Edited by Odekon (economics, Skidmore Coll.), this timely and distinctive three-volume set discusses all aspects of poverty, including its causes, effects, and consequences. The work covers major U.S. and international antipoverty, development, and economic organizations as well as current and historic poverty relief initiatives. It also offers detailed explanations of important and complicated measures and definitions, e.g., the Human Poverty Index (HPI). The approximately 800 A-to-Z articles are written by more than 125 contributors. There are entries for all 191 countries of the world and appendixes with income measures and vital statistics for each country and for the 51 United States. Numerous entries examine important figures concerned with either reducing poverty or understanding this complex problem. Entries are furnished for each U.S. presidential administration and for relevant humanitarians, sociologists, authors, and economists. Many noteworthy individuals and events not given main entries are addressed in appropriate article categories (e.g., Jane Addams is referenced in the article about Hull House). There are also useful cross references; article bibliographies; a glossary; a resource guide that lists important books, journals, and web sites; and an index that highlights main article topics and corresponding volumes and page numbers in boldface. Bottom Line The inclusion of Hurricane Katrina (in the "Natural Disasters" article) shows that this resource is truly current. Well designed and indispensable for academic and secondary school reference collections, it is an important aid for public administrators, politicians, and others formulating public policies and analyzing their impact on society.