Reviews

This reference, intended to supplement Americans' insufficient knowledge of their country's history, lists essential people, places and dates from the New World's discovery to the Iran-Contra affair, and compares past events to those of the present. (June)

This latest in Davis's popular "Don't Know Much About" series is a revised and expanded edition of the series' first title (1990). Using the same question-and-answer format, the new edition includes over 200 pages of additional material covering the past 13 years-from one Bush administration to another, including the fall of communism, the dot-com bubble, the 2000 election, and the 9/11 attack. Davis has also inserted new questions into many chapters, included more "American Voices" (using contemporary quotes), and added a new appendix to the section on the Bill of Rights and other amendments. Davis covers U.S. history with a balanced and contemporary voice, shedding light on many legends, myths, and inaccuracies (e.g., Pocahontas did not save Capt. John Smith's life; the first President of the United States was John Hanson of Maryland, elected President under the Articles of Confederation). The book makes for fun reading for history buffs but is not for the scholar. With enough new material to warrant purchase, it is recommended for public libraries.-Robert Flatley, Kutztown Univ. of Pennsylvania Lib. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Gr 7 Up-Kenneth C. Davis uses wit, candor, and fascinating facts to reveal the very human side of history the textbooks neglect.