Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 442
•
Trim: 6¼ x 9½
978-1-5381-0220-6 • Hardback • May 2017 • $129.00 • (£99.00)
978-1-5381-0221-3 • eBook • May 2017 • $122.50 • (£95.00)
Andrejs Plakans is professor of history (emeritus) at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. past president of the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies, he has also served on committees of the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies, the American Historical Association, and the Social Science History Association.
Aldis Purs is an Affiliate Assistant Professor of history in the Department of Scandinavian and Baltic Studies at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. He has served on the board of the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies (AABS) and organized the first joint conference of the AABS and the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study (SASS) in 2010 in Seattle, Washington.
Editor’s Foreword Jon Woronoff
Preface
Reader’s Note
Acknowledgements
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Chronology
Introduction
THE DICTIONARY
Appendix: Past and Present Governments of the Territory of Contemporary Latvia
Bibliography
About the Author
In this third edition, historians Plakans, author of Baltic Facades, and Purs expand the content of the second edition by about 100 pages, which was over 200 pages longer than the first edition; both of these earlier works were authored by Plakans alone. Following the format of the ‘Historical Dictionaries of Europe’ series, this volume includes a section on acronyms and abbreviations, a chronology, an introduction, the A–Z entries of the dictionary proper, four appendixes, and a bibliography. The dictionary features almost 550 entries in this current iteration, including new entries on the LGBT movement, athletes, politicians, clergy, musical groups, and popular culture in Latvia. The bibliography expanded by only a few pages and is structured much like the second edition but now includes some sources neglected in previous editions. It is recommended as a replacement for the earlier editions as well as Plakans's The A to Z of Latvia (2010) because this volume includes key topics not treated in earlier reference works about Latvia. If a library seeks a single reference work in English about historical and contemporary Latvia, this edition is it.
Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers; professionals/practitioners.
— Choice Reviews
Latvia has become an international player after achieving independence in 1991 following years of domination by power-hungry states. The Historical Dictionary of Latvia, third edition, covers an extensive period of the country’s history in a broad range of over 500 entries that include historical and political perspectives. Other entries consider Latvia's economy, society, religion, and culture. In addition, topics include personalities, peripheral conflicts, lethal weapons systems, and political and military strategies. Entries that focus on Latvian women, cultural, and social figures enhance reader interest. Moreover, the book includes a list of acronyms and abbreviations, a chronology, and an extensive bibliography. Extensive cross-references in the dictionary section facilitate use. The volume offers current information that supports student curiosity and academic inquiry. All high school, public, and university libraries should retain a copy in their research section. The dictionary also serves the needs of history buffs and enthusiasts.
— American Reference Books Annual