cultural elements specific to Hispanics (e.g., "Pachuco" and "Nuyorican Poets Cafe") and the Hispanic presence or involvement in issues that affect the general public (e.g., "Child Labor" and "Protestantism"). The entries themselves are complex and often cover many aspects of a topic. For example, "Advertising" includes a subsection called "Purchasing Power," which gives statistics for the top ten states where Latinos have the most power. This entry also contains statistics for income and occupation by language dominance. These statistics represent valuable information that unfortunately cannot be tracked through the alphabetical list of entries in volume 1. Vague references to this information can be found at the end of the entry for "Economy" in the cumulative index in volume 4. Black-and-white photographs are scattered throughout the text. These photographs are good primary source material; unfortunately, they are not effectively indexed. The information in this set is important, but readers must rely on serendipity to find it. The encyclopedia is nicely supplemented with an appendix of historically significant primary source material such as the texts of the Monroe Doctrine and the Bracero Agreement. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-level undergraduates. A. C. Barnhart University of California, Santa Barbara

As the name implies, this impressive encyclopedia explores the many roles Latinos have played in the U.S. And their impact on American history, culture, and society.\b \b0 Designed for both students and scholars, the work is not meant to be "a reference book about Hispanic civilization in general or about Latin America in particular." Rather, its focus is on " lo hispano0 in Anglo-America." The objective is to present "the diverse, versatile, multifaceted Hispanic civilization in the United States." Editor Stavans (Lewis-Sebring Professor of Latin American and Latino Cultures, Amherst College) has published several books on Hispanics in the U.S. He draws on the expertise of an editorial board and staff and contributions from approximately 200 Latino researchers, professors, journalists, scholars, and others. The approximately 650 entries range from 500 to 5,000 words in length. The scope is wide and occasionally moves beyond U.S. borders to encompass Hispanic populations of Canada. Historically, the encyclopedia paints a portrait of U.S.-Latino history from the sixteenth century to the present. Around 150 of the entries are biographical, the selection aiming to reach a balance across historical periods, disciplines, national backgrounds, and gender. Among the individuals who are covered are Julia Alvarez, Cesar Chavez, Gloria Estefan, Richard Rodiguez, and Sammy Sosa. Other entries cover topics in areas such as the arts ( Adobe, Muralism0 , Television0 ); education ( Bilingualism, Cuban studies, Parochial schools0 ); family life ( Aging, Marriage, Quinceanera0 ); immigration ( Deportation0 , Operation Wetback0 ); literature ( Literature, Dominican American0 ; Translation0 ), religion ( Dia0 de los Muertos, Evangelism, Santeria0 ); and sports ( Baseball0 , Olympic 0 Games). Each entry has cross-references and a bibliography of print and electronic resources. Sidebars contain excerpts from literary works, speeches, and more. The volumes are well illustrated with black-and-white images, and each volume contains an excellent selection of color plates. Following the entries are a "Synoptic Table of Contents" and appendixes offering primary documents, statistical tables, and a list of Latino and Latina members of Congress, 1822-2004. In sum, Encyclopedia Latina0 is highly recommended for public and academic libraries. Its broad historical sweep and multidisciplinary coverage make it an indispensable reference resource for collections serving Latino populations and a good companion for The Hispanic American Almanac: A Reference Work on Hispanics in the United States 0 (Gale, 2003). --Diana Kirby Copyright 2005 Booklist

Many current encyclopedias depict Latino art, literature, culture, and society, but few attempt the range of this four-volume interdisciplinary set. Edited by Stavans (Lewis-Sebring Professor of Latin American & Latino Culture, Amherst Coll.), scholar and prolific author of a number of books, including, most recently, Dictionary Days, the work encompasses all aspects of Latino history and culture within the United States from the 15th century to the present. The 650 signed entries contain some 150 biographies of notable Latinos, plus hundreds of articles pertaining to history, sociology, politics, contemporary issues, law, arts and sciences, and other topics important to Latino culture. Each entry is followed by a list of related articles and suggestions for further reading. Over 500 illustrations include paintings, drawing, maps, charts, and several pages of color plates. Appendixes include full-text primary documents that have affected the history and civilization of Latin America and Latino culture within the United States, including the Laws of Burgos, the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, the Monroe Doctrine, the Treaty of Velasco, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the Gadsden Purchase Treaty, the Treaty of Peace between the United States and Spain, the Official Bracero Agreement, and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Completing the set are statistics from U.S. Census 2000 and the Library of Congress, a synoptic table of contents, and a directory of contributors. Bottom Line Rightly self-described as "comprehensive and analytical," this authoritative work does offer some speculation about opposing viewpoints, but in general, its articles are thorough, informative, and objective. It will serve as a useful research tool for scholars and general readers alike; highly recommended for all public and academic libraries. [For an interview with Harold Augenbraun, associate editor of the encyclopedia and executive director of the National Book Foundation, see LJ 5/15/05, "Into the Limelight."-Ed.]-Nedra Crowe-Evers, Sonoma Cty. Lib., Santa Rosa, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 9 Up-This encyclopedia lives up to the scope claimed in its subtitle. The 650 alphabetically arranged, signed entries cover a range of topics from the general (Alcohol, History, Painting) to the specific (Aztlán, Zoot Suit Riots, Proposition 187, Congressional Hispanic Caucus). There is an entry on each of the 50 states, and numerous biographical entries are included. Discussions of Adoption, Afro-American Influences, Puerto Rican Politics, and United States-Mexico Border attest to the broad reach of the set. Each entry ends with a list of the related articles found in the set, a bibliography, and, sometimes, a list of selected Web sites. The appendixes at the end of the final volume include primary documents such as treaties and constitutions. The detailed index is nearly 100 pages long. Each volume contains an eight-page center insert of excellent color photographs in addition to the numerous average-quality, black-and-white photos and reproductions, and charts and maps placed throughout the text. Encyclopedia of Latino Popular Culture (Greenwood, 2004) has a narrower scope and is less scholarly in approach. Encyclopedia Latina is an excellent resource for anyone researching Latino history and culture.-Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.