ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries C&RL N e w s ■ N o v e m b e r 1999 / 861 N e w P u b l i c a t i o n s G e o rg e M . E b e rh a rt Th e B a ttle o f N e w O rle a n s, b y R o b e rt V. R e m in i (226 p a g e s , S e p te m b e r 1999), e x ­ a m in e s in d e ta il A n d re w J a c k s o n ’s 1815 v ic ­ to ry a t C h a lm e tte th a t, a c c o rd in g t o t h e a u ­ th o r, “h e l p e d d e fin e th e c o u n tr y ” a n d m a d e J a c k s o n in to a h e ro ic p e rso n ific a tio n o f A m eri­ c a n d e m o c ra c y . T h e d e ta ils o f th a t v ic to ry a r e r e c o u n t e d b y n o t e d J a c k s o n s c h o l a r R em ini, w h o g iv e s n e w s ig n ific a n c e to th e final d a y s o f th e W a r o f 1812. $24.95. V iking. ISBN 0-670-88551-7. The Ele ctric Ch air: A n U nn atu ral A m e ri­ can H isto ry, b y C raig B ra n d o n (279 p a g e s , O c to b e r 1999), re v e a ls th e e le c tric c h a ir ’s o ri­ g in s in t h e riv alry b e tw e e n T h o m a s E d is o n a n d G e o r g e W e s tin g h o u s e fo r u r b a n e le c tri­ fic a tio n c o n tra c ts w o r th m illio n s o f d o lla rs in th e 1880s. D e s p ite its in te n d e d u s e a s a m o re h u m a n e fo rm o f e x e c u tio n t h a n h a n g in g , th e c h a ir h a s h a d its s h a r e o f in h u m a n e m isfire s a n d m o s t s ta te s h a v e s w itc h e d to le th a l in je c ­ tio n . B ra n d o n tells t h e s to ry o f t h e d e v e l o p ­ m e n t a n d m a lfu n c tio n s o f th is d r e a d d e v ic e . $39.95. M c F a rlan d . ISBN 0-7864-0686-0. T h e E n c a rta W o rld E n g lis h D ic tio n a ry , A n n e H . S o u k h a n o v , U.S. g e n e r a l e d i t o r (2 ,0 7 5 p a g e s , A u g u s t 1 9 9 9 ), s e e m s t o b e M ic ro so ft’s a n s w e r to t h e A m e r i c a n H e rita g e D ic tio n a r y , w h ic h b u r s t u p o n th e s c e n e in 1969 a s a n is la n d o f re le v a n c e in a s e a o f p e d a n tic , u n a b r id g e d , a n d p o o rly u p d a te d d ic tio n a ry d in o s a u rs . C e rta in ly o n e e x p e c ts a M ic ro s o ft-s p o n ­ s o r e d d ic tio n a ry to h a v e a n a d e q u a te n u m ­ b e r o f n e r d w o r d s a n d sla n g , a n d it d o e s ; a b b r e v i a t i o n s , p r o p e r n o u n s , a n d f a m o u s p e o p le a re a ls o w e ll-re p re s e n te d . P e rh a p s th e m o s t strik in g f e a tu r e is its u s e o f “q u ic k d e fi­ n itio n s ” th a t a p p e a r in b o l d sm a ll c a p ita l le t­ te rs fo r w o r d s th a t h a v e m o re th a n o n e m e a n ­ ing. I f o u n d th is a n n o y in g a t first b e c a u s e o f th e re p e titio n , b u t it p r o v e d a h e lp f u l v isu a l a id w h e n I l o o k e d a t e n trie s w ith 30 d iffe r­ e n t m e a n in g s . A n o d d ity th a t I h a v e n ’t g o tte n G e o rg e M . E b e rh a rt is s e n io r e d ito r o f A m e ric a n L ib ra rie s; e -m a il: g eb e rh a rt@ a la .o rg u s e d to is its p r o n u n c ia ti o n sy s te m , w h ic h is h o m e g r o w n a n d n o t th e fa m ilia r In te rn a tio n a l P h o n e tic A lp h a b e t f o u n d e v e r y w h e r e e lse. Like m o s t o t h e r M ic ro so ft first re le a s e s , th is o n e h a s b u g s . M a n y o f th e illu stra tio n s a r e s u b s ta n d a r d . T y p o s a n d m is s ta te m e n ts e x ist, t h o u g h n o t in p ro fu s io n . M a n y d e fin i­ tio n s h a v e b e e n s im p lifie d , w h ic h w o r k s in s o m e c a s e s a n d n o t in o th e rs . Its “w o r d k e y ” a n n o ta tio n s a n d s y n o n y m lists s e e m r a n d o m ly s e le c te d . T h e ra tio n a le fo r in c lu d in g p r o p e r n o u n s is m u rk y — w h y , fo r e x a m p le , is F o rt S u m te r N a tio n a l M o n u m e n t l is te d b u t n o t G e tty s b u rg N a tio n a l M ilitary Park? T h e e ty ­ m o lo g ie s a re t r u n c a te d a n d d o n o t in sp ire c o n fid e n c e . M ost a n n o y in g is M icrosoft’s to u t­ in g o f th is a s a “w o r ld E n g lish ” d ic tio n a ry ( “E n glish a s it is u s e d in all its v a rie tie s a r o u n d t h e E n g lis h -s p e a k in g w o r l d ”). W h y t h e n a re th e r e c o m p le te ly d iffe re n t U K /E u r o p e a n a n d A u s tr a l ia n e d itio n s ? O n ly r e la ti v e ly w e ll- k n o w n B ritish w o r d s a re g iv e n in t h e A m e ri­ c a n e d itio n , m a k in g it in a d e q u a t e fo r tr a n s ­ la tin g m a n y M o n ty P y th o n s k e tc h e s . A n y o n e c a n fin d o t h e r s p e c ific q u ib b le s . As a n e d ito r a n d w rite r, I w o u l d n o t u s e th is d ic tio n a ry a s a first c h o ic e . H o w e v e r, its m o s t a p p r o p r i a te a u d ie n c e m a y w e ll b e ESL s t u d e n ts o r o t h e r s w h o a re le a rn in g t o c o m ­ m u n ic a te a n d a c q u ire a b r o a d e r v o c a b u la ry . (T h is in c lu d e s m a n y c o lle g e s t u d e n ts .) Its in ­ c lu s io n o f p r o p e r n o u n s w ill b e n e f it th e E n ­ g lis h -la n g u a g e l e a r n e r w h o w o u l d o th e rw is e n e e d a b io g ra p h ic a l d ictio n ary , atlas, a n d o n e - v o lu m e e n c y c lo p e d ia — n o t to m e n tio n a sla n g d ic tio n a ry a n d p o p -c u ltu r e h a n d b o o k — to g e t t h r o u g h o n e is s u e o f N e w sw e ek . P e r h a p s th e E n c a rta c a c h e t w ill e v e n b e t h e lu re th a t w ill d r a w W e b h e a d s a w a y fro m t h e i r m o n it o r s l o n g e n o u g h t o r e d is c o v e r p rint. If th a t’s th e c ase, t h e n m o re w o r d p o w e r to th e m . $50.00. St. M a rtin ’s P re ss. ISBN 0- 312-22222-X . C o m p a r e d to E n c a rta , th e n e w 10 th e d i ­ tio n o f t h e C o n c is e O x fo r d D ic tio n a r y , e d ­ ite d b y J u d y P e a rsa ll (1 6 6 6 p a g e s , S e p te m ­ b e r 1999), s e e m s s ta id a n d stuffy, w ith n o illu s tra tio n s a n d a n A n g lo c e n tric fo c u s. T h e d u s t j a c k e t p r o c l a i m s t h i s “t h e w o r l d ’s mailto:geberhart@ala.org 862 / C&RL N e w s ■ N o v e m b e r 1999 fa v o u rite d ic tio n a ry ,” w h ic h tells y o u s o m e ­ th in g . O n th e p lu s sid e , th e ty p o g ra p h y h a s im p ro v e d s in c e t h e 9 th e d itio n (1995) a n d th e O x fo rd im p rim a tu r is still re a ss u rin g . It e v e n h a s a fe w c u ss w o rd s a n d slang, th o u g h it sadly lac k s th e u b iq u ito u s a d v e rb ia l “w h a te v e r” u s e d b y A m e ric an te e n s. (E n ca rta d e fin e s it.) $29-95. O x fo rd U n iversity Press. ISBN 0-19-860287-1. T h e Is la m ic Th re a t: M y th o r R e a lity ? b y J o h n L. E sp o s ito (3 2 8 p a g e s , 3 rd e d ., O c ­ t o b e r 1 9 9 9 ), u p d a t e s t h e a u t h o r ’s 199 2 d e c o n s tr u c ti o n o f t h e m y th o f a u n i te d m ili­ t a n t Isla m . N e w s e c ti o n s o n t h e T a lib a n , K o s o v o , O s a m a b i n L ad e n , a n d in te rn a tio n a l t e r r o r i s m in t h e 1 9 9 0 s a r e i n c l u d e d , b u t E s p o s ito ’s b a s ic t h e m e r e m a in s th e sa m e : T h e W e s t n e e d s to b e tt e r u n d e r s t a n d th e h is to ry a n d r e a l i t i e s o f t h e M u s lim w o r ld a n d r e c o g n iz e t h e d iv e r­ sity a n d th e m a n y f a c e s o f Is­ lam . A w id e - ra n g in g a n d fair tre a tm e n t. $16.95. O x fo rd U n i­ v e r s i t y P r e s s . IS B N 0 - 1 9 - 513076-6. L ife on W heels: For th e A c ­ t iv e W h e e lc h a ir U ser, b y G a r y K a rp (5 4 9 p a g e s , J u l y 1999), w a s w ritte n fo r a n y o n e w h o is u s in g a w h e e lc h a ir a n d w h o w a n ts to m a k e th e b e s t o f it. K arp, w h o h a s b e e n p a ra p le ­ gic f o r 26 y e a rs, lo o k s a t th e re h a b ilita tio n p ro ­ c ess, a c c e ss, h o w to sta y h e a lth y , h o w to s e ­ l e c t a w h e e l c h a i r , i n t i m a c y , l e g i s l a t i o n , re c re a tio n , e d u c a tio n , a n d e m p lo y m e n t. T h o se w h o fin d th e m s e lv e s n e w ly d is a b le d w ill e s ­ p e c ia lly b e n e fit, a n d a c a d e m ic lib ra ries w ith s tu d e n ts w h o a re w h e e lc h a ir - b o u n d s h o u ld h a v e th is th o r o u g h a n d u p -to -d a te g u id e o n h a n d . $24.95. O ’Reilly a n d A ssociates. ISBN 1- 56592-253-0. N o rth e rn F lig h t s : T r a c k in g th e B ird s a n d B ird e rs o f M ic h ig a n ’s U p p e r P e n ­ in s u la , b y S heryl D e V o re (152 p a g e s , J u ly 1999), g o e s b e y o n d th e ty p ic a l field g u id e a n d c a p t u r e s th e a d v e n t u r e o f b ir d w a tc h in g o n th e UP. D e V o re d e s c rib e s th e r o m a n c e o f b a n d i n g h a w k s a n d o w ls , l is te n in g f o r lo o n s , r e c o r d in g w a rb le rs , a n d c liff-clim b in g in s e a rc h o f p e r e g r i n e n e s ts . A n e n v ir o n m e n ­ talist as w e ll a s a b ird e r, s h e m a k e s M ic h ig a n a b o v e t h e m itte n c o m e a liv e w ith b ird s o n g . $12.00. M o u n ta in P re s s P u b lis h in g , 1031 S. T h ird S tre e t W e s t, M isso u la , MT 59806. ISBN 0-87 8 4 2 -4 0 0 -8 . N o ta b le W o m e n in A m e ric a n H isto ry, b y L ynda G. A d a m s o n (450 p a g e s , S e p te m b e r 1 9 9 9 ) , o f f e r s b r i e f b i o s a n d a n n o t a t e d b io b ib lio g ra p h ie s o f 500 w o m e n w h o h a v e a c h ie v e d re c o g n itio n in 116 fields o f e n d e a v o r (n o librarians, h o w e v e r). A d a m so n c o n sc io u sly m a d e th e d e c is io n to c u t b a c k o n th e n u m b e r o f a cto rs, a u th o rs , a n d e n te rta in e rs in fa v o r o f o t h e r w o m e n w h o h a v e a c h ie v e d w o rth y re c ­ o g n itio n b y th e ir p e e rs . T h is b o o k is a p p r o ­ p r i a t e f o r u n d e r g r a d u a t e c o ll e c t io n s a s a b r o w s e r o r fo r referral to o th e r so u rc e s . $49.95. G re e n w o o d . ISBN 0-313-29584-0. V is io n s o f th e W est, e d ite d b y M e l is s a B a l d r i d g e ( 3 2 0 p a g e s , O c t o b e r 1999), s h o w ­ c a s e s th e W e s te rn a rt c o lle c tio n o f t h e H o u s t o n - b a s e d T o r c h E n e r g y A d v is e rs , o n e o f t h e la rg e st c o rp o ra te a rt c o lle c tio n s in t h e U n ite d States. A s se m b le d o v e r 35 y e a rs b y T o r c h e x e c u ­ tiv e J. P. B ry a n , th e c o lle c tio n is ric h in T e x a n a , I n d i a n t e x ­ tiles, a n d M e x ic a n re lig io u s art. E a c h o f th e t e n c h a p t e r s o ffe rs c o m m e n t a r y o n t o p i c s t h a t ra n g e fro m m is s io n a ry -le d I n d i a n c o m m u n i­ tie s a n d M e x ic a n fiesta s to co w g irls, sp u rs, a n d firearm s. E sp e cially in te re s tin g is th e e s ­ sa y b y El P a s o M u s e u m o f A rt D ire c to r B e ck y D u v a l R e e s e o n “T h e S e a rch f o r T e x a s ,” w h ic h e x a m in e s h o w T e x a s artists h a v e d e p ic te d th e sta te fro m 1850 to 1950. L ibraries w ith a W est­ e r n f o c u s w ill w a n t t o a d d th is w e ll-illu s ­ t r a t e d v o l u m e to t h e i r c o ll e c t io n . $ 6 0 .0 0 . G i b b s S m ith , P .O . B o x 6 6 7 , L a y to n , U T 8 4041. ISBN 0 -8 7 9 0 5 -8 5 4 -4 . O ffe rin g a n o th e r v ie w o f th e A m e ric a n W e s t is W illia m H e n r y J a c k so n : F r a m in g th e F rontier, b y D o u g la s W aitley (217 p a g e s , J u n e 1999), a b i o g r a p h y o f th e p i o n e e r p h o to g r a ­ p h e r w h o s e s tu n n in g p h o to s o f th e R ockies, Y e llo w sto n e , Y o sem ite , M esa V e rd e , a n d th e T e to n s in th e 1870s c a p tu re d th e p u b lic ’s im agi­ n a tio n . M ore th a n 100 p h o to g ra p h s a c c o m p a n y th e w e l l- r e s e a r c h e d te x t. $36.00. M o u n ta in P re ss P u b lish in g . ISBN 0-87842-381-8. ■