After discussions at a 2007 Academy of Management Meeting, editors Landström (Lund U., Sweden) and Lohrke (Samford U., US) saw the need for a counter to the notion that entrepreneurial research is essentially ahistorical. In their introductory essay they make the case that historical understanding is essential for progress in the field--to avoid repetitive reinventions of the wheel. To this end, they have assembled 18 contributed essays offering historical reviews of key theories and concepts, and cases illustrating how history matters in the study of entrepreneurship. Coverage encompasses the history of the field; intellectual roots (including opportunity recognition, evaluation, and exploitation); social network theory; the psychology of entrepreneurs; a research agenda regarding social entrepreneurship; and economic history (including study of Britain in the 20th century, industrial renewal in Sweden, and entrepreneurial capitalism in East Asia). A separately available companion volume contains classic foundational works. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)