Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 1998. [Vol. 5.] Eger Journal of American Studies. (Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 25)

Book reviews - László Dányi: Methods and History: A Milestone in American Studies in Hungary. (Vadon Lehel: Az amerikai irodalom és irodalomtudomány bibliográfiája a magyar időszaki kiadványokban 1990-ig)

The terms that need to be defined here are plastic' is an understatement, since the study of American culture immanently bears in itself the multiform interpretation of the past and present of social consciousness in such a cultural region where the only constant is change, and where the only culture is multicultural and multiethnic. Furthermore, new temporal and spatial dimensions are attached to the inherent complexity of the study of American culture when it is absorbed through the filter of the common awareness of a culture which is not American. In Hungary American Studies as an academic discipline is still in the phase of establishing its principles, thus the scholar who ventures to study American culture will contribute to establishing methods for the discipline. The aforementioned propositions vindicate the concept that readymade methods are not provided for American Studies, so the discipline in Hungary must elaborate and develop methods for itself. In the never-ending process of devising local programs for American Studies, the greatest contribution a scholar can make is to register and record the history of American Studies, which will practice influence upon the emergence of new methods. Lehel Vadon

1 s recent Bibliography fulfils this mission. When trying to epitomize a comprehensive volume which is the result of an erudite author's indefatigable research for decades, I struggle with selecting the proper words for describing the impressive volume. Lehel Vadon, the chairperson of the first Department of American Studies in Hungary, has devoted his talent and energy to paving the way initiated by László Országh for American studies in Hungary, and his latest bibliography proves to be the peak of his achievement, and to be the greatest asset and repository for those scholars who wish to expand and develop the discipline. On the one hand Vadon admits that his errand owes a debt to the Országh legacy, and he regards Országh's oeuvre as the greatest encouragement and motivation to continue to work in a field which T. V. Reed. "Theory and Method in American Studies: An Annotated Bibliography. " American Studies International

, vol. 30 (October 1992) 4-34. Paul Lauter. "'Versions of Nashville, Visions of American Studies': Presidential Address to the American Studies Association, October 27, 1994." American Quarterly

, vol. 47 (1995), 185-203. Vadon Lehel. Az amerikai irodalom és irodalomtudomány bibliográfiája a magyar időszaki kiadványokban. 1990-ig. Eger: EKTF Líceum Kiadó, 1997. 1076 pp.