The Canadian encyclopedia

This edition of The Canadian Encyclopedia is the largest, most comprehensive book ever published in Canada for the general reader.It is every aspect of Canada, from its rock formations to its rock bands, is represented here.It is all of the information in the four red volumes of the famous 1988 edition is contained here in this single volume.It has been since 1988 teams of researchers have been diligently fleshing out old entries and recording new ones; as a result, the text from 1988 has grown by 50% to over 4,000,000 words.It has been the researchers and contributors worked hard to make the information as current as possible.Other words apply to this extraordinary work of AUTHORITATIVE, RELIABLE and READABLE. Every entry is compiled by an expert. Equally important, every entry is written for a Canadian reader, from the Canadian point of view.The finished work – many years in the making, and the equivalent of forty average-sized books – is an extraordinary storehouse of information about our country. This book deserves pride of place on the bookshelf in every Canadian Home.It is no accident that the cover of this book is based on the Canadian flag. For the proud truth is that this volume represents a great national achievement. From its formal inception in 1979, this encyclopedia has always represented a vote of faith in Canada; in Canada as a separate place whose natural worlds and whose peoples and their achievements deserve to be recorded and celebrated.At the start of a new century and a new millennium, in an increasingly borderless corporate world that seems ever more hostile to national distinctions and aspirations, this Canadian Encyclopedia is offered in a spirit of defiance and of faith in our future.The statistics behind this volume are staggering. The opening sixty pages list the 250 Consultants, the roughly 4,000 Contributors (all experts in the field they describe) and the scores of researchers, editors, typesetters, proofreaders and others who contributed their skills to this massive project. The 2,640 pages incorporate over 10,000 articles and over 4,000,000 words, making it the largest – some might say the greatest – Canadian book ever published.There are, of course, many special features. These include a map of Canada, a special page comparing the key statistics of the 23 major Canadian cities, maps of our cities, a variety of tables and photographs, and finely detailed illustrations of our wildlife, not to mention the colourful, informative endpapers.But above all the book is “encyclopedic” – which the Canadian Oxford Dictionary describes as “embracing all branches of learning.” This means that (with rare exceptions) there is satisfaction for the reader who seeks information on any Canadian subject. From the first entry A mari usque ad mare – “from sea to sea” (which is Canada’s motto, and a good description of this volume’s range) to the Zouaves (who mustered in Quebec to fight for the beleaguered Papacy) there is the required summary of information, clearly and accurately presented. For the browser the constant variety of entries and the lure of regular cross-references will provide hours of fasination.The word “encyclopedia” derives from Greek expressions alluding to a grand “circle of knowledge.” Our knowledge has expanded immeasurably since the time that one mnd could encompass all that was known.Yet now Canada’s finest scientists, academics and specialists have distilled their knowledge of our country between the covers of one volume.The result is a book for every Canadian who values learning, and values Canada.

Designed to provide extensive coverage of all aspects of Canadian Life, The Canadian Encyclopedia is the unpretentious answer to the long-outdated Encyclopedia Canadiana. In addition to the expected topics in arts and sciences, it features precis on selected literary works as well as articles on major periodicals; corporations and associations; sports teams and events; and cultural and religious groups, including the native peoples. While coverage is meant to be extensive, there are occasional omissions (Ku Klux Klan is entered, the Nazi Party of Canada is not). Some articles are dry and factual, most are well-written and interesting, and the odd one is simply breathtaking (Tom Thomson). Social inequities are not ignored. Occasionally, contributors dwell on personal interpretations of history, but generally, the articles impart a sense of ``liberal objectivity.'' Biographies are numerous. See-also references appear within articles as reduced upper-case; an index in volume 3 provides cross-references for non-entries. The use of italics is inconsistent. They appear alone (Christian Religious Communities) or as qualifiers (Judaism) or qualified (Judo). There are some spelling errors. The inclusion of reading lists is also inconsistent. There are 2500 contributors listed, with their affiliations, and most entries are signed. The work is well illustrated, and design and typography are excellent. A French edition is due in 1987, a new English edition in 1988. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries. Mary Hemmings, McGill Univ. Medical Lib., Montreal
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.