Vol. 1 : A-C. - 1419 p.

Written at a level accessible to nonspecialists, including high-school students, college students in introductory courses, and the general public, this encyclopedia's purpose is to assist users in acquiring knowledge and understanding of chemistry. The 509 alphabetically arranged, signed articles were written by subject specialists and range from concise definitions to multiple-page overviews. Broad areas covered include analytical chemistry applications, biochemistry, biographies, elements, energy, environmental chemistry, medicine, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, reactions, states of matter, and structure. Examples of specific article titles are Alchemy; Artificial sweeteners; Boron; Clones; Franklin, Rosalind; Isomerism; Mole concept; Nanochemistry; Rubber; Spectroscopy; and zwitterions. In addition to explaining scientific principles, this set relates chemistry to everyday life. For example, Silly Putty (a silicone-based material) is a "liquid solid," the color of hydrangeas is determined by soil acidity, and endorphins may allow marathoners' bodies to endure long races. An 18-page glossary and 67-page subject index are included in each volume. Glossary definitions also appear in the margins next to the text. Although there are some cross-references in the articles, the index is more thorough. About 300 black-and-white illustrations and diagrams clarify the concepts under discussion. There are no color illustrations; color would have been useful to elucidate concepts such as bonding and molecular structure. Bibliographic references and related Internet resources are listed at the end of many articles. A "For Your Reference" section at the beginning of each volume provides selected metric conversions, an alphabetic table of the elements; common abbreviations, symbols and acronyms, and a periodic table of the elements. The similar four-volume Macmillan Encyclopedia of Chemistry (1997), also edited by Lagowski, is aimed at a more academic audience and provides additional coverage of some topics. Although Chemistry: Foundations and Applications could be improved with the inclusion of some color illustrations, the very impressive scholarly contributors make this set worthy of consideration, particularly for high-school, large public, and undergraduate libraries. Nancy Cannon Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Witchcraft: (From Saxen Wicca, a contraction of witega, a prophet or sorcerer.) The cult of persons who, by means of satanic assistance or the aid of evil spirits or familiars, are enabled to practise minor black magic. But the difference between the sorcerer and the witch is that the former has sold his soul to Satan for complete dominion over him for a stated period, whereas the witch usually appears as the devoted and often badly treated servant of the diabolic power. But she is often mistress of a familiar, her bounden slave, and among certain savage peoples her occult powers are self - evolved. The concept of witchcraft was perhaps brought into being by the mythic influence of conquered races. It closely resembles in ritual and practice the demonism of savage races, from which it probably sprang.

Although it has actually been around since the early days of filmmaking, science fiction cinema is a contemporary and futuristic genre. It deals with events that usually take place at a far-off time and often faroff place; thus it appeals to the human desire to understand and perhaps predict the future. It also helps to explain science and technology and where they could be leading us. Science fiction cinema tackles prickly problems, often in a context that make them more real than reality— problems such as environmental degradation; overpopulation and pressure on space and goods; friction between the sexes, races, and nations; and the coming and substantially greater difficulties in dealing with rogue computers, robots, clones, and possibly even aliens (if we can believe what we see in the movies). Although science fiction cinema is often termed escapism, it is also an attempt to come to terms with a rapidly changing world. Consider the words of the great science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke: “We all want to escape occasionally. But science fiction is often very far from escapism, in fact you might say that science fiction is escape into reality. . . . It’s a fiction which does concern itself with real issues: the origin of man; our future. In fact I can’t think of any form of literature which is more concerned with real issues, reality.” This Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction Cinema is an excellent guide to the field. The chronology illustrates how long the movies have been around and charts some of the major advances—and films—over the years. The introduction then provides an overview, reminding us that science fiction cinema is hardly monolithic; rather, it consists of different genres, produced in an increasing range of countries, and using varying techniques. The bulk of the information, as usual, appears in the dictionary, with entries on directors, actors, and films. Other entries deal with topics such as monsters, alien invasions, utopia, and dystopia, as well as production sites (half a dozen countries), technical aspects, and new technologies (computer-generated imagery). The bibliography provides resources for further information. It was written by M. Keith Booker, who is the James E. and Ellen Wadley Roper Professor of English at the University of Arkansas. He is also the director of the university’s Program in Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies. Therefore, Dr. Booker does not simply deal with science fiction in the abstract; he shows how films and their writers, directors, actors, and genres fit into a historical context and relate to us in the present. He has also written dozens of books on literature and popular culture—more broadly and more specifically, half a dozen books on science fiction, with two recent publications dealing with science fiction cinema: Alternative Americas: Science Fiction Film and American Culture and The Science Fiction Handbook. This volume, therefore, presents a wealth of experience and knowledge for a variety of audiences.