From Booklist
The 271 A-Z entries are signed and include bibliographies and see also references. They make very interesting reading. One can explore the history of Garage and yard sales and Playgrounds and learn about Puritans at leisure. There are entries for dining out, Religious holidays, Rock-climbing, Stock car racing, and just about any leisure activity or venue imaginable, including brothels. Some of the essays deal with issues such as the Globalization of American leisure and Work and leisure ethics. The detailed index found at the end of volume 2 guides users to the depth and breadth of information included. The few photographs break up the text slightly and are sometimes interesting but are not necessary to the information, nor to the audience who will use the encyclopedia.
This encyclopedia is a complement to The Encyclopedia of Leisure and Outdoor Recreation (Routledge, 2003), which deals more with the concepts, theories, and models used in the study of leisure by a wide variety of disciplines. Encyclopedia of Recreation and Leisure in America is highly recommended to all libraries developing their collections in American history, popular culture, and social issues. High-school and college students will find it useful for assignments, and the general reader interested in culture and leisure can enjoy reading well-written entries on a variety of topics. Linda Loos Scarth
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