Lisa Tendrich Frank, whose previous works include Civil War: People and Perspectives (ABC-CLIO, 2009) and Women in the American Civil War (ABC-CLIO, 2008), presents an interesting and thorough investigation of the various roles women have played in and around conflicts throughout American history in An Encyclopedia of American Women at War: From the Home Front to the Battlefields. The intent of this encyclopedia is to “examine the various ways that women have participated in military life” (xxi). The entries focus on topics such as “specific professions, organizations, court cases, military policies, wars, branches of the military, American ethnic and racial groups, and individuals” (xxi), with the bulk of the entries focusing on individuals. The entries are succinct, entertaining, and well-written. One of the more valuable aspects of this work is its inclusion of entries dealing with topics on the periphery of war, for example the pacifist “Jane Addams” and “Victory Gardens.” These types of entries help to paint a fuller picture of women’s interactions with American wars than would be achieved by simply profiling women who directly served in the wars.

Special features include a “Chronology” outlining important dates in the history of women in American wars and a comprehensive “Bibliography.” The “Categorical Index” is also helpful in grouping entries into browsable themes and includes “Individuals,” “Conflicts and Theaters of Operation,” “Court Cases and Legislation,” “Organizations and Groups,” and “Minorities and Miscellaneous.” “See also” references are helpful as well in contextualizing the entries. The encyclopedia’s contributors include a good mix of academics and historians, many with military expertise.

While there are other similar reference works available, most deal with women in specific conflicts (for example, Doris Weatherford’s American Women During World War II: An Encyclopedia (Routledge, 2010)) or more broadly in conflicts worldwide and throughout history (for example, Bernard A. Cook’s Women and War: A Historical Encyclopedia from Antiquity to the Present (ABC-CLIO, 2006)) making this an ideal source for those interested specifically in American women’s war experiences.

This encyclopedia is recommended for any library supporting history or gender studies programs.