Scarecrow Press
Pages: 322
•
Trim: 6¼ x 9¼
978-0-8108-7822-8 • Hardback • February 2013 • $150.00 • (£115.00)
978-0-8108-7968-3 • eBook • February 2013 • $142.50 • (£110.00)
Diane Kaufman has served on the board of Scholastic Books and was a reference librarian at the Manhattan (Kansas) Public Library. At the Newman Library of Virginia Tech, she was head of conservation. She has also headed the Western College Memorial Archives at Miami University of Ohio. With her husband, she was co-author of the Historical Dictionary of the Eisenhower Era.
Scott Kaufman is a Professor of History and Co-Director of the Robert E. McNair Center for Government and History at Francis Marion University, where he teaches American diplomatic and military history. He has long specialized in the Carter era, producing three books on it, among them Plans Unraveled: The Foreign Policy of the Carter Administration and The Presidency of James Earl Carter, Jr.
Approximately 400 cross-referenced entries chronicle the one-term presidency of Jimmy Carter, covering people, politics, society, and the culture of the U.S. during the late 1970s. An introductory essay provides concise yearly summaries of each of his four years in office, including information on the energy crisis, in 1977 and the Iran hostage crisis, of 1979–80. A chronology extends from December 12, 1974 (the announcement of his candidacy), to January 21, 1981, when he was sent to Germany to greet the embassy hostages on their release after 444 days of captivity. A substantial bibliography completes the work. Recommended for school, academic, and public libraries.
— Booklist
Independent scholar/archivist D. Kaufman and S. Kaufman are the editors of this latest volume in the "Historical Dictionaries of U.S. Politics and Political Eras" series. This reference book is a dictionary with all of the expected sections, including illustrations, a chronology of the Carter presidency, an introductory essay, appendixes, and a bibliographic essay. The single thing that makes this a unique volume is that it deals with the Carter era in general rather than focusing solely on politics. Readers will find material on literature, music, and world events that ties into the period from 1977 to 1981. Entries are organized in alphabetical order and include cross-references. Most items are brief, with the exception of the entry on Jimmy Carter, which is five pages long. One distinctive feature of the entries is that the names of major players and events appear in boldface in the text and refer to other dictionary entries. This single volume would be a great addition to a school or public library because it places people and events into a chronological historical context. Summing Up: Recommended.
— Choice Reviews
American Presidents are a never-ending source of fascination and research. They set the tone for the country and the world during their tenures and American history are often discussed around presidential terms. In the newest addition to their Historical Dictionaries of U.S. Politics and Political Eras series, Scarecrow Press has tackled the four years of Jimmy Carter's presidency. Similar to their other Historical Dictionaries, this one aims to provide short entries on more subjects rather than treating any single idea or item in depth. But the coverage of their entries is broad, reaching from events that occurred during his presidency (e.g., Love Canal) to the people central to it (e.g., Ayatollah Khomeini, Tip O'Neill) to more broad entries on issues (e.g., Abortion, Environment). But the short alphabetic entries are only about half of the book. The rest is taken up by very valuable bibliography of data and primary source material. A well-organized introductory essay, a chronology of his presidency, a list of all presidential vetoes, all State of the Union addresses, approval ratings for each month he was in office, and a very thorough bibliography all make this dictionary more valuable than it would be otherwise. Libraries supporting high school and undergraduate students who research American history and politics would be well served adding this to their collection if they are looking to provide basic context for the Carter presidency.
— American Reference Books Annual
Written by a history professor at Francis Marion University and a librarian this book offers a good overview of American life during the Carter presidency. . . .[T]his title serves as a helpful resource for anyone interested in learning more about this president and the era in which he served. . . .This source is recommended for public libraries and academic libraries that support the study of American culture, American history, and political science.
— Reference Reviews