The fourth edition of Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia was edited by Bruce Murphy. This book was published in New York by Harper & Row in 1996 and in January of 2004 Books In Print listed it at $50.
Typical Questions:
“What does ‘Regency Period’ mean?”
“What was the ‘Aeneid’?”
“Who were Hero and Leander?”
“What are the Dead Sea Scrolls?”
Format:
Print
Purpose:
Encyclopedic handbook with an emphasis on literature and the humanities.
Scope:
- Includes information on authors, books, literary characters, musical compositions, plots of literary works, historical topics, art, philosophy, and works of art.
- Pays special attention to the Orient, Soviet Union, Latin America, the Near East, and to developments since 1965.
- Alphabetical arrangement.
- Reflects Benet’s interest in modern poetry.
Audience:
High school and college students. For use in home and libraries.
Dates of Coverage:
All eras, all literatures, but emphasis on English language.
Strengths and Weaknesses:
Handy for crossword puzzles!
Collaboration that emphasizes the twentieth century and non-Western literatures, with the result that some of the more obscure classical and European authors, characters, works, and motifs have been excluded.
LCSH: 1. Literature—Dictionaries. 2. Art—Dictionaries. 3. Music—Dictionaries.