The Polish American Encyclopedia stands as one of the best general references devoted to the biographies and contributions of Polish Americans from the founding of the American colonies to the present day. The outcome of a project initiated by the Polish American Historical Association, this volume admirably fulfils its aim to fill the gap left by the absence of a scholarly Polish American cultural and historical encyclopedia as well as to preserve Polish American heritage for future generations. It also serves as an excellent introduction to the vast scope of Polish American influences on American culture and history.
General editor James S. Pula, a distinguished Polish American historian in his own right, has assembled an international group of associate editors and authors representing an array of academic, civic, and religious institutions to contribute articles on individuals and events significant to Polish American culture and history. Some entries specifically treat concepts (such as ethnic identity), academic disciplines, ethnic foods, geographic regions, monuments, municipalities, neighbourhoods, and organizations that embody or demonstrate important Polish American impacts or influences on life in the US. While the contents are necessarily diverse, the work standardizes content into three types of articles: biographical profiles, thematic essays, and topical entries. Arranged alphabetically, entries are well‐researched and judiciously cross‐indexed. Coverage of Polish Americans in the civil war and the second world war eras is particularly strong.
The range of topics covered in this single‐volume reference work is impressive. Perhaps more noteworthy, however, is the idea that The Polish American Encyclopedia synthesizes and makes cohesive scholarship appearing in various important resources such as the journals Polish American Journal and Polish American Studies and seminal reference works including Polish Genealogy and Heraldry (Hoskins, 1987) and Who's Who in Polish America (Bolek, 1943). In so doing, it demonstrates the vitality of and adds yet more texture to US ethnic studies. While scholarly in scope and tone, general readers and scholars alike will appreciate this volume's lucidity and consistency.
