Reseñas proporcionadas por Syndetics
Library Journal Review
This work complements two other dictionaries on the same topic: Jack Plano and Roy Olton's The International Relations Dictionary (ABC-CLIO, 1988. 4th ed.) and John Findling's Dictionary of American Diplomatic History ( LJ 11/1/89, 2d ed.). Of the two earlier books, Findling's comes closest in concept and content to this new volume. Although both books cover much the same ground, the Dictionary of American Diplomatic History provides additional useful background information on each president, setting his foreign affairs adventures within the domestic context. The Dictionary features over 1400 alphabetically arranged entries that cover agreements, theories, events, organizations, and other factors affecting international relations. It also contains appendixes listing various diplomatic personnel, a list of conferences and summits, glossary of diplomatic terms, maps, and a bibliographic essay. Although a little pricey, this is a well-written reference work. Recommended for academic and large public libraries, especially for libraries lacking the Findling book.-- Ed Goedeken, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-A wealth of information in a single accessible volume that covers our involvement in world affairs from 1776 through the first half of 1992, including U.S. immigration policy and relations with Native American tribes. Also included in the 1,400 entries are biographical sketches of key figures in America's foreign affairs-U.S. Presidents and other world leaders, army officers, diplomats, journalists, etc. An extensive timeline highlights the major developments in U.S. agencies within the executive branch of government. Also included are: a review of the course of relations with the nations that have figured most prominently in American foreign affairs; profiles of the major Congressional panels on national security and foreign policy; charts of the major international conferences and summits; a glossary of the most commonly encountered foreign affair terms; and various maps. Presented in an easy-to-read format with double columns and bold-faced headings, this book will be a valuable research tool for students and a handy resource for general readers interested in the subject.-Dana McDougald, Cedar Shoals High School, Athens, GA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
CHOICE Review
In the last five years, a number of reference publications treating US foreign relations have appeared. This new dictionary attempts an overview of American foreign policy since 1776 in a single volume. It is broader in scope than most other sources, since for the authors, foreign policy encompasses space, technological, and environmental matters as well as the more traditional issues of diplomatic, military, intelligence, and economic affairs. The main section is an alphanumeric listing of prominent names, significant events, treaties, and organizations that have affected American foreign relations. There are no biographic entries for foreign leaders. The definitions vary in length according to the authors' perception of the subject's importance. Although the text has ample see and see also references, there are no subject or name indexes or lists of sources at the end of each entry. Appendixes include a chronology of events since 1776; a list of executive branch organizations involved in policy-making and their leading officials; congressional committees and institutions; conferences and summit meetings; a glossary, a guide to other sources, and a list of maps. This dictionary does not displace John Findling's Dictionary of American Diplomatic History (2nd ed., CH, Feb'90), but it is a solid piece of work, especially good for background on recent events such as the Persian Gulf War. Recommended for general readers, undergraduates, and beginning graduate students, and for undergraduate or other academic libraries supporting international relations programs. W. F. Bell; University of North Texas
Booklist Review
It's hard to imagine having too many places to turn for information on foreign affairs. This specialized dictionary, current through the first half of 1992, will serve well the needs of undergraduates and general readers. The authors have successfully created a source of information "on the events, agreements, ideas, organizations, and people that have shaped America's involvement in the world from 1776 to the present." Other titles to their credit include Capital Punishment, Suicide, and AIDS, all from Facts On File's Library in a Book series. The entries in this dictionary were written by the authors and reviewed by at least one member of an academic editorial board. A random sample of the approximately 1,400 entries was checked to determine the focus of the book. Of the 65 entries examined, roughly 20 percent cover individuals (e.g., John Foster Dulles, Little Turtle, LBJ); 20 percent, events (Caracas Episode, Panama Riots, Tripolitan War); and 20 percent, political declarations (Ford Doctrine, Fourteen Points). The remaining entries were divided almost equally among treaties (Threshold Test Ban Treaty), groups (Heritage Foundation), legal cases (Henderson v. Mayor of New York), and concepts (Collective Security, Containment, Deterrence). The entries, generally one-half page in length, begin with a synopsis of the topic, followed by relevant dates and participants. They conclude with an assessment of the topic's outcome or significance to American foreign policy. Words in small-capital letters indicate related entries. There are eight appendixes; the plum of the group is a 50-page time line portraying U.S. foreign affairs arranged under such categories as presidential administration, science, and economics. Other appendixes list diplomats, summits, and congressional committees. Concluding the work are a 10-page classified bibliography, a short glossary, and seven maps. A source comparable in scope and format is Dictionary of American Diplomatic History (Greenwood, 1989). For example, the Macmillan dictionary defines the domino theory as the notion that "if one nation were to fall to communism, then surrounding countries would become susceptible to Communist expansionism and eventually would be toppled--as with a stack of dominoes--one after another." The Greenwood dictionary defines it as the notion that if one nation "fell to communism (or anything else, presumably), then inevitably other nations in that region would fall (analogous to a row of dominoes lined up such that if the first is toppled, the remaining ones inevitably fall)." The three-volume Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy (Scribner, 1978) is quite different, with 95 lengthy essays that explore concepts, theories, and policies in American foreign relations. Keeping in mind that the Dictionary of American Foreign Affairs is suited primarily to undergraduate and general readers, it is a recommended purchase for college and public libraries. (Reviewed Dec. 1, 1994)
