Reader's Guide to the History of Science
This volume contains about 600 entries on various aspects of the  history of science, including individuals (e.g., Galileo),  disciplines (e.g., astronomy), and broad topics (e.g.,  religion). Written by an outstanding group of over 200  international scholars, the entries focus on secondary sources  and are geared to the nonspecialist. Each entry provides a short  bibliography followed by a short essay on the topic, discussing  the various merits of the titles listed. In 1952, George Sarton,  the "father" of the study of the history of science, prepared a  detailed bibliography, A Guide to the History of Science  (Chronica Botanica). Many others have followed, including the  nonannotated ISIS bibliographies (published by the History of  Science Society), but almost all of these are highly technical  in nature. In addition to this work, academic libraries should  look at Helaine Selin's The Encyclopedia of the History of  Science, Technology and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures  (Kluwer, 1997) as a counterbalance to the Reader's Guide's more  Western orientation. This current volume is not only an  excellent resource for public and academic libraries but a very  good deal for the price. Highly recommended. Eric D. Albright,  Duke Medical Ctr. Lib., Durham, NCCopyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.