The Handbook of Reading Research, Vol. II, is a collection of 34 articles covering a wide range of theoretical and practical issues related to reading and literacy, with each article written by an acknowledged specialist in the field. Although it is daunting in size (weighing in at over 1086 pages), it's scope and depth are impressive. The articles it contains cover virtually every major area of research and theory in reading today, as well as literacy issues and trends in reading and literacy instruction. Though the book is certainly not meant as an introduction to the field of reading research, all of the articles provide a concise but comprehensive survey of the topics they deal with, and can provide an excellent starting point for anyone new to that area of interest.

 Part One of the book (7 chapters) is dedicated to articles about "Society and Literacy." Part Two (7 chapters) and Part Three (11 chapters) are entitled "Task and Format Variables in Reading Research" and "Constructs of the Reader Process" respectively, and Part Four, "Literacy and Schooling," rounds out the book with a focus on practical reading- and literacy-related concerns.

 There are some disappointing aspects to this book. The 1996 publication date is misleading: the book was originally published in 1991, meaning that the most recent references in it date only up to about 1989. Also, those who have read the first volume of the series (Handbook of Reading Research, Longman, 1984), and are hoping the second volume contains updates of the same topics by the same authors, will be disappointed. Still, since major questions and research orientations did not drastically change between 1984 and 1991, one can generally find some, and often much, newer information about any topic discussed in the first volume.

 Those specifically interested in Foreign Language Literacy (FLL) should be aware that much of the book deals only with L1 reading, and that Part Four deals almost exclusively with problems in the United States. Still, there is much in this section, and in the book itself, that can be of use to those interested in FLL. Considering its length and the breadth of the topics it contains, this book is not for everyone, but is certainly for anyone with a serious interest in reading research.

 
Reviewed by David Dycus
Aichi Shukutoku University (Japan)