The Great Depression and the New Deal: A Thematic Encyclopedia

by Daniel Leab, Kenneth J. Bindas, Alan Harris Stein, Justin Corfield, Steven L. Danver

Overview

A comprehensive encyclopedia of the 1930s in the United States, showing how the Depression affected every aspect of American life.

In two volumes, The Great Depression and the New Deal: A Thematic Encyclopedia captures the full scope of a defining era of American history. Like no other available reference, it offers a comprehensive portrait of the nation from the Crash of 1929 to the onset of World War II, exploring the impact of the Depression and the New Deal on all aspects of American life.

The book features hundreds of alphabetically organized entries in sections focusing on economics, politics, social ramifications, the arts, and ethnic issues. With an extraordinary range of primary sources integrated throughout , The Great Depression and the New Deal is the new cornerstone resource on a historic moment that is casting a shadow on our own unsettled times.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781598841541
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	12/18/2009
Pages:	792
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 10.30(h) x 2.50(d)

About the Author

Daniel Leab is professor of history at Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ.

Kenneth J. Bindas, PhD, is professor and chair in the department of history at Kent State University, Kent, OH.

Alan Harris Stein, PhD, is associate director of the Consortium for Oral History Educators at the Martha Ross Center for Oral History, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD. He also serves as an oral history consultant and is chair of the Oral History Association Education Committee, specializing in the field of oral history as an educational methodology.

Justin Corfield is a teacher of history and international studies at Geelong Grammar School.

Steven L. Danver, PhD, is instructor of history at National University, La Jolla, CA, and managing editor of Jourbanal of the West.

Editorial Reviews

The Great Depression and the New Deal: a Thematic Encyclopedia could find a home in either reference or circulation, depending on need and the nature of the collection. It should also appeal to a variety of libraries including high school, public, and undergraduate. Students will find these two volumes a valuable resource for completing short assignments as well as getting a start on larger papers. At the same time, general readers will turban to them to get facts and perspective on one of the most trying and difficult eras in American history.” —Against the Grain

“…this work is a good choice to help students begin research on this era.” —School Library Jourbanal

“Recommended. Lower- and upper-level undergraduates; graduate students.” —Choice

From the Publisher

Gr 10 Up—This set looks at the Depression through five interrelated "lenses," discussing, in a section each, its effects on America's economy, politics, societal structures, arts and entertainment, and ethnic groups. Each section opens with an overview that runs from 10 to 30 pages; it is followed by alphabetically arranged, objectively written essays related to the chapter theme, and bibliographical references. The 650 entries run from a few paragraphs to a few pages and are cross-referenced. Although the set focuses on the American experience, the overviews and essays include commentary on world events that affected this country. Quotes from primary sources are integrated throughout the discussions, and the second volume provides a selection of 26 excerpts from speeches, media coverage, and government documents such as official reports and analyses of New Deal programs. However, those readings are more difficult to access than other entries because, although they are included in the general index, there is no separate title listing for them. The text is supplemented by average-quality, well-captioned photos and a comprehensive index that includes cross-indexing. This set offers more advanced discussion and analysis than Grolier's multivolume Depression America (2001), which is also thematically arranged, but written for a middle-level audience. The difficult access to the primary sources is a weakness, but, overall, this work is a good choice to help students begin research on this era.—Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO

School Library Journal