Promotions - Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles 2017 -

This astounding compilation represents 20 years of work by entomologist and practicing lawyer Mason to locate, examine and describe 3,750 works by North American authors. No one else indexes American bee books so comprehensively or with such intellectual rigor. Building on the author's late-career dissertation in entomology (Cornell University, 1998), the bibliography reflects the combination of science and art entailed in his understanding of the phrase "bees and beekeeping." Accordingly, the materials indexed cover a broad range of topics and sources, from pests and diseases to juvenile books and from pollination, queen rearing, and honey production to novels. Entries are arranged by personal or corporate author and coded by subject categories; subject codes are defined on the bottom of every page. The index is very effectively organized by the same subject categories. A great many of the indexed works are highly specialized monographs or reports of fewer than 100 pages. Annotations provide information on authors, publishing history, physical description, subject content, and often-meticulous details of the significance of the item. Reproduced illustrations add charm and a sense of history. This outstanding work will have enduring value for generations of researchers, collectors, and bee enthusiasts and belongs in every collection serving users interested in food and agriculture, entomology, and environmental conservation.Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduates through professionals/practitioners; general readers.