This revised edition of Encyclopedia of the Renaissance (1987) has approximately 2,100 entries, 200 of which are new. Length ranges from a paragraph to two pages, with diverse entries such as Erasmus, Desiderius; Libraries; and Spanish Inquisition. The fact that the scope has been widened to encompass the Reformation means that many articles have been expanded. Other revisions reflect recent scholarship with enhanced coverage of, for example, literacy, families, and the role of women. Editors Speake, a prolific reference book editor, and Bergin, a Yale University professor now deceased, were also responsible for the first edition.
The articles are in alphabetical order and include cross-references to other entries. Many entries contain suggestions for further reading, and the editors have also included a general bibliography. In the previous edition, the general bibliography listed primary as well as secondary sources. This time around, however, the bibliography contains only secondary sources, and emphasis is placed mostly on recent scholarship. Primary sources aren't completely ignored but are discussed only within the entries. The encyclopedia has an index of historical persons and a chronology of events from 1300 to 1620. Also included are 100 black-and-white images as well as a section of beautifully printed artworks, about half of which were in the previous edition.
Facts On File has delivered another valuable general encyclopedia for the novice scholar. There are, however, some changes that could enhance this work. Though there is an entry for Reformation, there is none for Renaissance. Although it can be argued that the entire book is a description of the Renaissance period, it would have been helpful to have a general entry on the topic. The decision not to include primary documents in the bibliography is unfortunate, as it assumes the reader will know where to look to find these materials. Nonetheless, this will be a welcome addition to high-school, undergraduate, and public libraries.