Massacres: A Historical Perspective

Library Journal

Carlton, a university lecturer and researcher, has produced a well-written and thought-provoking study of massacres throughout history. After introducing questions and criteria by which to measure the events, the author describes incidents as case studies, representing types from ancient Greece and Rome to World War II and the postcolonialist period. A concluding chapter discusses massacres as complex events as the author examines such concepts as nature vs. nurture and external conditions vs. individual response. Although this work is suitable for general audiences and offers a unique perspective for study, it might have provided more analysis. Recommended for larger collections.-Rena Fowler, Humboldt State Univ., Arcata, Cal.