Editor Wilgus states that author Heath “was given the assignment of arbitrarily selecting material which he could justify as logical, balanced and comprehensive, keeping always in mind that the end product is a dictionary and not an encyclopedia.” Heath writes, “Decisions on what to include were not easy, and the criteria are not simple to articulate.” No real rationale for its selection emerges. Probably the author has fairly well accomplished his goal of “noting people, places, and things that might be only partially known by the broadest range of English-speaking students interested in various aspects. . . [of] Alto Peru. . . . and Bolivia.” He alone has been the judge of the selection. His broad knowledge of Bolivia and its literature and documentation make Heath a good choice for this “arbitrary selection.”
I am not sure if the term Historical Dictionary is a proper title, as it contains generic terms, plants, locations, native popular idiomatic expressions, clothing, etc.
The bibliography is excellent. Why are two Ph.D. dissertations listed when there are many more on file, and why is a forthcoming (not yet published) book by the author also included?
Scarecrow Press has never been known for its quality of printing and editing. The present book does nothing to remedy this reputation.
