Historical Dictionary of the Enlightenment

by Harvey Chisick

Overview

The Enlightenment Movement changed society forever, driving it forward through new and fresh ways of thinking about science, religion, history, politics, and culture. This dictionary offers a balanced overview and helps us to understand and appreciate the Enlightenment through its coverage of the basic assumptions and values that structured the movement; explanation of how these ideas were articulated; the paths of communication they followed; how its key ideas grew, developed and were refracted; and how new problems grew out of what were advanced as solutions to older problems. An engaging introductory essay along with hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries defines the significant persons, places, events, institutions, and literary works of the movement. A chronological table charts the progression of the movement by indicating the date, the main figures involved, the political or society events, and the science, arts, or letters that resulted. The comprehensive bibliography, with an introductory essay to the literature, categorized by subject complements this reference that will be valued by all seeking basic details about this important period.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810865488
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	02/10/2005
Series:	Historical Dictionaries of Ancient Civilizations and Historical Eras , #16
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	552
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Harvey Chisick was born in London, England, in 1946. With his family he moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, where he attended elementary and secondary schools, and did his B.A. He received his doctorate from The Johns Hopkins University, and is the author of a number of books and articles on the social and intellectual history of the eighteenth century.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Editor's Foreword Jon Woronoff
Chapter 2 Preface
Chapter 3 Acknowledgments
Chapter 4 Chronological Table
Chapter 5 Introduction
Chapter 6 The Dictionary
Chapter 7 Bibliography
Chapter 8 About the Author

Editorial Reviews

Chisick (The Limits of Reform in the Enlightenment), an academic historian who specializes in 18th-century French social and intellectual history, must have approached this reference work with some trepidation. Three rival works, all titled Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment, have been published in the last four years: Oxford's outstanding four-volume set by Alan Charles Kors (2002); Fitzroy Dearborn's handsome two-volume set by Michel Delon (2001, translated from a 1997 French work); and Facts On File's one-volume revised edition, with more than 800 entries, by Peter Hanns Reill and Ellen Judy Wilson. Nevertheless, Chisick's volume is distinguished by its combination of compactness and comprehensiveness. Its 20-page chronology is neatly broken down into main figures, politics and society, and important writings. The 55-page introduction is an excellent presentation highlighting major concepts, while some 300 entries cover significant events, people, places, literary works, and institutions. Finally, the extensive 73-page bibliography, with nearly 1100 citations, is broken down into nine broad subjects, among them religion, society, politics, print culture, and the book trade, and within each of these there is even further focus on such subjects as production and control of print and the periodical press. Bottom Line Given the author's depth of knowledge, engaging and lively writing style, and good feel for the time period as well as the work's affordable price and compact form, this is a recommended purchase for all libraries that have students/readers interested in European history and philosophy.-Ann D. Carlson, Oak Park and River Forest H.S., IL Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Scarecrow's Enlightenment volume provides an impressive and useful overview of an age valued for its commitment to progress, science, reason, taste, and virtue, but the author does not pretend that the era always lived up to those ideals....wonderfully useful...Recommended.

CHOICE

This dictionary is highly recommended...

American Reference Books Annual

...focuses on the Enlightenment as an intellectual movement that played a key role in the culture of Europe in the years between roughly 1687 and 1789. In addition to an extensively cross-referenced dictionary, the text includes a detailed introduction covering the paradigms of Enlightenment thought, the key values and assumptions of the period, its social dimensions, and how new problems grew from solutions to previous problems. The text also features a chronological chart of the progression of the movement, and a substantial bibliography, categorized by subject.

Reference and Research Book News

Scarecrow's Enlightenment volume provides an impressive and useful overview of an age valued for its commitment to progress, science, reason, taste, and virtue, but the author does not pretend that the era always lived up to those ideals....wonderfully useful...Recommended.

Choice

This dictionary is highly recommended...

American Reference Books Annual (ARBA)

The entries are clear, factual, reflect modern scholarship (and attitudes) and will explain matters to the user as well as just impart information. Students at various levels (but especially senior school and undergraduate) will find the content invaluable...

Vol. 20 No. 6 (2006) Reference Reviews