The Encyclopedia of Science and Technology
Prolific science writer Trefil (physics, George Mason Univ.) is  a committed advocate for scientific literacy, as evidenced by  works he has coedited (e.g., Dictionary of Cultural Literacy) as  well as this one-volume encyclopedia. Here he defines key  concepts in nearly 1000 entries, arranged alphabetically and  color-coded to indicate whether the topic is related to life  science, physical science, or technology. Accessible to the  general reader, the articles range widely from AIDS and  artificial intelligence to welding and the Zeeman effect. The  excellent cross references direct the reader to related articles  that cover either more fundamental or more advanced information.  Color is used to striking effect not only in the 750  high-quality illustrations but also in headings, highlighted  definitions, and sidebars. Even the index mirrors the color  scheme of the headings. Many articles have brief citations to  further reading tucked in the margins. Although it does not have  as many entries as The International Encyclopedia of Science and  Technology (LJ 4/1/99), this work contains longer articles; and  while the larger McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Science &  Technology (LJ 8/89) provides more depth, it is geared more  toward the academic user. With Trefil's focus on scientific  literacy, this resource complements the two mentioned above by  relating concepts to today's problems. A true pleasure to browse  and to read; highly recommended for all libraries. Teresa Berry,  Univ. of Tennessee Libs., KnoxvilleCopyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.