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This encyclopedia provides well-written definitions of terms and concepts surrounding issues of life and death. It also includes very practical and sometimes quirky information (one of the 13 appendixes is a four-page table of the odds of death from various causes; another is a record of U.S. war deaths). There is also a guide to end-of-life care at home. The more than 560 entries define terms related to culture, economics, history, legislation, medicine, religion, and sociology. Examples include Burial at sea, Condolence letters, Day of the Dead, Fraud in the funeral industry, Hospice, Oregon Death with Dignity Act, Seance, Suicide, and Victorian mourning dress. Each entry concludes with bibliographic references. A classified bibliography lists articles, books, and videos.

Other widely held works with similar names--Macmillan Encyclopedia of Death and Dying (2002) and Encyclopedia of Death and Dying (Routledge, 2002)--support and augment each other because of differences in treatment and scope. This new work fills an important niche, explaining a wide variety of terms with clarity and precision. An example is the definition of Wrongful death, credited to FindLaw for the Public online, which explains legal criteria and personal behavior. The Macmillan encyclopedia only mentions the term in its entry on Rock music, with no definition. In fact, there is surprisingly little overlap between the title under review and other works. Using entries related to death and music as an example, while the Macmillan encyclopedia has entries on classical music, the Auschwitz orchestra, death motifs, masses for the dead, and the Orpheus myth, the Facts On File volume has entries on Dirge, Jazz funeral, Music therapy for the dying, and Taps. The subject of death is much too large for one author or group of authors. There is much to be learned from all the mentioned works.

The straightforward, factual approach toward this highly emotional topic is well presented. The subtle differences in terms and jargon are carefully explained. This is a valuable encyclopedia, highly recommended to public and academic libraries. Linda Loos Scarth
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