With the Left and Right amusingly placed into left-hand (v.1) and right-hand (v.2) volumes respectively, this encyclopedia contains articles on the people, ideas, events, laws, and issues associated with left and right politics in language that will be accessible to the high school and undergraduate student as well as the general reader. Each entry includes cross-references and a bibliography. Among the topics for politics of the left are Susan B. Anthony, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, abolitionism, desegregation, ACLU, the New Deal, Solidarity, and the Workingmen's Party. Entries are included in each volume for 40 countries and regions, giving the history and current affairs for politics in each. Among the topics for the right are capitalism, Darwinism, censorship, martial law, and the Christian Coalition. The contributors teach at universities worldwide; some are independent scholars. Carlisle is at Rutgers U. Annotation ⓒ2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)