The Ongoing Columbian Exchange: Stories of Biological and Economic Transfer in World History. By Christopher Cumo. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2015. 393 pages. acid free $89 (ISBN: 978-1-61069-795-8). E-book available (978-1-61069-796-5), call for pricing.

Over forty years ago, Alfred Crosby published The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural consequences of 1492 (ABC-Clio, 1973), dissecting the many biologic and economic changes resulting from Christopher Columbus’s voyages to America. Dr. Cumo has built on this and created this quick reference work, which adds to and updates information on plants, animals and diseases which moved from the Old World to the New or vice versa. The scope of the volume also incorporates more modern “Columbian exchange” occurrences, such as the Irish Potato Famine and the Slave Trade and expands to discuss worldwide examples. The alphabetical arrangement and index provide easy access to information in 106 well written articles. Articles follow a standard format, divided into several sections. One section discusses the origins of the disease, insect or food, either Old or New World, and summarizes the documented appearance of the item in literature or letters. For each disease, an explanatory paragraph on its symptoms, dissemination, vaccines and outcomes furnishes a brief background and overview. Another section covers the Columbian Exchange(s), with such data as what group was first to carry it to the other World; this also includes alternative, often competing, theories of the movement, when multiple scenarios have been proposed over the years. In addition, some “old legends” and misinformation are touched on and corrected.

Some examples of diseases, insects, animals and plants covered include malaria, measles, typhoid, cows, pigs, cranberries, peanuts, almonds, soybeans and tomatoes. All articles contain references, mostly to classic studies, and some important websites. An additional appendix reprints twelve major historical documents in this field—for example, Cortez on smallpox, Walter Reed on yellow fever and mosquitoes, and George Washington Carver on peanuts. A small number of sidebars, highlighting important people or a specific type of plant or pathogen appear throughout the work, as well as some black and white photographs and drawings.

Aimed at high school researchers, this title would be most useful in a public or high school library, although the high price may be a barrier. Recommended.—Marion S. Muskiewicz, science librarian emerita, University of Massachusetts Lowell