دانلود کتاب Encyclopedia of Rural America

Rural America is a diverse society of 62 million people with an array of cultures, ethnic groups, lifestyles, and occupations. This comprehensive reference offers an extensive look at that society and its many facets, presenting 232 essays on arts, business, community development, economics, education, environmental issues, family, labor, quality of life, recreation, and sports. In addition to the subjects one would expect, topics often overlooked in other similar works, such as "addiction," "domestic violence," "gambling," "inequality," "marijuana," "religion," "social movements," and "stock car racing," are included here. The essays were written by contributors from universities, government organizations, and service agencies with keen perspectives on the history, lifestyles, development, and outlooks of rural people and their communities. Entries begin with a definition of terms, followed by an abstract or overview. Graphs, tables, and black-and-white photographs are included, and a list of cited references and topics for additional reading appearing at the end of each essay. At the back of Volume 2 is a 17-page bibliography of monographs written since 1980 pertaining to rural America. This exemplary encyclopedia is guaranteed to educate our highly urban society about the uniqueness of rural America. Recommended for public and academic libraries.?Irwin Weintraub, Rutgers Univ. Lib., New Brunswick, N.J.Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. As Goreham points out, "rural sometimes is viewed as synonymous with agriculture"; but the forces that shape life in rural America are actually much more diverse. This encyclopedia covers a broad range of topics, such as agriculture, the arts, economics, the environment, health, humanities, and political and social science. The 230 alphabetically arranged entries, from addiction to worker's compensation, are listed in the front of each volume for handy reference. The introduction states that the work is intended for several audiences: the academic world, and those, such as government officials, teachers, newspaper editors, and industry leaders, whose work involves them with residents of rural areas.Articles generally cover several pages and are very clearly organized, with a brief introduction followed by sections arranged under subheadings. Barns, for example, is divided into "history," "the decline of traditional architecture," and "preservation." Each article is signed and concludes with see also references and a bibliography. Most of the sources cited in the bibliographies are scholarly and government publications. At the end of volume 2 is a nearly 20-page bibliography of "interdisciplinary references," a list of contributors with their credentials, and an index. Black-and-white photographs enhance the text.There is little else that deals with rural America in this comprehensive way. Because of its multidisciplinary approach, the work should be of interest to a wider audience than that suggested in the introduction. Students of American life, both enrolled and not, will appreciate the variety of topics, and the unique perspective given to subjects ranging from crop surplus, pest management, and temperate fruit industry to bank lending practices, marriage, and public libraries. Recommended for large public and academic libraries.