Bookverdict.com

History isn't the only thing that repeats itself; the same can be said of history reference books. Here, two titles examine the major events of the 1940s, detailing the transformation of the United States from World War II to a nuclear superpower. Comparison of article lists reveals surprisingly little overlap. Though this is an oversimplification, Forties may be viewed as the "serious" set, with entries covering the social scene ("Bobby-soxers"), literature ("Literature in the United States"), music ("Andrews Sisters"), law ("Cantwell v. Connecticut"), and many other contemporary topics. Postwar Years is the "silly" set, looking at fads and fashions, movies, comic books, television shows, and all the other ephemeral themes that comprise so-called popular culture. While t...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Gr 10 Up—One goal of this set is to portray the decade's many unique contributions to our history and our way of life. The scope is quite broad, but the text is comprehensive, covering people, events, and developments in the United States and Canada. As one might expect, a great deal of the material is devoted to some aspect of World War II and its impact on society. However, other topics are not slighted. The two-column, alphabetically arranged entries vary in length from approximately one to six pages. Each...Log In or Sign Up to Read More