New eBook Resources
English
Archetypes and Motifs in Folklore and Literature. Hasan El-Shamy and Jane Garry, Eds. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2005. 515 pp.
Provides a detailed analysis of the most common archetypes or motifs found in the folklore of selected communities around the world. Includes examination of such motifs as Bewitching, Chance and Fate, Choice of Roads, Death or Departure of the Gods, the Double, Ghosts and Other Revenants, the Hero Cycle, Journey to the Otherworld, Magic Invulnerability, Soothsayer, Transformation, Tricksters, and more.
Gothic Literature: A Gale Critical Companion. Jessica Bomarito, Ed. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 1703 pp. 3 vols.
Spans all facets of gothic literature, including visual and performing arts, society and culture, themes, and settings. Includes primary source documents and critical material to provide a contextual perspective, a related chronology of key events, full-text commentaries, and lists of further readings.
Literary Themes for Students: Race and Prejudice. Anne Hacht, Ed. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 634 pp. 2 vols.
Works included represent a wide range of circumstances in which individuals experience prejudice in American, British and world literature. The discussion goes well beyond race, religion, and gender into ethnicity, social status, mental and physical health, and personal beliefs and behaviors.
Literary Themes for Students: War and Peace. Anne Hacht, Ed. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 682 pp. 2 vols.
Presents a myriad of viewpoints, so that modern readers can begin to grasp the complexities of war and its impact. Such stories give voice to the individuals who fight and are fought against, who are injured, who suffer on the battlefield and at home, and who, inevitably, can no longer speak for themselves. Examines dominant and recurring subthemes in the literature of war; including survival, terrorism, leadership, and genocide.
Biography
Encyclopedia of World Biography. Laura B. Tyle, Ed. Detroit: 2003. 1989 pp. 10 vols. Features biographies of notable historic and current figures from American history, world history, literature, science and math, arts and entertainment, and the social sciences. Entries focus on the people most often studied in middle and high school.
Social Studies
Cold War Reference Library. Sharon M. Hanes, Richard C. Hanes, and Lawrence W. Baker, Eds. Detroit: U*X*L, 2004. 1205 pp. 6 vols.
This reference library covers the Cold War period between the Western powers and the Communist bloc--from the end of World War II through 1989. The Almanac treats the historic causes of the tension. Biographies presents approximately 25 stories of the lives and actions of major figures, including Harry Truman, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin. Primary sources provides fully annotated, complete, and excerpted documents and other sources giving first-hand views of the Cold War.
Encyclopedia of Modern Europe: Europe 1789-1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of Industry and Empire. John Merriman and Jay Winter, Eds. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2006. 2803 pp. 5 vols.
A five-volume survey of European history from the onset of the French Revolution to the outbreak of World War. Alphabetically arranged entries cover the period's most significant personalities and meaningful developments in the arts, religion, politics, exploration, and warfare.
Encyclopedia of Modern Europe: Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction. Charles Scribner's Sons, 2006. 3135 pp. 5 vols.
A multi-volume survey of European history from the beginning of World War I in 1914 to the present, presented through alphabetically arranged entries that focus on the period's scientific, social and cultural history as well as the political, military and economic developments. For students and general readers.
Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450. Thomas Benjamin, Ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007. 1315 pp. 3 vols.
Provides students and researchers with a much-needed, comprehensive resource on the subject of colonialism and expansion. From a global perspective, the set traces many facets of colonial growth and imperialism, and much more.
Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World. Jonathan Dewald, Ed. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004. 3232 pp. 6 vols.
Explores European history from 1450-1789, from the print revolution to the French Revolution. Includes 1,150 articles written by eminent scholars covering major topics in art, government, and education as well as providing biographical entries on key figures of the period. Also covers topics specific to the era, such as apocalypticism, guilds, food riots, royal mistresses and lovers, the Spanish Inquisition, Utopia and others.
Gale Encyclopedia of World History: Governments. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2008. 2 vols.
Provides a broad overview of national governments throughout history, explaining their structures and histories, key players and events, and how governments effect, and are affected by, social change.
Gale Encyclopedia of World History: War. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2008. 2 vols.
Provides a broad overview of war throughout world history, from ancient times to present, with a special emphasis on its causes and repercussions.
Learning About the Holocaust: A Student's Guide. Ronald Smelser, Ed. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2001. 868 pp. 4 vols.
Offers articles written at the 9th and 10th grade reading levels; includes diary entries and stories about young people who lived during the Holocaust.
Political Theories for Students. Matthew Miskelly and Jaime Noce, Eds. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2002. 429 pp.
Provides in-depth information on major political theories and systems from all time periods. Each entry begins with a general overview of the system/theory followed by a discussion of the principal aspects of the theory, the theory's philosophy and an analysis of the historical context in which the theory was developed, including critical response.
Renaissance and Reformation Reference Library. Peggy Saari, Aaron Saari, and Julie L. Carnagie, Eds. Detroit: U*X*L, 2002. 1234 pp. 6 vols.
Covering everything from Luther's Revolt to the writings of Shakespeare, this set provides comprehensive coverage of this amazing time. Includes extensive background information on the period, approximately 50 biographies of people of the era, and includes full or excerpted speeches, diary entries, newspaper and magazine articles, poems, and documents.
Religion
World Religions Reference Library. Michael O'Neal and J. Jones, Eds. Detroit: UXL, 2007. 1144 pp. 6 vols.
A thorough, objective resource covering the history, traditions and worldviews of dominant and less prominent religions and their sects and offshoots.
Science
Chemical Compounds. Neil Schlager, Jayne Weisblatt, and David Newton, Eds. Detroit: U*X*L, 2006. 888 pp. 3 vols.
Offers information on the ways in which different chemical elements combine to form commonly-used chemical compounds, such as water, ammonia, and aspirin. Defines what a chemical compound actually is and the difference between organic and inorganic compounds, as well as providing definitions of acids, bases, salts, oxides, and coordination compounds. Features a general historical overview of major discoveries and the notable scientists who made them.
Climate Change: In Context. Brenda Lerner and K. Lerner, Eds. Detroit: Gale, 2008. 1006 pp. 2 vols.
Offers coverage of the history, politics, and ethical debates related to climate change, including the impact of climate change on daily life, trade and commerce, travel, and the future of both industrialized and impoverished nations. Provides insights on leading social issues and spurs critical thinking about the impact of environmental issues on daily life and globalization.
Gale Encyclopedia of Science. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Lerner, Eds. 3rd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 4495 pp. 6 vols.
Designed for high-school students and lay adults, this collection of entries covers major areas of science including: biology, genetics, microbiology, astronomy, chemistry, physics, engineering, technology, geology, weather, archaeology, psychology, mathematics, and medicine, and provides readers with a wide range of up-to-date, relevant, and accurate information.