Historical Dictionary of the Old South

In this volume, the second edition of the title, "Old South" refers to presecession South (1790-1861). Richter, who is referred to in the foreword as an "academically trained historian" retired from "his own horseshoeing business," has written other volumes on the topic, including the first edition of this title. The volume offers a chronology, an introduction (which serves as a historical overview and an explanation of the author's standpoint), 600 brief alphabetically arranged entries, and a bibliography. Coverage includes a range of topics including people, economics, politics, law, society, and culture. Standout features include the introduction, which is truly a helpful historical overview of the Old South and in and of itself an excellent reference article. Greenwood's 2000 title Encyclopedia of the Antebellum South may suffice in libraries where this topic gets little traffic, but it does not cover as broad a time frame and focuses more specifically on social history. VERDICT Recommended for larger collections and where there is a need, especially in libraries that lack the first edition. Likely a must for southern institutions. Library Journal