The Baby Boomer Encyclopedia

Many factors influenced the children born between 1946 and 1965, just as much of society has been influenced by them. Arranged alphabetically, the 93 articles here document what journalist and writer Gitlin (Diana Princess of Wales) considers the most significant political, social, cultural, and historical events of the last 65 years. Entries are brief and readable, usually one to three pages in length. Because historical events do not happen in a vacuum, each chapter contains See also references and pointers to further readings. Researchers may find a few factors that detract from the book's usefulness, however. Entries focus more on social and cultural events (e.g., television, motion pictures, and music) that have been changed by the boomers and less on political events and figures. For example, while John and Robert Kennedy each earn entries, there is no separate entry for President Johnson (though some of the oldest boomers might have concerns about Medicare or Medicaid) or President Nixon. A longer book or more volumes might alleviate this problem. While the book does present a good snapshot of a cultural event or individual, collegiate institutions might find Gale's "American Decades" series more appealing to researchers, particularly volumes focusing on the 1960s and 1970s. BOTTOM LINE Though somewhat limited, this title may prove useful to secondary schools or public libraries that consistently serve high school students. Buy if your budget permits.—James Langan, Univ. of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Lib.