Editor Dewald (U. of Buffalo, The State U. of New York) no doubt had plenty of help from associate editors and perhaps must share credit for the clarity of purpose and excellent execution of this reference project. The six volumes contain 1,125 articles arranged alphabetically. Entries include biographies, in-depth essays on major topics, and profiles of city-states, empires, and geographical regions. The articles were written for a non-specialist audience in accessible, non-technical language; yet they do not condescend or over-simplify. Concise accounts of controversies and various interpretations of material from scholars with distinctive points of view enrich the presentations (we're spared the bland, neutral approach of a textbook). Entries are cross-referenced and contain both primary and secondary source bibliographies. Other features include a year-by-year chronology, a systematic outline of contents, 90 maps, a comprehensive index, 750 well-chosen b&w illustrations, and eight pages of color illustrations in each volume. Annotation (c) Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)