The CONCISE CONSERVATIVE ENCYCLOPEDIA: 200 of the Most Important Ideas, Individuals, Incitements, and Institutions that Have Shaped the Movement

Entries are alphabetically arranged; each is a page or two in length. The lively prose of each is followed by a selective bibliography. Each entry ends with a substantial quotation that reinforces, as well as dramatically captures, the point and essence of the entry. Not every term is literally a "conservative term" ; some are included because they enable the author to more clearly explain conservative philosophy, such as "liberal arts," "liberalism," and "libertarianism." Likewise, individuals are included who are not conservative, or who have had other "leanings," but have nevertheless influenced the development of conservative thought. The well-known names, such as Buckley, Kilpatrick, Limbaugh, and Robertson, all appear, as do many lesser-known ones. Most persons, organizations, publications, or additional concepts mentioned in the entries appear in the lengthy index, making the book even more useful. Interspersed among the text are five brief essays, each written by a scholar, on the origins of conservative thought (beginning with the Greeks and Romans). The book is a distillation of the ideas that have predominated in the great conservative magazines and journals.

The Concise Conservative Encyclopedia is more up to date and pithy than either the Dictionary of American Conservatism (Philosophical Library, 1987) or A Dictionary of Conservative and Libertarian Thought (Routledge, 1991). Conservatism is much in the news and a major force in American society. This compact source will make it possible for users at high-school, public, and academic libraries to become better informed; it is highly recommended for purchase.