Is there still a place in our digital online global village for the traditional printed literature guide? There is probably a very good case for suggesting that the very nature of our new unstructured networked society actually demands such physical signposts and guidebooks; at any rate, the regularity with which new titles are produced in series by various major publishers indicates a healthy enough market for their purchase. Perhaps classical studies can be said to be one of the topics most needing such a guide. Once the bedrock of the Western curriculum, classical studies fell into disfavour first in the white heat of the 1960s technological revolution, thence to be squeezed almost into educational oblivion amidst the rise of computer studies, media studies and all the other new subjects. But, happily, human curiosity remains a powerful force and given the extent to which classical references still permeate both Western literature and languages, people still seek to explore a fascinating world which, like it or not, remains the foundation of our own civilisation. That curiosity coupled with the inventiveness and ingenuity of many teachers of the now out of favour subjects of Latin and Greek have helped to keep some form of the subject within various related curricula; and there must be very few curricula to which the classics are not related in some degree. If the investigation by the modern student must be into translated texts, that is better than no knowledge at all, and there remains, happily, a bedrock of students and teachers still studying the originals; indeed, there is hope for the study to spread since a national UK newspaper recently ran an apparently popular introductory Latin course.
Over the years a large corpus of fundamental reference works to all aspects of the classics has been built up by generations of classical (in every sense of the word) scholars; and still is being added to, as one can judge from various titles reviewed in our own pages in recent years. A guide to this now enormous corpus, including much still valuable work from earlier in this century and even in the last century, is most welcome. What is needed is a clear, documented and informed or authoritative statement of the merits and weaknesses of individual works and a clear indication of what work to consult in particular circumstances. In the modern trend of student‐centred education such a work can certainly reinforce if not replace altogether one role of the traditional tutor: reference books do not usually take lunch breaks or holidays or have appointments when you most need their advice.
Such a work is just what we have here, and my only criticism of it is that it was not published 30 or more years ago when I most needed it. The book is divided into three main sections: bibliographical resources, information resources and organizations. These are then sub‐divided according to categories of available materials. Part 1 comprises six chapters on general bibliographical and research guides; indexes and abstracts; review journals; topical bibliographies; bibliographies of individuals; and library catalogues. Part 2 covers the full range of published (and electronic) reference sources, including chapters which are signs of the times on primary sources in translation and on Internet resources. Part 3 covers research and professional organizations and associations, 667 items are included in all. There are comprehensive indexes by author/title and by subject allowing easy access to specific titles or particular subjects. The index refers to individual item numbers and has the considerable added value of referring to entries where works are mentioned in relation to another as well as to their own major entries (so, for example, the Oxford Classical Dictionary has not only an index reference to its own entry but a further eight to entries for other works where it is mentioned in comparison).
The format within each chapter is simply annotated references to individual works listed in bibliographic format. Introductory or linking texts are limited to a few sentences at the head of each chapter; the preface explains the aims of the work clearly and indicates why such text is not provided. The entries are selected as the “best and most up‐to‐date reference materials” covering Greek and Roman civilisation from the Bronze Age to the 6th Century AD and including works on art, archaeology, history, language, literature, and philosophy. While preference is given to English language works, titles in French, German, Italian and Spanish are also included. As indicated above, the nature of the subjects and their scholarship leads to the presence of a higher number of older titles than in other volumes in the series; for some reason we missed this title on first publication and have only just received this review copy, but suffice it to say that the gap of two years hardly causes any difficulties. Contributions within periodicals are generally not included; again, the nature of the subjects is such that full‐length reference books have been published on most of its aspects. In every case a full bibliographic citation is followed by a fairly detailed description and assessment of the work.
In order to appraise this I naturally looked for all the titles I considered essential or which had been essential during my studies. Nothing I had expected to find was omitted and browsing around these entries revealed a great wealth of further titles dimly known or many completely unknown. Similarly, I have not found any assessments to which I would take exception; my first impression was that it was unnecessarily critical of the Oxford Classical Dictionary but reflection leads me to believe that the comments are a fair (and generously appreciative) analysis of a work which was the staple fare of my student days. As a member of one of the last generations on whom extreme wrath would be heaped for any whisper of the use of a translation, I found the chapter on primary sources in translation especially interesting, and welcome; similarly, the chapter on electronic resources presents a whole new and remarkable dimension to a once strictly defined and codified discipline.
Professor Jenkins (the only omission from the book is any indication of his academic background, although the quality of his work is evident throughout these pages) has performed a very useful task with great application and considerable success. His choices are well made and his comments clear and helpful throughout. This clearly is a work which will be of inestimable value to any student approaching the classics from any direction and for any purpose, whether for systematic study, supporting information to other studies, or simple curiosity. It will also serve any general enquirer, and probably can help even specialists venturing outside their own fields for the first time. It will be an invaluable addition to almost any reference collection.
