Encyclopedia of Politics of the American West

While this set is specialized in terms of coverage (Western United States) and subject matter (political science), it transcends those academic limitations because of its interdisciplinary nature. Articles may be found that deal with history ("Gold Rush," "Dust Bowl," "Chinese Exclusion Act"), geography (major cities, rivers, etc.), influential groups of past and present ("Anti-Saloon League," "Cattle Associations," "Sierra Club"), and issues of enduring importance ("Deforestation," "Individualism," "Water Rights"). As might be expected, topics regarding government and politics loom large, with entries on landmark legislation ("Wilderness Act"), federal government agencies ("Geological Survey, U.S."), and biographical sketches of major figures ("Goldwater, Barry M."). Special features include overview essays on individual Western states and political themes, sidebar articles, and an ample appendix of primary documents. Danver (social sciences, Walden Univ.; Journal of the West) writes in the introduction that his overriding goal was to provide "a thorough and engaging reference work that covers…the significant events and actors of Western politics" in addition to dealing with "key institutional, historical, and theoretical concepts that are important to more fully understanding the politics of the west," and those objectives are well met. Contributors, for the most part, hold academic positions from a cross-section of Western colleges and universities. Their writing style is accessible and authoritative, and the content is informative without being pedantic.