Encyclopedia of the Holocaust

Before the over 650 entries of the encyclopedia itself, historians present eight essays on such topics as the contribution of European Jewry to modern culture, Nazi ideology and its roots, on being a Jew in the Holocaust, and the Allies and the Holocaust. The entries cover people, places, camps, and organizations in general. Among the more miscellaneous topics are American Jewry and the Holocaust, Holocaust denial, films on the Holocaust, the Holocaust in music, Nazi propaganda, youth movements, and museums and memorials. Many photographs are included. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Combining essays (ranging in length from 4 to more than 15 pages) with encyclopedia entries, this reference work offers student and adult researchers a comprehensive look at the Holocaust. The eight essays, covering a variety of Holocaust-related topics, were all written by scholars associated with Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority in Israel. Covering topics such as different aspects of European Jewry, the Nazi rise to power, the Allies, and the aftermath of the Holocaust, the essays are written in a very readable style. Unfortunately, the dense text and few photographs make them appear otherwise. Words in capital letters indicate entries in the encyclopedia portion of the volume.

The encyclopedia contains more than 650 alphabetical entries covering famous, infamous, and unfamiliar people; places, such as countries and concentration camps; events, including death marches and Kristallnacht; and concepts, such as Art of the Holocaust , Aryanization , and Final Solution . The entries vary in length from one paragraph to several pages and, like the essays, are readable for students. Captioned black-and-white photographs, totaling more than 300, appear on many of the pages. Most are of people, but some illustrate documents and places. Words and phrases within the text, printed in capital letters, indicate other entries in the encyclopedia.

The volume includes a day-by-day chronology from 1933 to 1945, a bibliography arranged by subject, and an index. The bibliography contains mainly adult titles, many of which will not be accessible for younger high-school students who could be using the volume. Bolface numbers in the index denote encyclopedia entries.

The contributing scholars have managed to make the information accessible to many age groups. This volume is written in a style that will make it useful for high-school students looking for information on various aspects of the Holocaust, and even the adult researcher will find in-depth nformation on most Holocaust topics. Larger libraries should have both this title and the more detailed and comprehensive Encyclopedia of the Holocaust published by Macmillan in 1990, but smaller libraries may find the title under review sufficient for their needs. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved