Classical Studies: A Guide to the Reference Literature, 2nd Edition(Reference Sources in the Humanities)

Jenkins offers a newly revised and expanded annotated bibliography of book-length reference works, covering the rise and fall of the Greek and Roman civilizations from the Bronze Age through the 6th century AD. While preference has been given to English-language works, many important titles in French, German, Italian, and Spanish have also been included. There is also increased coverage of ancient philosophy, religion (including early Christianity), and art and archaeology. Late Antiquity, a major growth area in classical studies, has also received more attention. Core resource for reference librarians, students, and classical scholars working outside their immediate areas of specialization. Why study the classics? For one thing, classicists have the distinguished pedigree of being among the first humanists to see and exploit the educational possibilities of new developments in information technology. Even better, they can translate such tantalizing tattoos as quod me nutrit me destruit, a quote which most famously resides on Angelina Jolie's belly. For these and other intrepid explorers of the minds of the past, Fred Jenkins offers a newly revised and expanded annotated bibliography of book-length reference works, covering the rise and fall of the Greek and Roman civilizations from the Bronze Age through the 6th century AD. While preference has been given to English-language works, many important titles in French, German, Italian, and Spanish have also been included. There is also increased coverage of ancient philosophy, religion (including early Christianity), and art and archaeology. Late Antiquity, a major growth area in classical studies, has also received more attention. A core resource for reference librarians, students, and classical scholars working outside their immediate areas of specialization.

Table of Contents:
Preface General Bibliographical Resources Abstracts and Indexes Review Journals Core Periodicals General Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, and Handbooks General Internet Resources Biographical Works Greek and Roman History Primary Sources in Translation Geographical Works Art and Archaeology Greek and Latin Languages Greek and Latin Literature: General Greek and Latin Literature: Genres Greek Authors and Works Latin Authors and Works Philosophy Religion and Mythology Ancillary Disciplines Scholarly Associations and Societies Research Centers Directories Author-Title Index Subject Index

About the Author :
FRED W. JENKINS holds a doctorate in classical philology and a master's degree in library science from the University of Illinois. He is the head of collection management at the University of Dayton Libraries, and also teaches classics and ancient history. He has published numerous articles and reviews in the areas of Latin literature, papyrology, and library science.

Review :
The first edition of this carefully annotated guide to classical reference sources (CH, Jul'96, 33-6050) was excellent, and this new edition is even better. First of all, the overall arrangement by subject rather than by format is more accessible. All resources--e.g., bibliographies, handbooks, and concordances, both in print and digital forms--now appear together, allowing readers to find immediately most of the titles on a relevant topic. Careful cross-references and informative headnotes highlight related titles that are more general but still significant; once again a helpful subject index and a separate and complete author-title index are included. The detailed table of contents for the 22 chapters is also a real plus. Furthermore, Jenkins has significantly increased coverage in this new edition. Retaining most of the 667 entries of the original edition except for library catalogs that are now readily available on the Web, the new edition comprises 1,055 entries….This new Jenkins is an outstanding publication, intelligently conceived and executed. All college and university libraries should purchase it to replace the first edition. Highly recommended. All levels. Coverage, annotation, arrangement and indexing are all of the highest standard and so combine to make a work that is easy to consult for any purpose. This is a significant and exemplary new edition in the field and will be an invaluable addition to any humanities or general library. The classical world still exerts its enormous and wide ranging influence and this will help either the scholar or simply the curious enquirer find what they want to know about that world. Scholars will find Classical Studies valuable for sorties into areas outside of their specialties and for keeping up with the rapidly evolving assemblage of electronic resources. J. displays remarkably detailed knowledge about the strengths and weaknesses of individual works, and his comments are consistently informative and well-taken. J. frequently provides brief but helpful notes on how particular works came into being and have evolved over the course of time, and his descriptions of core periodicals (Chapter 4) and the fields served by each will be of interest to younger scholars seeking to place an article. All research libraries need to have a copy of Classical Studies in their collections, and scholars specializing in classical antiquity would do well to consider purchasing a copy for themselves. Individuals and libraries who own the first edition should give serious consideration to acquiring the updated version.