The dictionary of British classicists /

Todd's pricey set offers 700 signed biographical essays by more than 175 contributors. He defines "classicist" broadly; one finds expected entries for Bowra and Beazley but also Browning, Byron, even Bulwer-Lytton. Todd (Univ. of British Columbia) notes in his introduction that the set profiles many "hyphenated classicists," including "clerics and theologians, bureaucrats, courtiers and politicians, and in rare cases, a businessman." The subjects lived between 1500 and 2000 and, if not originally from Britain, spent a significant portion of their careers there. Each entry provides a bibliography of works, edition texts, or translations by and works about the subject. The set includes a general bibliography and an index to personal names. The contributors' list is graced with many senior and distinguished academics (e.g., Averil Cameron, P. E. Easterling, M. L. West), whose regard for their subjects is revealed in the engaging, highly readable style of many entries. Libraries may already own Classical Scholarship: A Biographical Encyclopedia, ed. by W. W. Briggs and W. M. Calder (CH, Jul'90, 27-6103), which is more limited in scope, treating fewer than a dozen classicists covered by this present set. The recent, monumental Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (CH, Feb'05, 42-3132) will provide sufficient coverage of classicists for most collections, but from a random sample of ten entries from Todd, only six appeared in ODNB. Todd's dictionary draws together many elusive facts about the history of classical philology previously scattered through disparate Festschriften, memoirs, and senior common room legend. Though essential only for the most extensive classics collections, this set would be welcome in any library supporting graduate research in the field. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. Research libraries. B. Juhl University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

This distinctive dictionary provides over 700 entries covering major classical scholars and writers as well as teachers and publishers instrumental in supporting the study of Greek and Roman culture in Britain. Most of these individuals were born and educated in the British Isles and died prior to publication of this book. Running approximately a page and a half in length, each of the alphabetically arranged entries describes the life and career of its subject and includes bibliographies of his or her works as well as suggestions for further reading. All the entries were written by scholars working under the direction of ten subject editors overseeing such areas as Roman history, Greek tragedy, Latin literature, and philosophy and science. While the writing style varies somewhat from entry to entry, the overall tone and scope is consistent throughout. Bottom Line Owing to the cost and specificity of this work, it seems likely to be a required purchase only for libraries supporting strong specialties in the classics. [Further information about the editor, contributors, and subject editors and a full list of the classicists included is available on the publisher's web site, www.thoemmes. com.-Ed.]-Denise Johnson, Bradley Univ., Peoria, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.