The states referred to in the title of this compendium are those of the United States rather than those of the world (which are described in the sister volume, the Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations). The 50 articles vary in length roughly in proportion to the importance of the state; thus Rhode Island is described in 13 pages, but California occupies 34 pages.
Each entry starts with basic data such as the origin of the state's name, its nickname (they all have one), and the state symbols. American states do not content themselves, as many European nations do, with a flag, a coat of arms and a song (of which Tennessee has seven) but claim a state bird, fish, flower, tree and gem. The main text for each state is divided into 50 subsections, always in the same order, and each subsection is itself usually set out in the same order, and very frequently in similar wording. Subsections include, for instance, Climate, Ethnic Groups, Political Parties, Agriculture and even Libraries and Museums: the last subsection is a short bibliography. These provide, between them, substantial accounts of the geography, history, and economic and political situation of the state, not forgetting a list of famous people in all walks of life associated with it by birth or residence. These descriptions, incidentally, do not omit unfavourable aspects such as corruption and scandal.
A section at the end of the book provides similar data for the two most important American territories which are not states, namely the District of Columbia (Washington) and Puerto Rico, and summarises the position of the lesser overseas territories; finally appears a section on the country as a whole, set out in the same manner as for the states.
Each state is provided with an administrative map, on which the European reader may note the tendency of the US authorities to place the boundaries of counties along parallels of latitude and longitude (one could almost play chess on a political map of Iowa). The endpapers provide a general map of the USA, and coloured illustrations of the state flags. No index is included, presumably because the text is so detailed that it would require a third volume to accommodate an adequate one.
To give some idea of the great amount of variety of information in the Encyclopedia, here are just a few of the questions which it can answer:
What endangered plants grow in Arkansas?
How many officers serve in the Connecticut State Police?
How many people in Georgia live in mobile homes?
What is the minimum wage rate in Kentucky?
How much toxic waste does Michigan produce each year?
How much electricity is generated in Nevada?
What proportion of people are overweight in Vermont?
In perusing the Encyclopedia the attentive reader will find, besides more substantial facts, many unexpected details, for instance: North Carolina declared independence from Britain in 1775, not 1776; a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit was once recorded in the Yukon; the present Governor of Delaware used to be a receptionist in the Governor's Office; Chicago was nicknamed “The windy city” not from its storms but because of long speeches of its politicians; and St Paul, Minnesota, was formerly called Pig's Eye. In short, the Encyclopedia appears to supply more information on the United States than any other comparable reference book I have encountered (though the reader may need some perseverance in order to find what is wanted) and it can be recommended to any library whose clients wish to acquire a thorough knowledge of that great republic.
