The New York Public Library Book of Popular Americana - Hardcover

In this engaging dictionary, Tuleja (Quirky Quotations, LJ 8/92) has collected and defined nearly 4000 people, events, words, and phrases concerning America's popular culture, from colonization through modern times. He includes literature, folklore, the media, high and low arts, sports, and slang that have become "cultural icons" and entered daily thought and language. Terms familiar to modern readers appear along with lesser-known terms such as "Brother Jonathan" (an early personification of the American people) and "Krazy Kat" (an early popular cartoon character). Despite a small number of minor factual errors appearing in the proofs (such as A.J. Foyt's being a five-time rather than a four-time Indianapolis 500 winner), the overall content is quite good, with lively and readable definitions. This book, which nicely complements Jan and Michael Stern's Encyclopedia of Popular Culture (LJ 10/15/92) and The Handbook of American Popular Culture (LJ 10/1/89), should be useful both as a reference tool and for browsing by scholars and interested general readers. Recommended for all types of libraries.
Stephen L. Hupp, Capital Univ. Lib., Columbus, Ohio
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.