Historical Dictionary of New England: (Historical Dictionaries of Cities, States, and Regions)

New England, the most clearly defined region in the United States, includes the six states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. First colonized by the French in 1604 and the British in 1607, the New England colonies were the first to secede from the British Empire and were among the first states admitted to the union. No region has claimed more presidents as native sons (seven) or produced more men and women of exceptional accomplishment and fame. Many Americans see New England as a touchstone for the founding ideas of the nation, and the region served as a source of inspiration for many artists and writers. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of New England contains a chronology, an introduction, appendix, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 700 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, places, institutions, and events. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about New England.

Table of Contents:
Editor’s Foreword Jon Wornoff Preface Acknowledgments Acronyms and Abbreviations Chronology Introduction THE DICTIONARY Appendix Bibliography About the Author

About the Author :
Peter C. Holloran is a professor of history at Worcester State University in Worcester, Massachusetts. He is the former executive director of the New England Historical Association and former president of the Northeast Popular Culture/American Culture Association.

Review :
Longer by more than 100 pages, this second edition of a 2003 work by Halloran whets the appetite of general readers and beginning scholars alike. Expansions include a dictionary section now offering approximately 300 additional entries and a longer chronology section. Necessarily selective in order to encompass much essential material about a variegated region in one convenient volume, the author acknowledges that those seeking further information on events, literature, persons, and places should consult the augmented bibliography (still apparently print-based rather than also including web sources)…. Imparting historical perspective and regional context, Halloran includes politicians who have presumably completed their public careers alongside certain characteristic words (e.g., moxie, wampum, and scallop) and phrases (red tide, Route 1, or Great Migration—here referring to Puritans from England to the colonies in the 17th century)…. [T]his expanded volume is a helpful, albeit not singular, source for details about the region—a valuable prompt to further study by seldom-sated, inquiring readers. Summing Up: Recommended. All libraries. All levels. Beneficial in a public or high school library reference section in order to give a brief overview of a topic. It is also helpful for a quick look up confirm birth and death dates, locations of events, or to clarify an occurrence. It is only one volume and a relatively small book but is packed with subjects and locations. Overall, it is a respectable reference to have on hand.