Reviews

Gr 10 Up‘A thorough, authoritative resource. The articles, written by presidential scholars, include personal information but concentrate more on the political aspects of each administration. They are detailed and interesting but readability varies with each author. Illustrations are limited to black-and-white portraits. Extensive bibliographies for each of the presidents include scholarly materials. An interesting feature is the section on "The Role of First Ladies," which acknowledges the influence that a wife/confidant can have on the presidency. The index is excellent and the appendixes include a useful "Table of Presidential Data." Published just before the 1996 presidential election, this book does not include those elections results. Although it serves as an impressive bridge between encyclopedic information and individual biographies, sources such as Richard M. Pious's Young Oxford Companion to the Presidency of the United States (Oxford Univ., 1994) or Joseph Nathan Kane's Facts about the Presidents (Wilson, 1993) are more readable and would better serve the research needs of YAs.‘Deborah Mason, Chicago Public Library

The second edition of this important reference work, originally reviewed in LJ 7/84, includes four new articles that treat Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and the changing role of the First Lady. Each presidential essay ranges in length from 15 to 20 pages and covers the early political career, the presidential campaigns, and major events or accomplishments during that president's term(s). There is also a brief bibliography attached to each essay, though a good general bibliography is provided in the appendix. An impressive new appendix gives a table of biographical, political, and historical data for each president; election results, major appointments, and key events are included here. A third appendix describes the activities of the Executive Office of the President. This is a major reference work on the presidency, with contributions from eminent historians, political scientists, and journalists (e.g., Fred Greenstein, Arthur S. Link, Gaddis Smith, and David Maraniss). It also serves as a useful companion to the four-volume Encyclopedia of the Presidency (LJ 1/94), which contains many long, scholarly essays on theoretical aspects of the presidency. Essential for all academic and larger public libraries.‘Thomas A. Karel, Franklin & Marshall Coll. Lib., Lancaster, Pa.