The Forties in America [Print Purchase includes Free Online Access] (Decades (Salem Press))

Like The Fifties in America (2005), The Sixties in America (1999), and similar titles from Salem, this set gives an overview of people and events of a decade. More than 650 alphabetically arranged articles (Abbott and Costello through Zoot suits) provide information on U.S. (and some Canadian) history and culture. Articles range in length from half a page (Dim-out of 1945, Microwave ovens) to five or six pages or more (Agriculture in the United States, Automobiles and auto manufacturing), with most about three or four pages. Photos, maps, and graphs are sprinkled throughout, making the set inviting as well as informative. Entries follow the typical format—title, brief definition, dates, and text that describes the significance or impact. “Further Reading” suggests at least two books (no websites) after every entry. Many see also references are included. A complete table of contents is at the front of all three volumes. Among the 17 appendixes are lists of award winners, major Supreme Court decisions, and World War II battles as well as a time line, bibliography, and glossary. A “List of Entries by Category” and photo, personage, and subject indexes provide a variety of access points. Just about every well-known person in politics and entertainment of the decade is here, as are notable events and trends (Baby boom, Nylon stockings, Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse) and war-related topics (Dieppe raid; Midway, Battle of). Lesser-known issues are included, too (Japanese-Canadian internment, Wartime seizures of businesses). Information is much more thorough than in Gale’s American Decades, 1940–1949 (1995), and as usual, online access is included with purchase of the print set. Because of the wide coverage and readable style, the set is ideal for high-school and public libraries. --Susan Gooden