Editor’s Foreword (Jon Woronoff)
Preface
Reader’s Note
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Map
Chronology
Introduction
The Dictionary
Appendix: Haitian Heads of State and Prime Ministers
Bibliography
About the Author
Michael R. Hall is professor of Latin American history at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Georgia. He has also taught in the Dominican Republic and conducted extensive research there and in Haiti. He has written extensively on countries in the region including articles and a book.
This dictionary by Hall (Armstrong Atlantic State Univ.) is a
concise, accessible reference book on Haiti beginning with
Columbus's landfall on the island of Hispaniola in 1492 and ending
with the election of Michel Martelly as president in 2011. The
volume features over 400 alphabetically arranged, cross-referenced
entries. A focus is on political leadership--a major concern, given
the large number of Haitian presidents who were either killed or
forced to resign after only brief periods in office. Hall's
dictionary updates Roland Perusse's Historical Dictionary of Haiti
(CH, Oct'77). And it is twice the size (295 pages versus Perusse's
124 pages), contains more entries, and offers a more extensive
bibliography (16 pages versus Perusse's 8 pages). Like Perusse,
Hall offers a useful chronology and a topical listing of books
covering art, literature, education, public health, sports,
entertainment, geography, archaeology, the Haitian diaspora,
folklore, and economics. He also provides 18 Internet sources.
Hall's dictionary is strongest for the 20th century. Treatment of
religion and culture are not as thorough as treatment of politics.
Nevertheless, this new dictionary constitutes the most extensive
single-volume reference work available on Haiti. It will prove an
excellent starting place for those who want to know more about
Haitian history and culture. Summing Up: Highly recommended.
*CHOICE*
I would recommend this one-volume dictionary for public, academic,
and special libraries' country studies collections.
*American Reference Books Annual*
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