Review by Choice Review
Simons updates such older bibliographies as Marion Whalon's Performing Arts Research (CH, Jul'77), filling a need for a current annotated bibliography in this area. This volume, unfortunately, purposely ignores music (except for theatrical musical comedies), film, and television because these are included in other volumes in the "Reference Sources in Humanities Series"; users are left, therefore, with a guide to the literature of theater, dance, puppetry, mime, magic, and the circus. The 757 entries emphasize English-language publications of the last 30 years, though older standard items are also mentioned. In addition to reference books, the bibliography lists periodicals, libraries, archives, associations, and electronic discussion groups. Annotations are evaluative and informative, though occasionally incomplete (e.g., the entry on Performing Arts/Books in Print fails to note that the serial was continued by Annotated Bibliography of New Publications in the Performing Arts). Although its title is a bit misleading, within its narrowly circumscribed range this book is a highly current and useful bibliography enabling one to gain quick insight into the field. Undergraduate and graduate collections. W. Miller; Florida Atlantic University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
