The Eighties in America Review

“… Of the 680 alphabetically arranged entries, each includes a 1,000-plus word essay, an author byline, a bibliography, and cross-references. The set also includes 300 graphics and 375 tables. The essays are prefaced by one-line descriptions of the entries, and where applicable, dates and places are included. Every entry also features an “Impact” section, which describes the broader effect the entry had on the 1980s. For broad topics such as education or race relations, lengthier overviews are provided to examine the larger scope.

The third volume contains 16 appendixes. Most of them are lists that reflect major awards or entertainment in pop culture such as Emmy Award winners; however, two lists reflect major legislation of the decade as well as a timeline for major events of the 1980s. A bibliography of print and online sources follows the appendixes as well as a glossary and several indexes…”
-ARBA
“Generally objective and well written, the cross-referenced articles are divided into user-friendly sections that provide details about a person, event, or topic; impact; and further reading… With topics that range from Boy George and Pee-Wee Herman to nuclear winter, this is a solid choice.”
-School Library Journal

“Salem Press, known for its history reference sources for students, has recently released another part of a series that is sure to be acquired by most public, school, and undergraduate libraries. The Eighties in America follows others, including The Sixties in America (1999), The Fifties in America (2005), and The Seventies in America (2006), in a decade-by-decade march through time. All three earlier sets were reviewed favorably in Reference Book Bulletin, and the high quality continues with The Eighties. The three volumes take events, people, and elements of popular culture (music, television series, musical groups) and provide 663 essays that range from one to six pages providing a brief summary of identifying facts. This is followed by an essay that concludes with a section on “Impact” and further reading for those who want to pursue extended study. Examples of the topics covered are Action films; Adams, Bryan; Aspartame; Big Chill, The; Brat Pack in acting; Car alarms; Nation at Risk, A; Post office shootings; Preppies; Starbucks; Torch Song Trilogy; Turner, Ted; Winfrey, Oprah; and Yuppies. Sidebars and blackand- white illustrations supplement the text.

…The free database access makes The Eighties in America even more appealing for libraries.”
-Booklist