The religious historian Matt Sutton has reviewed The Columbia Guide to Religion in American History, for the Christian Century. You can read the review here. A little excerpt:

There are probably few reference books that vacationers will drag down to the beach this summer. And though I make a living in academia, there aren’t many works of reference that I want to read from cover to cover. I love history because I love stories, storytelling and engrossing narratives- not because I’m taken with the facts, figures and dates that populate reference books. But once I agreed to review The Columbia Guide to Religion in American History I had no choice but to crack the spine. I am glad I did.

The guide, edited by Paul Harvey and Edward J. Blum- the former a highly respected and accomplished historian of American religion, the latter one of the rising stars in the profession-provides an excellent overview of many of the most important trends, topics and issues in American religious history.

Read more: http://www.readperiodicals.com/201205/2667177581.html#b#ixzz1wCpdrm99