The American Heritage Encyclopedia of American History [Hardcover]

John Mack Faragher (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 16, 1998

Introducing the new standard in American history.

The most authoritative single-volume encyclopedia of American history in twenty-five years, this groundbreaking reference has been a major undertaking prepared under the guidance of an advisory board of six prominent historians from around the country and of General Editor John Mack Faragher of Yale University. More than 125 contributors, all experts in their fields, present the best in recent scholarship, spanning the pre-Columbian period through the 1990s.

The result is substantially different from anything that has come before.
* Nearly 3,000 alphabetically arranged entries and essays
* Complete and authoritative treatment of traditional subjects
* Full coverage of topics at the forefront of American history scholarship today--women, African Americans, Native Americans, family life, urban history, and popular culture
* 400 black-and-white illustrations throughout
* Appendixes and time charts of American history
* Comprehensive cross-references and index for ease of reference, as well as innovative "topic guides" to facilitate deeper exploration and study
* Sponsored by American Heritage magazine, the nation's premier history publication

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This hefty one-volume reference to American history offers nearly 3,000 articles providing the essential details to major events as well as little-known episodes. With Yale historian John Mack Faragher as editor, an advisory board of seven historians put considerable thought into the encyclopedia's organization and contents, and the wealth of material contained in its more than 1,000 pages is staggering. The articles are well written and loaded with information. And not only is the book a serious reference source, it's also a feast for the historically minded browser, as it contains countless brief articles on subjects ranging from the Bay Psalm Book to Milton Berle.

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up-This concise, complete overview has more than 2750 alphabetically arranged entries that range in length from 2100-word essays to less than 50-word identifications. Each article has been written by a subject specialist. The inclusion of recent social history, while still doing full justice to traditional topics, makes this work invaluable. The appendixes include the Declaration of Independence; the Constitution; lists of U.S. presidents, chief justices, and associate justices of the Supreme Court; and Timetables of American History broken down into five eras. Numerous pictures, maps, drawings, and cartoons add to the appeal of the vibrant and accessible text. The index is clear and complete, and a helpful list of illustration credits supplies readers with source material. A must for all high school libraries.
Peggy Mooney, Pohick Public Library, Burke, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1120 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.; 1st edition (October 16, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805044388
• ISBN-13: 978-0805044386
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.9 x 3.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,273,725 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Mack Faragher was born in Phoenix, Arizona and raised in southern California, where he attended the University of California, Riverside (B.A., 1967), and did social work, before doing graduate work at Yale University (Ph.D., 1977). After fifteen years as a professor at Mount Holyoke College he returned to Yale as the Arthur Unobskey Professof of American History in 1993. His books include Women and Men on the Overland Trail (1979); Sugar Creek: Life on the Illinois Prairie (1986); Daniel Boone: The Life and Legend of an American Pioneer (1992); The American West: A New Interpretive History (2000), with Robert V. Hine; A Great and Noble Scheme: The Tragic Story of the Expulsion of the French Acadians from their American Homeland (2005); and Frontiers: A Short History of the American West (2007), with Robert V. Hine. He teaches the history of the American West and directs the Howard R. Lamar Center for the Study of Frontiers and Borders.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Useful and Easy to Use, March 30, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The American Heritage Encyclopedia of American History (Hardcover)

I beg to differ with the reviewer disappointed ... Can a one-volume work on a broad subject be anything but broad brushstrokes? No other specific objections are given. This is an excellent collection of articles covering an immense topic....American Heritage's alphabetical arrangement makes it exceedingly easy to find an article among the nearly 3,000 included. Some are as long as 2,000 words, others are quite brief. The American Heritage might be characterized as a dictionary of American history. It is packed with biographic sketches, articles on events, and concise overviews of trends and major topics. The World War II article has three pages of text plus a photograph and two maps (Europe and Pacific). The sexual revolution has two pages of text. Four articles on slavery cover five and one-half pages with text, illustrations and cross references to articles on African Americans, Antislavery Movement, Cotton, David Walker, Fugitive Slaves, Gabriel Plot, Manumission, Middle Passage, Nat Turner's Insurrection, Plantation System, Proslavery Ideology, Stono Rebellion and Vesey Conspiracy. Broad? That's pretty fair for a one-volume work. The Literacy Acts of 1917 get one paragraph, and a reference to immigration. Oh, yes: many articles have brief bibliographies and the type and layout make this easy to read. It's a fine reference.

3.0 out of 5 stars Lot's of info- some biased, November 18, 2011

By 

eskieme - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The American Heritage Encyclopedia of American History (Hardcover)

This is an entertaining read, and I keep in our guest room for company. It's loaded with information, but some of it was a little biased. I was surprised to discover this unnecessary slant on, what should be, benign information. I wouldn't buy it again. There are too many other "bathroom books" out there.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars American Heritage - How could you?, April 1, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The American Heritage Encyclopedia of American History (Hardcover)

Good for those who know next to nothing about American history. For those who associate "American Heritage" with quality publications, a big d-i-s-a-p-p-o-i-n-t-m-e-n-t. I waited a long time to see this reviewed - and nothing. Try finding something about Hellen Keller in this volume. (Well, maybe someone ripped out my Hellen Keller page, but I wonder.) If you are a teacher with a wad of someone else's money to spend, this won't be a waste. The broad brushstrokes are fine for those with little or no fundamental knowledge of what makes America tick and how it got to be what it is. But calling this an encyclopedia is a bit ambitious and misleading. The Reader's Companion to American History is much better.