Part of the "Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts" series, Fisher's Historical Dictionary of Vaudeville has a clearly defined scope: it records details of variety show performers, musicians, impresarios, animal trainers, tools, and techniques on the American stage between 1881 and 1932 that are "in danger of being lost to posterity" (p. xi). A chronology describes the origin and demise of the genre; the introductory essay and entries such as "Ethnicity and Race on the American Stage" address the racism and xenophobia that was part of entertainments of that era as well as the way the industry built a mythology of showbiz as a ticket out of poverty. Entries describing agencies, managers, and professional organizations provide rich background about the business aspect of vaudeville circuits. Fisher looks at a deep, diverse roster of performers and performances, supplying original capsule biographies and cross-referencing entries about collaborators, managers, venues, and genres of the act. Particularly valuable is Fisher's documentation of theater argot and lore, such as the origin of the phrase "Get the Hook!," used when an "oil can" (an unpopular performer) is removed from the stage by a stagehand via hook. Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers.