From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up–More than 600 alphabetical entries describe the origins, language, history, and culture of European ethnology. Entries range from Hominids and Vikings to modern nationalities such as Ukrainians and Spanish. Article length varies; a small Celtic tribe such as the Insubrians has an accessible one-paragraph summary, whereas there is a 25-page entry for the Irish. Lengthier articles are generally accompanied by maps showing invasions, migrations, tribal groupings, or dialect distribution; charts; black-and-white photos; sidebar information; and biographies of relevant figures. For example, The Romans has a time line, a map of the Empire at its greatest extent, and inset biographies of Caesar, Augustus, Hadrian, and others. Cultural information varies, but generally includes arts, religion, economy, and occasionally military practices or clothing. A box showing location, time period, ancestry, and language appears alongside main entries. The text and index are both cross-referenced. The eight appendixes include lists of peoples with alternate names and groupings; European peoples organized by primary ancestral language family, nationalities, and regions; the languages and geography of Europe; the earliest Europeans; a time line; and various groupings of individuals mentioned in the text. A great resource for global-history classes or students looking into European cultural identity.–Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY
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