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Library Journal Review

It is difficult to find fault with this well-researched and well-formatted dictionary of 20th-century politics of Central America and the Caribbean area. The editors, all journalists who have specialized in Latin America, have compiled a reference tool almost no library should be without. The entries are cross-indexed well, and there are maps and thumbnail sketches of the countries' most vital information. Nor could one argue with the inclusion of Bermuda, in the North Atlantic, because so many Americans think of it as a Caribbean island ( Personalities Caribbean, 1982-83 also includes it). The completeness and depth of research make this reference a good choice for most libraries.-- Louise Leonard, Univ. of Florida Libs., Gainesville (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

CHOICE Review

This compact political dictionary is a useful source of current information about a turbulent area of the Western Hemisphere. Simple organization and succinct entries make for ease of use, while the "see also" references help build pathways toward more detailed information. The work includes information about personalities and political parties and movements; there is also some historical background, a combination that makes the dictionary particularly useful for quick yet comprehensive initial investigations. A country-by-country list of entries allows the reader to find quickly all the information included on individual countries. The editors are British journalists with extensive years of service in Latin America. The 20 maps at the end of the book show too little detail and provide only sparse information. Much of the political information included here has been covered in greater depth in Political Parties of the Americas, ed. by Robert J. Alexander (CH, Jun'83). The Alexander book also includes bibliographic references for each country, something lacking in the Gunson/Chamberlain work. Because of its recency and geographical area of emphasis, however, it will be valuable in undergraduate and general public collections.-J. H. Pollitz, Augustana College