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Gold

A Cultural Encyclopedia
by Shannon L. Venable
978-0-31338-430-1. Reference
COPY ISBN
Writer and educator Venable has here compiled some 130 wide-ranging alphabetically arranged entries under several major subjects relating to this precious metal, such as, "Adornment," "Art," "Money and Finance," "Events," "Health," "People," "Folklore," "Religion," and "Technology." Readable and interesting, the articles are global in scope and generally fall between one and three pages in length. Time period coverage ranges from prehistory to the present day. Example entries include "Bullion," "El Dorado," "Exchange Rates," "Filigree," "Rumpelstiltskin," and "Yellow Brick Road." Cross-references appear within the article text in bold; See also references are included at the end of an article, followed by suggested further readings. Quotes and images from primary-source materials are likewise included throughout. Of note, this is the only volume listed in both LOC and OCLC with the following subject headings: "Gold—Social aspects—History—Encyclopedias" and "Goldwork—History—Encyclopedias." BOTTOM LINE Intriguing, surprisingly addictive, and quite likely the only reference work on this topic. Appropriate for larger public and academic libraries and where there is a need/interest.—Lura Sanborn, St. Paul's Sch. Lib., Concord, NH
Gr 10 Up—Aspects of gold's interesting history are covered in entries such as "Alloying," "Bling," "Federal Reserve System," and "Tutankhamun." Cross references and a guide to related topics that features headings such as "Adornment," "Gold Rushes," and "Myths, Legends, and Folklore" aid access. Venable's obdurate prose nods to non-Western events, but misses Amritsar's Golden Temple, Kyoto's Golden Pavilion, dowry gold in India, etc. Entries on Kublai Khan, the Royal Tombs of Silla, Wat Traimit, and a few passing references inadequately cover the Far East. Space is given to irrelevant biographical material on, for example, Thomas Aquinas, Vasco Nuñez de Balboa, and John Maynard Keynes; to iconoclasm; and to redundant entries on the Baring Crisis and other topics. Missing, however, are entries on Scythian art, the Mali Empire, frauds, the golden ratio, and gold's metaphorical significance. The account of the impact of New World gold on European economies is confusing and hard to find. Black-and-white photographs scattered throughout the volume are interesting but not very informative.—Patricia D. Lothrop, St. George's School, Newport, RI
Reviewed by Patricia D. Lothrop , Jul 01, 2011

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