The Civil War Era and Reconstruction

Snodgrass (The Underground Railroad: An Encyclopedia of People, Places, and Operations) imparts a wealth of information beginning with essays titled "Politics and Government," "Economy, Business, and Industry," "Foreign Affairs," and "Family, Community, and Society." The entries that follow (listed by subject in Volume 1) focus on the people, places, social aspects, political events, cultural elements, and economics of the Civil War and Reconstruction periods and include biographical pieces on such figures as Horace Greeley, Louisa May Alcott, John Muir, and Victoria Woodhull. Interspersed throughout the set are black-and-white photos, charts, illustrations, and political cartons. Each entry ends with a short further-reading list. Appended are primary-source documents including the first inaugural address of Jefferson Davis, the First Reconstruction Act of 1867, the Freedmen's Bureau Act of 1865, and the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862; a glossary of period words and phrases; and an extensive bibliography. BOTTOM LINE A worthy addition to public, high school, or two-year-college libraries.—Diane Fulkerson, Univ. of South Florida Polytechnic, Lakeland