  This dictionary addresses the myriad units of measurement that have arisen through the ages, from classical weights etc., to the latest scientific units - all addressed in historical terms, across cultures as appropriate. Most of the 4000 terms are basic in content, with just the information required to convey role and size (in metric and US units), but relationships between units are shown fully, and many entries give encyclopedic exposition of the historical development and usage of units. Such articles add considerable readability to what is essentially a comprehensive master reference work serving the humanities, science and general interests. Each entry consists of a headword, the broad purpose (measurement realm or functional context), the country or other area of use, the description and definition, and, where appropriate, etymological and translational notes and synonyms of the headword. The dictionary is of special interest to researchers, teachers and translators in the humanities and science, people involved in international trade, investment, travel and news reporting, engineers and engineering students as well anyone interested in understanding the many facets of measurement involved in everyday life. Fenna has created a very comprehensive, global dictionary of measurement throughout time. Entries from such countries as Sierra Leone, Ecuador, and Myanmar, and past civilizations such as the Olmecs, Mayans, Babylonians, and Phoenicians give a sample of the breadth of coverage of the dictionary. Since the author transcribes all the words into a Romanesque alphabet, there are the usual cautions about trying to find foreign words, although he has tried to use the currently accepted transcription rules. Cognates typically are cross-referenced to the English language main entry for identical units, although if the history of the unit in the other countries is substantially different, the cognate receives its own entry.A typical brief entry includes the measure's name, the type of measure (e.g., length, area, subject specific unit), the year it came into widespread acceptance, country of origin, SI and/or BI equivalent, and its equivalence to the standard unit of its own measurement system (e.g., 1 nalih = 16 gantang). If the unit has different values in different countries, that is also included.In addition to the dictionary level entries, there are also many encyclopedic entries (e.g., pound, month, bushel), which may include the overall unit structure (e.g., 1 bushel = 4 pecks = 32 dry quarts = 1/8 quarter) and a short discussion of the evolution of the unit over time. In addition to the actual measures themselves, there are several entries for more general concepts, such as calendar, shoe size, and hardness numbers. The entry discusses the different systems of measures that have been used to describe that concept, usually with a history of how the different measuring systems came into being.The coverage includes the most famous fundamental constants (e.g., the speed of light, e), but not, for example, the fine structure constant, or the permativity of free space. Also, many social science types of indexes (e.g., the happiness index (of emotions), and the fog index (of inscrutability of writing)) are not represented. And there is the occasional obscure, obsolete measure that isn't in the dictionary as well. However, the coverage in general is excellent. Many obscure, obsolete units are included in the dictionary, and the truly global coverage of measures is unprecedented and quite useful.The arrangement of the book is very clear. The introduction explains the format of the entries, and the entries have good cross-references. The entries for "SI alphabet" and "SI units" in particular act as useful quick reference to all their accepted units, grouped in different ways to provide many access points. Overall, this is a recommended book for all university libraries.Reviewer: Michael Fosmire, Physics Librarian, Purdue University Library, fosmire@physics.purdue.edu Copyright 2000 YBP Library Services
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