From rodeos to quilting bees, stickball to stock car racing, American pastimes comprise a broad range of activities. The two-volume Encyclopedia of Recreation and Leisure in America provides a comprehensive survey of these activities from the Colonial era to the present. This title examines how the pursuit of leisure has changed over time, reflecting shifting social, cultural, political and economic trends in the United States. Particular attention is paid to how leisure activities have varied by region, class, ethnicity, gender and age. Such information fuels history class discussions and assignments as the curriculum increasingly requires students to understand not only the milestones of political and military history, but also how people lived day to day. From entries on specific types of leisure activities to discussions of important themes in the history of leisure, the Encyclopedia provides a unique window into this key component of American social history.