Selected New Reference Books

" Women in the Middle Ages is a very good tool for research into the study of women during the Middle Ages. This two-volume set is mainly an encyclopedia of biographies of various women by a number of scholars from around the world. The set also covers items or issues connected to women like dowry and dress. The set mainly covers European women, but there are several entries about women from the other continents. The person or topic is covered in a variety of lengths. Each entry has a bibliography that covers primary and secondary sources in various languages. Most entries have cross-references as well. The illustrations are black and white and are a good visual aid to the set. At the end of volume 2 is a general bibliography, an index, and a list of the contributors. At the front of volume 1 is a list of entries, a guide to related topics, and directions on how to use this set. Women in the Middle Ages provides researchers and students with biographies of many little-known women of the Middle Ages and also provides bibliographies for more sources on this topic. This set is a much needed addition to libraries of all kinds because it is a great tool for the study of women. "

Reviewed by Benet Steven Exton - St. Gregorys Univ. Library, Shawnee, Oklahoma for ARBA 2005.

"There are numerous reference volumes dealing with Christianity. Remarkably, however, until now there has been no one-volume encyclopedia dedicated Christianity on a global scale.

This exhaustive work presupposes no prior knowledge of Christianity, and can usefully be consulted by Jews and Muslims, people of other faiths or no faith at all. It covers all forms of Christianity throughout history and the world. Over 300 major articles by distinguished international contributors are linked through a novel series of pointers that provide different angles on topics and show the connections between them. The contributors include the leading experts on the topics under consideration, which range from regional surveys to portraits of denominations and sects, explorations of theological and moral questions, relationships with other faiths, and a "Who's Who" of Christianity. In addition to the main articles, helpful "fact boxes" present basic factual material, often in the form of lists, bringing together information that is often surprisingly difficult to find: creeds, councils, popes, miracles and parables of Jesus, religious orders, and much more. This remarkable resource, more than ten years in the making, fills a major gap in the literature on world Christianity."

Description from the Oxford University Press website.

"With its contents organized by 21 subjects, this volume introduces a wide variety of international information resources available, such as agriculture and food, communication, crime and criminal justice, and statistics. International governmental organizations (IGOs) provided most of the information found in this volume, with national governments, organizations, universities, and commercial publishers constituting supplementary sources. The detailed information referred to here can be found under Internet addresses provided by this Subject Guide. Where applicable the Guide refers the reader to printed sources. Every chapter in this volume has an overview, a list of sources in each category, and the categories of governmental and nongovernmental sources. Each source listed contains a summary and an informative detailed description. A useful section on research strategies follows, and the chapter closes with advice on further readings. The instructive introductory chapter provides brief descriptions of sources that are general in nature and cover a variety of topics, organized into four main sections: general sources by organization (United Nations, European Union, Organization of American States, and the League of Nations that operated until 1946), general resources, biographical sources, and style manuals. Two appendixes round out the volume—one on selected acronyms of international organizations and the second on selected international organizations Websites. The Subject Guide is concise, professionally done, and authoritative. The modern focus on the Internet sources is particularly striking and practical. The series title of "How to Find It, How to Use It" is a perfect definition of the book's purpose. This work is recommended for government, university, and public libraries, and libraries of businesses involved in international relations. "

Review written by Bogdan Mieczkowski - Cocoa Beach, Florida. for ARBA 2005.