Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture

Part of a series of encyclopedias on contemporary culture, these two works offer cross-referenced entries, alphabetically arranged, that include both specific and general topics. All articles are signed, and a subject listing, a list of contributors with their affiliations, and suggestions for further reading are included. Coverage in the Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture begins with the 1960s but stresses the 1990s. Many inconsistencies emerge: while individual film directors, intellectuals, and visual artists are treated, musicians, politicians, and literary authors are not. Little uniformity exists between similar entries: "actors (male)" discusses all acting venues but "actors (female)" deals almost exclusively with cinema. Entries tend to be more analysis than fact, and statistics in many expected places are absent. For instance, the entry for "cars" omits any information on manufacturing or ownership and instead discusses four-wheel-drive advertising gimmicks. Far more useful is Bamber Gascoigne's Encyclopedia of Britain (Macmillan, 1993). Coverage in The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Culture begins with the end of the Civil War in 1939, emphasizing the post-Franco period (after 1975). It is inclusive of Catalan, Galician, and Basque languages and cultures. Musicians, politicians, and writers are treated, and entries may include a bibliography, filmography, or discography of an entrant's major works. General topics receive more thorough and factual treatment, such as the entry for "sexual behavior," which discusses contradictory poll results, statistics regarding both attitudes and behavior, and considerations of age, gender, and geographic location. Altogether a more sound reference work than the Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture, it also provides more consistently annotated, relevant, and numerous bibliographic references. Recommended for academic and large public libraries.AAnna Youssefi, Univ. of Houston Lib.
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