Review by Choice Review
With some 2,000 entries, this volume is touted as the largest publishing project in the history of Manitoba. An impressively large and attractive book, it covers "everything Manitoban, from rocks to events to people to insects." Although certainly not Canada's largest or most widely visited province, Manitoba has produced an impressive number of artists, writers, musicians, political leaders, entrepreneurs, athletes, and scientists significant both nationally and internationally--and this volume amicably illustrates their unique qualities, achievements, and contributions. More than biography, however, this encyclopedia rather comprehensively addresses the province's unique geographical, historical, environmental, and zoological features. Well illustrated and attractively organized, this work will be perused by readers of all ages and backgrounds for years to come.Although the publisher and managing editor address their difficulties in making decisions about what to include and what to ignore, their final decisions will undoubtedly inspire some controversy. For example, Kane (in southern Manitoba) is excluded on the grounds that while it may have been important to the province's rural past, its current status as little more than a ghost town makes it a questionable entry within the context of modern Manitoba. Such exclusions are questionable, particularly when one considers the volume's inclusion of some lengthy entries on seemingly peripheral subjects. Readers seeking information on one such subject--ants--are not likely to turn to this encyclopedia for enlightenment, whereas local Manitoba history buffs will be disappointed at the omission of several small rural communities in a volume dedicated to "the people of Manitoba." Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty/researchers; general readers. B. F. R. Edwards University of Saskatchewan
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
